Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is actively participating at this year’s VDI “Plastics in Automotive Engineering” conference in Mannheim under the slogan “Teamwork Energized by LANXESS”.
The megatrend towards electric and hybrid vehicles is opening up varied and promising areas of application for Durethan polyamides and Pocan polybutylene terephthalates (PBT) from LANXESS.
Substantial amounts of hydrocarbons leak through the walls of plastic fuel tanks in gasoline engines to the outside and pollute the atmosphere – a phenomenon known as permeation. LANXESS is therefore working on special blow-moldable grades of polyamide 6 that act as an extremely effective barrier against gasoline fuels.
Pocan C 1202, a blend of polybutylene terephthalate and polycarbonate (PBT+PC) newly developed by LANXESS for large exterior truck components, has proven highly effective in an initial series application.
Gas and water injection technology (GIT/WIT) are established processes for manufacturing pipes used in vehicle engine compartments. LANXESS has now added Durethan TP 424-009 (to be known in the future as Durethan AKV 30 G HR DUS 023) to its product portfolio for these processes and this application segment.
Nylon composite sheet hybrid components like this bumper beam can be manufactured efficiently in a one-shot process. Their characteristics can be calculated precisely using integrative simulation. Photo: LANXESS
Specially equipped polyamides and PBTs with excellent mechanical and electrical properties are in demand in the manufacture of plug connectors for hybrid and electric vehicles. Photo: LANXESS
Demonstrator tanks under UV light during the EPA test. The new polyamide 6 is so effective in suppressing fuel permeation that test results are well below the upper limit for motorbike tanks, which was recently tightened considerably by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Photo: k3works
Pocan C 1202 had the edge because it gives components a high-quality, sufficiently weather-resistant surface that has a fine grain pattern and no longer needs to be coated. It also demonstrates a high toughness level. Photo: LANXESS