- Email: [email protected]
Owens Corning unveils new glass fibre products for thermoplastics
December 2006
Maxithen PET 7A2337CRMG and Maxithen PET 795760CRMG masterbatches are available in crystallized and non-crystallized, micropellet form. They are neutral in colour, and are also available in customer specific colour/additive combinations. Contact: Gabriel-Chemie GmbH, Industriestraße 1, A-2352 Gumpoldskirchen, Austria; tel: +432252-63630-0; fax: +43-2252-63660; URL: www. gabriel-chemie.com
Owens Corning unveils new glass fibre products for thermoplastics Owens Corning has launched its latest reinforcement development, MicroMax™ fine diameter chopped strand, designed to facilitate the production of ultra-thin high-performance thermoplastic parts. MicroMax reinforcements offer reduced part wall thickness of up to 40% compared to parts made with standard glass fibres and will provide a positive aid for the continuing trend to miniaturize advanced electronic components such as mobile phones as well as bring further performance enhancements, the company says. Compared to parts made with standard glass fibres, MicroMax reinforcements also deliver 30% higher tensile and flexural strength, with filament diameters of 6–7 µm, which is up to 50% thinner than standard filaments. According to Owens Corning, reinforcement is possible for parts down to 0.15 mm thickness. MicroMax is also reported to offer a 35% improvement in weld line strength; the possibility to reduce reinforcement loading without compromising part strength or stiffness; and lower outgassing, which results in cleaner mould surfaces and improved part aesthetics, reduced risk to active components, less mould wear and longer mould life. The industry has reached a size threshold beyond which smaller and thinner parts cannot be realized using standard reinforcements as they are unable to achieve the flow and dispersal required. MicroMax chopped strand provides OEMs and moulders with a solution that allows them to avoid using prohibitively high-cost speciality thermoplastics that would otherwise be needed to achieve required part strength and stiffness without reinforcement, Owens Corning says. MicroMax is
Additives for Polymers
compatible with resins typically used in such electronics applications, such as liquid crystal polymers (LCP), polyamide, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), thereby maintaining production continuity and cost control. Produced at the company’s Ibaraki plant in Japan, MicroMax reinforcements reportedly received a very positive response from electronic parts moulders following a limited offering in the Japanese marketplace. The product is now fully commercialized throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Owens Corning has also added three new chopped strand grades to its PerforMax® highperformance thermoplastic reinforcements’ portfolio. PerforMax LG, HR and SP products offer lower outgassing, enhanced hydrolysis resistance and other mechanical properties, such as superior strength and fatigue resistance compared to similar competitive products, the company says. According to senior engineer Hiromasa Suzuki, the new PerforMax and MicroMax products are the first of the promised “breakthrough products” through the combination of complementary technologies following Owens Corning’s acquisition of the composites business of Japan’s Asahi Fibre Glass Company in May 2006. Contact: Owens Corning, One Owens Corning Parkway, Toledo, OH 43659, USA; tel: +1-419248-8000; URL: www.owenscorning.com
Ampacet presents warpage control products Ampacet has introduced two masterbatches that help control warpage in polyolefins. Ampacet 103003 and 103004 contain a unique nucleating agent that controls warping better than standard nucleating chemistries, such as talc and calcium carbonate, the company says. In addition, studies show these masterbatches reduce cycle time as much as 10% by raising the crystallization temperature. Warpage and other processing issues can arise when a moulder changes part colour, because some organic pigments, such as green and blue phthalocyanine pigments, affect polymer crystallization rate. The new masterbatches are designed to offset the crystallization effects such
3
Maxithen PET 7A2337CRMG and Maxithen PET 795760CRMG masterbatches are available in crystallized and non-crystallized, micropellet form. They are neutral in colour, and are also available in customer specific colour/additive combinations. Contact: Gabriel-Chemie GmbH, Industriestraße 1, A-2352 Gumpoldskirchen, Austria; tel: +432252-63630-0; fax: +43-2252-63660; URL: www. gabriel-chemie.com
Owens Corning unveils new glass fibre products for thermoplastics Owens Corning has launched its latest reinforcement development, MicroMax™ fine diameter chopped strand, designed to facilitate the production of ultra-thin high-performance thermoplastic parts. MicroMax reinforcements offer reduced part wall thickness of up to 40% compared to parts made with standard glass fibres and will provide a positive aid for the continuing trend to miniaturize advanced electronic components such as mobile phones as well as bring further performance enhancements, the company says. Compared to parts made with standard glass fibres, MicroMax reinforcements also deliver 30% higher tensile and flexural strength, with filament diameters of 6–7 µm, which is up to 50% thinner than standard filaments. According to Owens Corning, reinforcement is possible for parts down to 0.15 mm thickness. MicroMax is also reported to offer a 35% improvement in weld line strength; the possibility to reduce reinforcement loading without compromising part strength or stiffness; and lower outgassing, which results in cleaner mould surfaces and improved part aesthetics, reduced risk to active components, less mould wear and longer mould life. The industry has reached a size threshold beyond which smaller and thinner parts cannot be realized using standard reinforcements as they are unable to achieve the flow and dispersal required. MicroMax chopped strand provides OEMs and moulders with a solution that allows them to avoid using prohibitively high-cost speciality thermoplastics that would otherwise be needed to achieve required part strength and stiffness without reinforcement, Owens Corning says. MicroMax is
Additives for Polymers
compatible with resins typically used in such electronics applications, such as liquid crystal polymers (LCP), polyamide, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), thereby maintaining production continuity and cost control. Produced at the company’s Ibaraki plant in Japan, MicroMax reinforcements reportedly received a very positive response from electronic parts moulders following a limited offering in the Japanese marketplace. The product is now fully commercialized throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Owens Corning has also added three new chopped strand grades to its PerforMax® highperformance thermoplastic reinforcements’ portfolio. PerforMax LG, HR and SP products offer lower outgassing, enhanced hydrolysis resistance and other mechanical properties, such as superior strength and fatigue resistance compared to similar competitive products, the company says. According to senior engineer Hiromasa Suzuki, the new PerforMax and MicroMax products are the first of the promised “breakthrough products” through the combination of complementary technologies following Owens Corning’s acquisition of the composites business of Japan’s Asahi Fibre Glass Company in May 2006. Contact: Owens Corning, One Owens Corning Parkway, Toledo, OH 43659, USA; tel: +1-419248-8000; URL: www.owenscorning.com
Ampacet presents warpage control products Ampacet has introduced two masterbatches that help control warpage in polyolefins. Ampacet 103003 and 103004 contain a unique nucleating agent that controls warping better than standard nucleating chemistries, such as talc and calcium carbonate, the company says. In addition, studies show these masterbatches reduce cycle time as much as 10% by raising the crystallization temperature. Warpage and other processing issues can arise when a moulder changes part colour, because some organic pigments, such as green and blue phthalocyanine pigments, affect polymer crystallization rate. The new masterbatches are designed to offset the crystallization effects such
3