Performance materials “more relevant than ever” says DuPont
Engineering thermoplastics and performance materials are more relevant than ever in addressing today’s challenges and trends, according to DuPont.
Introducing its latest ranges of thermoplastic materials and products at Chinaplas, the company said the innovative nature of its products had the potential to solve some of the biggest challenges across automotive, packaging and consumer goods markets worldwide.
“Ever since DuPont’s Wallace Carothers invented Nylon in 1935, this trend of innovation has continued across our product ranges,” explained Philippe Hanck –Business Director, DuPont Performance Materials, Asia Pacific.
“Particularly in automotive, our product innovations are more relevant than ever, particularly with the relentless pressure to lightweight, save costs and improve design freedoms.”
The company referenced a recent project, where its glass fibre reinforced DuPont Zytel PLUS 95G35 polyamide features in a resonator for the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. The resonator is tuned to reduce the typical high-frequency air intake sound to a lower level, improving the experience for the driver. The part has reduced weight and reduced wall thickness thanks to use of the material.
In addition, the company highlighted two of its recently-introduced grades, Zytel LCBM6301 and Hytrel HTR8797, as examples of materials that can stand up to long-term exposure to heat and gases in turbo-charged environments
Zytel LCBM6301 is a long-chain blow moulding PA612-HI polyamide grade with enhanced acid and thermal resistance versus flexible PA6 and is said to offer better thermal resistance than PA12 targeted for flexible automotive air ducts, positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) tubes, and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) sensor tubes.
Hytrel HTR8797 TPC-ET is a flexible, blow-mouldable resin that reportedly more than doubles the 130°C -150°C air oven ageing durability of previous Hytrel grades specified for cold side blow moulded auto air duct applications.
Thinner, lighter, greener
In addition to automotive applications, the company said its materials were also providing a growing number of solutions for applications in the consumer electronics field.
The three new grades are Zytel HTN 55G55TLW, a high temperature polyamide grade that features superior mechanical strength performance in order to meet toughness requirements for smart phones andgaming consoles.
“The uniqueness of this grade is its superior balance of strength, stiffness and toughness,” explained DuPont Asia Pacific Technology Manager, Woong Chung. “This product represents the best of all worlds – it’s a stiff higher modulus resin that still retains high impact strength allowing customers to design durable products with low warpage even at elevated temperatures.”
Secondly, Zytel HTN FR55G55NHLW is another high temperature polyamide grade, this time targeting metal replacement in laptop chassis frames. “The all-plastic solution replaces metal allowing laptops to be nearly 20 percent thinner and lighter without compromising durability,” Chung added.
Finally, Hytrel HTR 8813 BK is a copolyester thermoplastic elastomer also enables laptops to be sleeker, lighter and less expensive by replacing the conventional metal hard disc brackets.
New plant for compounding and manufacturing efficiency
Finally, the company announced early news of a new materials compounding facility in Shenzhen, which will be the biggest in the world.
The plant, which will be fully completed by the end of June 2016, will produce a number of products, including both its nylon and engineering resin ranges.
“The plant will feature a whole range of the very latest machinery and extrusion technology for compounding, which will bring all kinds of benefits in terms of flexibility, turnaround and product stability etc.,” continued Hanck
“Although it is based in China, the new plant will serve global customers and will be a very important facility for the company.”