Ticona launches Vectra T. rex Liquid Crystal Polymer - first LCP Designed for extrusion and thermoforming.Ticona Engineering Polymers has added a new member to its family of inherently flame resistant liquid crystal polymers (LCP): Vectra T. rex LCP is designed for thermal forming processes and offers all the properties this high-performance polymer is known for high dimensional stability, excellent high-temperature performance and chemical resistance.
With high melt viscosity and melt strength, this new LCP is ideally suited for extrusion and thermoforming processes, said Edward Hallahan, marketing manager, high performance polymers. Initially, Ticona is offering a 40 percent mineral filled grade, Vectra T. rex 541, which provides impact and notched impact strengths that are significantly higher than those of other mineral-filled grades.
Vectra T. rex 541 also provides high heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 245 degrees Celsius (473 degrees Fahrenheit), 20 percent improvement in impact performance vs. standard 40 percent mineral filled LCP, higher melt viscosity up to 3-times greater than standard 40 percent mineral filled LCP.
Ticona developed Vectra T. rex 541 for use by customers who extrude sheets and films that can be thermoformed to finished components. It is ideal for applications in several industries: medical for use in sterilizable trays and equipment, aerospace Meets Flame, Smoke and Toxicity (FST) requirements for use in aircraft interior applications, semiconductor Provides high stiffness and a low coefficient of thermal expansion for use in chip carriers.
Vectra T. rex 541 also extends the application possibilities for the kitchenware and food industries. Vectra T. rex LCP can be used to produce vacuum-formed large-format sheets or pans that can rapidly heat up and cool down.
LCPs are ideal for use in high quality, professional cooking and baking applications, whether they are exposed to high operating temperatures of up to 250 degrees Celsius (482 degrees Fahrenheit), deep freezing shock freezing down to minus 196 degrees Celsius (minus 320.8 degrees Fahrenheit) or electromagnetic energy in microwave ovens, said Hallahan.
In addition, designers can create products in many colors and shapes with this food-safe plastic.
Kitchen cookware made of LCP are an excellent alternative to baking pans and casseroles made of metal, which are harder to clean, noisy and heavy.
