Lanxess has developed an extra tough polyamide 6 for oil pan applications.
Durethan BKV 235 H2.0 XCP is rubber-modified and reinforced with 35% special short glass fibers.
Engine oil pans incorporate the oil sump and, by nature of their function, are located at the lowest point of the oil circuit, meaning right above the road. This means that they require extra resistance to stone impact and the underbody hitting the ground. They are not otherwise protected by sheet metal or other cover materials.
‘Our structural material is characterized by outstanding Charpy notch impact resistance at low temperatures. Although it contains a rubber-based toughness modifier, its stiffness and strength remain on a high level,’ said Detlev Joachimi, head of Durethan product development at Lanxess.
At -30 °C, the Charpy notch impact resistance is 18 kJ/m2 (ISO 179-1eA). As a comparison, Durethan BKV 35 H2.0, a standard polyamide 6 with 35 percent glass fibers, achieves 10 kJ/m2 at this temperature. Compared to the standard polyamide 6, the e-modulus and tensile stress at break of the new material are insignificantly lower at 9,500 MPa and 164 MPa respectively (dry as molded, ISO 527-1,-2). ‘As a result, we can design oil pans that meet strict demands in terms of stiffness and strength, but also display very high impact resistance,’ said Joachimi. The heat distortion temperature to ISO 75-1,-2 (HDT A, 1.8 MPa) of 203 °C is nearly as high as that of Durethan BKV 35 H2.0. ‘The oil pans can therefore be exposed to high continuous operating temperatures without any difficulty,’ he added.
This story is reprinted from material from Lanxess, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
