Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is bringing its electronics and electricals prowess to SKZ's Plastics in E&E Applications congress at Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg.
LANXESS
Alexander Radeck, Application Development Expert in the LANXESS High Performance Materials business unit explained that the company's exhibit will home in on low-distortion polyamide and PBT compounds, in addition to a cost-optimised polyamide 6 for substituting mineral-filled polyamides and easy-flowing PBT variants for the cost-effective production of thin-walled components.
Another focal point is polyester compounds for applications in LED lighting technology, while LANXESS will be participating in the conference lecture programme, where Andy Dentel, Application Developer at LANXESS subsidiary Bond-Laminates GmbH, will be speaking about the potential uses of thermoplastic fibre composites in E&E applications on Wednesday, June 10th.
Exceptionally low distortion, outstanding surface quality
Reinforced, flame-retardant polyamide and PBT compounds with low tendency to warp are in particular demand for the manufacture of geometrically intricate and large housing parts. With Pocan AF, LANXESS is one of the few suppliers of PBT and ASA (acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer) blends for this requirements profile.
“They produce outstanding surfaces, leave hardly any deposits in the injection mould and are flame-retardant,” said Radeck. This high flame retardance is reflected in the V0 classification to the US testing organisation Underwriter Laboratories (UL) test UL 94 and a corresponding entry on the UL Yellow Card.
Among the particularly low-distortion polyamide 6 grades that LANXESS will be showcasing are Durethan BG 30 X F30 and Durethan BG 30 X FN01, which are reinforced, among other things, with glass microspheres. The latter is a halogen-free flame-retardant plastic boasting a UL f1 listing for use in outdoor applications exposed to UV light and water.
Cost-effective alternatives with better performance
Durethan BKV 25 FN27, which is tailor-made for substituting mineral-filled, flame-retardant polyamide 6, offers better performance at a comparable price.
“It also features isotropic shrinkage, but is stiffer and stronger, can be freely coloured, and is easier to weld using ultrasound. It also has lower density,” said Radeck.
In the glow-wire test to IEC 60695-2-12, the flame-retardant, halogen- and phosphorus-free material achieved the best possible GWFI (Glow Wire Flammability Index) value for plastics at 960 °C for specimen thicknesses of less than 1 mm. One possible application is for low-voltage switching equipment.
Cycle times up to 20 per cent shorter
The extremely easy-flowing PBT Pocan XF variants are reinforced with 10 to 55 per cent glass fibres.
“Despite the improved flow properties, they are more resistant to hydrolysis than comparable standard PBT grades and exhibit similar mechanical properties,” explained Radeck.
Another strength is the very even distribution of the glass fibres in component areas with thin wall thicknesses. To demonstrate this, exhibits made from Pocan C 3230 XF, including a roller carrier for a kitchen appliance, will be on show in Würzburg.
Tepex – flame-retardant, electrically conductive
Dentel’s presentation will include an introduction to new flame-retardant grades of the high-performance composite Tepex from the LANXESS subsidiary Bond-Laminates GmbH, which are based on a polycarbonate matrix. He will also highlight the great opportunities offered by flame-retardant Tepex in the production of housing parts for the fields of power transmission and distribution, for example. Another topic is electrically conductive material grades of Tepex, which can be used in applications with special electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements, for example.