Polymer Failure & Defects: Case-Histories of Problem Solving

This uniquely practical and industry’s UN-RIVALED course, to be offered in Atlanta, GA, USA, SEPT 22-24, 2015, “Polymer Failure & Defects: Problem Solving Case-Histories” has been attended by 500+ participants with representation from premier global companies. A highlight of the course is the presentation of 50+ Case-Histories of $MM business impact via skilled investigation of problems; solutions backed by PATENTS, PUBLICATIONS in prestigious journals & documented COMMERCIAL VALUE. There will be a major presentation on “How to Identify Innovation Opportunities During Routine Technical Operations”. 

EXAMPLE #1: During occasional longer breaks, the extruder froze resulting in lengthy tear-downs & cleaning, thus adversely affecting the productivity. "Melt-Polycondensation" was established as the root-cause. Rather than changing the “near Impossible” manufacturing process for the plastic resin, a change in lubricant system with an unexpected catalytic effect, solved the problem. The Case-History leading to $10M+ in preserved business will be discussed including technical fundamentals & product development. 

EXAMPLE #2: Multi-layered film upon shipping from Location-A to the Location-B shrank consistently by 0.5% along the TD creating "Nipping" problems during thermoforming. Upon returning the reject lots back to Location-A, only 0.2% shrinkage was identified, consistently. Both measurements were correct, although different. After understanding the root-cause, solution was based on handling the reversible effect of %RH differences at the A vs B locations and the irreversible effect of post-crystallization before slitting at Location-A. 

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NSF Certifies Solvay’s PEEK & PPA Grades for Use in Food Processing & Consumer Appliances

Solvay Specialty Polymers, among the leading global suppliers of high-performance thermoplastics, announced at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTC&OS) that the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified seven Amodel® polyphthalamide (PPA) and KetaSpire® polyetheretherketone (PEEK) resin grades under its NSF/ANSI 51 standard for food equipment materials.

NSF’s certification greatly expands Solvay’s broad and growing portfolio of high-performance materials solutions targeting the manufacture of commercial food service equipment for aviation and rail transport, as well as hotel, catering and domestic applications. Target applications further encompass boilers, beverage dispensers, water tanks, cutting boards and stock pots, in addition to related components like tubing, gaskets, chassis, pistons and valves. 
“As one of the food service industry’s most recognized and requested certifications, the NSF standard is an essential criterion for materials suppliers hoping to compete in this dynamic industry,” said Andreas Lutz, global market manager for consumer goods at Solvay Specialty Polymers. “Achieving this latest NSF listing reaffirms our commitment to helping customers worldwide to innovate new food service appliances and applications with enhanced performance, reliability and appeal.”

Three glass-filled Amodel® PPA grades, offered as black and naturally colored options, constitute six of the newly certified grades. They include Amodel® FC-1140 (40% glass fiber), Amodel® FC-1150 (50% glass fiber) and Amodel® FC-1160 (60% glass fiber). The seventh NSF-certified product is KetaSpire® KT-880 NT PEEK, an unreinforced resin characterized by outstanding wear and abrasion resistance combined with high surface hardness, best-in-class fatigue performance, and excellent chemical resistance. All of these materials are certified under NSF/ANSI 51 for applications reaching 100°C (212°F), but retain their excellent mechanical properties at continuous-use temperatures up to 120°C (248°F). They provide reliable, long-term performance, as well as strong resistance to oils, greases, hot water, steam and common household cleaners and descalers.
Further, these Solvay grades all currently meet corresponding food service regulations under the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and EU Commission. Compared to competing thermoplastics, such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene (POM) and aliphatic polyamides (PA6 and PA66), Solvay’s advanced polymers provide a higher level of performance over a wide temperature range in harsh food service environments. In addition, their excellent thermal and dimensional stability, low moisture absorption and heat/steam resistance make all of Solvay’s newly certified resins attractive candidates for replacing metal, helping customers save costs and benefit from more design freedom. 

Solvay’s expanding portfolio of NSF-approved polymers is finding increasing use in commercial consumer goods applications. In addition to the seven newly certified grades, the company’s portfolio of solutions for food processing and household appliance applications includes Radel® polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), a super-tough, transparent, high-heat, alternative to glass; Veradel® polyethersulfone (PESU), which combines good chemical resistance with high heat resistance; and Solef® polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a polymer with exceptional chemical resistance that is widely used for fittings, pipes and tubes in the food industry.
Solvay showcased Amodel® PPA, KetaSpire® PEEK and other high-performing polymers in booth 7A60 at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2015, held from April 14-16 at the Hamburg Messe & Congress, in Hamburg, Germany.

Source: Solvay 

LANXESS at UTECH 2015: to Showcase FR, Non-phthalate Plasticizers & more for PU Industry

The new Rhein Chemie Additives business unit of specialty chemicals company LANXESS is exhibiting its premium products for the polyurethane industry at UTECH 2015 from April 14 to 16. The comprehensive product range includes flame retardants, plasticizers, crosslinking agents, catalysts and hydrolysis stabilizer for rigid and flexible foams, coatings, elastomers, sealants and adhesives.

The focus will be on innovative halogen-free flame retardants that are based in part on a newly developed type of phosphorus chemistry. These are characterized by low fogging and scorching, making them ideal for use in the furniture and automotive industries. The new Disflamoll TP LXS 51092 grade was primarily developed for PU flexible foam and elastomers while Levagard TP LXS 51114 is especially suitable for flexible foam. Both flame retardants can be used in polyester as well as in polyether flexible foams. Foams manufactured using Levagard TP LXS 51114 even meet the German Association of the Automotive Industry's strict VDA 278 standard for the characterization of non-metallic materials in cars.

The established reactive flame retardant Levagard 4090 N is now available in improved quality owing to process optimizations. The lower acid number and water content ensure better processability, especially in the manufacture of rigid polyurethane foams. LANXESS will also be exhibiting its phthalate-free plasticizers from the Mesamoll range for the first time at UTECH. They are ideal for the production of PU sealants or for use as cleaning agents for polyurethane processing equipment.

Even stronger together – the new LANXESS Rhein Chemie Additives business unit

LANXESS has combined the activities of the former Rhein Chemie and Functional Chemicals business units with the specialties business of the previous Rubber Chemicals business unit to form the new Rhein Chemie Additives business unit. “The merged businesses are not only optimally adapted to meet customers’ needs, they also complement each other perfectly. We stand for tailor-made solutions, top technical know-how and the ultimate in additives expertise,” says Anno Borkowsky, head of the Rhein Chemie Additives business unit. “We develop, produce and market additives, phosphorus chemicals and specialty chemicals and service products for the worldwide rubber, lubricants and plastics industries. We also manufacture organic and inorganic colorants. Our high-quality products improve the processability of materials and give the finished articles the desired properties,” he says, talking about the core business.


Source: LANXESS
 

Evonik’s VESTAKEEP® PEEK Used to Manufacture One-inch Sized Screws for Various Industries

Nippon Chemical Screw & Co, headquartered in Japan, recently approved VESTAKEEP® for the manufacture of high precision one-inch sized screws. VESTAKEEP® is the trade name of Evonik Industries for high temperature polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK). 

The one inch-sized screw design is manufactured for various industries, especially semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, in the North American market.

Depending on the application, the VESTAKEEP® PEEK must fulfill different requirements. For example, in semiconductor manufacturing, a high purity is required. On the other hand, in pharmaceutical and food equipment sectors, the material needs to comply with drug or food contact requirements. In other typical industrial production lines, VESTAKEEP® PEEK must also satisfy many other specifications such as chemical resistance, high mechanical strength, or fatigue resistance.

Other advantages associated with VESTAKEEP® PEEK include high dimensional stability and ease of processing during injection molding processes. This leads to a very efficient and cost effective manufacturing process. 

As a result, Evonik’s VESTAKEEP® PEEK is well suited for components that must withstand the toughest environmental conditions. VESTAKEEP® PEEK is now commonly found in oil exploration, automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in medical implants with VESTAKEEP® implant grades.

In North America, VESTAKEEP® PEEK screws are available through Solid Spot (Santa Clara, CA). 

Source: Evonik 

BASF Unveils Renewably-sourced PolyTHF for New Market Segments

BASF has made bio-based Polytetrahydrofuran 1000 (PolyTHF® 1000) available for the first time. The company is now providing this intermediate to selected partners for testing various applications in a large scale. “The bio-based PolyTHF 1000 is identical in quality to the petrochemical-based product,” said Andrej Brejc, Director Renewable Diols from BASF’s Intermediates division, adding, “The opportunity to expand the range of products and applications made from renewable raw materials allows us and our partners to further explore the long-term market acceptance of this innovative technology.” PolyTHF is derived from 1,4 butanediol (BDO), which BASF has produced under license from Genomatica.

BASF is one of the world’s leading providers of PolyTHF. It is primarily used to make elastic spandex fibers for a large variety of textiles, including underwear, outerwear, sportswear and swimsuits. PolyTHF 1000 is mainly applied as a chemical building block for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is used to make for example parts of ski boots and skates, shoe soles and instrument panel skin for automotive applications as well as hoses, films and cable sheathing. It is also used as a component of thermoplastic polyetheresters and polyetheramides. Other applications include cast elastomers, which are used, for example, for the production of wheels for skateboards and inline skates.

Source: BASF 

NetComposites Develops Flax-based Tape for Automotive and more

NetComposites, in collaboration with Tilsatec and FORMAX, has developed an innovative, highly aligned flax-based tape and non-crimp fabric.The new material is suitable for thermoset composite applications and will give improved properties over conventional woven natural fiber-based composite materials. It has a higher stiffness per unit weight than glass fiber.

The material is suitable for a range of applications including automotive, sporting and consumer goods. Variants with thermoplastics, such as PLA and polypropylene, and bio-based pre-pregs are also being developed.

The development of the highly aligned flax has been supported by the UK’s Composites Innovation Cluster.

Source: NetComposites
 

Owens Corning at JEC Europe 2015 Unveiled HydroStrand 258 Glass fiber Chopped Strands for PA

Owens Corning, one of the leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems, launched new HydroStrand® 258 glass-fiber chopped strands for polyamide (PA) resins. The product provides excellent dry-as-molded properties in a wide range of PA formulations, as well as outstanding performance in glycol resistant PA 6,6 formulations. It enables designers to reduce vehicle weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing performance. Typical applications in automotive include oil and fluid pump housings, oil pans and powertrain parts.

HydroStrand® 258 product is designed to help grow businesses through enhanced performance and productivity benefits, like all Owens Corning’s innovations, 

Further to excellent dry-as-molded mechanical properties, the product delivers up to 22% increase in impact strength when used in impact modified grades. It increases the potential to integrate automotive functions and be flexible in designing efficient parts. 

With excellent hydrolysis resistance in PA applications, HydroStrand® 258 product improves critical impact properties in applications exposed to glycol and allows for up to 13% increase in impact after hydrolysis. This enables metal substitution in applications exposed to glycol and other liquids. 

Finally, the product shows strong thermal stability, thus less discoloration at higher temperatures. The product offers a low yellowness making the product easy to use in natural color applications, allowing for up to 26% improvement in color clarity. In terms of productivity, HydroStrand® 258 product can replace several specialty grade glass fibers, thereby lowering inventory carrying costs and reducing manufacturing change-overs. The product also enables strong processing with no hassle feeding. 

Hydrostrand® 258 chopped strands are made with the company’s patented boron-free Advantex® glass. It is manufactured and available globally. The products launch occurred at JEC Europe 2015 composites show and conferences in Paris.

Source: Owens Corning