Solvay Marks 25th Anniversary as Global Supplier of Ixef® Polyarylamide (PARA) Resin
ALPHARETTA, Ga., February 8, 2012 - Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as the global supplier of Ixef® polyarylamide (PARA) resins. Since its development in 1986, Ixef PARA has provided a unique combination of strength and aesthetics, making it ideal for complex parts that require both overall strength and a smooth surface. To commemorate this milestone, Solvay has commissioned a 25th anniversary edition of a commercialized archery bow to demonstrate Ixef PARA's unique and valuable performance attributes in structural applications.
"Solvay is immensely proud of Ixef PARA's outstanding track record in terms of quality and stable and secure supply, offering end users a high-performance material with exceptional properties for demanding applications," said Vincent Meunier, product and business development manager for Ixef PARA.
For metal replacement applications, Ixef compounds typically contain 50%-60% glass fiber, giving them high strength and rigidity. Even with high glass loadings, the smooth resin-rich surface delivers a high-gloss, glass-free finish suitable for painting or metallization. In addition, the high-flow material can readily fill walls as thin as 0.5 mm even with glass loading as high as 60%. Structural parts made from Ixef resin 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.
Over the years, Ixef PARA has found significant success in structural parts for transportation, medical, food, chemical processing, semiconductor, mobile electronics, and plumbing applications.
Ixef compounds boast excellent coloring capabilities and select grades are formulated for flame-retardant applications. Solvay manufactures Ixef resin at its Rheinberg, Germany, facility and compounding is done at various plants throughout the world.
The commemorative archery bow, manufactured by Plastiques-Paillard, a France-based injection molder, clearly illustrates the strength, flexibility, and aesthetics of the 50% glass-filled Ixef resin, according to Solvay's Meunier. The bow stands out as a unique application amid the typical structural parts made of Ixef compounds. It not only requires strength and durability but also an appealing look and finish.
The 1.5 m-long bow, which is sold primarily in Europe, has a mono-block design that allows for the frame to be injection molded in one piece from the high-flow 50% glass-filled material. The strength and power of the archery bow can be enhanced by increasing the fiber content of the resin compound by up to 60%.
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 and 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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