19 September 2018
ABOUT POLYETHERSULFONE OR PESU
DETAILS
- Prototypes with unique combination of properties:
lightweight, stiff and strong, highly temperature resistant,
intrinsically flame retardant - Suitable for complex-shaped components
in cars, airplanes and trains
After two years of intensive research, BASF is now able
to present prototypes of
the world's first particle foam based
The foam is characterized by
its unique combination of properties:
* high-temperature resistance,
* inherent flame retardancy -
and its extreme light weight coupled
* with great stiffness and strength.
It is therefore particularly well suited
* for complex-shaped components in cars, airplanes and trains,
which require excellent mechanical properties
* together with the ability to withstand high operating temperatures
* or to meet stringent flame-retardant requirements.
The expandable PESU granulate is pre-foamed into beads
with low densities between 40 and 120 g/L
and can be processed into molded parts
with complex 3D geometries using technologies
available on the market
PESU of BASF, is an amorphous thermoplastic
with an extraordinary temperature profile:
It has a high glass transition temperature of 225°C
and remains dimensionally stable up to this temperature.
Its excellent mechanical and dielectric properties are only slightly
dependent on the temperature, too.
Foams made of Ultrason® E are approved for use in aircraft.
The material, with its exceptionally high limiting oxygen index of 38
(according to ASTM D 2863), distinguishes itself because
it meets the requirements for commercial aircraft
with regard to combustibility,
low heat release and low smoke density
(“fire, smoke, toxicity”)
even without the addition of flame retardants,
which means it is intrinsically flame retardant.
Particle foam for new lightweight components
Despite its low density the PESU particle foam
thus enables extremely stiff and strong components
with excellent dimensional stability at high temperatures.
Expanded molded parts made from one single material
offer numerous advantages compared to
traditional honeycomb structures coated with phenolic resins:
They offer considerable flexibility in terms of densities and shapes
and therefore greater freedom in design.
There are fewer processing steps and therefore lower system costs.
Additional functional parts such as inserts and screw threads
can be integrated in the complex geometries.
And, last but not least, recycling of the parts
can easily be carried out as the polymer is of one single origin.
Thanks to such weight-optimized, thermoplastic foams
for complex geometries it is possible
to realize new lightweight components which,
compared to traditional thermoplastic parts,
have better properties and are an answer to trends such as
e-mobility in automotive construction,
the modernization of aircraft cabin interiors
and increasing flame retardant requirements in public transport
67056 Ludwigshafen
presse.kontakt@basf.com
Media Relations
Dr. Ulla Biernat
Phone: +49 621 60-42241
ulla.biernat@basf.com
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
