Transparent, reinforced, heat resistant, high-impact

Mepol Meplen® PP mineral filled (CC, talc) or reinforced (GF, CF) compounds are typically used for the widest range of industrial components, household appliance, furniture sector, sports equipment, toys, consumer items where high structural strength and stiffness at affordable prices are required.

Lotte Starex® ABS, MABS, SAN and Infino® PC, PC alloys - transparent, general purpose and heat resistant virgin resins and compounds - are used for the injection moulding and extrusion in construction, E+E (adaptors, batteries, TV housing), home and office appliances (housings, washing machine covers, refrigerator lining), furniture and design, eyewear, sport equipment, toys.

Applications on sheet extrusion are available at the Section “EXTRUSION, FOAMING, THERMOFORMING, SHOES (NON-PACKAGING)”.

High impact Starex® ABS/GF is used for its excellent flexural modulus and dimensional stability in e.g. E+E (printers, frames for TV sets, monitors), home and office appliances (housing for air conditioning, wheels for chairs and trolleys, etc.), sanitaries (WC toilet tables, etc.), sport equipment (helmets, skies), etc. High impact Infino® PC/CF and PC/GF is used e.g. for mobile handsets, digital cameras, speakers, laptops, TV sets, printers.

Hyperfilled, impact modified and heat resistant polyolefin and styrenic compounds are also available at Mesgo with Altair® PE, Avior® PP or Izar® PS and ABS. Mesgo also developed a specific Avior® PP/GF compound range with narrow length distribution for esthetic applications also requiring good mechanical performance (e.g. home and office chairs).

Poliblend Politer® PBT and Polipom® Homo and Copo POM standard range includes GF, GB-reinforced and impact modified compounds.

PE, PP, EVA, EMA, EEA, EBA, ABS, PC, PA, TPE and various compounds, off-specs, slow moving from the major world producers are regularly available at Speedy Polymers with advantageous prices.

Special paragraphs are also dedicated to filled and reinforced Polyamides and Eco-recycled Compounds later in this Section.

Tip

Rapid moulding ABS

Lotte developed the new Starex® ABS RM-0760 for rapid moulding, which dramatically reduces the cooling time during the injection of very large components, e.g. top-loading washing machine, big gardening tools, furniture large components in caravans, etc.

PA6 and 6.6 applications and Solutions

Poliblend PA6 and PA6.6 Polimid® and Secomid® compounds - respectively produced from prime and near-to-prime grades – find application in the injection moulding of goods which require favorable stiffness and toughness, superficial hardness, high working temperatures, with a very high flexibility in formulation (viscosity, fast cycles, heat stabilization, GF, GB and CF reinforcement, impact modified) and perfect color matching given by in-house production of color masterbatches.

Mesgo Mizar® PA6 and PA6.6 compounds offer special features such as very high GF reinforcement, special antishock properties, laser marking and conductivity – see later in this Section.

Ambra Ambramid PA6 and PA6.6 are a range of standard compounds which were developed to respond to some specific customer requests in terms of price, additivation and color.

The comprehensive PA compounds portfolio of Solutions in Ambra embrace the largest range of applications including examples in construction (plumbing systems, ventilation, screws, plugs and fixing systems), electrical devices (insulators, connectors, sockets, switch housings, fuses, relays and electric devices in general), home and office appliances (vacuum cleaners, lightning sets, air conditioning, washing machines, hands dryers), furniture (chairs and trolleys, chair wheels, shelf supports, bearing inserts, bedframes), industrial equipment (power tools, valves, joints, gears and bearings), sport equipment (ski bindings, boots and winter sport equipment in general, roll and ice skates, hunting and fishing systems), gardening tools, toys, and many more.

Poliblend and Ambra established an effective strategy to support customers during the current scarce availability of PA6.6, which is forecasted to perdure in the next years. Our Solutions include, long-term relationships with polymer producers for the supply of prime and off-specs PA6.6, proper technical advise to replace PA6.6 with PA6 in some old or new formulations, smart compounding with PA6/6.6 and reinforcements, and support in switching to PA6.6 eco-compounds with raw materials from reliable sources. See also later in this Section for recycled PA Solutions.

Flame retardant

Halogenated and halogen-free polyolefin and styrenic flame retardant compounds are available by Mesgo Altair® PE, Avior® PP, Izar® PS and ABS, and by Mepol Meplen® PP.

Lotte Starex® ABS and Infino® PC, PC/ABS halogenated and halogen-free flame FR – also with GF-reinforcement - are widely used in electric and electronic components (electrical wiring devices, chargers, TV sets, monitors, laptops, housings of E+E and home/office appliances in general), with several UL94 yellow card approvals.

Dedicated portfolios are also available for battery components, requiring also high heat and chemical resistance (e.g. power tools, lead-acid batteries, etc.), and strongly flame retarded, high-heat, GF-reinforced PC compounds for smart-meters and electric devices.

Poliblend Polimid® PA6 and 6.6 also have a number of UL94 approvals for use in E+E and construction. Poliblend Secomid® and Ambra Ambramid® PA6 and PA6.6 flame retardant at advantageous prices are also available.

Poliblend Politer® PBT are available in halogenated and non-halogen flame retardant version.

TPV Compound inherently flame retardant PVC compounds..

Tip

Looking for UL certified yellow cards?

Lotte Advanced Materials has an internal testing lab which was recently officially UL certified.

Conductive, dissipative, antistatic

Mesgo has one of the largest carbon black compounding capacity in Europe. Mesgo carbon black conductive ready-to-use compounds or concentrated masterbatches – Altair® PE, Avior® PP, Izar® PS, ABS, Mizar® PA and Mirach® PVC – are a Solution in the widest range of applications, including dissipative ink cartridges for multifunctional printers, PVC for furniture, impact modified screw dowels for power tools, and many others.

Poliblend Polimid® STAT portfolio also include a wide range of PA6, PA6.6 and PA6/6.6 electrically conductive carbon fiber compounds.

Lotte Infino® high performance compounds with conductive properties were developed for specific applications in E+E, and they are discussed later in this Section, while anti-dust / anti-static Starex® ABS and Infino® PC/ABS compounds were designed for the production of vacuum cleaners, printers and other home and office appliances.

Tip

Need to comply with ATEX 2014/34/UE?

Being one of the largest compounders of carbon black compounds in Europe, Mesgo has a strong know-how for the formulation of conductive compounds – ask Mesgo for compliance with the ATEX 2014/34/UE Directive related to equipment and protective systems installed in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Aesthetic materials: metal plating, painting, metal-look, low-gloss, anti-scratch

Lotte developed specific Starex® ABS and Infino® PC/ABS metal plating and painting grades, guaranteeing easy etching process and stronger and more uniform adhesion, and thus higher productivity and lower rejections. Typical applications include sanitaries, TV sets, appliances, etc.

Poliblend Polimid® and Secomid® and Ambra Ambramid® PA6 and PA6.6 are also typically employed in metal plating after activation.

Further metal plating and metal painting Solutions are available for small batches with ColorTech on several different base engineering polymers – see later in this Section.

Luminous® LX Starex® ABS and Infino® PC/ABS permit to obtain bright, high gloss and metallic-look surfaces without painting, with improved costs and appearance in comparison to metal coating. They find applications in components for interior furnitures, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, TV sets and housing of E+E, Home or Office appliances in general.

Starex® WX (ASA) or Starex® WR (UV-ABS) are especially renowned for their excellent weatherability, impact, low gloss.

Starex® MABS (ABS/PMMA) shows excellent scratch resistance, surface gloss and coloring properties, which make it an elective material for the exterior esthetic housing of TV sets, monitors, home-theaters, and electronic devices in general.

Tip

Metal plating

The world leader Lotte Starex® ABS and Infino® PC/ABS Metal Plating and Painting grades generate uniform anchor holes during the usual etching process before plating or painting, resulting in excellent adhesion, higher productivity and lower rejections.

High Performance materials: wear, chemical, weather, microbial resistance and super-performance

Short and long chain polyamides are also often used for their good combination of chemical and thermal resistance. Poliblend Polimid® A (PA6.6) have developed specific grades which are resistant to hydrolysis, glycols and oils. Specific tailor-made Ambramid® PA6 and PA6.6 can also be developed.

Long-chain polyamides are available by Nexis Fibers PA6.10 and 6.12 neat polymers, or tailor-made compounded by Ambra.

Poliblend Polimid® LUB are PA, POM and PBT compounds, lubrified with classic additives to increase the wear and abrasion resistance, e.g. for components in contact with metal or other plastics. Reinforced grades are also available. POM and PBT compounds also show good resistance to chemicals and oils.

Lotte Starex® ABS compounds with superior chemical resistance are used e.g. for end caps of refrigerators.

Starex® ASA injection grade compounds show a superior weatherability and impact strength, e.g. for application in home appliances and sport equipment.

Lotte Infino® Light Diffusion PC is used in LED and conventional illumination lens covers, while LED reflectors and connectors are made by Infino® High Performance Engineering Polymers (PPA, PCT), with very high thermal resistance. The new Infino® QC has been designed for easy mould release, RTI electrical certification, high impact and strength (UL 746B) for application in outdoor lighting and electrical devices (smart meters & switches). Super structural reinforced Infino® PPS or PPA compounds with very high modulus are used to replace metal parts for lighter weight and higher stiffness in electronics and home appliances (e.g. covers of mobile phones and notebooks, TV stand bases, or coffee machine brackets).

Lotte Starex® Evermoin® ABS are anti-microbial compounds used e.g. in showers, sanitaries in general, vacuum cleaners, kitchen utensils, etc. Evermoin® ASA also guarantees excellent weatherability.

Tip

Need WRAS certification for drinking water contact?

Poliblend has two certified grades based on Polimid® PA6.6/GF and Polipom® Homo POM, used in sanitary taps and fittings.

Soft components in 1k-, 2k- and overmoulding: Polyolefin and Styrene Copolymers

SK Evatane® EVA or Lotryl® EMA, EBA ethylene copolymers are soft and flexible polyolefins which are used in the 1k-injection moulding of very flexible components, e.g. soft wheels for shopping trolleys or large utensils, stops and closures for air conditioning systems, protection components of furniture doors and handles, teeth sport protection, etc.

Evatane® is also a perfect choice for the replacement of flexible PVC.

DzBh® New Material SBS and SEBS styrene copolymers are used – alone or combined in TPO compounds with EVA, PE or PP - for 2k-moulding and overmoulding of very soft components with rubber appearance and properties. SBS and SEBS have good adhesion on PP.

Case Study

Door handle protection

Opportunity: A customer wanted to replace PVC

Tip

PVC replacement in very soft small component

Try SK Evatane® first

Soft components in 1k-, 2k- and overmoulding: Polyester & Polyamide Copolymers

Sipol Sipolprene® are Thermoplastic Elastomers based respectively on polyamide and polyester copolymers. They are a great alternative to standard SBS, SEBS, TPO, TPU or TPV when superior versatility, flexibility, softness, tenacity, resilience, durable elastic return, heat, chemical and abrasion resistance, and great esthetic and touch properties are required. They are widely used in high value 1k-, 2k-injection moulding and overmoulding. Applications include sport equipment (winter and water sports, tennis rackets, elastic return), household and office items (kitchen items, toothbrushes overmoulding, mattress springs), mechanic and power tools in general (drills, industrial tools, antishock handles, gear knobs), electric and electronic devices (sockets, wiring, mobiles, soft-touch casing), toys, etc.

See also Ambra TPC Regrind Black 1 block copolyester as a 100% eco recycled alternative in the next paragraphs.

Strong adhesion is crucial in 2k- or overmoulding of soft components to stiffer substrates. Sipolprene® shows excellent adhesion on most polyolefins and engineering polymers, except PP, POM and few others.

SK Lotader® and Orevac® reactive polyolefins will promote adhesion of PE, PP, PS, PA, PET, PBT, TPE on various substrates. Orevac® and Lotader® will also promote compatibilization between two components in blend mixtures before extrusion.

2k-moulding usually include one stiff and one soft components. However, 2k-moulding of two soft components is also possible. Examples include a teeth protection made with DzBh SBS and SK Evatane® EVA, and a small joint of a sport kayak made with Sipol Sipolprene® and SK Evatane®.

Case Study

A small but crucial pin for tough ice-hockey matches

Opportunity: Customer wanted to make a pin to stabilize an holder for an ice hockey’s goal.

Tip

Strong adhesion in 2k-moulding

Increase the adhesion of Sipolprene® on PA or PET by addition of reactive polyolefins such as SK Lotader® or Orevac®.

Small batches and coloring

A limiting requirement for small size companies is often the availability of small size batches with the desired polymer base, performance, color and just-in-time service.

Ambra Principals are customer-oriented. Lotte can supply different batch sizes from the 2 compounding units in Hungary and Korea. Mesgo conjugates the production of compounds with the in-house production of black, white and color masterbatches with great flexibility. Poliblend also has its own color masterbatch production at the same site as the compounding unit; furthermore, PA6 and PA6.6 can be colored during compounding, or the color masterbatch may be dry-blended, ensuring a great vesatility in delivery time and size.

Additionally, with over 30 years experience, ColorTech guarantees a full portfolio of compounds with fast and reliable color matching and great service flexibility for small batches, including the brands Teclene® PP, Teclan® ABS, Tecral® ASA, Tecstil® SAN, Tecstir® PS and Tecril® PMMA.

Tip

Color compounds, small size, just-in-time deliver...

ColorTech guarantees high versatility, perfect color matching, fast delivery – from 25kg to hundred Tons!

Recycling and sustainability

The increasing public awareness and several European and international regulations on the reduction of the environmental impact of plastics – including among others CO2 emissions and marine littering of microplastics – call for a dramatic increase of both the rate and the quality of recycled plastics in end manufacts.

Mepol ecoMeplen® PP and ecoMepron® PS recycled compounds, typically mineral filled (CC, talc) or reinforced (GF, CF), are an environment-friendly and economical choice for industrial components, household and office appliances, furniture sector, sports equipment, toys, consumer items.

For more demanding applications, Mepol ecoMeytel® PA6 and Poliblend recycled PA6 and PA6.6 compounds are available.

Lotte Starex® PCM post-consumer recycled ABS/PET alloys are used for office appliances and casing of electronics.

Ambra TPC Regrind Black 1 was specifically designed for 100% sustainable plastics. It was developed by Ambra starting from copolyester regrinds of post-industrial automotive production, showing perfect quality and supply consistency, great resistance to chemical and thermal degradation, easy processing, high flexibility and very appealing esthetic properties for 1k- or 2k-injection moulding, overmoulding or tube extrusion.

Case Study

Effective CopoPP eco-compounds

Opportunity: Customer was using expensive virgin PP and PS compounds for a number of injection moulding and extrusion applications.

Tip

A recycled hi-tech polymer

Ambra TPC Regrind Black 1 is a polyester block-copolymer (TPC-ET) 100% from post-industrial production, a hi-tech material at affordable price for 1k- or 2k-injection moulding, overmoulding or tube extrusion.

Recycling and sustainability: color properties

Good aesthetic properties are a crucial factor in the choice of a post-industrial or post-consumer material. Heavily pigmented multicolor regrinds do not allow to obtain proper coloring, even at expensive high loading of color masterbatches. The right choice with the Ambra technical support will help to decrease the loading of expensive color masterbatches.

Case Study

Installing windows

Opportunity: Obtain a few brilliant different colors from rPP compound for a small tool component, and a brilliant money saving.

Masterbatches, additives and cleaning compounds

When not included in the ready-to-use compound, additives or colors may be added via masterbatches directly during extrusion. This occurs even more with recycled polymer regrind or reprocessed granules.

Mesgo SwingAdd® additive masterbatches help to reduce the temperature degradation, improve the lifetime on UV and oxidation exposure, improve polymer processability, scratch resistance, reduce the moisture content. SwingAdd® are available as single-function additives or as combined properties or colors (combi-batches).

Residual water content in both virgin and regrind polymers may be removed with Mesgo SwingAdd® desiccant masterbatch.

Excellent aesthetic properties may be achieved with JazzWhite® and TangoBlack® masterbatches, produced in large volumes at Mesgo Grigno plant, and color masterbatches produced at Mesgo Iride Colors, with very high flexibility also for small batches.

SK famous Evatane®, Lotryl®, Lotader® and Orevac® polar and reactive polyolefin copolymers offer the broadest range of Solutions for the flexibilization and impact modification of PVC, polyolefins and engineering polymers. The modifiers can be pre-compounded, pre-blended or often even directly added during extrusion.

Evatane®, Lotryl® T and Orevac® are used to modify PVC, PE and PP. Standard maleic Lotader® terpolymers are used for the modification of PA, while Lotader® AX terpolymers are used for polyesters.

For the production of perfumed items (e.g. in household) or for improving the smell properties of reprocessed plastic, one may employ Ambra Upgrade MBF fragrance masterbatches with very high perfuming power - based on Pollena Aroma® huge know-how on fragrances with a library of thousands of scents, and SK Evatane®, Lotryl® or Sipol Sipolprene® highly impregnating resins. Tailor-made Ambra Upgrade MBF masterbatches with the desired fragrance matching are suitable.

A proper cleaning of extruders and hot injection channels is crucial to keep high productivity. 4clean range of 4Cleanpure® concentrated pure additives and 4Cleanmix® ready-to-use cleaning compounds have a well-

documented record of success cases. They are easy to use, quick, non-abrasive, very efficient on the removal of black specks, and on frequent changes of colors and materials.

The increased cleaning efficiency will yield dramatical money savings by reducing the cleaning time, the amount of defective material, the number of customer claims and requests for damages.

Tip

Dirty hot injection channels?

Testo: Clean them with 4cleanmix®. Non abrasive.