MOSCOW (
MRC) -- Specialty chemicals company Lanxess is expanding its range of highly reinforced polyamides and polyesters for the design of extremely strong structural components, said the producer on its site.
The polyamide 6 grades Durethan BKV 60 EF and XF are being joined by a polyamide 66 with a glass fiber content of 60 percent, which is to be marketed under the name Durethan AKV 60 XF. The new high-performance thermoplastic combines the benefits of a highly reinforced, easy-flowing compound with the advantages of a polyamide 66 resin.
"The material exhibits excellent strength and stiffness. It unlocks a whole new dimension of design freedom for all-plastic parts, plastic/metal hybrid technology and continuous-fiber-reinforced semi-finished thermoplastic composites. What’s more, it can be used as a metal substitute in a whole range of applications," says Ralf Heinen, a plastics expert at Lanxess.
As is to be expected, compared to its polyamide 6 "cousins" with the same glass fiber content, the new highly filled polyamide 66 structural material offers better resistance to chemicals. Another advantage of the new material is its excellent processing characteristics. Despite the high glass fiber content, it exhibits the same flowability as polyamide 66 with a 35 percent glass fiber content. It can also be injection molded at the same temperatures.
The new polyamide 66 can also be used as a substitute for metals in components under the hood. Potential applications include valve covers, transmission and engine oil pans, brackets and intake pipes. Engine mountings and coupling rods in the chassis area are also viable applications for the material.
As MRC
informed previously, in January 2016, Lanxess started up a second production line for high-performance plastics compounding at its facility in Gastonia, North Carolina. The new line represents an investment of about USD15 mln and doubles the site’s annual production capacity from 20,000 to 40,000 metric tons.
Lanxess is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.0 billion in 2014 and about 16,600 employees in 29 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of Lanxess is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
MRC