DSM LAUNCHES STANYL® TW241F12, BROADENING THE SCOPE FOR METAL REPLACEMENT IN HIGH TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENTS

DSM Engineering Plastics' Stanyl® PA46 range is known for offering high performance similar to LCP and PPS – even sometimes PEEK – whilst offering ease of processing and design typical for PA6, PA66 or PBT. With the introduction of Stanyl® TW241F12, a new, high-performance, 60% glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 46 (PA46). Stanyl® now offers the highest stiffness at elevated temperatures to be found in glass fiber reinforced semi-crystalline thermoplastics, giving greater opportunities for metal replacement. In addition to stiffness, Stanyl® TW241F12 provides high levels of resistance to creep and fatigue—with less mass than competing materials.

Stanyl® TW241F12 was developed for applications that require performance similar to metals between 100ºC and 280ºC. Typical examples include high stiffness applications such as intricate multi-functional power-train housings and assemblies, as well as mounting brackets in automotive and high stiffness industrial machinery applications.

Other application areas include aerospace and virtually any application that calls for superior engineering properties at high heat. In applications with stringent size requirements, as in automotive or aerospace, the use of Stanyl® TW241F12 can result in smaller parts with performance comparable to larger parts made of other engineering materials.

The high mould flow properties of Stanyl® TW241F12 enable its use for complex, thin-wall, or high-precision parts, with less mould wear. The injection pressure to fill a spiral mould is typically half for TW241F12, compared to semi-aromatic PA, 60% glass-filled. Finally, the high flow characteristics minimize heat generated by shear during processing, permitting greater control over injection temperature for increased finished-part dimensional and warpage control.

Fatigue strength of Stanyl® TW241F12 at 140C is 120% of that of die-cast aluminium (60 MPa versus 50 MPa for G-AlSi9Cu3 and G-AlSi12). At the same time, the density of Stanyl® TW241F12 is less than 70% of die-cast aluminium (Stanyl® F12, ~1700 kg/m3 versus ~2700 kg/m3 for G-AlSi9Cu3 and G-AlSi12). Stanyl® grades also have a high degree of toughness which makes them the preferred choice for demanding metal conversion projects.

The full Stanyl® family of PA46 formulations is produced and marketed exclusively by DSM Engineering Plastics and delivers a performance similar to high end materials such as liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) combined with the ease of processing and design of PA6, PA66, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polythene terephthalate (PET).

Stanyl® formulations provide resistance to high temperatures, good mould flow behaviour, excellent mould and tooling longevity, and overall economy of processing. Stanyl® PA46 is offered in a wide variety of grades, including unfilled and reinforced (glass fibre and mineral), self-lubricating, impact-modified, and flame-retardant.