Ultramid® Endure (PA)
BASF @ K2022
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Heat-resistant polyamide for automotive applications in the high temperature range
Ultramid® Endure is a glass fiber-reinforced polyamide that combines excellent heat aging resistance with the good processing properties of PA 66. Ultramid® Endure is able to withstand continuous use over 3,000 hours at up to 220°C and brief temperature peaks of up to 240°C. It thus extends the application of polyamide into the high temperature range. Ultramid® Endure is suitable both for injection molding and for blow molding. This makes the plastic the perfect replacement for metal for components used in all parts of the charge air duct ‒ from the turbocharger and pipes through to the intercooler.
Properties of the plastic resistant to hot air:
- Excellent heat aging resistance under continuous loading at up to 220°C
- High strength
- Excellent toughness
- Outstanding weld line strength
- Better flowability of the injection-molding grade than standard
PA 66 - Very good surface quality
- Excellent processability
These properties of Ultramid® Endure result in a number of advantages for processors and OEMs:
- Low system costs: lower processing temperatures, cycle time reduction, lower energy consumption, easy welding
- Continuous loading at high temperatures: durable and high-performance engines
Ultramid® Endure with higher stiffness and heat aging resistance for even more metal replacement in the engine compartment
The high-performance plastic Ultramid® Endure is to date the most heat-resistant, polyamide-based injection-molding material available in the market. For example, the grade Ultramid® Endure D3G10 with 50 percent glass fibers offers a considerably increased stiffness at elevated temperatures:
Identifiable by its modulus of elasticity: Over a period of three months (approx. 2,200 hours) of heat aging, the stiffness of Ultramid® Endure D3G10 remains stable at a high value of about 17,000 MPa, measured as a modulus of elasticity in accordance with ISO 527-2 (1993) at 23°C. Prior to the aging test, the material shows a modulus of elasticity of around 4,000 MPa at 220°C, about 30% more than the less stiff D3G7 version.
Ultramid® Endure is suitable for components close to the engine in the charge air duct of turbocharged engines in particular. The material offers a continuous-service heat resistance temperature of up to 220°C for applications requiring maximum stiffness.
This means that even more metal can be replaced in the engine compartment. In contrast to high-priced specialty plastics, using Ultramid® Endure results in a considerable reduction of the system costs.
Heat-resistant gap closure – Ultramid® Endure now also available as a blow-molding grade
BASF is closing the gap between the turbocharger and the intercooler with the market launch of the blow-molding grade Ultramid® Endure D5G3 BM. The new blow-molding grade with a glass fiber content of 15% has a level of heat aging resistance which is just as high as that of the injection-molding grade, is easy to process in the suction blowing method and also shows excellent acoustic properties.
Properties of the blow-molding grade
Ultramid® Endure D5G3 BM:
- Excellent heat aging resistance under continuous loading at up to 220°C
- Excellent processability
- High hose stability
- Good swelling
- Outstanding surface
- Supply of regranulate without any noteworthy influence on the processing
Ultramid® Endure – polyamide in continuous use in modern engine concepts
The trend towards increased efficiency in automotive construction leads to a continuous rise in the temperatures in the engine compartment. As a result, automotive manufacturers today are attempting to improve the energy efficiency of vehicles by various means including turbocharged engines. In turbocharged diesel engines, for example, operating temperatures of up to 220°C and temperature peaks of up to 240°C are common in the area between the turbocharger and intercooler.
Acoustics as a brand-defining factor
The subject of acoustics has now become a brand-defining factor and is therefore assuming a real significance in the automotive industry. New engine concepts and continuously rising demands from customers and legislators call for acoustically advantageous materials. Ultramid® Endure boasts excellent damping behavior and is therefore ideally suited to solving acoustic challenges.
High-performance plastic as replacement for metal
The heat-resistant Ultramid® Endure is an ideal alternative to metal and other plastics such as PPS. The high-temperature polyamide is suitable for all components which are exposed to a higher continuous thermal loading over a prolonged period of time.
Possible applications include all components of the charge air duct such as:
- Resonators
- Sensors and actuators
- Intercooler intakes
- Intake manifolds
- Charge air pipes
Technical properties
Tensile strength (23°C) of Ultramid® Endure D3G7 and other materials after aging at 220°C
Stress-strain curves of Ultramid® Endure D3G7
Tensile strength of Ultramid® Endure after storage in exhaust gas condensate
Weldline strength (23°C) of Ultramid® Endure compared to PA 66 after aging in air at 220°C
Flow properties of Ultramid® Endure compared to PA 66 GF35: The flow path of Ultramid® Endure is considerably longer than that of a standard PA 66 GF 35
Frequency response of Ultramid® Endure D5G3 BM compared to PPS GF 15 BM
Ultramid® Endure Application Range
The applications are as manifold as its product properties: Explore the various application possibilities of Ultramid® Endure!
