The particle foam, which was developed on the basis of polyethersulfone, can withstand high temperatures, is intrinsically flame retardant and extremely lightweight, making Ultrason E suitable for foam mouldings in lightweight construction.
BASF has developed a polyethersulfone-based particle foam that is suitable for complex-shaped components for cars, aircraft and trains. The foam is resistant to high temperatures, flame retardant and extremely lightweight, all while maintaining high rigidity and strength. The expandable PESU granulate is pre-foamed into beads with low densities between 40 and 120 g/l and can be processed into mouldedings with complex 3D geometries using technologies available on the market. Ultrason E is an amorphous thermoplastic with a high glass transition temperature of 225°C and remains dimensionally stable up to this temperature.
In addition, its excellent mechanical and dielectric properties are only slightly dependent on the temperature. According to the company, Ultrason E foams are approved for use in aircraft. The material, with its exceptionally high limiting oxygen index of 38 (according to ASTM D 2863), distinguishes itself because it meets the requirements for commercial aircraft with regard to combustibility, low heat release and low smoke density (fire, smoke, toxicity) even without the addition of flame retardants, which means it is intrinsically flame retardant.
Foam mouldings for lightweight construction
Foam mouldings made from one single material offer numerous advantages compared to traditional honeycomb structures coated with phenolic resins: they offer a larger flexibility in terms of densities and shapes and therefore offer greater freedom in design. There are fewer processing steps and therefore lower system costs; additional functional parts such as inserts and screw threads can be integrated in the complex geometries.
Last but not least, the parts can easily be recycled. Thanks to such weight-optimised, thermoplastic foams for complex geometries it is possible to realise new lightweight components that, compared to traditional thermoplastic parts, have better properties and are a solution to trends such as e-mobility in automotive construction, the modernisation of aircraft cabin interiors and increasing flame retardant requirements in public transport.