Covestro Introduces New Line of PC Copolymers
Covestro introduced a new range of products based on polycarbonate (PC) copolymers at the recent Chinaplas show in Shanghai. These plastics are characterized by enhanced properties and functionalities compared to standard products and are suitable for an even wider range of applications in important industrial sectors. Thanks to a new production process, plastics based on PC copolymers can be launched on the market more quickly and produced on an industrial scale. A new plant for the production of these copolymers was commissioned at the company’s Antwerp, Belgium, site at the end of March 2024.
First applications in healthcare, E&E.
The first applications for the new grades could be in the electrical and electronics industry, as well as in healthcare. Both sectors are particularly well represented in Asia. For their use in housing parts, the new Apec XT line above all must offer freedom of design, dimensional stability, and impact and chemical resistance. In some cases, flame retardancy may be a requirement.
There are also promising prospects for the copolymers in telecommunications and photovoltaics: Antenna housings that require weather-resistant, electrically insulating, ductile, and flame-retardant materials are one example.
Automotive a future focus.
Further product innovations based on the new copolymer technology platform could focus on the automotive industry and infrastructure, where plastics from the new series have potential for use in housings for residential energy storage systems, charging stations, and wall boxes thanks to their electrical insulation properties, weather resistance, and flame retardancy.
Apec XT grades will be designed to remain resilient even in the harshest conditions. The new copolymer technology enables the manufacture of products that exhibit high impact strength even at temperatures as low as -40°C. In addition, these copolymers have improved chemical and ageing resistance, making them ideal for applications that require contact with aggressive cleaning agents and durability in outdoor applications.
More sustainable products also available.
Apec XT will be part of the Covestro CQ portfolio of more sustainable product solutions. In that regard, Covestro will offer copolymer-based products in a version with up to 80% of ISCC PLUS–certified mass-balanced raw materials derived from biowaste and bio-residues. Moreover, the extended service life of APEC XT will improve a product’s carbon footprint over its entire life cycle.
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