MATERIALS | AUTOMOTIVE


throttle response and excellent impact absorption – virtually eliminating tooth breakage. By combining high-flow W&F-optimised Stanyl


Right: BASF says parts made from its Ultramid can resist hydrolysis for over


100,000 hours


PA46 and 50-60% glass fibre-reinforcement, followed by post-mould heat treatment, the team achieved precise gear geometry and optimised mechanical gear performance. The thin wall actuator gear design delivers 30% higher stiffness and 20% higher wear resistance. In addition, the new design was 30% lighter and 20% cheaper and smaller than a conventional 1.5 mm-thick actuator gear wall. Envalior also launched a new PBT for high-volt- age applications at K2025 last year. It says that Pocan BFN4232ZHR S1 combines high elongation at break, good tracking resistance, hydrolysis resistance and flame-retardancy – while also being dimensionally stable and electrically insulating at elevated temperatures. It says the material is suitable for applications such as connectors for ultrafast high-voltage charging and secondary 48-volt board supply. “We see great potential, above all, in connectors used in ultrafast-charging stations for electric cars with charging voltages of 800 volts and above,” said Jochen Endtner, head of product develop- ment for Pocan at Envalior. The company plans to add further variants – with


different glass fibre contents – that are optimised in terms of properties. Grades are now available that can be marked in all colours using laser marking. Envalior also offers the material based on renew- able raw materials (bio-based butanediol). Its high elongation at break of over 2.5% (ISO


527-1,-2) is comparable to polyamide compounds with flame-retardant additive packages. Parts made from the material also absorb more energy under load, so do not break as easily and are less prone to stress cracks. The elongation at break is retained even after extreme temperature changes. With its tracking resistance, the compound achieves the best possible rating of 600 in the CTI A test (Comparative Tracking Index, IEC 60112) – so meets the requirements of the highest insulation class according to IEC 60664-1. This rating also applies to orange and black colouring, which is unique for a PBT compound reinforced with 25% glass fibres, says Envalior. “The compound’s high flame resistance and


14 INJECTION WORLD | May/June 2026


tracking resistance make it easier for designers to create thin-walled, compact components without compromising electrical safety,” said Endtner. “This results in low material consumption and ideal use of the installation space.” In addition, its tensile strength remained at a high level after 3,000 hours of hot air storage at 150°C. The material contains no PFAS, and its additives


do not release any harmful decomposition prod- ucts such as isocyanates or phosphine dur- ing injection molding.


Hydrolysis resistance BASF has developed a new polyamide that withstands hydrolysis, making it suitable for use in eMobility applications. The company says the glass fibre-reinforced,


low-halogen Ultramid grade meets requirements to more than 100,000 hours.


For instance, frequent battery


charging processes increase the required service life of under-the- hood plastic components – such as


pumps and valves – to at least 45,000 hours,


compared to 5,000 hours for conventional com- bustion engines. While the durability of these materials was


previously tested mainly in air-heat environments, BASF has transferred these proven methods to hydrolysis storage – that is, ageing in water-glycol mixtures. It uses the Arrhenius equation – which describes the relationship between temperature and reaction rate – to predict the service life under normal conditions. As part of a series of tests, BASF examined a polyamide from its latest generation of materials. The Ultramid is characterized by optimised hydrolysis resistance, laser markability, glass fibre reinforcement and low halogen thus meets all the requirements of the automotive market, even in the future. The results show that the properties of the material can be extrapolated to more than 100,000 hours after five years of testing.


Getting tough Auserpolimeri – a subsidiary of Bruggemann – has developed new impact modifiers for polyam- ide and other materials. Its Compoline CO/PA products are designed to enhance the durability and flexibility of engineer- ing plastics with a focus on polyamides, polyesters,


www.injectionworld.com


IMAGE: BASF


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