May 2007

New ACA Adhesives Simplifies RoHS Compliance

Akron Coating and Adhesives recently released ACA 161A, a new water based adhesive designed to bond polypropylene (PP) and other engineering plastics to metals such as aluminum.

Since the new RoHS rules call for the phasing out of all polyvinylchloride-containing materials (PVCs), Polypropylene is an attractive replacement for plastics that contain PVCs. Use of PP has been limited mainly because it is more difficult to achieve a strong bond to it. In almost all cases, a primer coat is required. Further complicating the transition, most adhesives that are designed to bond PP are solvent-based and must be diluted and cleaned up with non-environmentally friendly materials.

While results will differ depending on how the adhesive is to be used, in many cases ACA 161A can provide a simple, cost-effective way to substitute polypropylene for PVC. Tests have shown that ACA 161A will provide a very strong bond (peel values of up to 32 pounds per inch) between polypropylene and aluminum. Unlike most adhesives currently on the market that are used for this purpose, ACA 161A can be applied directly to the materials surface, eliminating the cost and assembly time required for primers. The formula is water-based, which allows for easy clean up. It can be applied to metal foil by gravure printing, reverse roll or wire wound bar coating methods. If necessary, it can also be applied with a brush, paint roller or by spray coating.

ACA 161A is designed for any application where a strong bond to non-polar surfaces is required, such molded parts found in automobiles, consumer electronic components and packaging.

I&J Fisnar, Inc. 2500-DA Meter and Mixing System for Compounds with Abrasive Fillers

In selecting a suitable dispensing system for an application that uses a substance with a filer additive, it is important to pay close attention to the material specification and the nature of the filler, for example, whether the filler is abrasive or simply a talc thickening agent. The type of dispensing metering system will be selected from this information and an appropriate construction chosen.

A suitable machine for two-part viscose compounds containing abrasive filler is model I&J Fisnar, Inc. 2500-DA. The system is a Positive Displacement machine capable of reducing wear due to its Double-Acting design and abrasion resistant metering cylinders and seals.

The Double-Acting In-Line design reduces stress caused by high viscosity fluids and delivers on-demand dispensing without interruption for reloading the metering cylinders.

The 2500-DA effectively doubles the life expectancy of seals by reducing the recharge cycles necessary during dispensing. The system uses four-way flow directional valves (not check valves) for maintaining very accurate flow ratios.

Makrolon Hygard bullet resistant glazing from Sheffield Plastics, Inc., a Bayer MaterialScience Company, offers bullet resistant containment up to UL 752 Level Three. It also offers greater optical clarity and more abrasion resistance than competing polycarbonate sheets. In an independent ASTM 1044-99 Taber Test, after 100 cycles using a 500 gram load, the Makrolon Hygard scratch-resistant coating showed 67 percent less haze than the competitive sheet.

“Our products are engineered to help architects, designers and specifiers meet a wide range of demanding architectural security and protection needs,” said Karl Wiecking, architectural market segment manager. “These needs include resistance to impact, burglary, ballistics, forced entry and physical attack. It is also optimal in containment applications and protects against high velocity wind events.”

Makrolon Hygard BR laminates accomplish this with three products: BR750, BR1000 and BR1250. The BR750 is a three-ply Makrolon polycarbonate sheet with an acrylic interlayer suited for security applications requiring UL Listed Level One bullet resisting glazing. The BR1000 is a four-ply Makrolon polycarbonate sheet manufactured for use in security applications requiring UL Listed Level Two bullet resisting glazing. The BR1250 is also a four-ply Makrolon polycarbonate sheet, but its improved strength is suited for high level security applications requiring UL Listed Level Three bullet resisting glazing.

The Makrolon Hygard BR1250, BR1000 and BR750 offer excellent abrasion and UV resistant surfaces for extended service life in harsh environments. They are used in a wide variety of establishments including 24-hour convenience stores, specialty retailers, banks, government and detention facilities, as well as other cash transaction areas.

The Makrolon Hygard BR750 weighs 5.1 pounds per square foot and has a gauge/tolerance of 0.780 +/- 8 percent with 88 percent light transmittance. It also has a shading coefficient of 0.89. The BR1000 features a gauge/tolerance of 1.05 +/- 5 percent and 72 percent light transmittance, weighing in at 6.5 pounds per square foot with a shading coefficient of 0.84. The BR1250, with a weight of 8.1 pounds per square foot, offers a gauge/tolerance of 1.30 +/- 5 percent, 67 percent light transmittance, and a shading coefficient of 0.81. All Makrolon Hygard BR products are clear, with custom colors available upon request and sizes range from 38 inches to 60 inches in width and 60 inches to 96 inches in height, with custom sizes available.

Advanced In-Line Laminates Replace Adhesives with Improved Process from RTP Company

The Sheet and Film Division of RTP Company has improved in-line laminate systems that allow for both flexible film and sheet to achieve superior mechanical bonds to fabric during manufacturing. These improvements eliminate secondary processes, allowing for a single in-line laminate technique that negates the need for adhesives.

“Without adhesives in the laminate fabrics, the possibility of skin irritations is reduced and biocompatibility issues are eliminated,” said Peter Ploumidis, president. “This is an important benefit to those in the medical industry and we have already realized several important commercial successes.”

A wide variety of in-line fabrics and textures are offered including wovens, knits, brushed and unbroken loop fabrics, in addition to an array of nonwoven materials. Standard in-line laminate products are stocked, and custom products can be developed to meet exact performance requirements.

In conjunction with the evolution of their LIMS (liquid injection molding system) silicones line, Shin-Etsu Silicones of America, Inc. has recently introduced its KE2014-KE2018 series Automotive LIMS products for advanced automotive applications.

The series is formulated to deliver low compression set as-molded, eliminating the costly time and energy requirements of post-cure processes.

In addition to delivering NPC (no post cure) advantages, the high-strength series also provides low compression set, less than 25 percent, with heat stability (tested at 225°C), and oil resistance (tested at 150°C) properties over a wide range of durometers for optimal automotive design performance. Given these advancements, the KE2014-KE2018 series is suited for automotive gaskets, electrical connector seals, wire seals, headlamp o-rings and grommets.

Shin-Etsu’s Automotive LIMS products all feature high strength, high elongation and low compression set properties with no post cure, yet each has unique characteristics to meet specific application requirements.

The KE2014 offers self-lubrication to improve environmental sealing and reduce insertion force for electrical connector seals.

The KE2015 series delivers heat and oil resistance and low compression-set properties. It is suited for engine gaskets and seals that will be exposed to high temperatures and/or oil. The low compression set and heat resistance qualities may also benefit consumer products applications such as living hinges that can experience high temperatures during warehouse storage.

The KE2017 is self-lubricating and features a low concentration of low molecular-weight, volatile siloxanes. These volatile siloxanes (D3-D10) can contribute to contact failure in electrical and electronic components. All products in this series contain less than 200 ppm volatile siloxanes, as molded. This eliminates the need for post curing to reduce the volatile content in molded products.

The KE2018 delivers all the benefits of KE2017, as well as Select-Hesion to various engineering thermoplastics such as PC, PBT and PPO. The products will selectively bond to thermoplastic substrates without sticking to metal tooling. This eliminates the need for expensive release coatings that are not durable and mold releases.

Indium Corp. Adds Surcharge on Silver- and Tin-Containing Solder Paste Products

Indium Corp. announced a surcharge on its silver- and tin-containing solder paste products, effective immediately.

Since January 2006, tin has increased from approximately $3.36 per pound to $6.25 per pound and silver has increased from $133 per pound to $203 per pound. More specifically, during the same time period the metal cost for Pb-Free SAC 387 solder alloy moved from approximately $8.27 per pound to $13.68 per pound, a 65 percent increase. The metal costs have been increasing steadily for the past year and future indicators show that these elevated prices will prevail for the remainder of 2007.

The surcharges will be based upon the difference between current metal costs and those from January 2006. Indium’s intention is to eliminate the surcharge when prices return to January 2006 levels.

“Our global customer base continues to demand increasing levels of support in the form of on-site service, inventory management, materials development, process design and development,” said, Ray Altieri, paste product manager It is our intent to continue delivering premium products and services, and increased performance and profits for our customer’s bottom line as we grow with our markets. This surcharge will be invested in the further enhancement of the premium products and services that we have come to be valued for.”

BASF executives are looking confidently to the coming months following a powerful start to the year. “BASF’s team is working constantly to bring the company even closer to its customers and make BASF even more innovative and cyclically resilient,” said BASF’s chairman Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht during the presentation of the company’s results for 2006 and the first quarter of 2007.

Compared with the same period of 2006, sales in the first quarter rose 17 percent to $19.8 billion. This was due primarily to the acquisitions in 2006, as well as higher volumes and sales prices in the chemical businesses. Disregarding currency effects, in particular from the depreciation of the US dollar, sales increased by 21 percent.

Net income rose by 9 percent to more than $1.4 billion. Earnings per share were $2.82 compared with $2.54 in the first quarter of 2006.

Positive outlook confirmed for full-year 2007

Hambrecht remained confident with regard to the ongoing year, expecting global economic growth of 3.2 percent. In 2007, the company anticipates an average oil price (Brent) of about $55/barrel and an average euro/dollar exchange rate of $1.30 per euro. Major risk factors are seen as being associated with an escalation in geopolitical trouble spots.

“The good start in the first quarter confirms our positive outlook for 2007. We expect significantly higher sales based on the acquisitions made in 2006 and organic growth. We expect to at least match the previous year’s strong EBIT before special items despite our assumption of a lower average oil price in 2007,” said Hambrecht.

Anderol, Inc., a manufacturer of specialty synthetic lubricants, recently announced the official opening of a new warehouse in Guangzhou, P.R. China. Buoyed by a strong industrialized market in Greater China, the new warehouse significantly augments Anderol’s capabilities to provide local customers with more accessibility to its value-added products and services.

“Our investment in the Guangzhou warehouse showcases our commitment to offer world class products and services to customers in the region,” says John A. Pannucci, COO, Anderol, Inc.

The warehouse will hold Anderol’s flagship industrial products including Anderol S-46, Anderol 555, as well as their aviation lubricants under the Royco brand. With a controlled inventory that is readily available, delivery time can now be reduced from two to three months to less than fifteen days. As a result, customers can receive Anderol products and samples in a more convenient and cost-effective manner.

Situated at the heart of Pearl River Delta in the Guangzhou Free Trade Zone (GZFTZ), the warehouse’s strategic location in the industrialized area provides a business platform for East and South China as well as Taiwan.

“The best aspect of the new Guangzhou warehouse is its ability to incorporate multifaceted functions. In addition to supporting bonded storage and material logistics, the warehouse is equipped with customs clearance facilities and a chartered wharf,” says Francis Hou, general manager, Asia Pacific, Anderol, Inc. “All of these value-added operational advantages combined with service support from our Guangzhou office enable our customers to enjoy fast, reliable and cost-effective delivery.”

Anderol’s new warehouse provides customers with a greater access to innovative lubricant solutions for air compression, aviation, food and beverage, military, mining, oil and gas as well as power generation applications.

Premix Oy, Finnish specialty thermoplastic compounding company, has acquired 89 percent of the shares in Optatech Oy, a Finnish specialty plastics developer and producer.

The main products developed by Optatech include Pacrel TPV, a special acrylic modified elastomer, produced through a patented solid state polymerization, and Lubotene, a special silicone grafted polyethylene intended for applications recalling low friction factor and release properties.

Optatech is a spin-off from Neste Oy, the Finnish oil giant that withdrew from plastics operations in the 1990s. It was founded by Dr. Tomi Heiskanen, previously Neste´s technology director, and Dr. Christer Bergström and it started its operations in 1995 by buying several Neste patents on specialty polymers. The founders, together with SITRA, the Finnish Innovation Fund, will sell their shares to Premix Oy. Proventia Group, an environmental technology company, will remain as owner with about 11 percent of the shares.

Optatech has two joint ventures in China. Yangzhong Opta Chemical produces and markets non halogen flame retardant cable compounds and Nanjing Jinling Opta Polymer produces PP/EPDM and the Pacrel base polymer that Optatech is selling to the compounding industry outside China.

The combined revenue of the JVs and Optatech is $6.78 million. The mother company has employed four people whereas the JV employs 65 people in total. Premix has resources and determination to accelerate the growth of the two China joint ventures, to further increase growth by introducing Premix’ own products to be produced in China and to import the currently produced grades into Europe and the US.

Alfa Aesar, a Johnson Matthey Company, has announced the release of the online certificates of analysis search. Certificates of analysis are now posted online for most of Alfa Aesar’s line of more then 27,000 research chemicals, metals and materials. To view a certificate of analysis in PDF format, visit www.alfa.com and click on the New Certificate of Analysis Search link. Then enter both the stock number and lot number of the item. The stock number and lot number can be found on the product label. Many thousands of certificates are available online. However, a small percentage may require a fax or email response. A fax or email request can be submitted via the link from the Web site.

Battery Power 2007, June 6-7, in Denver, will highlight the materials power today’s advanced battery systems. The conference will focus on new battery designs, manufacturing techniques, battery materials, power management, charging, testing and monitoring systems, power conversion, as well as the latest market trends affecting the industry.

Featuring more than 35 presentations including:
• High Safety and Reliability of the Li-ion Polymer Battery with Gel Electrolyte, SYNergy ScienTech Corp.
• Advancements in Nanoscale Lithium Titnate Oxide Material, Altairnano
• New Electrolyte Chemistries and Their Manufacture, Leeds Lithium Power

Register today at www.batterypoweronline.com/bp07_registration.htm.