MATERIALS | ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC
High performance from recyclate
Serious consideration is now being given to using post-industrial and post-consumer recyclate (PCR), even in mature E&E components, says Enrico Spini at Radici Group. He says the company has already done some scouting for possible sources of material – “We are already working on some sources of PCR that appear reliable in terms of quality and supply chain” – and has developed an HFFR
grade with a “significant” percentage of PCR polyamide. He says mechanical and electrical properties are both very promising. First serial applications are expected to be around two years away. Radici is evaluating materials with between 20 and 100% PCR. Spini says the company can take advantage of experience it has already acquired in developing compounds containing post-industrial
ences between metal and plastic in terms of thermal expansion. Pocan XHR products have an elongation at break of up to 4.7%, to resist the formation of stress cracks. Moreover, the improved long-term temperature stability and hydrolysis resistance reduce susceptibility to stress cracks. In thermal shock tests, says Ralf Heinen, applica- tion developer at the High Performance Materials business unit, metal over-mouldings in Pocan XHR “exhibit no stress cracks or, if they do, the cracks do not appear until after many multiples of the usual number of test cycles.” He says this makes the new products exceptionally well-suited to parts such as bus bars, connectors, power strips and main supporting frames. The melt viscosity of all Pocan XHR variants
Right: Wallbox for charging electric cars, an application for which Lanxess sees great potential. Various materials are on offer for such applications
remains constant for a long time at the injection moulding temperatures customary for PBT, provid- ing process stability across a wide processing window. The improved flowability relative to comparable standard PBT materials makes it possible to implement thin-walled geometries, Heinen says. “Furthermore, over-moulding of metal parts can take place at lower filling pressures, which means that the metal inserts are not distorted or pushed out of position in the tool by the molten material.” Standard PBT already has good chemical resistance, and in Pocan XHR it is even better, particularly when it comes to very strong alkalis. On vehicle underbodies in particular, a combination of road salt, cast iron, and moisture can cause a mildly alkaline environ- ment to build up. “Our XHR compounds are therefore the material of choice in this applica- tion for electrical and electronic
54 INJECTION WORLD | October 2020
material using scrap from its own plants producing fibres. “We have been selling into the automotive industry for years,” he says. “We know that you can’t reproduce reliably without knowing how to select suitable materials, how to measure properties, how to carry out com- pounding, and so on. If you don’t have this sort of experience, the results could be a disaster.”
components such as sensors, housings and connectors,” says Heinen. Lanxess is currently adding more V-0 halogen-
free flame-retardant compounds to the XHR product range. They are particularly well suited to live components in hot and humid conditions, which have to exhibit excellent hydrolysis stability and fire resistance at the same time. The flame- retardant compounds are reinforced with glass fibres (15, 25, and 30%). An unreinforced version of the product will also be available. In addition to new applications in the powertrain
of electric vehicles, Lanxess sees great potential for its Pocan thermoplastic polyesters, and also its Durethan polyamides, in the charging infrastruc- ture—charging plugs and sockets in charging stations and wallboxes for example, as well as for components in inductive, wireless charging systems for high-voltage batteries. Sarah Luers, project manager in E&E application development in the Lanxess HPM business unit, says that unreinforced materials are mainly used for charging plugs because they offer a high level of dimensional stability and surface quality, are impact resistant, and are also available as flame-retardant com- pounds for applications in contact with live electronic parts. She highlights a HFFR grade of
PA6, Durethan B30SFN30. This achieves a UL94 V-0 rating at 0.75mm. “Durethan B30S, however, is ideal for thin-walled components such as plug handles, which do not necessarily have to be flame-retardant,” she says. At DSM Engineering Materials,
Global Marketing Director Tamim Sidiki highlights the importance of materials with high CTIs in high-voltage
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: LANXESS
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