AUTOMOTIVE | UNDER THE HOOD
Above: Ascend Performance Materials is increasingly supplying material for electrical under-the-hood applications
currently. Downgauged steel and aluminium can save considerable weight, but they sacrifice safety and comfort if not properly supported.” Ascend says that its new Vydyne R433H is used
to make structural supports in the BIW. The company says that polyamide 66 already exhibits good creep and fatigue resistance, so it maintains well under the persistent stresses in that applica- tion. However, R433H is specially designed for energy absorption to withstand impacts. In the end, OEMs shave substantial weight from the BIW without sacrificing passenger safety or comfort. “We continue to work with OEMs on addressing their needs in terms of improving battery and electrical systems safety, reliability and perfor- mance,” says Gopal. “We have our Vydyne J series for electrical connectors, which resists corrosion under high voltage, as well as a number of grades designed to encase and protect Li-ion battery cells. PA 66 works well in these applications because of its temperature, chemical and impact resistance, and electrical properties. “Faster charging of EV batteries and autono- mous vehicles are exciting future developments that we feel Vydyne PA 66 solutions can support quite well. In terms of fast charging, the materials used throughout the charging infrastructure need
to be able to handle high loads of electricity and the heat generated by moving that much power that quickly. These parts need to perform reliably and we think there is a place for PA 66 in these applications. With autonomous vehicles, safety and reliability will be essential to proving that technol- ogy viable. Autonomous vehicles with their abundance of sensors will offer new challenges in these areas. We already provide a number of solutions in the EV space that ensure safety and reliability in and around electrical systems, we are thinking ahead on what solutions are needed for autonomous driving.” BASF, in cooperation with Joma-Polytec and
Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell, a subsidiary of Daimler, has used the engineering plastic Ultramid to manufacture a number of fuel cell system compo- nents. These have been used in the new Mercedes GLC F-Cell, which combines a fuel cell with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. BASF says that key Ultramid properties for the Mercedes GLC F-Cell include good thermal and chemical resist- ance, dynamic stiffness, impact strength and good long-term performance. Two glass fibre-reinforced Ultramid grades are now being used as standard to manufacture the anode- and cathode-end plate in the fuel cells. The company says that Ultramid A3EG7 EQ is an
ideal material, given the purity requirements associated with sensitive applications in the electronics industry. In the case of the media distribution plate and the water separator unit, which is exposed to a wide variety of media through the cooling water, air and hydrogen channel, this Ultramid grade offers good resistance, while at the same time meeting all requirements regarding the purity of the material. Evonik has developed high performance
Lanxess has developed tailor-made polyamides and polybutylene
terephthalates for components of lithium-ion batteries, the electric
powertrain and charging infrastructure
42
INJECTION WORLD | May 2019
www.injectionworld.com
PHOTO: LANXESS
PHOTO: ASCEND
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