Appliance Design - August 2007 - (Page 33)

Sphere PLASTICS 3M Filtrete cabin air filter frame where microspheres replaced talc in experiment. new type of glass microsphere additive has been developed for use in plastic extrusion and injection molding processes. The high-strength, low-density glass microspheres, 3M™ Performance Additives iM30K, can survive extremely high compressive forces, providing compounders and processors with new application opportunities. The potential benefits from using these additives include low microsphere breakage, lower part weight, improved thermal expansion properties, improved processing, improved dimensional stability, lower fuel load and reduced injection cycle times in many applications. Addition of these materials can also result in the maintenance of important thermoplastic physical properties. Low-density glass microspheres have been available as plastics additives for years. Graph 1 shows the product range available for 3M brand glass microspheres. Application of these microspheres has been limited to those where little or no shear or compression forces are used to form or apply the materials, such as applications relating to plastisols, potting compounds and SMC/BMC1. Processors have had limited success incorporating these products into extruded compounds and injection-molded thermoplastics. At issue has been the strength of the microsphere and its ability to survive the forces www.applianceDESIGN.com A present during processing. The optimum balance of strength with low density has been difficult to achieve due to trade-offs in acceptable manufacturing efficiencies to produce a microsphere with a consistent, controlled wall thickness. Through innovative process and composition developments, 3M Company has produced the first 28,000 psi (~200 MPa) isostatic compressive strength glass microsphere, with a density of 0.6 g/cm3. The spherical shape of these microspheres allows for higher filler loading and reduced resin demand, while maintaining a low melt viscosity compared with other highly filled polymeric systems. Data show how the new product, 3M Performance Additives iM30K, can be extruded and injection-molded to provide significant weight reduction. Also shown are improvements in coefficient of linear thermal expansion and dimensional stability while maintaining important physical properties. The ability to reduce the weight of thermoplastic materials has been pursued by engineers and designers for various reasons such as improved fuel economy in transportation applications, improved creep resistance and ease of handling. To demonstrate the differences of the new material and previous generations, experiments were conducted that included two grades of 3M glass microspheres, as detailed Inﬂ s of ue nce High-strength, glass microspheres improve part and molding performance. by andrew s. d’souza, stephen e. amos, and karl hendrikson Andrew S. D’Souza and Stephen E. Amos are scientists at 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.; and Karl Hendrikson is a scientist at 3M Deutschland GmbH, Neuss, Germany. applianceDESIGN August 2007 33 http://www.appliancedesign.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - August 2007

Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch A Reed Switch is Simople, yet Versatile, and Designers are Finding New Uses for this Time-Tested Technology A Novel Actuation and Sensing Technology can Register a Light Touch, but Resist Blows from a Hammer Tracing the Source of Noise is Made Easier with Noise Source Identification Methods Appliance Noise can be Annoying, but Designers have Many Material Choices to Help Rein in the Racket Nanocomposites are No Longer a Technology for the Future. These Plastic Materials are Already on the Job A New High-Strength, Low-Density Glass-Microsphere Additive can Improve Plastic Part and Molding Performance A New Electromagnetic Weld/Bonding Process Helps Ensure Long-Term Integrity of Joints in Plastic Parts Snap-Based Technology Eases Installation and Makes Products More Serviceable Two-Part Silicone Adhesives Provide a Rapid-Cure Alternative to Traditional One-Part Silicones Classified DesignMart Advertiser’s Index Association Report: GAMA

Appliance Design - August 2007

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