Three years after the market introduction of Ultradur® High Speed – BASF’s very easy-flowing PBT – BASF is now presenting its first Ultramid® High Speed products. For now, these are the three highly filled polyamide 66 grades Ultramid A3WG8 High Speed, Ultramid A3WG10 High Speed and the optimum-warpage Ultramid A3WGM53 High Speed. The two first products are filled with 40% and 50% glass fibers, respectively, while the third one is filled with glass fibers and mineral. The incorporation of special nanoparticles into the plastic accounts for a marked improvement of these products not only in terms of the flow properties but also of the heat-ageing resistance at high temperatures. Currently, there are no polyamides with this extraordinary combination of properties on the market. Material for sampling will be available in early 2008.
Nanoparticles: reducing weight through high flowability
After the incorporation of tailor-made nanoparticles in Ultradur – BASF’s PBT product line (PBT: polybutylene terephthalate) – had led to quite a substantial improvement in the flow properties of the products, developers have now succeeded in transferring this concept to another engineering plastic, namely, polyamide (PA). They have created nanoparticles that are precisely harmonized with the polyamide matrix. As a result, the flowability of Ultramid A3WG8, A3WG10 and A3WGM53 has been raised by up to 100%. This pronounced enhancement of the flow properties, coupled with the high heat ageing resistance, predestines these new materials for the production of large components in the engine compartment such as cylinder head covers or intercooler end caps. In this area, processors can use the new prod¬ucts in order to save material and thus reduce weight by taking advantage of the good flow behavior since this allows the injection-molded parts to be thinner. The processing is likewise made easier since fewer injection points are needed. The first highly filled grades in the PA 6 family with a similar property profile are now also being developed.