PP Solutions

Mepol Meplen® and Lotte Infino® PP mineral filled (CC, talc) or reinforced (GF, CF) compounds are used where high structural strength and stiffness at affordable prices are required. Applications includes pipe and hose connectors, bumpers, dashboards, seats components, housings and components of cooling, heating, lighting and electric systems in general, and many more.

Hyperfilled, impact modified and heat resistance Avior® PP compounds are also available at Mesgo – also with a specific focus on conductive compounds, having one of the largest carbon black compounding unit in Europe.

PA6, PA6.6 and Solutions towards the PA6.6 global shortage

Poliblend PA6 and PA6.6 Polimid® compounds 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.

Polimid® LUB are lubrified to increase the wear and abrasion resistance, e.g. for components in contact with metal or other plastics. Polimid® A (PA6.6) is also available in specific grades which are resistant to hydrolysis, glycols and oils.

Mesgo Mizar® PA6 and PA6.6 compounds offer special features such as very high GF reinforcement, special antishock properties, laser marking and conductivity.

Poliblend Polimid® and Mesgo Mizar® are used in automobile air intake manifolds, engine covers, rocker valve covers, airbag containers, cooling systems, headlamp frames, exterior parts including side and backdoors handles, exterior mirrors, front-end grilles, fuel caps and lids, wheel covers, and all aesthetic trims in general.

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.

Case Study

Fitting for a pulling bar

Opportunity: Customer was implementing a program of money saving – but quality was non-negotiable.

PBT, POM, ABS, ASA, PC and their alloys

Thanks to their great dimensional stability, Poliblend Politer® PBT GF, GB-reinforced and impact modified compounds find application in all components which require high precision, plus electrical insulation and heat and chemical resistance, e.g. components in automotive electrical-mechanical devices such as connectors, housing of sensors, fuses and control units, components in fuel, engine and ignition systems, flaps, gears, valves, wiper covers, side mirror housing. An increasing demand is in components of electrical vehicles.

Polipom® Homo and Copo POM reinforced compounds are often used in similar applications, where additionally high resistance to abrasion and wear are required, e.g. systems components of electrical devices, seat adjustments, climate control, safety, sunroofs, fasteners, air filters, gears, etc.

Poliblend Politer® LUB and Polipom® LUB are lubrified to increase the wear and abrasion resistance, e.g. for components in contact with metal or other plastics. Reinforced grades are also available.

Mesgo Izar® ABS compounds are used in interior components or trims such as doors side pockets.

Heat resistance Lotte Starex® ABS are used for the injection moulding or extrusion of power window switch covers, consoles, side mirrors, radiator grills, pillars. Special high-heat resistance with very low VOC and odor are also available. Heat-resistance Starex® ASA are used in similar applications where superior weatherable features are required, e.g. side mirrors and radiator grills, up to caravan exteriors and jet skies. Starex® ASA and ASA/PBT show excellent weatherability with high mechanical and impact strength, e.g. for application in sunroof frames.

Lotte Infino® virgin polymer is used for the production of head lamp lenses, while general purpose Infino® is used for the head lamp bezel. Various Infino® PC and PC alloys with ABS, ASA, PBT are used in the air vents, interior center fascias, overhead consoles, lighting housing, spoilers, exterior trims.

For high chemical resistance combined with a good cost ratio PVC Compounds from TPV Compound are the first choice.

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 such as large components in caravans.

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.

Poliblend Polimid® PA6 and PA6.6 also have a number of UL94 approvals. Poliblend Politer® PBT are available in halogenated and non-halogen flame retardant version.

Lotte Starex® ABS and Infino® PC, PC/ABS halogenated and halogen-free FR – also GF-reinforced – with UL94 yellow card homologations are widely used in automotive. Lotte Advanced Materials has an internal testing lab which was recently officially UL certified.

Dedicated portfolios are available for battery components, requiring also high heat and chemical resistance (e.g. lead-acid batteries, etc.). A dedicated range of Infino® FS PC/ABS was recently launched, which compliant with the new Low-Smoke regulations for the trains segment.

Lotte also recently launched FR-PP – also filled or reinforced (talc, GF) for automotive.

PVC Compounds from TPV Compound inherently halogenated flame retardant and show a very good price-performance ratio.

Tip

Low-smoke Lotte Infino® FS for railway segment

The Lotte Infino® FS portfolio complies with the recent European UNI EN 45545-2:2015 (R1, R6, R22/R23) regulation which specifies the fire behavior requirements of materials and products used on rail vehicles.

Metal plating and painting

Starex® ABS and Infino® PC/ABS metal plating and painting grades ensure easy etching process and stronger and more uniform adhesion, therefore higher productivity and lower rejections. Typical applications include bycicles and motorbikes in general, and automobiles radiator grills, wheel covers and door handles and decorative garnishes.

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

Tip

Decreasing plating fails

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.

Soft components, 2k-moulding and overmoulding

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. Evatane® is also a perfect choice for the replacement of flexible PVC. Applications may include soft small seals, liners, covers without any specific requirement in terms of wear, heat or chemical resistance.

Sipol Sipolprene® is a Thermoplastic Elastomer based on 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 hoses and fittings for air and fluids, tubes for cable lines, gear knobs, sealings for battery housing.

Ambra also developed a 100% eco recycled TPC-ET alternative - named TPC Regrind Black 1 - read about at the paragraph on Recycling and Sustainability.

Strong adhesion is crucial in 2k- or overmoulding of soft components to stiffer substrates. Sipolprene® shows an 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.

Case Study

Anti-slip car carpets

Opportunity: Customer needed a functional Solution for anti-slip inserts on his polyester fiber carpet.

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®.

Recycling and sustainability

The awareness on global climate change in the mobility segment has always been very high, and producers have all implemented challenging protocols on the reduction of CO2 emissions. Recycled materials play here a crucial role, yielding a dramatic increase of the required rate and quality of recycled plastics.

Poliblend PA6 and PA6.6 and ® PP, ecoMeplac® Mepol ecoMeplen ABS, ecoMepron® PS and eco Meytel® PA recycled compounds are available for all general purpose applications.

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.

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.

Masterbatches, additives and cleaning compounds

When not included in the ready-to-use compound, additives or colors may be added with masterbatches directly during extrusion. 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 a combined proprieties 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 Solution choice for the flexibilization and impact modification of polyolefins and engineering polymers. The modifiers can be pre-compounded, pre-blended or often even directly added during extrusion.

Ambra Upgrade MBF fragrance masterbatches with very high perfuming power may be used to improve the smell properties of reprocessed plastics. They are 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 maintain high productivity. 4clean 4Cleanpure® concentrated pure additives or 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 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?

Clean them with 4cleanmix®. Non abrasive.