With the product family Percolen, Grafe is offering a vast portfolio of conductive plastics for the most diverse applications in order to pave the way to a fully digitized future. At the Fakuma 2018, Grafe presented information about the various application options. "Industry 4.0 means more data, more knowledge, and more statistics. This will require more efficient sensors and computers for storage and processing. Yet, at the same time, the drive towards miniaturization and the more efficient use of resources presents ever greater demands on the required materials", explained Dr. Bert Käbisch, team leader for plastics modification, regarding the background for this development.With the use of more and more electronic components, the electrically insulating plastic which becomes statically charged, presents a source of short circuits and sparks which can result in considerable damage. The smaller the computer, the more difficult it becomes to integrate mechanical components such as fans, which are necessary for the removal of the resulting heat. "Highly filled plastics with carbon black and graphite, such as our Percolen compounds, offer solutions for this problem because they make it possible to raise the electrical and thermal conductivity so high that these no longer act as insulators," according to Dr. Käbisch.
Another essential topic for processors is flame protection. One reason for this is the general ban on the sale and use of insulating materials containing HBCD that has been in effect in the European Union since October 2016. Moreover, incidents such as the Grenfell Tower fire in London in June 2017, caused by a short circuit in a faulty refrigerator, have led to calls for greater use of flame retardant agents in plastics. With the Funaden additives, Grafe is offering a specially adapted product line to meet these demands.
"Our Funaden concentrates meet the standard flammability tests", reports Dr. Käbisch. These include regulation UL94 "Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances" as well as - GWIT "Glow-Wire-Ignition-Temperature". Already, numerous applications for Funaden have been found especially in the field of electronics. These include cable sheathing and housings for PCs, monitors and telephones.
Source: Grafe
