Flame-retardant moulding materials certified

SABIC Innovative Plastics has acquired VDE Certification of 10 flame-retardant moulding materials for household appliance applications; some materials speed up moulding processes.

To help household appliance manufacturers accelerate time to market by streamlining regulatory approvals, SABIC Innovative Plastics has released a range of flame-retardant materials certified by the German VDE (Verband der Elektrotechnik Elektronik Informationstechnik) testing organisation The 10 materials have successfully passed VDE’s stringent testing for compliance with the IEC 60335 standard for unattended household appliances, particularly the recently introduced glow wire ignition test (GWIT) for flammability.

Therefore, appliance manufacturers do not have to carry out additional testing of plastics parts.

Industry manager Electrical and Lighting, SABIC Innovative Plastics, Arthur van Dijk, said: "Passing the new glow wire ignition test is very challenging for conventional thermoplastics because many self-ignite around the test temperature,".

He continued: "By drawing on the legacy of SABIC Innovative Plastics’ exceptional technical expertise, we have been able to engineer nearly a dozen grades that meet this tough safety standard.

By choosing from our portfolio, appliance manufacturers will have one less hurdle to overcome in getting their products to market".

* Diverse range – the different IEC 60335-compliant grades include amorphous and semi-crystalline materials.

They offer a variety of properties, including the following.

* Thick- and thin-wall moulding capability.

* High heat resistance.

* Transparency or opacity in a range of colours.

* Chemical resistance.

* Hydrolytic stability.

* A range of CTI (Comparative Tracking Index) values from 175V to 600V.

Most of the materials offer flame retardance without the use of brominated or chlorinated additives – materials that can be harmful to the environment – thus meeting the requirements of the European Union’s (EU) Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives.

Further, all grades have a full listing in the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) yellow card system.

SABIC said that these materials are suitable for any plastics part in an unattended appliance that is less than 3mm away from a live connection of more than 0.2A.

Target applications include: PCB cardholders, terminal blocks, connectors, circuit protection, relays, switches, motor end caps, control boxes, control panels, battery chargers and fuse holders.

Noryl polyphenylene oxide (PPO) resin.

* Noryl NH6020 resin – an all-colour, high-CTI amorphous material features thin-wall, halogen-free flame retardance of UL-94 V0 at 0.8mm.

It offers a ball pressure temperature (BPT) of 125 deg C and a CTI of up to 600V depending on colour.

This grade also provides a good balance of flow and mechanical properties, as well as lower density and hydrolytic stability.

* Noryl NH7010 resin – an amorphous material that features halogen-free flame retardance of UL-94 V0 at 1.5mm, 5VA at 2mm, and a CTI of up to 600V depending on the colour.

It has a higher impact than Noryl NH6020 resin for applications with tougher mechanical requirements, but maintains the other grade’s lower density and hydrolytic stability.

Cycoloy polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) resin.

* Cycoloy CX7240 resin – this material features siloxane copolymer technology and non-brominated, non-chlorinated flame retardance meeting UL-94 V0 at 0.75mm, V1 at 0.6mm, V2 at 0.2mm, and 5VB at 1.5mm.

Its excellent flow and impact balance enable thin-wall capability in all colours.

* Cycoloy CY6110 resin – optimised heat flow impact balance and excellent hydrolytic stability characterise this grade.

It provides non-brominated, non-chlorinated flame retardance meeting UL-94 V0 at 1.5mm and 5VB at 2.5mm in all colours.

Lexan PC resin.

* Lexan ML6411 resin – this material features siloxane copolymer technology and halogen-free flame retardance meeting UL-94 V0 at 1.5mm and 5VA at 3mm.

It provides excellent low-temperature impact performance and very good processing characteristics with opportunities for shorter cycle times compared to standard polycarbonate.

* Lexan 945A resin – a non-filled grade, available in transparent and tinted colours, provides halogen-free flame retardance with a UL-94 V0 rating at 3mm and V2 at 1.5mm.

Semi-crystalline materials.

Starflam polyamide (PA66) compound.

* Starflam RF0055E compound – is a 25% glass-filled, easy-molding polyamide 66 provides halogen-free flame retardance reaching UL-94 V0 at 1.6mm.

Valox polybutadiene terephthalate (PBT) resin.

* Valox V9561 resin – is a 30% glass-filled, heat-stabilised PET grade; this material delivers excellent mould release and a UL-94 V0 rating at 0.8mm.

* Valox 771 resin – is a 35% glass-/mineral-filled PBT grade that provides the highest CTI rating possible (600V) and a UL-94 V0 rating at 0.75mm and 5VA at 2mm.

* Valox ENH4550 resin – is a 25% glass-filled PBT grade; it combines excellent mechanical properties with the new halogen-free flame retardance system offering a UL-94 V0 rating at 0.8mm.

* Glow wire ignition test – the new glow wire ignition test, which was added to the IEC 60335 standard in 2006, is used to simulate the effect of heat that may arise in malfunctioning unattended appliances, such as dishwashers, dryers, washers, and coffee makers.

The plastics material is put in contact with a wire heated to 750 deg C for 30s.

During that time, the plastics cannot ignite for more than 5s, after which it must self-extinguish.

VDE conducts the GWIT in accordance with IEC 60335 requirements.

All of the above SABIC Innovative Plastics grades have been awarded a VDE material certificate attesting to their compliance, said SABIC.

* About SABIC Innovative Plastics – SABIC Innovative Plastics is a leading, global supplier of engineering thermoplastics with a 75-year history of breakthrough solutions that solve its customers’ most pressing challenges.

Today, SABIC Innovative Plastics is a multi-billion-dollar company with operations in more than 25 countries and over 10,500 employees worldwide.

The company continues to lead the plastics industry with customer collaboration and continued investments in new polymer technologies, global application development, process technologies, and environmentally responsible solutions that serve diverse markets such as automotive, electronics, building and construction, transportation, and healthcare.

The company’s extensive product portfolio includes thermoplastics resins, coatings, specialty compounds, film, and sheet.

SABIC Innovative Plastics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the world’s top five petrochemicals manufacturers.

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