Cost-effective alternatives to polyamide 66

The specialty chemicals company Lanxess is expanding the new polyamide 6 Durethan P product range with the addition of two highly reinforced material variants that can be used, among other things, as an economical alternative to polyamide 66 materials. Durethan BKV50PH2.0 and Durethan BKV60PH2.0EF have short glass fibre content levels of 50 and 60 percent by weight respectively.

This means that these grades are many times more resistant to cyclical mechanical loads than standard products with the same glass fibre content. Potential applications include supporting structures for electrical and electronics modules in batteries for electric vehicles, engine oil pans, oil filter modules and end caps, engine and chassis mounts, damper pistons, and seat shells for passenger cars. In mechanical engineering, the new materials are suitable for dynamically highly stressed components such as gear wheels.

The mechanical properties of both high-modulus thermoplastics are at a high level similar to those of comparable polyamide 66 materials. “As a result, we also see both product innovations as cost-effective alternatives to polyamide 66 compounds, which have become significantly more expensive recently due to their limited availability”, explained Thomas Linder, an expert in the development of Durethan. Tests at Lanxess revealed that it is possible to use product variants with the same glass fibre content and therefore the same material density as substitutes. As a result the component weight does not increase.

Like their “siblings”, the two new highly reinforced compounds are characterized by improved mechanical and structural properties. “For example, their tensile strength at high temperatures is higher than standard polyamide 6 variants with the same glass fiber content”, added Linder. To assess this behavior under a pulsating load, Lanxess has developed a HiAnt fatigue screening test that is based on a conventional Wöhler test. This revealed that under a transverse load of 65 megapascals, the lifespan of Durethan BKV50PH2.0 is around eight times longer than that of a standard polyamide 6 with the same glass fibre content. In a corresponding comparison, Durethan BKV60PH2.0EF demonstrates a fatigue behaviour that is around ten times better.