Polycarbonate protects the heart of electric mobility

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0200

The automotive industry is in a state of upheaval worldwide. Alternative drive technologies, new forms of connectivity and autonomous driving necessitate completely new vehicle concepts. One of ��AV's current focal points is the use of polycarbonate plastics in electric vehicles.

The heart of future electric cars and hybrid vehicles is a lithium-ion battery. In order to position a large number of battery cells precisely and in a small space, cell holders and frames as well as housing components must be very dimensionally stable and mechanically robust. Depending on the design principle of the battery pack, the material must also be flame-retardant and meet category V-0 of Underwriters Laboratories' UL94 flammability classification even at low wall thicknesses down to 0.75 millimeters.

High-performance plastic solutions for battery housings
��AV has many years of experience in encapsulating lithium-ion batteries for laptops and other electronic devices. To achieve this, the company has developed various polycarbonate blends that meet these requirements and are also extremely impact-resistant over a wide temperature range – especially at sub-zero temperatures. At the Fakuma 2018 trade fair, the company will present various battery modules, cell holders, crash absorbers and other products at its stand number 4206 in Hall B4.

“When it comes to cell holders and the integration of battery cells into modules, flame protection is particularly important.” explains Dr. Julian Marschewski from ��AV. The electric mobility expert adds: “The properties of the materials used in the battery environment play a decisive role in passing the many functional and safety tests on the finished component and contribute to the battery's safe operation over its entire life cycle."

Tailor-made materials
A flame-retardant polycarbonate ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) blend of the Bayblend^® FR type is ideal for cell holders and battery modules. It is temperature-resistant and dimensionally stable, and the parts can be produced efficiently with injection molding. The plastic is also used in mobile GreenPack rechargeable batteries from the Berlin-based manufacturer of the same name.

The crash absorber exhibited at Fakuma 2018 is made of the PC-PBT (polybutylene-terephthalate) Makroblend^® KU-2 7912/4. The material has very high impact strength and particularly high ductility at low temperatures. The honeycomb structure contributes to the extreme impact resistance of the crash absorber.

Another special material is the highly filled polycarbonates of the Makrolon^® TC product family, which are already used for heat sinks in LED lamps, for example. These products are thermally conductive but also available as electrically insulating versions so they can contribute to the efficient thermal management of batteries.

Battery pack for tough conditions
Enduros have to be ready for all wind and weather conditions, but above all must withstand the toughest mechanical demands. In these off-road motorcycles, too, the trend is towards electric drive. Californian electric bike specialist Alta Motors is a leading manufacturer of such machines. The battery under the name Alta Pack is equipped with a jacket made of the extremely impact-resistant PC-PBT blend Makroblend^®.

��AV continues to drive the safe integration of lithium-ion cells in the traction battery of electric vehicles forward. Next year, the company plans to actively participate in leading industry events such as the Battery Show from 5 to 7 May in Stuttgart and the Battery Experts Forum from 10 to 12 April in Frankfurt am Main.

About ��AV:
With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.

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Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Pushing boundaries with up-to-date train interiors

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0200

“The Future of Mobility”: Under this motto, the InnoTrans trade fair to be held in Berlin, Germany, from September 18 to 21 will be devoted to the future of transport technology. Not only today's growing mobility and the trend towards mobile work, but also increasingly busy roads and a rising environmental awareness are promoting the switch to trains and buses. These public transport services are not as energy-hungry as cars, trucks, and airplanes, they emit less CO₂, and help prevent traffic congestion.

Regardless of whether traveling long distance or commuting to and from work: Customers are placing ever greater demands on the interior furnishing of trains. The passengers want a robust, innovative, and appealing design. They want comfortable seats and clean and easy-to-clean surfaces to give them a feeling of well-being. But the interior should also be functional in order to accommodate baby carriages, baggage, and bicycles, as well as to allow a seamless network. What is required are affordable and environmentally friendly solutions that also guarantee the safety of the passengers.

Safety has priority
��AV is a leading provider of polycarbonate solutions that combine many of these characteristics together. At the InnoTrans at Stand 506 in Hall 3.1, the company will present blends with this plastic that are not only sturdy and aesthetic, but also satisfy the high requirements of EN 45545, the European fire protection standard for railway vehicles. This way, plastics make their contribution to ensuring passenger safety.

The product Bayblend^® FR411 MT, for example, is a filler-reinforced modified polycarbonate that meets the requirements of this European standard with respect to flame propagation, thermal release, and smoke density and toxicity for R1 applications according to hazard level HL2 up to a wall thickness of two millimeters.

To address the need of the railway industry for a material for higher wall thicknesses, ��AV has developed the trial product Bayblend^® TP2139, which meets the fire protection requirements named above even up to a layer thickness of three millimeters.

Pioneering interior design
“The two products are highly versatile in use for walls and seats, as well as in electrical installations,” says Klaus Kraner, expert for the interior furnishing of buses and trains at ��AV's Polycarbonates Segment. “The components manufactured from them are lightweight and do not require painting, as the material is dyed during plate production,” explains Klaus Kraner.

There are virtually no limits for designers when it comes to shaping and coloring. This also applies to the design of surfaces, which can have a smooth or high gloss finish, but also a grained or textured finish. Moreover, polycarbonate is permeable to radio signals and therefore ideally suitable for the installation of antennas and sensors.

The plates can be manufactured with environmentally friendly and efficient extrusion technologies. They are long-lasting and can be recycled at the end of their useful life.

About ��AV:
With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.

Find more information at .
Follow us on Twitter:

Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

����AV Press

Polycarbonate protects the heart of electric mobility

Pushing boundaries with up-to-date train interiors

��AV Press