Ticona: Innovative plastics and lightweight applications

Ticona will present new products and applications at K 2010 in Düsseldorf under the banner “Count on us”. One of the highlights is the concept car from Rinspeed known as “UC?”. In this electric car designed for use in the city, Celstran tapes are used to reinforce the battery carrier and the trunk, providing stability and light weight that the drive system and the vehicle require.

Celstran tapes reinforce the battery carrier in the Rinspeed "UC?"

High-strength lightweight structures are also found in the G650, the new business jet from Gulfstream. In the rudder and elevator of the new plane, welded thermoplastic primary structural components based on Fortron PPS are used for the first time in the history of aviation. And together with a Hostaform POM grade, the polyphenylene sulphide is also being used in the first modular fuel cell system. This system allows to supply electrical power to a variety of equipment in industry, research and development while minimising emissions.

Baking mould made of Vectra Trex

With Vectra Trex the company offers for the first time an extrudable liquid crystal polymer (LCP) for extrusion, that is particularly well-suited for the manufacture of vacuum-formed large-format sheets and pans. With service temperatures of up to 280 °C, they can be used for cooking and baking. The mineral-filled Trex 541 grade is used to produce plates, vacuum-formed films and hollow elements. The unfilled Trex 901 grade is also available for films and fibres.

In addition to the product families mentioned above, Ticona offers the material ranges GUR, Celanex, Compel, Impet, Riteflex, and Vandar – and with the acquisition of Fact in January 2010, has also added the long fibre-reinforced thermoplastic Factor to its product line.

In order to better supply customers around the world, Ticona's parent company Celanese announced in April the construction of a new 50 kt polyacetal plant together with Sabic in the Middle East. The acquisition of the Zenite LCP and Thermx PCT product lines from DuPont will also make a decisive contribution in this respect, says the company.