BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) has added three new grades to its crash-optimised specialty PA 6 “Ultramid” CR product line. Ultramid B3ZG7 CR and Ultramid B3ZG3 CR are reinforced with 35% or 15% glass fibres, while Ultramid B3ZG10 CR is the company’s first impact-modified PA 6 reinforced with 50% glass fibres.

Initially targeted at vehicle body applications to provide pedestrian protection, the materials are also suitable for other crash-relevant components on the vehicle, such as the steering wheel, where fast absorption of large amounts of energy is required. Car manufacturer Opel already uses Ultramid as a "lower bumper stiffener" for pedestrian protection, BASF noted.

The new grades offer improved impact strength compared with their predecessors in the CR family, and during testing were shown to withstand distortion by up to 240° C without being damaged. “There is hardly any other material class on the market that can undergo such a load and remain intact,” BASF said. Commercial quantities of all three grades are available immediately.