Rhodia Engineering Plastics launches a new family of PA/ABS alloys with excellent impact strength, aesthetics, processability

Lyon, France, May 19, 2003 – Rhodia Engineering Plastics today announced the introduction of TECHNYL® ALLOY brand, a synergistic alloy of polyamide and ABS compounded with a new high-performance compatibilizing technology which offers key benefits and advantages for molded plastic parts above those offered by traditional polycarbonate (PC), PC/ABS, and PC/PBT materials in terms of properties and processing benefits. This material has already been chosen by GM/DAEWOO, to equip its brand new Kalos SUV with a high performance center fascia.

“TECHNYL® ALLOY offers enhanced design flexibility and aesthetic styling capabilities coupled with weight saving and high-performance. It highlights Rhodia Engineering Plastics’ determination to provide additional leading-edge materials solutions,” says Eric Noyrez, Director Automotive Business, Rhodia Engineering Plastics.

Target automotive applications include instrument panels, center fascias, air-vent and defroster grilles, and door assemblies; motorcycle fairings; and scooter exteriors. Other potential applications include consumer goods such as sporting goods and leisure parts; furniture and toys; as well as electrical components such as appliance and household housings.

In fact, TECHNYL® ALLOY offers an exceptional new balance of stiffness vs. impact strength, high aesthetics, lower specific gravity, better processing, and opportunities for systems cost reductions vs. competitive materials.

TECHNYL® ALLOY features lower density, which translates into lower weight parts and clear economic benefits vs. competing products. For example, TECHNYL® ALLOY KC 246, an impact-modified grade, shows a ca. 6% lower density than competitive PC/ABS grades, 10 percent less dense than competitive PC grades, and offers 14 percent lower density than competitive PC/PBT grades.

The new alloys also provide higher heat resistance (up to 200°C) than competing materials and greater design flexibility. Because TECHNYL® ALLOY polymers are more ductile than PC and PC/PBT alloys, the new material is better suited for designing applications like automotive inner door panels for side impact safety. The new alloys also exhibit superior noise damping properties.

Compared with competitive materials, TECHNYL® ALLOY materials provide excellent stress-cracking resistance, as well as superior resistance to a wide range of detergents due to the new alloy’s high chemical resistance brought by the nylon component of the matrix. Essential to interior applications are the material’s good scratch resistance, durability, mat surface aspect and color stability.

The materials’ high fluidity and wider processing window makes for easier processing, especially when facing long flow lengths and sharp transitions between thick and thin sections. This enhanced flowability means molders can take advantage of lower injection clamping force and temperatures. These features also translate to reduced tooling and processing costs since comparable parts can be run on smaller presses. Furthermore, TECHNYL® ALLOY’s improved processability means molders can experience reduced shear stresses which translate to reduced warpage and post-mold shrinkage in the final part versus typical nylon applications.

Additionally, the use of TECHNYL® ALLOY materials makes it possible to produce high-quality surface structures especially with a fine texture. The material is particularly suited for meeting current auto industry requirements for low-gloss interior components thanks to the polymer’s inherent fine mat effect with a soft feel appearance surfaces. TECHNYL® ALLOY’s molded-in color capability can reduce or eliminate the need for painting.

TECHNYL® ALLOY resins are available in a range of grades providing a broad choice of alternatives to meet specific needs for performance. General-purpose and high-cycle unfilled grades are used where good surface quality, light weight and ease of processing are required. Impact-modified grades are well-suited for impact resistance applications, for example, in automotive

Reader enquiries

Rhodia Engineering Plastics
Avenue Ramboz
F-69192 Saint-Fons Cedex
France

+33 4 72 89 27 53

christine.bourguignon@​eu.rhodia.com

www.rhodia-ep.com