Insight Polymers & Compounding has developed a range of carbon nanotube (CNT) masterbatches that enable significant mechanical improvements for thermoplastic materials. The concentrates, which were first unveiled at Compounding World Expo 2024 in North America, are said to increase tensile strength and stiffness by 20 to 100 percent, depending on the matrix polymer and CNT content, without compromising impact strength.
The masterbatches contain 15 percent CNTs by weight and can be incorporated into carrier materials with final concentrations of 2 to 7 percent. Depending on the polymer used – currently polypropylene (PP), PETG, polyamides (PA 6, PA 66, PA 12) and PPS – the results vary in terms of electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and processability.
“While we are initially offering the concentrates in PP, PETG, PA 6, PA 66, PA 12 and PPS, we can customize compounds with specific polymers and loadings to develop a material that meets a customer’s requirements and unmet needs,” said Matt Torosian, Insight Polymers sales and market development manager.
“While CNTs have improved properties since they’ve been commercially available, our compounds exhibit the first significant measurable increase in mechanical properties of a thermoplastic compound,” said A.J. Pasquale, Insight Polymers director of operations. “Their light weight and lower loadings translate to a lighter, stronger end products.”
CNTs also enable electrical conductivity even at low fill levels, which qualifies the materials for ESD applications, bearing solutions for electronic components and for electrically conductive components in coating and painting processes.
In the field of 3D printing, this results in potential advantages for the production of functional components with specific mechanical and electrical requirements. New fields of application could open up, particularly in the automotive sector, for household appliances or UAV components, where the combination of lightweight construction, functionality and processability is crucial.
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