GE ADVANCED MATERIALS’ PUSH INTO GLOBAL ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTED BY NEW LEXAN® EXL RESINS FOR PORTABLE DEVICES

BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — Feb. 2, 2004 — In the 51st year since the discovery of LEXAN® polycarbonate (PC) by GE scientist Dr. Daniel W. Fox, GE Advanced Materials is once again expanding its product offerings based on this highly versatile resin technology. Two new grades of the company’s toughened LEXAN EXL polycarbonate/siloxane resin have been added to the growing resin portfolio: LEXAN EXL 9112 resin and LEXAN EXL 1434 resin. These products provide various levels of flame retardancy that help address eco-label needs along with high flow, broad chemical resistance, and enhanced weatherability. They are a potentially strong fit for use in portable electronics, converged devices, telecommunications, and handheld computer applications. The new materials join LEXAN EXL 9330 and LEXAN EXL 1414 resins, two previously introduced LEXAN EXL resin products.

LEXAN EXL resins are part of the new X GEN™ resin portfolio from GE Advanced Materials which pushes high-end polymer performance to even greater levels. Through the use of proprietary siloxane copolymer technology, the new LEXAN EXL resins have retained the properties of PC, while extending low-temperature impact strength and cold-temperature ductility. Furthermore, the siloxane softblock in the polycarbonate backbone also imparts improved UV stability. Hence, the polymer can now provide prolonged resistance to weathering and extreme temperature fluctuations (-40 to 100C) without loss of dimensional stability or ductility.

In addition to its good hydrolytic stability, LEXAN EXL resin processes well in most conventional injection molds and exhibits excellent release properties, facilitating shorter cycle times and improved production. Beyond injection molding, the resin can be extruded or gas-assist injection molded and is available in a wide range of opaque colors. The material’s high stiffness-per-unit weight can facilitate weight savings and cost reductions through the use of thin-wall designs in such applications as mobile phone charger and personal digital assistant (PDA) accessories. Across the spectrum of applications, from small, thin-wall parts to larger, thicker wall assemblies, it is expected that the new
LEXAN EXL resin technology will provide significant productivity gains vs. competitive PC materials worldwide.

LEXAN EXL resin is an excellent candidate for use in portable electronics, converged devices, handheld computers, telecommunications housings, and other equipment that are subject to repeated exposure and/or handling in outdoor environments. It is also a strong potential fit for applications that must address growing global eco-label demands. Free of chlorine and bromine flame retardants and heavy-metal pigments, the resin meets the stringent tests for flammability and offers other safety-related properties demanded by the telecommunications sector (Telecordia GR-487 requirements), while maintaining polycarbonate’s standard UL® 94 flame-retardant listings.

Of the new grades introduced today, LEXAN EXL 9112 resin is now the highest flow, UL 5VA flame-retardant product in GE’s LEXAN resin portfolio. Because of its excellent balance of properties, the resin was chosen by LG Electronics for use in its new mobile phone battery pack and provides low-temperature impact resistance and excellent aesthetics and knit-line strength. It can be used in most eco-label applications and features colorants that are free of heavy metals. This new high-flow grade can also help to improve processability, reduce cycle time for greater molding productivity, and is another option to standard flame-retardant LEXAN and CYCOLOY® resins in applications calling for a higher performance material.

LEXAN EXL 1434 resin offers customers low-temperature impact resistance, knit-line strength, and enhanced weatherability during prolonged UV exposure in demanding outdoor applications. Selected by the Chamberlain Group, Inc. for its LiftMaster® garage door opener transmitter housing, the material is a good candidate for use in applications

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Helen Vandebovenkamp
helen.vandebovenkamp@ge.com

Tel: +31 164 29 20 97
Fax: +31 164 29 10 66
Netherlands
+31 164 29 20 97
helen.vandebovenkamp@​ge.com
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Notes for editors

GE Advanced Materials

GE Advanced Materials is a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicon-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. Headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass., GE Advanced Materials is the combined entity of GE’s former Plastics, Silicones, and Quartz businesses. Its offerings include:

• Silanes, specialty silicones, urethane additives, adhesives, sealants, caulks, resins, and elastomers for a variety of vertical markets such as personal care, automotive, tire and rubber, construction, healthcare, electronics, household and institutional, agriculture, textiles, appliances, bedding and furnishings, and foam control, as well as the consumer “do-it-yourself” market (www.gesilicones.com);

• Engineering thermoplastics resins serving customers in a variety of industries including aerospace, appliances, automotive, building and construction, data storage and optical media, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications, computers and peripheral devices, outdoor vehicles and devices, and packaging (www.geplastics.com);

• High-purity quartz and advanced ceramic materials for the semiconductor, telecommunications, lighting, electronics, personal care, and water purification industries. GE Advanced Materials is a leading supplier of quartz materials to the semiconductor industry (www.gequartz.com).

LEXAN and CYCOLOY are registered trademarks of General Electric Company.

UL is a registered trademark of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

X GEN is a trademark of General Electric Company.

LiftMaster is a registered trademark of the Chamberlain Group, Inc.