Plastics News Europe - October 2019 - 45

K2019 - MATERIALS

applications; materials that prevent
electrical corrosion upon contact
with live metal parts; and halogen-free, flame-retardant materials
for components such as battery cell
holders and cover plates. In terms of
lightweight design, the company is
working primarily on hollow-profile
hybrid technology and thermoplastic
composites under the Tepex brand.
The Polymer Additives business unit
(PLA) will be presenting two flame
retardants for rigid polyisocyanurate
(PIR) foam that have achieved exceptional results in fire tests in line with
ISO 11925-2 - the oligomeric Levagard 2000 and the reactive Levagard
2100. "What puts them ahead of
other systems with similar flame-retardant effects is that they are barely
volatile, if at all, and exhibit only minor plasticising effects," said Karsten
Job, head of PLA.
In addition, the company is committed to establishing closed-loop
material cycles in the manufacture
and application of plastics. The company is currently working with customers and their buyers on initiating
pilot projects in the field.
WACKER (Hall 6, A10) announced
numerous silicone innovations at the
pre-K press conference held in July in
Düsseldorf,
Germany,
including
fire-resistant silicone elastomers,
self-adhesive silicone rubber grades
with extremely low-friction surfaces
and ultrathin silicone laminates for
electroactive applications. With the
development of its new Elastosil
R771, Wacker is now one of the first
silicone producers worldwide to be
able to offer a certified silicone rubber compound approved for the new
EU fire safety standard for rolling
stock. Its new ultrathin laminate is
based on Elastosil film, which Wacker
in thicknesses of between 20 and
400 µm. For the film to execute and/
or measure deformations, it must be
coated with an electrically conductive
layer, and subsequently laminated to
form a multilayer stack. The electroactive component can also act as a

sensor since any movement or deformation alters the charge on the electrodes. For example, the material is
able to control the orientation of
headlamps or mirrors in cars. Moreover, since fluid movements are possible, the laminate can also be used as
an artificial muscle.
At K 2019, the group will be presenting the first applications of such
multilayer films, e.g. a haptic touch
screen, which was developed in collaboration with the Intelligent Material Systems Lab at the University of
Saarland, Germany. In the future, the
company will produce prefabricated
laminates under the trade name Nexipal. Wacker is currently setting up a
production line that is scheduled to
produce the first prefabricated laminates in the second half of 2020.
The focus will also be on liquid silicone rubber grades that, thanks to
their greatly - up to 90% - reduced
volatiles content, do not necessarily
require post-curing. A new silicone-based additive allowing compounders of thermoplastic elastomers
to produce softer and more dirt-repellent plastics will also be launched.
COVESTRO (Hall 6, A75) is determined to realise the UN sustainability
goals at many levels, according to
CEO Markus Steilemann. "Their fulfilment is not only imperative for a better, cleaner and healthier world, but
also holds great economic potential
in the long term," he said. This is the
focus of the company's exhibit at K
2019. A key aspect for developing a
circular economy in the plastics and
chemical industry is closing the carbon cycle with recycled resources, as
well as examining the use of plant
waste and CO2 as alternatives to fossil resources. An important pillar is
the digitalisation process being implemented by the company aimed at
the optimisation of process flows. By
simulating process steps, development times at customers and along
value chains can be reduced considerably, and process flows can be designed more efficiently. At K 2019,

Nexipal processing

OCTOBER 2019

A special feature of a viscoelastic
foam is its shape memory

for example, Covestro is presenting a
new formula finder for viscoelastic
foams, which are used primarily in pillows and mattresses - also in the
medical and care field.
BASF (Hall 5, C21-D21) will be
showcasing a comprehensive overview of its product range at K 2019,
from its Ultramid Advanced portfolio
based on four PPA polymers comprising a product range of about 50
compounded grades; its innovative,
super-slim aerogel-based Slentite
and Slentex insulation materials; and
next-generation Tinuvin NOR light
stabilising technology to its the certified fossil-based compostable ecovio
plastic. The company is also launching two additions to its range of
Colors & Effects pigments: Microlen
Piano Black, and a black and red addition to the Sicopal product line,
which are especially recommended
for recycling materials and demanding applications. Another focus is
the company's participation in the
ChemCycling project; "If we are successful in developing the project to
market readiness, ChemCycling will
be an innovative complement to existing processes for recycling and recovery to solve the plastic waste
problem," said Stefan Gräter, head
of the project at BASF.
ASAHI KASEI (8A, J15) is exhibiting its AKXY-concept car which
will showcase a variety of the company's automotive products, providing 'an easy entrance into the company's portfolio'. These include its
low-VOC Tenac POM for better
in-cabin air quality; its glass-reinforced Thermylene PP, used for
lighter, larger sunroofs, features a

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