DSM’S STANYL® FIBRE-GRADE PA46 DRIVES USE OF PHP’S YARNS IN AUTOMOTIVE V-BELTS

The German company, Polyamide High Performance (PHP) GmbH uses DSM Engineering Plastics’ fibre-grade Stanyl KS411 polyamide 4,6 (PA46) in the production of PHP’s new Stanylenka™ 460HRST fibre. Stanylenka is primarily used in transmission and V-belts and, thanks to its high-temperature strength, in sewing thread for automotive airbags. Stanylenka’s melting point is 30 °C higher than alternative PA66 grades. V-belts made of the high-strength Stanylenka offer a lower system cost in power transmission systems, since the yarn's very low creep and self-tensioning characteristics in this application allow the belts to be used without a tensioner.

“Stanylenka is the first new development in industrial polyamide yarns in 25 years,” said Volker Siejak, Managing Director of Polyamide Heavy for PHP. “It has key properties like better modulus performance at elevated temperature and a higher melting point that simply cannot be met with PA66 yarns.”

DSM’s Stanyl is a high-temperature-resistant polymer used both in fibre and engineering plastic applications. Stanyl KS411 has been reintroduced to the fibre intermediates market and is readily available from DSM Engineering Plastics as a raw material for melt spun fibres.

“With KS411, DSM expands its range of specialty polymers for performance applications,” said Harry Henssen, global business manager for Stanyl for DSM Engineering Plastics. “KS411 is a copolymer grade of Stanyl designed specifically for fibre production, with low creep, high shrink forces and strength.”

Stanyl is a clean polymer that does not release oligomers during spinning and it also exhibits self-cleaning behaviour in spinning, as the chemical structure prevents gel formation.

The high melting point of Stanyl polymer, coupled with its morphology, result in a special combination of yarn properties that include a superior shrinkage force over shrinkage ratio, excellent dimensional stability, good chemical resistance, good adhesion to rubber, low creep at elevated temperatures, superior softness and resilience, excellent abrasion resistance, and excellent dyeability.

Stanyl is the polyamide with the highest heat capacity, crystallinity and crystallisation rate commercially available for fibres and is marketed exclusively by DSM.

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Notes for editors

About Polyamide High Performance

Polyamide High Performance GmbH is a global business headquartered in Wuppertal, Germany. The company is a world-class manufacturer of high-tenacity polyamide yarns and polymers. It holds a leading market position in airbag and other technical applications, as well as in specialties for tire reinforcement. PHP’s products are marketed under the brand names Enka® Nylon, Enkalon® and Stanylenka™. Production facilities are located in Germany and the United States.

DSM Engineering Plastics

DSM Engineering Plastics is a business group forming part of DSM's Performance Materials cluster. DSM EP is a global supplier of Stanyl® PA46 and Akulon® 6 and 66 polyamides, Arnitel® TPE-E, Arnite® PBT and PET polyesters, Xantar® polycarbonate, Yparex® extrudable adhesive resins, and Stamylan® UH Ultra High Molecular Weight PE. These materials are used in technical components for electrical appliances, electronic equipment and cars, in barrier packaging films as well as in many mechanical and extrusion applications. The business group had annual sales of EUR 566 million in 2003. DSM Engineering Plastics has a market share of about 5% in the world market. With Stanyl®, it is the global market leader in high heat polyamides.

Akulon®, Arnite®, Arnitel®, Stanyl®, Stamylan®UH, Xantar® and Yparex® are registered trademarks of DSM Engineering Plastics.