Advanced Polyphthalamide (PPA) Metal Replacement Trends

Agenda

 Thermoplastic Polyphthalamide Basics

 Advantages of PPA over Traditional
Aliphatic Nylon

 Metal to PPA Benefits

 Metal to PPA Applications

 High Performance Automotive
Electronics and Safety Devices

 High Hydrolysis Resistant PPA

Thermoplastic
Polyphthalamide Basics

 Thermoplastic, polyphthalamide (PPA) is a
high performance polyamide (nylon). The most
notable of these are PA66 (nylon 66) and PA6
(nylon 6) which represent the vast majority of
nylon produced in the world today.

    Polyphthalamide  (PPA),  a  member  of  the
nylon  family,  is  a  semi-crystalline  material
formed from a diacid and a diamine. However,
a  portion  of  the  diacid  segment  is  replaced
with an aromatic component, terephthalic acid
(TPA)  or  isophthalic  acid  (IPA),  which  adds  an
aromatic  ring  structure  to  the  polyamide
chain, forming a semi-aromatic polyamide.

Advantages of PPA over
Traditional Aliphatic Nylon

  Elevated transition temperatures – Tg.
  Higher melting points.
  Higher deflection temperatures.
  Excellent chemical resistance.
  Lower absorption of moisture and
solvents.

  Improvements in dimensional stability.
  Solvent and hydrolysis resistance.
  Better high temperature mechanical
property retention versus standard aliphatic
nylons.

Metal to PPA Benefits

    The  conversion  of  metal  to  plastic  is
typically  cost  driven.  This  cost  reduction  is
possible  through  the  increased  use  of  high
performance  engineering  plastics  such  as
PPA.

 These materials provide greater product
design flexibility:

• Can be colored in many ways

• Permit the trouble – free implementation

of more complex components with fewer
individual parts

• Reduce the number and scope of

processing steps

• Reducing the weight of the finished

component or system

This allows more cost – efficient overall
solutions to be introduced.

 For these reasons the use of plastics such
as PPA to replace metal is becoming a key
strategy in many markets.

Metal to PPA Applications

 PPA is finding a range of applications as
economic alternatives to diecast metals such
as aluminium, zinc and brass.

 PPA in electrical and electronic system:

• Housing for high temperature electrical

connectors

• New lead – free SMT connectors and

bushings

PPA in high temperature automotive
applications:

• Thermostat housings

• Water pumps

• Charge air coolers

• Components in transmission and engine

oil systems

PPA materials are described as stealthy
since are not detected by metal detectors and
have no metalic reflections.

High Performance Automative
Electronics and Safety Devices

SmartTire – Tire Pressure

Monitoring

 Extremely lightweight sensor made with
DuPont

Zytel

HTN

high

performance

polyphthalamide PPA and Zytel Nylon 66.

 The in – tire sensor weighs just 30 grams.
 The total tire pressure monitor system
TPMS consists of two elements:

• Wireless sensor/transmitter mounted inside

each of the tires via a stainless steel strap
around the wheel rim

• Receiver/LCD (liquid crystal display) unit

installed in the vehicle.

High Performance Automative
Electronics and Safety Devices

High Heat Chemically

Resistant

Low–Coolant–Level Probe

    Entratech  System  low  –  coolant  sensor  is
designed  to  be  located  in  the  radiators  of
trucks,  off  –  roads  vehicles  and  marine
equipment.

 The low coolant sensor housing is molded
from 33% glass–filled Amodel HS PPA resin
supplied by Solvay Advanced Polymers LLC.

 With a heat–deflection temperature of
277

C, if exceeds industry performance

requirements when tested at temperatures as
high as 135

C, and resists degradation or

dimensional change after prolonged exposure
to conventional glycol or long–life HOAT
(Hybrid Organic Acid Technology) coolants.

High Hydrolysis Resistant PPA

    A  completely  new  PPA  polymer  based  on
long  –  chain  diamines  provides  increased
hydrolysis  resistance  over  earlier  generation
PPAs.

 Grivory HT3 has been possible to markedly
reduce moisture uptake to 50% of that of
Grivory HT1.

 The new material has exceptional
dimensional stability and very little tendency
to creep with its physical properties essentially
unaffected by moisture in the surroundings.

 Grivory HT3 can be used in applications
having high temperatures and direct contact
with water.

Document Outline