PC/Polyesters Are Clear, Tough, Chemical Resistant.A family of clear engineering thermoplastic alloys offering a novel balance of properties has been launched by GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass. The new Xylex materials combine polycarbonate A category of plastic materials used to make a myriad of products, including CDs and CD-ROMs. with an unusual aliphatic aliphatic /al·i·phat·ic/ (al?i-fat´ik) pertaining to any member of one of the two major groups of organic compounds, those with a straight or branched chain structure. al·i·phat·ic adj. polyester that is both amorphous and fully miscible miscible /mis·ci·ble/ (mis´i-b'l) able to be mixed. mis·ci·ble adj. Capable of being and remaining mixed in all proportions. Used of liquids. in PC. They bring new balances of clarity, ductility or toughness (even in the cold), and chemical resistance. Xylex is weatherable and uv-stable and can incorporate GE's Visual/fx special-effect colors. It is suited to applications from cell-phone and computer housings to outdoor eyewear, snowmobile hoods, and sports gear. The initial slate includes three unmodified grades: X7200 for eyewear, X7300 for consumer electronics, and super-high-impact X8300 for consumer goods consumer goods Any tangible commodity purchased by households to satisfy their wants and needs. Consumer goods may be durable or nondurable. Durable goods (e.g., autos, furniture, and appliances) have a significant life span, often defined as three years or more, and like housewares house·wares pl.n. Cooking utensils, dishes, and other small articles used in a household, especially in the kitchen. . The first Xylex commercial application employs X7200 for frames of sports glasses from Dragon Optical (photo). Other clear resins lack Xylex's combination of toughness and chemical resistance, says product manager Dan Oberle. X7200 is also offered with internal mold release. Grade X7300 is intended for thin-wall parts like computer housings due to its high flow rate of 44 g/10 min. High flow allows lower filling pressures, suiting it to in-mold decorating, either as the decorative film or as back-molding material. In addition, GE offers two impact-modified grades, X7110 and X82 10, which retain high levels of clarity and chemical resistance. These grades are aimed at telecommunication housings, ski bindings, and outdoor-vehicle panels. X7110's higher HDT HDT Heat Deflection Temperature (plastics) HDT High Dose Therapy HDT Heatpipe Direct Touch (Xigmatek) HDT Heat Distortion Temperature (plastics) HDT Henry David Thoreau suggests a niche in new-generation cell-phone covers. Xylex resins are priced about 15-20% higher than PC, or over $3/lb. Coming soon is the Xylex W3 opaque series with greater scratch resistance and outdoor weatherability for agricultural vehicles, personal watercraft, and snowmobiles. GE also plans to offer Xylex film and sheet through its Structured Products unit. |
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