DN Staff

March 22, 1999

4 Min Read
Hot products

Elastomers defy lubricating fluids

In response to high customer demand for even more specialized applications, Dyneon LLC (Oakdale, MN) has announced the commercial availability of BREs (Base Resistant Elastomers). The materials (BRE 7131X, BRE 7132X, and BRE 7410X) are made using a proprietary technology to withstand the demanding conditions found in basic and amine-containing environments, most notably those involving new lubricating fluids in the automotive industry. Dyneon says the new materials provide "exemplary metal adhesion, mold release, and versatility." Dyneon: Product Code 4632

Nanocomposite tailored for auto industry

General Motors Research & Development and Montell North America have teamed to develop a new family of thermoplastic olefins (TPOs) said to provide benefits for interior and exterior automotive applications. Compared to conventional olefin compounds, the new TPO nanocomposites reduce weight and improve dimensional stability and other physical properties, such as stiffness and low-temperature impact performance, according to Elio Eusebi, department head at the GM R&D facility. The term "nanocomposite" refers to composites designed at the nanometer (10-9m) level, adds Theo Swygers, technical director at Montell's Automotive and Industrial Business Group (Troy, MI). Montell North America: Product Code 4633

Super-soft elastomer cures in air

A new super-soft latex thermoplastic elastomer can achieve from 0 to 50 Shore A hardness. Called CleartexTM, it has already found uses in Hollywood special effects, prosthetics, and sports equipment, boasts its manufacturer, Zeller International Ltd. (Downsville, NY). The one-component, self-cross-linking, non-aqueous blend of styrenic and olefinic compounds cure in air, forming a skin so that VOC emissions are reportedly low. The material can be poured, sprayed, and rotomolded into large parts using plastic or metal molds. The cured product feels like silicone and is self-releasing, yet can be painted, glued, and printed. Elongation extends over 2,000%, according to company reports. Tensile strength is 490 psi. Zeller International Ltd.: Product Code 4630

Polymer blends incompatible resins

Dow Plastics has introduced the latest material made possible by its metallocene-based INSITETM Technology--INDEXTM interpolymers. The thermoplastic polymer family is based on the copolymerization of ethylene and styrene, two high-volume monomers that previously appeared incompatible using standard Ziegler-Natta catalysts. "INDEX interpolymers represent the next milestone in the plastics industry," says Ed Gambrell, business vice president, INSITE Technology. The company's proprietary, single-site, constrained geometry catalyst process enables precise control of the polymer structure and its resulting properties. This make it possible for INDEX interpolymers to exhibit a unique combination of attributes and performance standards previously not available, Gambrell adds. Commercial availability is expected during the fourth quarter of 1999. Dow Plastics: Product Code 4631

Breathable film keeps out viruses

DSM Engineering Plastics (Evansville, OH) has introduced a new grade of Arnitel(R) thermoplastic elastomer, PM381, based on copolyetheresters developed specifically for the monolithic breathable film and coating markets. The films are said to be free of additives and plasticizers and have low gel contents. Although breathable, the material forms a complete barrier to liquids, viruses, and bacteria. It can be processed into pinhole-free coatings or films by extrusion coating onto a substrate, or by casting or blowing into a film and laminating onto a substrate. DSM Engineering Plastics: Product Code 4634

Belt conveys fiery-hot materials

Solar-Shield, a new heat-resistant conveyor belt, has set industry standards for conveying material up to 1,000F, according to Goodyear Engineered Products, the belt's producer. An ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber compound in the belt resists hardening and cracking when exposed to scorching temperatures over long time periods. It also defies chemicals and ozone. In a continuous exposure test at 350F for seven days, Solar-Shield's rubber cover elongation remained above 500%, allowing the cover to stretch five times its test length without breaking. Goodyear Engineered Products: Product Code 4636

New light shed on optical plastics

In what they call a major breakthrough, scientists at Molecular Opto-Electronics Corp. (Watervliet, NY) have found a way to use enantiomerically pure chiral molecules to make polymers with optical properties claimed to be four times as stable as those made with conventional precursors. The work, funded by a contract from the Air Force's Wright Laboratory (Dayton, OH), already has received a number of patents. It involves the chemical property known as chirality, where two otherwise identical molecules may be mirror images with the two forms but react differently. Chirality may lead the way to the use of inexpensive plastics and costly, hard-to-fabricate materials in a host of optoelectronic applications. Molecular Opto-Electronics Corp.: Product Code 4629

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