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Latest Products Expand Solvay's Portfolio of Food-Contact Polymers for Household Appliances
Brussels, February 28, 2014– Several grades of Solvay Specialty Polymers’ Amodel® polyphthalamide (PPA) and Ixef® polyarylamide (PARA) polymers have received clearance by U.S. and European regulatory authorities for use in food-contact applications. The four compounds, which meet U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and EU Commission Regulation10/2011, expand Solvay’s extensive portfolio of high-performance polymers for use in a wide range of food-contact applications.
The new high-performance grades provide high heat resistance and excellent surface finish in metal-replacement applications for a range of household appliances. Compared to metals, they afford greater design flexibility, resulting in a significant cost savings for manufacturers.
“This expansion reaffirms our commitment to the market and meets the growing needs of our global customers in these specialized food-contact applications,” said Tom Wood, senior vice president of crystalline products for Solvay Specialty Polymers.
The newly approved food-contact grades include Amodel® FC-1140 (40% glass filled) and Amodel® FC-1150 (50% glass filled) for high-heat, injection molded applications. As a replacement for die-cast metals, zinc, brass, and other thermoplastics, these Amodel® PPA grades have a long-term continuous temperature of up to 120°C (248°F) along with strong chemical resistance and hydrolytic stability. They are characterized by excellent resistance to common household cleaners, oils, hot water, and steam. Targeted applications include coffee brewing chambers, tubing, piping, and valve housings for consumer goods such as coffee machines, hot beverage appliances, and oven cookers.
The expanded food-contact line also includes Ixef® FC-1022 (50% glass filled) and Ixef® 1032 (60% glass filled, natural and black) for injection molding applications that require overall strength. The tensile strength of Ixef® PARA compounds is similar to many cast metals, alloys, and thermosets at ambient temperature. Even with high glass loadings, the surface is smooth and defect-free, making it suitable for painting or metallization. Ixef® compounds also boast strong coloring capabilities. Typical uses include decorative handles, buttons, gears, mechanical parts, and housings.
All new Amodel® and Ixef® food-contact grades are being evaluated and sampled globally by leading manufacturers in the consumer goods market. In addition to these materials, Solvay’s food-contact portfolio includes KetaSpire® polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a highly chemically resistant and exceptionally strong ultra-high performance polymer to replace stainless steel, Radel® polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), a transparent, highly-impact resistant alternative to glass, and Solef® polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a commonly used chemically-resistant material for fittings, pipes, and tubes in the food industry.
About Solvay Specialty Polymers
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds – for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil and Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire and Cable, and other industries. Learn more at www.solvay.com.
As an international chemical group, SOLVAY assists industries in finding and implementing ever more responsible and value-creating solutions. Solvay generates 90% of its net sales in activities where it is among the world's top three players. It serves many markets, varying from energy and the environment to automotive and aerospace or electricity and electronics, with one goal: to raise the performance of its clients and improve society's quality of life. The group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 29,400 people in 56 countries and generated 9.9 billion euros in net sales in 2013. Solvay SA is listed as SOLB.BE on NYSE Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB:BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR).
