HIGH-TEMPERATURE PLASTICS | MATERIALS
High-heat thermoplastic composites
Major polymer makers BASF and DowDuPont have devel- oped thermoplastic composite systems based on high temperature thermoplastics. In a recent announcement, BASF put the emphasis on sandwich structures for airplane interiors that can be produced cost-effectively and quickly. It says that its Ultrason E polyethersulfone can be processed into different components of the sandwich struc- ture in a single tool, reducing cycle times and manufacturing costs. The sandwich consists of a foam
core and laminates of carbon fibre- reinforced Ultrason E. “If needed, the thermoformed foam core with cover layers can then be over-moulded with the carbon-fibre reinforced Ultrason E 2010 C6 to incorporate reinforce- ments, structures or additional functional elements into the sand- wich,” it says. “The combination of 30% carbon fibres with the amor-
fibre-reinforced composites with a polyamide matrix, as well as over-moulding resins and the associated enabling technolo- gies such as computerised part design, assembly technologies and automated processing support. “All of these are critical to achieve breakthrough, high-volume thermoplastic composite adoptions, helping to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and increase cargo-
BASF is targeting aircraft interiors with its high-heat products
phous [polymer] guarantees extraor- dinary and constant mechanical properties for the light foam sandwich over a temperature range of -100 to +200°C.” Ultrason E also has very good FST (Fire, Smoke, Toxicity) properties – it is intrinsically flame retardant for example. DuPont Transportation & Advanced
Polymers’ Vizilon thermoplastic composites include continuous
and reduced mould deposit. This significant improvement results in less downtime of the injection moulding tool, which is a direct productiv- ity advantage for the moulder.” Akro Plastic points in particular to highly filled carbon fibre grades such as Akrotek PEEK CF 50-9 (5447) black, which can have tensile moduli as high as around 40 GPa. “This allows for meeting the critical requirements for aerospace applications as well as lightweight parts in automotive,” it says. Akrotek LF black (6624), on the other hand, is billed as a solution for ESD-critical applications (ESD: Electrostatic Dissipation) with reduced density and repeatable values. A new product line enhancing PEEK-to-metal bonding compounds is in development using the PST (Plasma Seal Tight) technology from Plasmatreat. “This will be a technical milestone for us to enter new territories and markets,” says Markus Boenig, Akro-Plastic’s Business Development Manager. Eurotec has a wide range of performance polymers including PEEK and polyetherimide (PEI), as well as PA 66, PPA and PPS. The advantage of
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load capacities,” it says. The company is targeting various
load-bearing components, mostly in automotive, including seat and sliding door structures, hatchbacks, cross-car and bumper beams, front-end modules and oil pans. One application already commercial is a lightweight oil pan from Nifco UK. Oil pans are subject to significant physical stresses, including vibration, impacts by stones and other road debris as well as exposure to extreme heat. It was engineered to deliver 58% weight savings.
long-term heat resistance of PEI and PEEK is leading to their use in applications such as ignition components and sensors for under-hood compo- nents in automotive, as well as sockets and bob- bins in electronics. Other benefits include im- proved chemical and corrosion resistance with excellent stiffness and strength and inherent flame retardancy. “The most critical design parameter is selection
of the ideal material, which depends on key require- ments of the application,” says Eurotec. “For example, PEEK exhibits much stiffness, higher mechanical properties and long-term heat stability compared to PEI. If there is no need for these requirements, PEI can be more preferable due to cost advantage, similar thermal properties and flame retardancy behaviour. For this reason, PEI gains much attention in aircraft. On the other hand, if higher service temperature is required, PEEK is the right material among the high performance plastics to withstand up to 260°C. In addition, it also exhibits higher mechanical performance at 4,000 MPa tensile modulus and 100 MPa tensile strength,
September 2018 | INJECTION WORLD 41
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