23 Feb 2004
LEXAN® SLX RESIN NOW AVAILABLE FOR INJECTION MOLDING
With the introduction of a clear resin grade, GE Plastics expands its proprietary LEXAN® SLX polycarbonate platform
CHICAGO—June 23, 2003—GE Plastics announced that one of its newest advanced polymers, LEXAN® SLX polycarbonate, is now available in a clear resin grade for injection molding applications. LEXAN SLX 2431 resin offers high light transmission (>83%) and low haze (<1%), enhanced weatherability and five to ten times the gloss retention compared with most standard UV stabilized polycarbonate materials. This new material and applications that use LEXAN® SLX film are on display in the GE Plastics’ booth at the National Plastics Exposition in Chicago (McCormick Place, South Hall, Booth #2215) from June 23-27.
At the beginning of this year, GE Plastics began supplying LEXAN® SLX polycarbonate film to the global automotive industry to evaluate the polymer’s ability to impart a Class A finish. With the introduction of the injection molding grade, GE says it will be bringing SLX technology to other industries. Kurt Schuering, GE Plastics’ global product manager for LEXAN SLX resin, says the resin grade is focused initially on the lighting industry for applications including covers, refractors, and lenses.
“GE has evaluation and validation programs with many automakers worldwide to better assess this technology as a real alternative to paint in automotive exterior trim and body panels,” said John Carrington, global automotive marketing director for GE Plastics. “We are focusing on uniformity of color, both in the showroom and after exposure, for any part that can benefit from this hard-surface thermoplastic.”
GE Plastics is currently working with global OEMs in the lighting industry whose applications are on display in GE Plastics’ NPE booth. Luminaire Lighting Corp. is exhibiting a vandal-resistant lighting unit, and GE Lighting is displaying its Junior Versabeam.
“Our new LEXAN SLX resin grade offers all the attributes of standard LEXAN resin, but with the added benefit of increased weatherability,” said Schuering. “This combination of properties is great for many lighting applications, which typically have been served by four materials -- glass, PMMA, acrylic, and polycarbonate. Of the four, polycarbonate has the superior heat and impact resistance, but it has a tendency to yellow after long-term UV exposure. LEXAN SLX resin utilizes copolymer technology, where the weatherability is ‘integrated’ in the backbone of the product, to provide clarity, heat, weathering and impact, in one product.”
LEXAN SLX resin has similar processability and shrinkage characteristics to standard polycarbonate. There are plans to introduce additional injection molding grades in translucent colors in early fall.
Meanwhile, SLX film continues to generate excitement in the automotive industry for its ability to impart a Class A finish with high-gloss, weatherability and scratch and chemical resistance for molded plastic parts without the need to paint.
LEXAN SLX film, available from GE Structured Products in gauges of 20 mils and 30 mils, is a new film technology designed to replace paint and overcome several technical challenges. The dynamic self-balancing, electric powered Segway™ Human Transporter is the first commercial application for LEXAN SLX film, which is applied to the injection molded fenders using an in-mold decoration process with a XENOY® resin substrate.
LEXAN SLX film is a co-extruded film – a clear cap layer over a colored layer – that is applied over various substrates to impart a Class A surface. Tests show that LEXAN SLX film has the potential to withstand the rigors of the highway and it fits the bill for a production plastic car with a glossy, metallic finish that could become a new benchmark.
Development of this polymer began at the General Electric Corporate Research and Development facility in Schenectady, N.Y. Derived from polyester carbonates based on resorcinol arylates, these structures undergo a photo-fries rearrangement when exposed to light and produce a structure that is an inherent UV screen for the film and the substrate it protects. In addition, the film cap layer polymer structur
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GE Advanced Materials is a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicon-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. Headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass., GE Advanced Materials is the combined entity of GE’s former Plastics, Silicones, and Quartz businesses. Its offerings include:
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