Conductive Polymer Additive Innovations – Electrical, Graphene & Thermal!

How’s the following example for a new and novel electrically conductive plastic. Lati3Dlab, a recent spinoff of major plastics supplier Lati, has developed a nanotube and carbon black enhanced PolyLactic Acid (PLA) 3D printing filament. It has an electrical conductivity below 10 ohms very close to metals, has a very good balance of filament flexibility to conductivity level, and is targeted at electronic, robotic, medical, and sensor applications.

Conductive polymer compound development is currently centered in three areas namely – electrical, graphene, and thermal. Electrical charge buildup on electrical plastic parts, especially miniaturized electronics, results in ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) that in turn will render useless electronic components, leading in extreme instances to fire or explosion.

With electronics pervasively in use across literally every end-use market, there is definitely a need for plastics with electrically conductive additives. Electrically conductive plastics have a current global market size of US 3.5 billion dollars, and are forecast to grow 8.5% annually over the next five years.

Graphene in 2D nanoplatelet sheet, or in Single-Wall Carbon NanoTube (SWCNT) electrically conductive form are rapidly penetrating energy storage batteries in the emerging Electric Vehicle (EV) market. Other targeted graphene applications include plastic compounds, paints, and coatings. Also of key importance is graphene use in supercapacitors where it is starting to replace carbon black. The current global graphene market is estimated at US 80 million dollars, and will grow at 40% annually over the next five years.

Thermal conductivity improvement in plastic compounds will be required in EV electrification, electronics miniaturization, as well as vehicle lightweighting and metal replacement. Plastic compounders are at work developing a myriad of thermally conductive mineral fillers to eliminate surplus heat from a plastic part, allowing for an optimal temperature range in a given application. The current global thermally conductive plastics market is US 120 million dollars, with a 15% growth rate over the next five years.


Let’s now turn our attention to review the latest electrically, graphene, and thermally conductive polymer technologies respectively.

Croda's Anti-static Additives Eliminate Dust Build-up in Applications 

To start with, Croda Polymer Additives is servicing a requirement in transparent plastics such as PolyMethylMethAcrylate (PMMA, acrylic) to eliminate dust build-up in applications like:

• Electronic housings,
• Interior parts in automotive, and
• Consumer appliance surfaces

Croda’s Ionphase™ trSTAT are permanent anti-static additives are derived from Inherently Dissipative Polymers (IDPs), and are easy order of addition compound components in basic compounding, injection molding, or extrusion processes.

Cabot's PolyStyrene (PS) Compounds Targeted at Electronic Applications

Concluding in the electrically conductive area, market-leading carbon black supplier Cabot Corporation has been busy developing new PolyStyrene (PS) electrically conductive compounds targeted at electronic semiconductor carrier trays and industrial packaging applications. These cost-performance effective compounds are tailored to an industry-wide trend towards electrification that in turn requires a fire and explosion-proof product safety guarantee.


Also, Cabot has commercialized a CABELEC® CA6483 electrically conductive compound, and a CABELEC® CC6532 concentrate. These products find use in Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) sheet extrusion and thermoforming processes, where increasing amounts of recycled content plastics are incorporated in industrial and electronic packaging applications.

Furthermore, Cabot concentrates have a dilutable range that allows them to work with an array of recycled content plastics. Cabot has also pioneered Carbon NanoStructure (CNS) electrically conductive concentrates that exhibit low dosage rate high conductivity with low dust generation, ideal for cleanroom environment and ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI) sensor applications.

First Graphene's PureGRAPH™ Masterbatches Improve Polymer Properties

Next, let’s center our attention on our single graphene conductive technology namely, Australian-based First Graphene’s graphite nanoplatelet-based PureGraph™ additive. First Graphene has commercialized a Low-Density PolyEthylene (LDPE) masterbatch, PureGraph™ MB-LDPE that is easily dispersed in PolyEthylene (PE) and PolyPropylene (PP) resin systems, as well as engineering plastics such as PolyOxyMethylene (POM, acetal) and PolyAmide (PA, nylon).

An electrochemical exfoliation chemical process technology is used to make its graphene nanoplatelets from graphite. First Graphene’s goal here is to simultaneously improve a given polymer’s electrical conductivity and its mechanical properties.


Additional research at Great Britain’s University of Warwick’s Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing has shown that First Graphene’s additives not only improve electrical conductivity along with mechanical property improvement, but improved thermal conductivity is apparent. Also, these graphene nanoplatelets can be added to polymer systems at up to 25-30% by weight with no significant viscosity increase while maintaining uniform polymer flow alignment.

A good early use application example is Australian-based Foster Plastics Industries’ extruded solar cell tubing where an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) masterbatch carrying 30% PureGraph additive is compounded into a Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)/PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC) resin blend system. PureGraph additive inclusion here has led to improved solar tubing product thermal conductivity, tensile/compression strength, and UltraViolet (UV) resistance.

Imerys' TIMREX® C-Therm™ Grades Improve Polymer's Thermal Conductivity

Finally, let’s delve further into two thermally conductive polymer technologies. First, Imerys Graphite & Carbon’s TIMREX® C-Therm™ grades are leading the way in high thermal polymer conductivity. Standard 20% by weight C-Therm™ loadings start at 1 Watt per meter degree Kelvin (W/m-K) through-plane thermal conductivity, and with increased loadings can attain 20 W/m-K in-plane thermal conductivities and above, all with good and consistent plastic processability.

TIMREX® C-Therm™ additive-enhanced thermally conductive polymer compounds lend themselves to extensive fine-tuning given that they have a broad range of particle size distribution. C-Therm™ additive systems not only primarily improve thermal conductivity, but aid in increasing a given polymer compound’s electrical conductivity, bearing and wear resistance, and barrier properties.

Sibelco's BORATHERM™ Grades Provide High Electrical Insulation

Let’s conclude with our second and final thermal conductivity technology example, Sibelco’s two thermally conductive additive grades, BORATHERM™ SG Alumina TriHydrate (ATH) and BORATHERM™ SA (Spherical Alumina). Both grades are electrically insulative with excellent particle distribution that guarantees good process flowability. Also, there is a BORATHERM™ SG-E additive grade that is a demagnetized ATH version to be used where higher electrical insulation is required.


Save time with a structured overview of latest developments in conducting plastics & additives (graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs)...)

Developments in 2021 Conductive Polymers Market

1. Elastostat® Masterbatches by BASF –
   BASF has a Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) based antistatic plastic Thermoplastic PolyUrethane (TPU) Elastostat® 10-02 material available in masterbatch form. Current applications are: PolyPropylene (PP) waste containers, High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE) large shipping vessels, PolyStyrene (PS) microchip transport tray holders, and Emerging PolyOlefin (PO) blown film end-uses. A new Elastostat® 15-01 grade is finding use in blending with other TPUs, targeting European Union (EU) food contact approved hoses transportation belts and shoe soles.



BASF's Elastostat® TPU Surface Resistivity Niche


2. TUBALL™ Graphene Nanotubes by OCSiAl –
   OCSiAl’s Tuball™ brand graphene nanotubes that are known for their novel balance of electrical conductivity, colorability, and mechanical strength as a result of a 3D network internally formed in a given plastic used. Nanotube additive addition levels range from as little as tenths to hundredths of a percent in the overall compound, are 100 times stronger than steel, equivalent to copper conductivity at 1/5 the weight, and extremely flexible. An efficient OCSiAl TUBALL™ nanotube dosage rate for rotomolded PolyEthylene (PE), recreational playground slides, and waste containers is approximately 0.5-1.0% of nanotube concentrate to produce an antistatic surface.
   
   
   
   OCSiAl’s Electrically Conductive Additives Make Playground Slides Less or Hair-Raising


3. Conductive Carbon Compounds by Cabot –
   Cabot Corporation has commercialized a range of advanced carbons to include ATHLOS™ Carbon Nanostructures (CNS), a unique plastic additive system composed of a crosslinked carbon nanotube network. Athlos CNS provides an optimized balance of ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding, in tandem with mechanical strength and ease of processability. Versus other carbon additives, Athlos CNS also affords significant lightweighting potential and miniaturization advantages by virtue of replacing traditional metal-based additives, in addition to reducing dust contamination during processing.



Volume Resistivities of Cabot Conductive Carbon Black (CB, black), Multi wall Carbon Nanotubes (Multi-walled CNTs, orange), and Athlos Carbon Nano-Structures (CNS, red) (L); Less Dusty/Easier Processing Athlos CNS Compounds (R) Versus CNT Substitutes


4. Thermally Conductive Polycarbonates by Covestro –
   Covestro's Makrolon® thermally conductive (TC) PolyCarbonate (PC) provides different levels of conductivity in injection molding/over-molding, extrusion, and 3D printing grades.
   
   • Makrolon® TC611 and TC8030 grades are the highest in thermal conductivity and are corrosion-resistant aimed at thermal management in LED luminaires where they can cut weight in half versus traditional aluminum alternatives. 
   • Makrolon® TC110 compounds are targeting battery thermal management where flame retardancy, impact strength, dimensional stability, and long-term service temperature are required.
     
     
     
     Covestro's TC PC EV Charging Station LED Luminaire (L), Battery Pack Frame Concept (R)


5. Thermal Conductive Polyamide Compounds by Witcom –
   Witcom has developed a full range of Polyamide (PA, Nylon) compounds that achieve from medium to high thermal conductivities. All grades are reinforced, and many contain halogen-free flame retardants. Injection molding will orient the thermally conductive additives with the propensity of random orientation increasing, through-plane conductivity in a given molded part. Witcom compounds achieve thermal conductivity values of more than 20 W/m.K (Watt per meter, degree Kelvin) in-plane. Efficient through-plane heat dissipation capability below 5 W/m.K and even lower between 1-2 W/m.K is adequate for the vast majority of applications.
   
   
   
   Witcom's Thermally Conductive Compounded PA6 Industrial Photography Parts

Recent Game Changing Innovations in Conductive Polymers & Additives

Talk to Dr. Donald Rosato where he will help you identify the true potential lies in the conductive polymers & additives landscape and how it opens up new opportunities for you to make better R&D decisions. Also, get insights on latest innovations on plasticyl range of polymer masterbatches, Li-ion batteries for electric vehicles and carbon-based thermally conductive products.