Polycarbonate Resins offer scratch and abrasion resistance.September 7, 2006 -
Available in wide range of colors, Lexan DMX resins feature special polycarbonate co-polymer that provides surface hardness without need for hard coating. Materials eliminate secondary coating operations and environmental impact from VOCs. Resins are suitable for transparent applications such as soft keys, infrared lenses, bezels, and screens.
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Original Press release
GE Company GE Plastics
One Plastics Ave.
Pittsfield, MA, 01201
USA
GE's New Lexan DMX Polycarbonate Resins Deliver Outstanding Scratch Resistance for Demanding Electronic Applications
PITTSFIELD, MASS. - August 1, 2006 - The keypads, housings, and other wear parts for mobile phones, computers, and digital cameras can take a real beating from constant handling. Although polycarbonate (PC) is a favorite choice for these components, until now it has been necessary to hard-coat the resin to prevent abrasion and maintain a good surface appearance. But secondary hard coating means extra cost, additional processing time, and potential environmental impact. To help solve this challenge, GE Plastics has developed a new family of Lexan PC resins featuring outstanding scratch resistance. Compared to standard PC, GE's Lexan DMX resins provide improved surface hardness without the need for hard coating. These materials are excellent candidates for transparent applications such as soft keys, infrared lenses, bezels, and screens.
"To keep their hardworking devices looking great without the added costs and cycle time needed for hard coating, electronics manufacturers wanted a better polycarbonate - and GE delivered," said Harry Boot, general manager for Lexan resin, GE Plastics Pacific. "Our transparent Lexan DMX resin grades showcase GE's innovation and responsiveness to customer needs. Compared to standard PC, they provide superior abrasion resistance without a coating. Plus, they are available in a wide range of colors for design creativity."
Five-Times Higher Pencil Hardness than Standard PC
Featuring a special PC co-polymer, Lexan DMX resins provide significantly improved surface hardness. In independent laboratory tests using the pencil hardness (1 kgf) standard, these materials achieved an H rating compared to a much lower 2B rating for ordinary PC - equivalent to up to five times the hardness of the standard material. The GE resins even surpassed painted acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PC/ABS, and other painted resins, which only achieved a mid-range F rating. Further, if the Lexan DMX resin grades are hard-coated with silicone or acrylic, their pencil hardness increases to 3H.
Eliminating the need for secondary coating operations can provide several important benefits to manufacturers:
o Lower costs by avoiding the purchase of coating materials and equipment
o Reduced cycle time by cutting out a secondary processing step
o Less environmental impact from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the atmosphere from the coating process
GE's Lexan DMX resins are available globally. They are currently manufactured in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands; Mount Vernon, Indiana, the United States; and Singapore. Production will expand to Moka City, Japan, in 2006.
To access information on GE Plastics' Lexan resin product portfolio, please go to:
geplastics.com/gep/Plastics/en/ProductsAndServices/ProductLine/lexan.html
About GE Plastics
GE Plastics (geplastics.com) is a global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building & construction, telecommunications, and optical media applications. The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, SAN, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP line of high-performance specialty compounds. GE Plastics, Specialty Film & Sheet manufactures high-performance Lexan sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide. In addition, GE Plastics' dedicated Automotive organization is an experienced, world-wide competitor, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting. As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to a successful Games.
Contacts
The Americas
Christopher Tessier
GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.
Tel: +1-413-448-6926
E-Mail: christopher.tessier@ge.com
Europe
Helen Vandebovenkamp
GE Plastics, Bergen op Zoom,
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 164 29 2097
E-Mail: helen.vandebovenkamp@ge.com
Asia
Cecilia Siu
GE Plastics, Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 3222 4500 Ext. 216
E-Mail: cecilia.siu@ge.com
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