Up to now, the relevant interactions between thermoplastics and metal surfaces at the interface have not been fully investigated. In this article, possible intermolecular interactions between plastics and metal surfaces are described and investigated on injection-moulded composite specimens made of polyamide 6 and polybutylene terephthalate with aluminum as a composite partner. The results of the investigation show that the composite adhesion is mainly based on intermolecular interactions between the composite partners and not on mechanical form-fit. If the polar surface of the aluminum is chemically inactivated without changing its surface topography, then no composite adhesion occurs.

Intermolecular interactions through hydrogen bonds between a carbonyl group in polyamide and a metal hydroxide surface.

Polybutylenterephthalat

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Hybridwerkstoffe

Andere Werkstoffe

Polyamide

Aluminium

Metall Werkstoffe

NE-Metalle

Kupfer

Oberflächentechnik

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Spritzgießen

Optische Mess- und Prüfverfahren

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Intermolecular interactions and their influence on the adhesion between plastics and metal surfaces

One of the last major German chemical giants, BASF is fighting back against the weak economy with an extensive efficiency program. Its acquisition of Solvay’s polyamide business has strengthened the engineering thermoplastics value chain. The circular economy is providing most of the new impetus.

Fig. 2. The <a href="http://Futurecraft.Loop">Futurecraft.Loop</a> sneaker is a recyclable shoe made from 100 % recycled material

BASF and Its Customers Commit to Chemical Recycling

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Forward Together!

PA66 and PBT considerably expand the field of applications for laser sintering by showing better properties than classic PA11 and PA12 materials in most cases.

As a temperature-resistant and flame-retardant material with high mechanical properties, PA66 opens up new application possibilities for laser sintering, such as its use as a sensor holder

16:9

PA66 and PBT for Laser Sintering

Technische Kunststoffe

Selektives Lasersintern von Kunststoff, Metall, Keramik

Verfahren für die additive Fertigung

Pulverbettverfahren

Kunststoff

Bauwesen

Baustoffe

Additive Fertigung

From Injection Molding to  Additive Manufacturing

Lanxess will transfer its High Performance Materials unit to an independent legal corporate structure.

The plastics of the High Performance Materials business unit are used primarily in the automotive, electrical and electronics industries

Kunststoff-Erzeugung

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Herstellung von Gummi und Kunststoffwaren

Kunststoffverarbeitung

Lanxess’ Business Unit to Become Legally Independent

Electromobility in particular, but also many other electrical applications, are asking for ever higher demands regarding the electrical properties of thermoplastics. This raises the question of whether the polymers commonly used in this area can still meet these demands. The plastics manufacturer, Lanxess, has now investigated how suitable, for example, polyamide and polybutylene terephthalate are for use at higher voltages and temperatures.

How Suitable Are PA and PBT for High-Voltage Applications?

Elektronik

Elektromobilität

Mobilität

Leistungselektronik

Against the Current

DSM sells its Engineering Polymers business to Lanxess and the financial investor Advent. In return, the two companies are setting up a joint venture to which Lanxess is also contributing its PA and PBT business.

Lanxess is outsourcing its engineering plastics business to the joint venture.

Streifinger, Florian

Wirtschaft

Lanxess and Advent to Buy DSM‘s Engineering Plastics Business

A focal point of the Lanxess booth at the show this year will be materials for electromobility.

The demonstrator of a near-series- production housing for electric vehicle batteries is one of the highlights at  the Lanxess booth.

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

kunststoffe.de

Demonstrator for EV Battery Housings

Victrex plc, Thornton Cleveleys, UK, has developed Victrex AE250 Composites, a PAEK-based product family. The unidirectional tapes (UDT) and laminate panels offer clear benefits in terms of speed of component manufacture and installation. 

New PAEK Composites for the Aerospace Industry 

Victrex AE250 Composites 

Nowadays, wearing comfort and minimum weight coupled with high strength, toughness, and durability are some of the most important requirements for sports and leisure articles – regardless of whether winter sports or racing bicycle, smart watches or drones. Novel polyamide formulations permit the design of lightweight and efficient sports and leisure equipment. 

Low Density and Outstanding Mechanical Properties but without Fiber Reinforcement 

Compound

High Performance without High Weight 

Plastics are subjected to aging during processing, application and use. The aging mechanisms are specific to the type of polymer and environmental conditions. For instance, many plastics yellow and become brittle. While the aging of polypropylene spreads out with local spotting over the volume, the aging of polyamide 6 progresses from the surface to the center. Comparative investigations showed that these are not the only differences. 

Thermo-Oxidative Aging of Polypropylene and Polyamide 6 

Polypropylen

Thermoanalyse

Verschleißprüfgeräte

Alterungsprüfanlagen, Ermüdungsprüfanlagen

"Wrinkles" in Plastics due to Aging 

The imminent paradigm shift in mobility makes it essential that the German automotive industry prepares itself to undergo a transformation, both now and in the future, the like of which has not been seen before. Resource-efficient lightweight system engineering in a multi-material design is a key differentiating feature here. In this connection, novel materials, highly automated, digitized manufacturing processes as well as functional integration for intelligent component structures and vehicle systems will form the basis for creating springboard innovations that will dominate the competition. 

Innovative Injection Molding Technologies for Hybrid Lightweight Applications 

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Magnesium

Faserverarbeitung

Warmformen / Thermoformen

Inserttechnik

Hybridtechnik

Laserstrukturieren

Beschichten von Metallen, allgemein

Verbindungstechnik, hybride

Plastic and Metal − an Inseparable Team 

The change in drive-train technology from the conventional combustion engine to the electric drive poses a big challenge for car manufacturers and suppliers alike. Engineering plastics have versatile properties that offer a wide potential for applications in electric vehicles.  

From the Prototype of the First Lithium-Ion Battery to Thermoplastics for Electrification 

Energiemanagement / Ladetechnik

Synergies from the Far East 

Hot gas welding has now become an established alternative to vibration and infrared welding. The reasons for this are the mechanically and visually excellent welds obtained and the low-emission, particle-free process. A further development of the welding tool avoids long process times and reduces material degradation. 

Tools Adaption Reduces Process Times and Improves Weld Quality 

Verbindungstechnik

Thermisches Fügeverfahren

Faster and Better Welding 

For years, the temperature resistance of engineering thermoplastics increased, but now new forms of mobility require a whole range of other properties. Although the exact specifications for plastic components in e-mobility vehicles and infrastructure are still being discussed, the first production-ready material types are already in the starting blocks. 

Semicrystalline Thermoplastics for Electrical and Electronic Components 

Making the Switch with E-Mobility 

An integrated approach to simulation and design has a long tradition at BASF. The cooperation with the office furniture manufacturer Wilkhahn shows, with the example of the Metrik cantilever chair, how designers and engineers work together efficiently. This offering will be further extended in the future. 

Performing Simulation in Parallel with Design Reduces the Development Time  of the Metrik Chair 

Produkt- / Formteildesign

Spritzgießsimulation

Verstärkungsstoffe

Glasfasern / -matten

A Virtual Seating Trial 

Radar Sensors with Integrated Thermal Management

The specialty chemicals group has developed a new concept for radar sensors with integrated thermal management. A combination of thermally conductive plastics with metallic cooling elements in hybrid technologyg is used.

The specialty chemicals group has developed a new concept for radar sensors with integrated thermal management that will benefit autonomous driving. A combination of thermally conductive plastics with metallic cooling elements in hybrid technologyg is used.

The specialty chemicals group has developed a new concept for radar sensors with integrated thermal management that will benefit autonomous driving. Though there is still a long way to go, driver assistance systems are increasingly set to become a key feature of future generations of cars. 360-degree monitoring of the vehicle’s surroundings is enabled by – among other things – radar waves. The radar sensors are an essential component of, for example, distance control, lane change monitoring, collision avoidance and blind spot monitoring systems.

The sensors have to be dust- and water-proof and so are designed as fully enclosed systems. But this makes it difficult for heat to be effectively dissipated from the inside, which, in turn, can impair the performance of the electronics and durability of the sensors. “This is why we developed a concept that allows heat to be dissipated by means of thermally conductive plastics in combination with metallic cooling elements,” says Gregor Jaschkewitz, application developer in the High Performance Materials (HPM) business unit at Lanxess. “The individual sensor components are assembled using integrated snap fits and hot rivets, a process that is much less costly and time-consuming than using screws.”

For a radar sensor, this new concept from LANXESS involves the following individual components: a front cover (“radome”), radar absorber, PCB – including antennas – and back cover with an integrated cooling element. The radome faces away from the vehicle and has to be made from a plastic offering a high degree of transmission for the radar waves. Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a well suited material here because it has a low dielectric constant (Dk) and loss factor (Df).

Functional Integration thanks to Hybrid Technology

The back cover is the most complex part of the whole assembly. It is manufactured in a plastic-metal compound (hybrid) technique with polyamide 6 and a metallic cooling element. This enables engineers to leverage the huge design freedom offered by the injection molding process, allowing them to integrate features such as reinforcement and cooling ribs as well as slots for connectors and the strain-relieved attachment of cables. Most importantly of all, however, the surface of the metallic cooling element can be overmoulded with thin areas of plastic. “The heat generated on the electronic components of the PCB can be efficiently dissipated from the whole assembly through these plastic areas. This effect is supported by thermally conductive polyamide 6 from our Durethan BTC product range as injection molding material,” says Jaschkewitz. Polyamide 6 is also extremely tough and ductile. Another benefit of the hybrid design is that the metallic cooling element shields the electronics inside the radar sensor against electromagnetic radiation, which means that its function is not impaired by external radiation.

The assembly can be sealed with O-rings or sealing lips created in a two-component injection molding process.

With most concepts for plastic radar sensors, the radome and back cover have always traditionally been made from thermoplastics that can be welded to each other to create a fully enclosed assembly. This generally meant that the same plastics had to be used for joining the two components. “Our approach, however, places fewer restrictions on the choice of materials and makes it easier to use tailor-made compounds,” says Jaschkewitz.

“We want to Advance Technological Innovation“

Lanxess believes that sensors for driver assistance systems will offer a wealth of opportunities for its Durethan polyamides and Pocan polyesters. “We want to benefit from the huge growth potential in this application segment and advance technological innovation with our own ideas – like the concept for radar sensors,” says Dr. Christopher Hoefs, a global application development expert in HPM. For example, the business unit also recently unveiled a concept for the modular design of charging connections for electric vehicles.

LANXESS Deutschland GmbH  

https://www.lanxess.com

The concept for radar sensors provides for heat dissipation from hot spots using thermally conductive plastics in combination with metallic cooling elements

2021-08-27 Lanxess RAdarabdeckungen EN

issue 08/2022

issue 07/2022

issue 06/2022

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