Resins and additives

Process aid has no animal derivatives

A new process aid additive from Axel is composed entirely of vegetable-based organic materials, and contains no animal derivatives or metallic stearates. MoldWiz INT-33VPE is suitable for enhancing flow and reducing the surface coefficient of friction in polyolefins and stryrenic resins without adversely affecting the secondary operations of molded parts.

Axel Plastics Research Laboratories Inc. 718-672-8300

Durable, clear elastomer

Advanced Polymer Alloys (APA), a division of Ferro, has developed of a clear grade of Alcryn Melt-Processible Rubber (MPR) — Alcryn MPR 2060CL. This material offers the same superior durability, resistance to flex fatigue, chemical resistance, compatibility to PVC, and other traits of APA’s Alcryn MPR. The clear grade is available in 60 Shore A durometer.

Among the advantages that Alcryn MPR 2060CL offers are its bonding ability to clear flexible PVC, excellent chemical and oil resistance, easy processing in both injection molding and extrusion machines, and true rubber characteristics.

Anticipated applications include watchbands, computer and electronic devices, bicycles, skateboards, toys, and more.

Advanced Polymer Alloys 888-663-6005.

SBC molding grade combines clarity and toughness

BASF has added a new injection molding grade that offers significantly improved transparency along with good impact strength and stiffness to its Styrolux styrene-butadiene copolymers (SBC) product line.

Compared to conventional SBC resins, Styrolux 3G 33 provides the highest transparency currently available, even for thick-walled molded-products. It gains good impact strength and stiffness from a modified molecular structure, and has good melt flow properties that enable faster cycle times and greater production rates.

Target markets for Styrolux 3G 33 include medical applications, displays, cosmetics packaging, toys, office equipment and household items.

“The improved combination of optical and mechanical properties of Styrolux 3G 33 will allow BASF to compete more efficiently in markets where other clear plastics like PVC, acrylics or even polycarbonate are established,” said Josef Wuensch, Styrolux Marketing Manager, BASF Corporation.

BASF Canada 800-267-2955

Flame retardancy for ultra-thin walls

Ticona’s Celanex 14 Series PBT resins provide flame-retardancy in exceptionally thin-walled components. The 30% glass-filled grade, for example, meets the UL94-V0 specification for flame retardancy at wall thicknesses down to 0.39 mm.

The new 14 Series also offers better processability than competing PBTs, according to Ticona. The Celanex resins are said to provide 15% to 20% higher flow and 10% to 15% faster cycle times. In general, they also have a wider processing window, greater thermal stability during processing, and better electrical properties and mechanical strength than comparable PBTs.

Five grades are available, ranging from 30% glass-filled to unfilled.

Ticona 800-833-4882