Premiere for PA Foam – Asahi Kasei at Foam Expo Europe 2019

Düsseldorf, August 30, 2019 – From 10 to 12 September, the Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei presents its high-performance foam materials SunForce™ and, for the first time, PA Foam – the world’s first polyamide bead foam – at the Foam Expo Europe in Stuttgart, Germany. The materials open new doors for heat and sound insulating applications in the automotive industry.

At this year’s Foam Expo Europe, Asahi Kasei introduces solutions for increased battery efficiency and sound insulation in the automotive sector. This includes SunForce™ – a particle foam based on the engineering plastic m-PPE (modified polyphenylene ether). Compared to standard foams made of polystyrene or polyolefin, the use of m-PPE equips this foamed material with unique properties, opening up new possibilities for applications in thermal management and fire protection. The material is certified with the UL 94 V-0 fire protection class (Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances) and thus contributes to an overall product safety.

SunForce™ is the first-of-its-kind material certified with the UL94 V-0 standard. In addition to this outstanding flame retardancy, the material provides superior heat insulation properties while at the same time functioning as a lightweight shock-absorbing material for automotive battery packs. These properties and characteristics enable functions and applications that go beyond those of conventional foams. SunForce™ is suitable for applications in automotive battery packs, lightweight shock absorbers, sandwich composite cores with carbon fiber, as well as for thermal insulation applications.

Noise reducing properties through C- and macaroni-shaped polyamide beads

Asahi Kasei is one of only four fully integrated polyamide manufacturers worldwide – and is able to produce PA 6.6 completely from monomer to compound. Based on this expertise, the company is currently developing PA Foam – the world’s first foam made of polyamide beads. The material likewise offers solutions for current challenges in the automotive industry.

It features the typical heat, chemical and oil resistant properties of polyamide, mixed with an out-standing rigidity or noise reducing quality – depending on the shape of the beads. PA Foam consisting of round-shaped beads features a strong rigidity. This makes it a promising alternative material for aluminum and metal in structural applications, as well as for use for insulators, ducts, spacers or other lightweight parts of the battery case of electrified vehicles.

PA Foam with a C- or macaroni-shape, on the other hand, provides noise insulation in addition to the typical polyamide properties. Possible applications can be found everywhere around the car, especially in the engine compartment, where the material can unfold its unique qualities. Used for engine covers, it does not only contribute to lightweight, but also significantly reduces the radiating engine noise, making the car quieter in total.

Together with SunForce™, the newly developed PA foam will be on display at booth 533.

Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified technology company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business. The Material division encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes division provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care division includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With approximately 39,283 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries and achieved sales of 17.6 billion euros (2,170.4 billion yen) in the fiscal year 2018 (April 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019).

Asahi Kasei is „Creating for Tomorrow“ with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world. For more information, visit:
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/asahi/en/ and https://automotive-asahi-kasei.eu/

Company-Contact
Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH
Sebastian Schmidt
Am Seestern 4
40547 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 (0)211 280 68 139
E-Mail: Sebastian.Schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu
Url: https://www.asahi-kasei.eu/

Press
financial relations GmbH
Henning Küll
Louisenstraße 97
61348 Bad Homburg
Phone: +49 (0) 6172 27159 12
E-Mail: h.kuell@financial-relations.de
Url: http://www.financial-relations.de

Bildquelle: @Asahi Kasei