Materials: Novel Family of PPA Compounds

Following the 2016 market launch of Ultramid Advanced N PPA, BASF has now introduced a new family of PPA compounds, which boasts outstanding strength along with chemical and humidity resistance, making it ideal for metal replacement. Ultramid Advanced T1000 is based on nylons 6T/6I—comprised of the residues of TPA (terephthalic acid) or IPA (isophthalic acid), or a combination of the two—making up at least 55 molar percent of the diacid portion of the repeating structural units on the polymer chain, according to BASF sources.

Within the entire Ultramid family, the new Ultramid Advanced T1000 is the product group with the highest strength and stiffness and with stable mechanical properties at temperatures of up to 248 F  (dry) and up to176 F (conditioned). Due to its partially aromatic chemical structure, it offers high resistance to humidity and to aggressive media – reportedly outperforming conventional nylons and many other PPA materials on the market. It can be applied in many technical parts with a challenging property profile requirement and within a broad range of industries, including automotive, such as in: thermostat housings and water pumps, fuel circuits and selective catalytic reduction systems, actuators and clutch parts for cars and coffee machines, furniture fittings, and construction applications like water distributors, heating systems and pumps. In summary, anywhere where high, constant stiffness and strength across a broad temperature range from -40 F to over 176 F (conditioned) are necessary.

The new PPA also shows higher resistance to chemicals than conventional aliphatic nylons in contact with many demanding media, including hot coolants, oils, aggressive fuels, and solutions of road salts containing calcium or zinc salts. It is characterized by a lower water uptake than many aliphatic nylons: this results in high dimensional stability and in stable physical and mechanical properties of the components – also in the presence of humidity. Suitable for processing by injection molding, it offers different possibilities for post-processing such as laser marking or welding with Ultramid Advanced T1000 grades, other nylons or PPAs. BASF’s initial portfolio of the T1000 compounds consists of heat-stabilized, glass fiber-reinforced standard grades with 30% to 60% reinforcement levels for different stiffness, strength and toughness values; glass fiber-reinforced special grades with improved hydrolysis resistance with 35 or 45% glass fiber reinforcement; and, a special long glass fiber-reinforced, highly heat-stabilized compound for outstanding mechanical performance, especially at higher temperatures. Depending on the requirements of individual applications, grades with different heat stabilizers are also available.