LANXESS at the “Plastics in E&E Applications” SKZ conference

This year too, LANXESS will have its own stand at the “Fuse Box Meets Dryer – Plastics in E&E Applications” conference of the SKZ (South German Plastics Center). The event is aimed at the electrical and electronics (E&E) industry and focuses on – among other things – material innovations and trends such as digitalization in processing. LANXESS will be focusing on sustainable material solutions that conserve resources, contribute to the circular economy, and significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions. “These solutions are an integral part of our sustainability strategy and will help LANXESS to become climate-neutral by 2040,” says Dr. Günter Margraf, Head of Global Product Management in High Performance Materials (HPM). Thanks to its Durethan- and Pocan-brand products, this LANXESS business unit is among the world’s leading providers of high-performance polyamides and polyesters.

In his presentation entitled “The Evolution of Engineering Plastics − What Does This Mean for the E&E Industry?” Margraf will discuss LANXESS’s sustainable material solutions in greater detail at the conference (September 29, 2021, 9:10 a.m.). He will address products such as Durethan ECO polyamide compounds, which are reinforced with recycled glass fibers made from post-industrial waste glass, and the Pocan ECO polyester blends, which contain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) made from post-consumer waste. Further more, he will explain how HPM uses cyclohexane from circular processes for producing polyamide 6. Finally Margraf will give an overview how the coronavirus pandemic and the megatrend electromobility are impacting the markets for technical plastics.

New design for charging inlets

At the SKZ conference, LANXESS will also be unveiling a concept for the modular design of in-vehicle charging inlets. The concept is based on a wide range of dimensionally stable, flame-retardant, tracking-resistant and mechanically robust polyamides and polyesters. “The concept ensures that the right material is used in the right place. At the same time, a high level of functional integration means that the entire module can be assembled quickly, easily, and without the need for screws. In addition, the fact that the module comprises just a few component parts helps to minimize costs,” says Alexander Radeck, an expert in flame-retardant plastics at HPM.

A versatile all-rounder

Another focus of LANXESS is the new Pocan XHR (Xtreme Hydrolysis-Resistant) product range, which – among other things – offers outstanding hydrolysis resistance under very hot and humid conditions. In specimen tests based on the stringent SAE/USCAR2 Rev. 6 long-term hydrolysis tests of the US Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the compounds achieved Class 4 and Class 5 – the top two ratings. These polybutylene-terephthalate-based materials exhibit a range of additional benefits that themselves offer exciting potential in numerous other applications. “Particularly impressive are the high resistance to thermal shock, hot air, and chemicals as well as the mechanical properties such as high elongation at break,” says Margraf. “All these factors make the compounds perfect for under-the-hood components including connectors and power electronics components as well as for the overmolding of metal parts such as busbars, connectors, and main frames.” For applications in electric and hybrid vehicle batteries, LANXESS is currently launching a range of flame-retardant XHR compounds, which, in flammability tests conducted in accordance with the US standard UL 94 (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.), achieved the V-0 classification with thin test specimen.

Expanded service offering for flame-resistant compounds

LANXESS supports molders in the E&E industry with an extensive range of technical services under the HiAnt brand. The specialty chemicals company recently expanded this service offering, developing a test mold for an application-focused component that reflects the typical challenges encountered during injection-molding of flame-retardant polyamide and polyester compounds. “This tool allows us to reproduce these challenges in a practice-based manner and provide molders of our plastics with specific recommendations for series production,” says Radeck.

The SKZ conference for the E&E industry will take place on September 29 - 30, 2021, in the Mainfrankensäle convention center in Veitshöchheim, Germany.