For Immediate Release
®
Solvay Specialty Polymers' Ixef Polyarylamide
Earns UL 94 V0 Rating for Electrical/Electronics
50% Glass-Filled PARA Meets Industry Demand for
Halogen-Free Solution for Mobile Electronics
ALPHARETTA, Ga., February 29, 2012 – Ixef® 1524 polyarylamide (PARA)
resin from Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC, has received an Underwriters
Laboratories (UL) 94 V0 rating for electrical/electronics applications at 0.4 mm and above
thicknesses for all colors. The halogen-free flame retardant (HFFR) material serves as a
replacement for halogen-based flame-retardant products like glass-filled polycarbonate and
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) as well as metals like aluminum and magnesium. Ixef
1524 broadens Solvay’s offering of high-performance nylons which includes Ixef 1622 and
Kalix® 9950, two products that are UL 94 HB-rated down to 0.6 mm.
“The UL rating positions us to meet the supply needs of customers in the
electrical/electronics industry who require a non-halogenated material solution,” according
to Vincent Meunier, Ixef PARA product manager for Solvay Specialty Polymers. The 50%
glass-filled material is targeted for injection molded covers, internal frames, and other
structural components of mobile electronic devices including media tablets, notebooks, and
ultrabooks.
Thanks to its unique set of properties, Ixef 1524 offers robust flame-resistant
performance and achieves an outstanding surface finish, a standard feature of all Ixef
Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC
4500 McGinnis Ferry Road, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005-3914
+1.800.621.4557 (US only) +1.770.772.8760
www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com
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Solvay Advanced Polymers – Ixef Polyarylamide Earns UL 94 V0 Rating for Electrical/Electronics
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PARA- based compounds. The high-flow resin also permits the molding of highly complex
and detailed thin-wall parts that can be painted. Structural parts made from Ixef compounds
can be simultaneously very thin, extremely rigid, strong, and dimensionally stable.
The tensile strength of Ixef compounds is similar to many cast metals and alloys at
ambient temperature. Ixef 1524 has a tensile modulus up to 20 GPa (2900 kpsi) at 23°C
(73°F). It has a Comparative Tracking Index (CTI) of 600 volts and a Glow Wire
Flammability Index (GWFI) of 960°C (1760°F).
Ixef 1524 has been qualified and is now specified by OEMs and original design
manufacturers for use in new electronic devices. Solvay is also actively working to expand
its line of halogen-free high-performance polyamide products.
About Solvay Specialty Polymers
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures more products with more performance than any
other polymer company in the world. The company supplies over 1500 products across 33
brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated
fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier
polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds – for use in Aerospace,
Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil & Gas, Packaging, Plumbing,
Semiconductors, Wire & Cable, and other markets. Learn more at
www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com.
Solvay is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a
clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. Its recent acquisition of specialty
chemicals company Rhodia created a much larger player which is realizing over 90% of its
sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of
products that contribute to improving quality of life and its customers' performance in
markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment,
and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels. Its companies employ about
30,000 people in 55 countries and generated EUR 12 billion in sales (pro forma) in 2010.
Solvay SA is listed on NYSE Euronext (SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters:
SOLBt.BR).
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Press Contact:
Joseph Grande
413.684.2463