Lightweight vehicle is now a trend, a big and necessary trend for our modern life, since this kind of vehicle can help the human kind deal with climate warming, reduce CO2 emission and more. What automakers need now is new materials that are lightweight, cheap enough for mass-production and effective for new vehicle models. Recently, Lanxess announced its new product, the latest highly filled polyamide 66, which has superior thermal and chemical resistance properties compared with PA 6 cousins.
The new grades of polyamide (PA) 66 of Lanxess load very highly 60% glass fiber, but they retain high flowability, and also boast chemical resistance and extremely high strength and stiffness.
Existing PA 6 grades Durethan BKV 60 EF and XF are being joined by the new PA 66, which is to be marketed under the name Durethan AKV 60 XF. “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.
At 13,300 MPa (conditioned, room temperature), the material’s modulus of elasticity – an indicator of stiffness – is more than double that of the standard polyamide 66, Durethan AKV 30 H2.0 (with 30% glass fiber). This innovative material gives users the opportunity to produce parts that have thinner walls than alternatives made from polyamide 66 with 30% glass fiber reinforcement but exhibit similar mechanical performance.
As can be anticipated, compared to its PA 6 with the same glass fiber content, the new highly filled PA 66 structural material offers better resistance to chemicals, while its temperature of deflection under load (ISO 75-1,-2), at 250°C, is almost 40°C higher. “Moreover, at 180°C, the maximum long-term service temperature is some 40°C higher than for polyamide 66 grades with standard heat stabilizer. This exceptionally high thermal stability is a very special feature of the material that significantly expands its range of applications,” explains Heinen.
Another advantage of the new material is its excellent processing characteristics. Despite the high glass fiber content, it exhibits the same flowability as PA 66 with a 35 percent glass fiber content. It can also be injection molded at the same temperatures. Depending on component geometry, mold cooling and processing conditions, components can often be demolded earlier, because the compound is stiff enough even at high temperatures and also conducts heat better.
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.
(According to Plastics Today)