K 2013 WRAP UP: MATERIALS

Enhanced polyethylene resins for wide range of applications

The Dow Chemical Company launched their Elite AT 6401 and Elite AT 6402 enhanced polyethylene resins at K.

The Elite materials are very versatile, Dow said, and can be deployed for a broad range of applications including liquid detergents, pet food and milk or oil. They offer high pack speeds in demanding applications such as liquid tight packaging for coextruded and laminated blown films and offer a good balance of stiffness and toughness.

Elite AT 6401 and Elite AT 6402 can offer enhanced seal integrity, making it possible to reach bag tightness at high packaging speeds and low sealing temperatures for structures such as BOPP laminates (and this includes lap seals), laminates that are over 100 micron thick or other temperature sensitive laminates.

The materials are also suitable for demanding co-extrusion structures, such as milk and oil pouches, where toughness is key for ensuring sufficient bag drop impact, Dow said.

Dow Chemical Canada Inc. (Brampton, Ont.);

www.dow.com/canada; 905-799-0834

Doubling down on automotive plastics

BASF used the K show to mark the expansion of its activities in the field of engineering plastics for automotive construction.

BASF has expanded its glass-reinforced Ultramid S Balance nylon 610 line with two new flexible extrusion grades for pipe and tubing in the automotive and machinery sectors as well as for oil and gas lines. These grades are modified for low-temperature impact strength, BASF said: grade S4Z5 is a semi-flexible material for liquid-conveying lines that must meet demanding temperature requirements; grade S4Z4 XS is a more flexible product for vacuum and vent lines and has even greater stress-crack resistance.

The company has also released a new blow molding grade of Ultramid Endure, a specially stabilized nylon 66 for auto under-hood parts. With its heat resistance of 220 C in continuous use and peak temperature of 240 C, the new D5G3 BM grade (15% glass) can be used for pipes between the turbocharger and intercooler.

BASF Canada Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.);

www.basf.com; 289-360-1300

Reinforced nylon 6,6 for electrical applications

New from DuPont Performance Polymers is a halogen-free, flame-retardant, 25 per cent glass-reinforced nylon 6,6 that boasts enhanced thermal aging for electrical/electronic (E/E) applications such as insulating elements and housings for circuit breakers, contactors, transformers, and motors. According to DuPont, the material achieves V-0 at 0.4mm, half as thick as previous grades. Zytel FR95G25V0NH is said to retain 80 per cent of its tensile strength, compared with only 50 per cent for previous materials, at 200 degrees C for 1,000 hr.
Also from DuPont – and designed for automotive E/E parts – the new Crastin HR HFS is a second-generation hydrolysis-resistant, high-flow, melt-stable PBT available with 15 per cent and 30 per cent glass. The material is designed to withstand long residence times in hot runners, DuPont said.

DuPont Canada (Mississauga, Ont.);

www.dupont.com; 905-813-8252

Infrared reflection pigment for warmer climates

Huntman Corporation’s new Altiris infrared reflecting pigment is a titanium dioxide-based pigment that preferentially reflects infrared radiation from the sun. When mixed with colored pigments, Huntsman said, the result is higher solar reflectance in a wide range of colorful polymers, including dark and vibrant shades.

“Increasing the solar reflectance of polymers can help open up new markets for polymer products as they become less prone to warping,” said Sean Reid, the company’s business development manager. “This means polymer products could be used in warmer regions of the world where they would have previously been unsuitable.”

Huntsman Corporation (St Hilaire, Que.);

www.huntsman.com; 450-446 9449

 Vibration-damping silicones

Wacker Chemie AG presented two new vibration-damping silicones, the Elastosil R 752/30 and Elastosil R 752/70 grades, offered to make life a little easier for design engineers.

The silicones cure to form elastomers that are significantly less elastic than standard silicone rubber, Wacker said. As a result, they have a strong damping effect on shocks and undesired vibrations. At the same time, they possess all the typical properties of silicones, such as heat resistance, low-temperature flexibility, and aging resistance.

All told, the two grades – which cure at Shore A hardnesses of 30 and 70, respectively – are well-suited for making the vibration dampers that are needed in automotive engineering in particular, and can be processed by conventional compression molding and by injection molding.

Wacker Chemical Corporation (Adrian, Mich.);

www.wacker.com; 888-922-5374

Paintable PP for auto parts

New from Borealis, Daplen L 350 HP is a high-stiffness, paintable PP designed for exterior auto parts. It offers improved paint bonding, Borealis said, making possible two-layer paint systems without a third primer layer. Also, there’s a new Borstar TPO designed to eliminate flow marks in high-speed molding – a stiff material that Borealis said has a broad process window and provides a premium appearance due to more uniform crystallization.

Also from Borealis, Bormed SB-815MO is a new soft PP designed for medical films and blow/fill/seal bottles. The material is said to offer superior clarity and organoleptics, and is also softer than previous PPs for blow/fill/seal bottles, Borealis said, allowing for more complete emptying of containers. It can be sterilized at up to 121 degrees C.

Borealis Compounds Inc. (Port Murray, N.J.);

www.borealisgroup.com; 908-850-6200

New grade of high-temperature nylon

DSM Engineering Plastics launched its new Stanyl ForTii T11, a grade of its unique high-temperature nylon 4T designed to offer halogen-free, UL 94V-0 flame retardancy along with superior thermal and mechanical performance. The material meets stringent regulations for printed circuit-board terminal blocks using surface-mount technology (SMT), DSM said.

Also new is the first film extruded from DSM’s EcoPaXX biobased nylon 410. MF Folien GmbH in Germany produced 30-50 micron cast films for potential uses in flexible food packaging, building/construction, medical, aviation, and shipping.

DSM also presented what it called the first highly hydrolysis-resistant, high-performance PET engineering compound: Arnite A-XO7455, a 50 per cent glass-reinforced grade with a tensile strength at break of 200 MPa. The material retains approximately 90 per cent of initial strength after 100 hours at 85 degree C – compared to conventional PET, which loses up to half its tensile strength.

DSM Engineering Plastics Canada (Stoney Creek, Ont.);

www.dsmep.com; 905-662-1866

Liquid carrier technolog
y for vinyl building and construction extrusion applications

ColorMatrix, a subsidiary of PolyOne Corporation, unveiled new grades of Excelite liquid foaming solutions for extruded vinyl construction applications at K 2013.  

Excelite liquid foaming agents were launched in 2008; the new formulations are designed to address specific requirements for trim, panels, partitions, profiles and decking in building and construction extrusion applications, enhancing individual extrusion processes and applications including thick sheet applications such as panels and partitions; profiles and decorative moldings; low maintenance, weather-resistant decking; and trim and siding products for protecting and enhancing building exteriors.

Excelite foaming agents can be metered directly at the extruder feed throat, ColorMatrix said, for in-line production flexibility that reduces product changeover time and increases productivity. Its liquid dispersion properties promote even distribution of the active foaming agents to create a fine and consistent cell structure that enables customers to achieve densities of 0.45g/m³ and less while maintaining surface finish quality and physical properties.

PolyOne Canada Inc. Distribution (Mississauga, Ont.);

www.polyone.com; 905-405-0003

Flame retardant solutions for high-temperature thermoplastics

Clariant introduced new phosphinate flame retardants for thermoplastics used in demanding environments.

Exolit OP 1400 (TP) for polyamides and Exolit OP 1260 (TP) for polyesters are said by the company to offer the plastics industry new opportunities to improve both fire safety and processing and mechanical performance at the same time.

Both Exolit OP 1400 (TP) and Exolit OP 1260 (TP) achieve UL 94V-0 classification down to 0.4mm thickness and CTI values of 600 Volt.

Exolit OP 1400 (TP) provides enhanced thermal stability to polyamides which makes it especially suitable for high processing temperatures and compounds that are injection molded into complex cavities. This avoids problems such as polymer degradation, formation of decomposition products and discoloration, which can occur during processing in case of insufficient thermal stability of the flame retardant additive.

The synergistic blend Exolit OP 1260 (TP), meanwhile, provides a new flame retardancy solution to manufacturers looking to use halogen free reinforced polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) in applications such as insulating parts in the electrical and electronic (E&E) industry. Reinforced PBT has a lower melting point and heat distortion temperature than its commonly used counterpart polyethylene terephthalate (PET) but is a better electrical insulator. The strength and stiffness of reinforced PBT also enables its use in thinner wall sections. This generates both efficiency advantages and helps to miniaturize end-products, delivering more opportunities for manufacturers and OEMs. Exolit OP 1260 (TP) addresses fire safety and the performance requirements of PBT for specific applications without the need for an additional flame retardant additive. It enhances melt flow and improves the mechanical properties of PBT used in injection molding, achieving UL 94 V-0 even at 0.4mm thickness.

Clariant Canada Inc. (Toronto);

www.clariant.com; 416-847-7000

Wide range of inorganic pigments

Specialty chemicals company Lanxess showcased a wide range of inorganic pigments for coloring plastics.

The Colortherm iron oxide and chrome oxide pigments specifically developed for the plastics industry come in yellow, red, brown, black, and green; numerous shades of the individual colors are available. Applications include packaging materials, tubes and connecting elements, cockpits and synthetic leather in the automotive industry, plastics in the electronics and electrical industry, synthetic running surfaces on athletic tracks, and WPCs.

The pigments can be heated to temperatures of over 300°C, depending on the grade, without suffering adverse effects. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already given the Colortherm pigments the thumbs-up as a raw material for coloring toys and food packaging.

Lanxess Inc. (Sarnia, Ont.);

www.lanxess.com; 519-337-8251