Solvay’s (Brussels / Belgium; www.solvay.com) Performance Polyamides business has launched six new “Technyl” polymer grades. The company said the new grades will reduce corrosion in under-the-hood automotive parts and the risk of fire.

The Technyl and “Technyl Star” grades feature high levels of purity to help automotive OEMs ensure the protection of systems from corrosion and ionic migration, the firm said. Two of these grades use bio-based “Technyl eXten” technology for applications needing high-temperature combined with glycol resistance. The range will be commercially available in early 2019.

James Mitchell, automotive market director for Solvay’s Performance Polyamide global business unit, said halogens and phosphorus in polyamide “have been identified as major contributors to galvanic corrosion, a potential source of system failure and short-circuits, which could lead to fire.”

Automotive applications requiring these solutions include electrified cooling systems, sensors and connectors, as well as high-power chargers for electrical vehicles. For fuel cell stack components, “Technyl One” combines a near-zero ion migration potential with outstanding heat resistance, dimensional stability against hydrogen leakage, electrical insulation, high surface aspect and weldability.

“This is the first and unique PA 6.6-based offer on the market specifically designed for fuel cell technology. It serves critical safety applications such as hydrogen manifolds, heater plates, humidifiers and water traps,” added Mitchell.

In other Solvay news, the European Commission has cleared the group’s sale of its polyamide business to BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com). The EUR 1.6 bn deal, announced at the end of 2017, is expected to be completed in the second half of 2019 – see Plasteurope.com of 18.01.2019.