Processing, October 2016

Equipment and System Design Adhesive grade resins improve fluid handling performance New ETFE compounds make ultra durable parts and components that resist harsh fuels and chemicals N ext generation adhesive ethylene tetrafluoroethylene resins AH ETFE improve the performance and durability of fluid handling components used in automotive chemical and industrial applications These resins produce multilayer constructions that are extremely conductive chemicaland permeation resistant and protect against static buildup When manufactured with AH ETFE resins components such as liquid and vapor fuel lines compressor hoses fuel tanks and filler necks exhibit outstanding performance in any construction The resins are especially well suited for automotive fluid handling systems because they help automotive OEMs meet the industrys increasingly stringent environmental and weight saving regulations Challenges to automotive OEMs In 2005 the U S Congress created the renewable fuel standard RFS program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions expand the nations renewable fuels sector and decrease reliance on imported oil The RFS requires renewable additives to be blended into transportation fuel in increasing amounts each year escalating to 36 billion gallons by 2022 Blending mandates in the European Union Brazil and China likewise have driven biofuel growth in the transportation sector These fuel compositions have put increasing demands on automotive fuel system components that are made from standard compounds resulting in fuel hoses that dry out crack stretch and soften ETFE has a proven track record in automotive fuel line requirements including resistance to chemical and ethanol mixtures such as CE5 CE10 CM15 CE22 CM30 CE85 and E100 biofuels and aggressive auto oxidized fuels with high peroxide numbers ETFE also provides low permeation rates in accordance with European and U S emissions standards Euro4 Euro5 Euro6 LEVII PZEV and LEVIII The new adhesive fluoropolymer grades build on the performance success of ETFE resins in automotive components They chemically adhere to dissimilar materials reduce weight and eliminate tie layers in multilayer hose constructions AH ETFE compounds also enable hose line constructions to meet stricter emission standards because they have low fuel permeation rates which decrease as the percentage of alcohol in the fuel mix rises with rates as low as 040 g mm2 m2 day for alcohol fuel content up to 100 percent ethanol By Katie Sprick AGC Chemicals Americas Inc Adhesive properties The adhesive functionality of AH ETFE is polymerized directly in to the backbone of the ETFE The functional group can interact with reactive groups in other materials such as amines in polyamides When in contact with PA12 the imide bond formation results in stability against heat fuel and chemicals and contributes to its Figure 1 Imide bond formation All graphics courtesy of AGC Chemicals Americas Inc Figure 2 Imide bond at interface SS 6 October 2016 Process Flow Network