JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007 - 15

Acrylic block copolymers the environment, construction, building and public works, all organised within a structure of composite clusters. The composite industry in Aquitaine is characterised by a widely diversified industrial base, research and technology resources recognised worldwide, and a fast-moving training system geared to meet market requirements and technological developments. canalcom@club-internet.fr Arkema is the only chemical producer in the world to manufacture a range of acrylic block copolymers, marketed under the trade name Nanostrength®. Their main innovation lies in the use of an acrylic block that is miscible with a large number of polymers, most of which are industrial epoxy resins. Nanostrength® is produced on a semi-industrial scale in a plant within Arkema’s Mont facility (France/PyrénéesAtlantiques) with a capacity of several hundreds of metric tonnes per year. Thanks to its BlocBuilder® controlled radical polymerisation technology, Arkema also offers the composite market its FlexiBloc™ reactive polymer that allows the nanostructuring of an elastomeric phase within the matrix, affording significantly superior impact strength. Arkema produces carbon nanotubes marketed under the trade name Graphistrength® at its Lacq site (France/PyrénéesAtlantiques). The plant’s 10 metric tonne/year capacity makes Arkema a major world Resins for cast marble www.arkema.com player in the field of carbon nanotubes. With these new production capacities, Arkema confirms its ambition to further develop nanostructured materials. Its position as a leader and essential player in this field was boosted in particular by the consolidation of its partnership with Zyvex for the production and distribution of carbon nanotubes, and by the signing of a preferred procurement agreement for carbon nanotubes with Nanoledge. Polaris brand resins for cast marble, solid surface and engineered stone are being introduced to the European marketplace customers by Ashland Composite Polymers, a business group of Ashland Performance Materials, a division of Ashland Inc. Polaris resins are consistent and versatile, allowing manufacturers the flexibility to meet their processing requirements and demanding customer needs. Tests conducted by Ashland show Polaris resins offer low water absorption, low-colour and high-filler loading capacity. Used in solid surface applications, the products produced with Polaris resins meet the ANSI Z124.6 solid surface standard and are the tough, low-colour backbone in a homogeneous system so that scratches, burns, or nicks can be easily sanded and buffed to restore the original finish. www.ashland.com Four new products for a global offering www.axelplastics.com Internal mould release Special JEC Composites Show 2007 The INT-DCP220 internal mould release manufactured by AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories is specifically designed to resolve poor release and to maintain moulds in clean condition longer, eliminating processing difficulties that are frequently associated with moulding DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) resin. INT-DCP220 is a proprietary formulation marketed under AXEL’s MoldWiz® brand. The resin additive is a 100% active, synergistic blend of complex organic materials that do not contain silicone or metallic stearates. This unique formulation plus excellent release properties make INT-DCP220 ideally suited to demanding RTM moulding applications, especially in the automotive industry. The new mould release is most appropriate for use in resin systems that employ MEKP or AAP cures. The typical loading level for the additive ranges from 0.5% to 1.0% based on weight, with heavily filled resins and poorer tooling surfaces requiring loading at the higher end of the range. The low viscosity additive remains stable in resin mixes during storage and handling, allowing it to be incorporated by resin formulators as well as by moulders. At the JEC Composites Show 2007, the Axson Technologies Group launched four new products, one for each of its composite division’s specialities. For models, Axson Technologies has just added LAB 975 to its range of epoxy tooling blocks. LAB 975 can be used to produce highly stable models at lower cost, as the finishing steps take less time. For moulds, a new complete infusion system that combines Epolam 2090 epoxy resin with No33 June 2007 / JEC Composites Magazine www.axson.com the GC1 190 gelcoat was introduced. This new development combines the resin’s low-viscosity properties with the gelcoat’s hightemperature resistance (up to transition temperatures of 190°C and to 160°C post-cure). For parts, the company developed its Epolam 2500/2501 resin for the rapid repair of interior fittings made in composite – for example, air ducts or sandwich panel skins. Epolam 2500/2501 is self extinguishing and has already been Airbus certified. For assemblies, Adekit A180 is a stiff epoxy adhesive offering excellent mechanical properties and very good hightemperature resistance up to 150°C, with applications in the structural bonding of engine components, or of carbon components to metal ones.

http://www.arkema.com http://www.axelplastics.com http://www.axson.com http://www.ashland.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007