DuPont: New engineering polymers and a major milestone for DuPont™ Delrin®

Advancements in engineering polymers for innovative applications from the worlds of automotive manufacture, electrics and electronics, sport and leisure, amongst many others, are the highlights of the DuPont (www.dupont.com) exhibit at Fakuma 2006. The company will also celebrate the 50th birthday of DuPont™ Delrin® polyacetal, the “original” acetal resin invented by DuPont which continues to deliver outstanding mechanical performance.

New thermoplastics for the automotive industry …
DuPont™ Thermx® TE4001 is a new, glass fibre- and glass flake-reinforced grade from the DuPont family of PCT high-performance polyesters. It is particularly well-suited for adoption in high-voltage electronic components for the automotive industry, which are commonly exposed to high temperatures. Key properties are the material’s excellent dielectric strength of 41 to 42 kV/mm, high stiffness, strength and toughness, resistance to rapid temperature changes and ease of processing to form thin-walled parts whilst exhibiting high melt stability. First applications include the coil bobbins and housings of pencil coil ignition systems, which are small in scale but can withstand operating temperatures of up to 170 ºC.

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Three new grades of Delrin® meet the demands of the automotive industry for particularly low-volatile release, particularly for parts installed in vehicle interiors and doors. Delrin® 100PE combines high viscosity with high stiffness, toughness and creep resistance. Delrin® 500PE is a medium viscous, general purpose grade, whilst Delrin® 527 UVE is also a medium viscous grade with increased weathering resistance. The volatile emissions of all three grades are approximately 90 percent lower than those of standard Delrin® grades.

…for electrics and electronics …
DuPont™ Zenite® 7244 and 7140X are two new, particularly high flow LCP grades from DuPont, suited for the manufacture of components used in the assembly of printed circuit boards. Providing exceptionally low warpage, Zenite® 7244 is especially suited for complex, thin-walled components.

With a heat deflection temperature of 300 ºC, Zenite® 7140X is well suited for board-assembly processes with lead-free soldering. Further benefit is to be gained from the material’s good knit-line strength. With a heat deflection temperature of 356 ºC, one of the highest of all LCPs, Zenite® 9140HT can withstand even the elevated temperatures associated with gold eutectic solder assembly, yet recommended moulding temperatures are moderate, only 10 to 15ºC above standard LCPs. New Zenite® ZE55801 is internally pre-catalyzed, which saves steps in the plating process. Its generally good plating performance also makes for high productivity. It is well-suited for moulded interconnects requiring plated-on circuitry and for connectors or other components plated for shielding purposes.

Flame-retardancy without halogen is the key offering of new DuPont™ Zytel® HTNFR52G30NH. It has outstanding high-temperature capabilities, excellent tracking resistance (>600V CTI) and a V-0 UL94 flammability classification.

… and other applications.
Delrin® 327UV has been developed to provide a combination of enhanced weathering and moulding productivity. Providing uniform shrinkage, the material is well suited to the production of low warpage components with excellent surface characteristics after interior UV exposure.

Providing lower wear and friction than standard grades are DuPont™ Delrin® 100TL, with its outstanding impact strength and elongation, and Delrin® 500MP acetal for parts requiring low squeak.

Zytel® HTN53G50LRHF is a new high-performance polyamide polymer reinforced with 50 percent glass fibres. It combines high stiffness and strength with a 20 percent higher flow rate than comparable grades. This new grade increases opportunities for complex, thin-wall part designs whilst improving moulding productivity.

50 years of Delrin® – and a promising future
DuPont will use Fakuma 2006 as the platform to celebrate 50 years of Delrin®. This family of acetals was invented and launched by DuPont in 1956. The mechanical properties of the unreinforced polymer in terms of strength, stiffness and elongation, make it the most metal-like of all commonly-used engineering polymers, and have lead it to be first choice for metal replacement in a great many applications. Yet 50 years on, Delrin® has retained its potential for extraordinary innovation. Mark Williams, marketing manager for Delrin® identifies new grades that meet this challenge: new grades for the automotive industry that offer particularly low volatile release and grades for office equipment or conveyor belts which contain integrated lubricant for improved friction behaviour, wear resistance and noise reduction.

Williams is confident of what the future will bring: “Delrin® is 50 years young, and is commencing on what is sure to be an exciting second halfcentury. New Delrin® grades are at varying stages of development aimed at improving performance and enable customers to expand the application base still further."

Fakuma 2006, Friedrichshafen, 17.-21.10.2006, Hall A5, Stand 5217

DuPont de Nemours (Deutschland) GmbH, Bad Homburg v.d.H.

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