High-heat polyester compounds can replace PA in automotive structural applications

At the Earlier K Show in Dusseldorf, Germany, material supplier Sabic introduced Xenoy HTX Resin, a polyester-based high-heat technology for the production of light, impact- and high-performance automotive structural applicationsXenoy products are thermoplastic polyester (PET or PBT) and polycarbonate alloysXenoyHTX resins are particularly important to today's automotive manufacturers, who need new polymer solutions to produce structural components that can withstand higher temperatures, including electronic coating lines that work above 180 degrees CApplications include white body parts, structural reinforcements and battery protection systems for electric vehiclesXenoyHTX resin sin sits in two grades, unfilled and glass-filled, with significantly less weight than steel and aluminumA new generation of thermoplastic materials from Sabic also provides alternatives to polyamide (PA) 66 compounds and alloys, which have recently experienced frequent supply shortages and price fluctuationsAmanda Roble, global head of automotive atSABIC, said: "We are firmly committed to investing in the future of the automotive industry by developing technologies that deliver greater value, helping our customers meet new needs or extend performance limitsA good testament to this commitment is our new XenoyHTX resin portfolio, which responds to the need for material solutions that enable structurally enhanced materials to pass through the electronic coating process and maintain their absorption and other performance properties over a wider temperature range"
the first products to be introduced and sampled by this new high-heat resin technology include the unfilled Xenoy HTX950 and two glass fiber enhancement grades, Xenoy HTX975 and Xenoy HTX575impact test struck two honeycomb protection pieces made of XenoyHTX resin, which showed that the material had a high energy absorption rate over a wide temperature rangeThe left part showed good ductility and energy absorption at -30 degrees C, and the right part was tested at room temperature compared to the right sectionunfilled resin has been modified to absorb a large amount of energy and to withstand plastic deformation in the event of a collisionSabic aims to be used as a lightweight metal alternative in new safety applications, including side rockers designed to protect battery modules mounted on the floor of electric vehiclesIn K Month 2019, Saudi Basic Industries demonstrated the structural lightweighting capabilities of the new technology and designed a 3D-printed prototype reinforced by the rocker plate for battery-side protection for electric vehiclesMany competitive engineering plastics can easily become brittle and fractured under load when exposed to temperatures of -30 degrees CXenoyHTX provides low temperature plasticity and very high elongation for stable performance under these conditionsIn addition, new technologies increase mobility, freethe the design of complex geometry, and save on parts consolidation costs's hybrid cellular design with XenoyHTX provides potential energy savings of up to 60% compared to conventional all-metal, multi-layer steel or extruded aluminum collision protection without compromising dimensional stability, stiffness and mechanical strengthglass fill grade is particularly suitable for demanding white body structures, which must be able to withstand an electronic coating cycle for 30 minutes at temperatures between 180 and 220 degrees CThis level can also be used to produce other structural components that withstand high operating temperatures, including front-end modules, front brackets and hood componentsXenoyHTX has significant lightweight potential that not only helps to improve fuel efficiency of internal combustion locomotives, but also helps offset some of the important weight added to the battery modules of electric vehicles