British Plastics & Rubber articles from October 2007

British Plastics & Rubber archives from October 2007

Conferences & exhibitions.(Calendar)
October 1, 2007... Applications--automotive December 4-5 AutoRussia 2007. Conference in St Petersburg, Russia. [website] www.wbr.co.uk/autorussia Applications--building and construction November 26-28 Waterproof Membranes 2007. Conference in...

High flow backed up with higher stiffness.(ABS/PC)
October 1, 2007... Two new XtremeFIow Bayblend grades (T65 XF and T85 XF) from Bayer MaterialScience have 10-15 per cent better flow properties than their standard equivalent grades. They also have improved low temperature impact strength and stress cracking...

Flame retardance without halogens.(ABS/PC)
October 1, 2007... New halogen-free FR grades of DSM's Xantar C have been introduced for use in applications such as TV housings--where their surface appearance, high flow/impact behaviour and high stiffness enable wall thicknesses to be reduced--and battery...

Ecovio polyester/PLA now foamabie for XPS sheet replacement.(Biodegradable materials)
October 1, 2007... BASF's Ecoflex is a copolyester which, while being derived from petrochemical sources, is innately biodegradable. It has been blended with other biopolymers, including NatureWorks' polylactic acid, to make Ecovio, and with other starch-based...

Higher fill levels cut compound cost.(Chlorinated polyethylene)
October 1, 2007... Tyrin EXT 1000 from Dow Chemical accepts higher levels of filler and oil than traditional CM grades, resulting in lower overall compound costs for automotive hoses and ducts, industrial hoses, wire and cable jacketing, and other technical...

Higher shear strength for LGF compounds.(Engineering compounds)
October 1, 2007... New long glass fibre reinforced compounds with improved properties will be introduced by TechnoCompound on stand 6 B44. The new TechnoFiber materials have a new formulation which has improved adhesion between the glass fibres and the...

Electronic focus for new Zenite 5000 grades.(Liquid crystal polymers)
October 1, 2007... Two grades with specific properties for use in electronic components are being added by DuPont. Zenite ZE55201 is an ultra-low-warp LCP to maintain flatness in components such as connectors, chip-card holders and large parts in appliances such...

Rhodia nylons focus on improved performance without sacrificing properties.(Polyamides)
October 1, 2007... Four improved performance ranges of nylon 6 and 66 have been introduced by Rhodia over the past year or so and can be seen together on stand 6 E24. A high low PA66 will be introduced as High Fluidity Polyamide. Rhodia says it will enable...

New nylon 6 grades improve film and injection moulding.(Polyamides)
October 1, 2007... A high productivity grade of Akulon nylon 6 has been introduced by DSM for packaging film, Akulon PA6 is established for food packaging, offering thermoformability, printability, transparency and heat resistance. in particular it creates...

PA46 competes with LCP for electronic connectors and pushes heat resistance.(Polyamides)
October 1, 2007... DSM has improved on its high flow Stanyl PA46 with what it is calling Stanyl Super Flow. This has been formulated to compete with high flow LCP which DSM says it outperforms in a number of ways: no micro cracking, better weld line strength,...

New PPA keeps corrosion at bay.(Polyamides)
October 1, 2007... Reduced corrosion in electrical applications is claimed for a new grade of Zytel HTN PPA--polyphthalamide--from DuPont (stand 6 D27). Standard polyamides contain stabilisers that can escape from the polymer matrix, corroding contacts and...

High-heat and crash-resistant nylons for automotive parts.(Polyamides)
October 1, 2007... New nylons for automotive use will be introduced by BASF (stand 5 B21). Ultramid TOP3000, is a 10 per cent mineral-filled partly aromatic polyamide which is intended for body components able to withstand on-line painting and drying at just...

Pipe and cable grades for higher product performance.(Polyethylene)
October 1, 2007... The latest BorSafe HE3490-LS-H from Borealis for pressure pipes has 'exceptional' resistance to slow crack growth, which can be caused by surface scratches or notches created prior or during installation, or by external point-loads on the...

New polypropylenes tailored for purpose from engineering to packaging.(Polypropylene)
October 1, 2007... Polyolefins major Borealis likes to stress that it is not in the commodity materials business, but makes 'high volume plastics'. Two new materials on stand 6 C58 demonstrate the role of polypropylene as an engineering material for two...

SBC competes with PET-G for shrink sleeves.(Polystyrene and styrene copolymers)
October 1, 2007... A new blend of SBC/PS has been developed by BASF to compete in the shrink sleeve market. Conventional SBC/PS blends have about the same shrinkage level as PVC, but the new Styrolux HS 70 has a greater shrinkage, close to that of the industry...

BASF brings back extrusion grade ABS.(Polystyrene and styrene copolymers)
October 1, 2007... A few years ago when BASF separated styrenic plastic specialties from styrenic plastic commodities it slimmed its standard ABS range down to just three types that it could make most efficiently at its Antwerp plant. Extrusion companies had to...

Polyols from plants at Elastogran.(Polyurethanes)
October 1, 2007... Elastogran has developed a new polyol from a renewable raw material --castor oil--which it says is a drop-in for conventional polyols. The new Lupranol Balance 50 can be used in flexible foams: until now castor oil has only been used in in...

DuPont adds polyols to growing bio material range.(Polyurethanes)
October 1, 2007... DuPont was one of the early proponents of bio-sourced materials with its research into 1,3 propanediol (PDO), the monomer used to produce the polyester poly(trimethylene terephthalate), or PTT. Now it has moved into bio-sourced polyols with...

Spray or cast skin: the choice is yours.(Polyurethanes)
October 1, 2007... New materials for soft touch interior automotive components will be introduced by Elastogran on stand 5 B21. The new Elastoskin S is suitable for sprayed PU soft-touch surfaces and is related to the existing Elastoskin I materials which are...

Rubber companies stick together.(Rubber)
October 1, 2007... With the emphasis at K on plastics processing, the few suppliers of rubber materials could be lost, so 11 of them have joined forces in 'Rubber Street'. This by-now-traditional showcase is organised by the German Rubber Industry Trade...

No need to prime for co-extrusion.(Silicones)
October 1, 2007... Self-adhesive solid silicones for extrusion will be introduced by Wacker (stand 6 A10). The new elastomers adhere to a wide variety of substrates at atmospheric pressure which the company says makes them ideal for coextruding with metals,...

Improved heat resistance and flow in new PESUs from BASF.(Sulphone polymers)
October 1, 2007... A new polyether sulphone to be shown by BASF is intended for automotive headlamp housings which are usually coloured black with just a small amount of colorant, which BASF says gives a better surface finish. But the black pigments do not easily...

New damping technology and additional blow moulding grades from GLS.(Thermoplastic elastomers)
October 1, 2007... New vibration- and sound-damping thermoplastic elastomer alloys from GLS Corporation are said to be the first of their kind in providing true material damping by utilising unique chemistries for sound deadening across a frequency range from 10...

Transparent TPE over-moulding compounds.(Thermoplastic elastomers)
October 1, 2007... Kraiburg TPE will be unveiling its next-generation transparent over-moulding compounds on stand 6 A49-1. These provide the tactile appeal of a soft-touch finish with a high degree of transparency that allows the base product to be clearly seen...

Ultrasoft medical and water swell compounds from Vita.(Thermoplastic elastomers)
October 1, 2007... An ultrasoft zero Shore A rated TPE compound will be introduced by VTC TPE Group, the thermoplastic elastomer division of the Vita Compounding Group, on stand 8B D83. This latest addition to the company's Mediprene range has been developed for...

Polyester elastomer cuts costs in VT films.(Thermoplastic elastomers)
October 1, 2007... Two new grades of Arnitel TPE-E polyester elastomer from DSM are intended for use in vapour transmission films for roofing, textiles and plasters and for medical gowns and drapes. DSM says that compared to TPU coatings and films Arnitel has...

High performance for automotive cables.(Thermoplastic elastomers)
October 1, 2007... A new halogen-free flame retardant grade of DSM's Arnitel TPE-E has been tested in automotive cables exceeding all ISO 6722 class D requirements and showing very good performance in the LV112 tests. DSM says that Arnitel C has the best high...

More copolyesters from Eastman.(Thermoplastic polyesters)
October 1, 2007... A new generation of copolyesters with higher heat resistance will be introduced by Eastman Chemical on stand 5 H04. The company will also introduce to Europe its Eastar EB062 copolyester for custom container applications, which Eastman says...

Faster-cycling injection moulding PET.(Thermoplastic polyesters)
October 1, 2007... The new Tech noPet product family from TechnoCompound is intended to bring the company into the market for injection-mouldable PET compounds, a market said to be growing at a rate of around 6 per cent per year. These compounds have a fast rate...

FR PBT is well-specified for electrical use.(Thermoplastic polyesters)
October 1, 2007... Arnite XG is a new PBT from DSM based on a green flame retardant system which meets new technical and environmental requirements for lamp sockets, e-motors and connectors. DSM says that it is the only PBT that meets both GWEPT and GWIT...

GF PBT 'first for class A truck exterior parts'.(Thermoplastic polyesters)
October 1, 2007... What is described as 'the first serial adoption of a glass-fibre reinforced thermoplastic for the class-A exterior body-panels of a truck' will be shown by DuPont (stand 6 D27). The parts, in Crastin PBT, cut unit costs by 45 per cent...

PTT adds 'green content' while PCT puts more spark in your pencil.(Thermoplastic polyesters)
October 1, 2007... The bio-sourced PTT (polytrimethylene terephthalate) Sorona from DuPont is being researched for connectors, lamp sockets and actuator housings, and is to be used for a component in a car early next year, enabling the car manufacturer to claim...

Nano-additives improve flow for PBT.(Thermoplastic polyesters)
October 1, 2007... The use of new nano-additives has enabled more grades to be added to BASF's Ultradur High Speed flow-enhanced PBT series, giving high-flow options for all its PBT grades. Depending on the glass fibre content, Ultradur High Speed flows at least...

Process-focused TPUs from Bayer.(Thermoplastic polyurethanes)
October 1, 2007... New grades of TPU formulated for rotational sintering, hose extrusion and blow moulding will be introduced by Bayer MaterialScience on stand 6 A75. Rotational sintering is used widely for making decorative skins for car dashboards and door...

TPU gives different touch sensations on the same component.(Thermoplastic polyurethanes)
October 1, 2007... Alongside its new spray-skin aromatic polyurethanes Elastogran will be introducing an aliphatic Elastollan HPM-TPU thermoplastic polyurethane (HPM: hard-phase modified) which can produce a combination of colour fastness and softness which...

Wood-reinforced injection moulding materials.(Wood/plastic composites)
October 1, 2007... Kareline (stand 7 B20-3) will present what it claims to be the widest range of bio-composites on the market. These materials are based on PP, PE, ABS, PS, POM and PLA thermoplastics with a natural fibre content ranging from 20 to 55 per cent by...

PVC/wood composite in foamed grades as well.(Wood/plastic composites)
October 1, 2007... A wood-composite PVC compound has been added to the Doeflex-Vitapol range. Doeflex-Vitapol is the PVC division of the Vita Compounding Group, showing on stand 8B D83. The new Timbercel is the result of a two year research project to...

Make the most of nanocomposites.(Anti-oxidants)
October 1, 2007... A new antioxidant from Ciba, Irgatec NC 66, allows the benefits of polyolefin nanocomposites to be fully exploited because it improves processing stability, enables hotter and faster processing, reduces yellowing during ageing, enhances...

New from Songwon.(Anti-oxidants)
October 1, 2007... New antioxidants for the polyolefins and compounding markets will be introduced by Songwon International on stand 6 C79. These are a phenolic antioxidant Songnox 1290, a high performance, hydrolytically stable phosphite antioxidant Songnox 6280...

Packaging, pipes and synthetic corks.(Blowing agents)
October 1, 2007... New grades are being added to the range from Adeka Palmarole on stand 6 A11. For packaging the company is introducing blowing agents for PP tapes and ribbons, and thermoforming sheet for three-layer polystyrene yoghurt pots and ice-cream...

Clarifier for RCPP.(Clarifiers)
October 1, 2007... ADK Stab NA-71 is a new clarifying/ nucleating agent from Adeka Palmarole (stand 6 A11) which has been developed to give clarity and high thermal stability in random copolymer PP. It is said to show very low haze in injection moulded PP and for...

Low haze PP clarifier.(Clarifiers)
October 1, 2007... New levels of polypropylene clarity are promised from the new Milliken Chemical Millad NX8000 clarifier. The company expects its low haze characteristic together with good thermal properties, impact resistance and cost effectiveness, will...

PP clarifier for food applications.(Clarifiers)
October 1, 2007... RiKA International will introduce a new clarifier for polypropylene on stand 8B G47. RiKAClear PC1 provides what the company calls superior see-through clarity as well as improving impact stiffness balance. Conventional sorbitol clarifiers have...

More clarity from less additive.(Clarifiers)
October 1, 2007... Irgaclear XT 386 from Ciba is a new clarifier for polypropylene that offers high clarity at low concentration, with low odour resulting from high thermal and chemical stability, as well as high extraction resistance. Stand 6 A27.

All-natural colour and additive masterbatches.(Colorants and visual effects)
October 1, 2007... The new RENOL-natur colour masterbatches and CESA-natur additive masterbatches from Clariant Masterbatches (stand 8A J11) are biodegradable and renewable, and are intended for use with biopolymers. They address the concern that when polymers...

Acid resistant ultramarine pigment.(Colorants and visual effects)
October 1, 2007... Holliday Pigments' Premier XAR acid resistant grade ultramarine pigment for plastics makes its European debut on stand 7-1 B21. The higher acid resistance derives from a new pigment surface coating which has the added benefit of improved...

New effects and colour pigments from BASF ...(Colorants and visual effects)
October 1, 2007... A new effect pigment portfolio will be introduced by BASF on stand 5 B21. It includes Lumina effects with high chromaticity and luster for richer shades and stronger colour-flop effects and Firemist, with a small particle size giving a fine...

... And from Ciba.(Colorants and visual effects)
October 1, 2007... Two new ranges of Ciba Xymara effect pigments will be introduced on stand 6 A27. One range gives brilliant, sparkling effects suitable for packaging, household and leisure goods made of PVC, engineering plastics and polyolefins. The second...

Low viscosity.(Coupling agents)
October 1, 2007... Chemtura will be introducing new Polybond coupling agents, including Polybond 1103 for processes and applications requiring very low melt viscosity. The company is also developing improved coupling agents for wood/plastic composites. Stand 6...

Getting more benefit from calcium carbonate.(Fillers and reinforcements)
October 1, 2007... Calcium carbonate manufacturer Omya will be joining with pipe extrusion specialist Rollepaal in a symposium on the direct addition of calcium carbonate to PVC pipes and profiles. Direct addition avoids segregation of PVC and mineral particles...

Intumescent systems for thin or thick polyolefins.(Flame retardants)
October 1, 2007... Adeka Palmarole (stand 6 A11) is introducing a new series of intumescent flame retardant systems designed for polyolefin applications. ADK Stab FP-2100 and FP-2200 perform in most common polyolefins including homo-, block- and random-copolymer...

Better processability.(Flame retardants)
October 1, 2007... A new generation of Martinal finely precipitated aluminium trihydrate (ATH) flame retardants known as Martinal LEO will be introduced on stand 6 D61 by Albemarle Corporation. The new product offers improved thermal stability, better electrical...

Improved protection of PU foam.(Flame retardants)
October 1, 2007... Firemaster 600 and 602 flame retardants to be introduced by Chemtura are said to be 10 per cent more efficient for protecting polyurethane foams than other options. Stand 6 C07.

Film grades from Adeka Palmarole.(Heat stabilisers)
October 1, 2007... New stabilisers for flexible PVC are being introduced on stand 6 A11 by Adeka Palmarole. The ADK Stab AC-200 range is designed for use in applications such as furniture and decorative materials, stationery films, roofing membranes, pond...

Organic stabilisers 'more cost-effective than CaZn'.(Heat stabilisers)
October 1, 2007... Mark OBS organic-based stabilisers to be introduced by Chemtura are said to be more cost-effective than calcium zinc alternatives for both rigid and flexible PVC applications. Stand 6 C07.

IR reflector and improved UV absorber.(Infra red and UV absorbers)
October 1, 2007... In addition to its Lumogen Black pigments, which are transparent to near infrared, BASF is introducing an NIR-reflecting black pigment, Sicopal Black K 0095, for use in coatings and plastics. This pigment allows a significant reduction in the...

Improved control over SM.(Inhibitors)
October 1, 2007... New Naugard 300-E inhibitor from Chemtura improves the efficiency and control of styrene monomer production processes. Stand 6 C07.

Improved marking on opaque and transparent surfaces.(Laser marking/welding)
October 1, 2007... A near-infrared broad band absorber is being added to BASF's additives for laser transmission welding and laser marking of polymers. Lumogen IR 1050 absorbs a laser wavelength of 808 nm as do other Lumogen materials, but it also gives access to...

No colour cast in TPUs.(Light stabilisers)
October 1, 2007... Ciba's new Tinuvin PUR 866 is a light stabiliser for thermoplastic polyurethanes used in sports and leisure applications. Unlike many other light stabilisers, says Ciba, Tinuvin PUR 866 does not affect the initial colour of TPU after...

PE nucleating agent.(Nucleating agents)
October 1, 2007... Milliken Chemical (stand 5 F27) will introduce Hyperform HPN-20E, a nucleating agent for polyethylene. The company claims it will make cost-effective property modification of polyethylene a first-time reality for material manufacturers,...

Demand pushes investment in higher capacities.(Plasticisers)
October 1, 2007... BASF is putting a lot of faith--and investment--into its Hexamoll DINCH which has been developed for use in biosensitive applications, such as children's toys, in products that come into contact with food and in medical technology. For...

Flow improver also enhances mechanical/visual properties.(Process aids)
October 1, 2007... Genioplast S from Wacker is a pelletised ultra high molecular weight polysiloxane. It acts as a flow improver and reduces deposits on the die. Wacker says it also enhances a compound's mechanical properties, adding scratch and wear resistance...

More materials to ease extrusion.(Process aids)
October 1, 2007... Viton FreeFlow Z110 and Z210 are being added to DuPont Performance Elastomers' Z Technology products for plastics masterbatchers and producers of extruded sheet, films and other thin-walled structures. They complement the Z100 and Z200 products...

Protecting automotive polyolefins.(Scratch resistance)
October 1, 2007... Irgasurf SR 100, to be introduced on stand 6 A27 by Ciba, boosts scratch resistance of automotive polypropylene/thermoplastic polyolefin compounds.

Glass fibre-reinforced sheet/plate competes with metals and thermosets.(Film and sheet)
October 1, 2007... New technology has been developed by Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (stand 6 E23 to incorporate glass fibre reinforcement within polymer matrices to enhance the structural strength of a variety of engineering plastics in sheet and thick...

Melamine foam for fireproof furniture.(Foams)
October 1, 2007... Melamine resins are brittle thermosets, but BASF has a way of making flexible foams from them. These Basotect foams are fire resistant and so used in aircraft seats alongside other aerospace applications. Now they have been adopted for...

Boron-filled HDPE filters radiation.(Radiation shielding)
October 1, 2007... Borotron from Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (stand 6 E23) is a high-density polyethylene formulation enhanced with 5 per cent elemental boron that provides extra shielding against electromagnetic radiation. The combination of boron...

New quadrant materials outperform PPS.(Semi-conductor manufacturing)
October 1, 2007... Longer production life of critical components in semi-conductor wafer chemical mechanical planarisation (CMP) processes is claimed for new materials available from Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products. Semitron CMP LL5 and CMP XL20 offer...

Nylon shapes producer to manage stocks for its distributors.(Stock shapes)
October 1, 2007... Assistance to its distributors, helping them stock the right products and disposing of the wrong ones, is promised by the Vendor Managed Programme being introduced by Global EPP, the former cast nylon shapes specialist Nylacast Materials, on...

Ceramic-modified PEEK.(Stock shapes)
October 1, 2007... New TecaPEEK CMF from Ensinger is a composite of PEEK and a technical silicate ceramic that is available in stock rod and sheet form. The ceramic provides a high barrier to permeation by gases and liquids, and the material also offers high...

PTFE for extreme temperature ranges.(Stock shapes)
October 1, 2007... Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products is extending its Fluorosint range of PTFE-based shapes for machining with a grade that can operate in extreme environments at temperatures anywhere from -240 to 260 degC. Fluorosint HPV is intended for...

GMT grows as a replacement for sheet metals--and plywood.(Thermoplastic composites)
October 1, 2007... Glass mat and fabric-reinforced thermoplastics are being adopted increasingly for metal replacement in large durable components in motor vehicles and Quadrant Plastic Composites will be showing (stand 6 E23) their adoption in some high value...

Modular construction eases installation and adds manufacturing flexibility.(Complete lines)
October 1, 2007... A compounding line in modular form for simple installation and flexibility of production by multi-site companies will be demonstrated on stand 15 A23 by Krauss-Maffei Berstorff with a line suitable for compounding PA or PP with glass fibres and...

High-throughout screening slashes the cost and lead time for compound development.(Compound development)
October 1, 2007... A complete system for producing compound samples and injection moulding test specimens has been developed by Engel to cut out the dead time between the individual steps in the conventional process. The High Throughput Screening--HTS--system...

2-5 times the throughput from the same size Kneader.(Extruders)
October 1, 2007... The latest MX Kneader from Buss (stand 16 A59) is said to give 2.5 times more throughput than previous models without any increase in size, largely due to the use of a new four flight screw and greater volume in the kneading chamber. It also...

Twin screw compounder designed for biopolymers.(Extruders)
October 1, 2007... A new version of the Reimelt Henschel co-rotating twin screw compounder has been developed to handle starch-based biodegradable materials. It is necessary to compound starch-based materials at extremely low shear rates under highly...

Higher torque now on high volume ZSK.(Extruders)
October 1, 2007... The latest ZSK series twin screw compounder from Coperion (stand 14 C33) has improved further on the ZSK MEGAvolume machine which was introduced in 2001 (then as Wemer & Pfleiderer). The ZSK MEGAcompounder machines are co-rotating, closely...

New grinders have greater flexibility for job change.(Grinders)
October 1, 2007... The latest Polygrinder series from Pallmann has been designed for flexibility with individually exchangeable grinding elements and quick external access for setting the grinding gap. This enables the particle size to be readily adapted to the...

Vertical rotor cuts bearing load.(Grinders)
October 1, 2007... A new pulveriser from Herbold Meckesheim has the rotor running in a vertical axis which has reduced the load on the bearings. The new grinding disc design reduces dwell time. The PU 650 fills the gap between the existing 500 and 800 mm rotor...

Gear pump/extruder combination brings advantages of continuous mixing.(Rubber mixing)
October 1, 2007... A new line for the continuous production of rubber compounds from Krauss-Maffei Berstorff feeds a co-rotating ZE twin-screw extruder from a gear pump to give accurate volumetric feeding for the compounding process. The gear pump itself is fed...

Fine mesh straining increased to 6 tonnes/hour.(Rubber mixing)
October 1, 2007... The latest gear extruder from Uth (stand 15 ASO) takes the capacity of its roll ex in-line fine mesh straining machines up to 6,000 kg/h. Previously the largest machine could handle 3,500 kg/hr. With the new 600 TRF Uth says it meets the...

Full integration from Wittmann.(Control systems)
October 1, 2007... A fully integrated central system to be shown by Wittmann on stand 10 A04 will be controlled by the new M7.2 control system. This will operate and control a Drymax dryer, various sizes of Silmax drying hopper, a coupling station with...

Motan puts crystallisers on the shelf.(Crystallisers)
October 1, 2007... Motan has built crystallisers to customer specification for some time, but on stand 9 B24 will show new standard units for PET and PLA recycling, the Luxor HDC and Luxorbin C for material throughputs of 80 to 900 kg/h. Motan uses an open...

Crystallisers 'more energy efficient than IRD'.(Crystallisers)
October 1, 2007... A modular range of crystallisers for PET and PLA being introduced by Colortronic is said to have advantages in energy, final moisture and time savings. The company says that in some tests its new KT system used a third of the energy used by an...