Dutch resins supplier DSM has added a higher viscosity extrusion grade to its portfolio of EcoPaXX polyamide 410 for the film, fibre and monofilament markets following the polymer’s successful adoption by the market of injection moulding applications. The new grade is designed to support customers who appreciate the thermal stability, broad processing range and good melt strength of EcoPaXX.

The firm also says that it has increased its polymer production to full industrial scale, with the ability to be expanded further. DSM started to develop EcoPaXX, its biobased polyamide 410 product range, in 2009, followed by its market introduction in 2010.

Today, it is being used in a wide range of applications including the automotive market, where EcoPaXX is used in covers for turbo engines by Daimler, BMW and Bentley, mainly because of its combination of high temperature resistance, dimensional stability and high quality surface. VW selected EcoPaXX for use in one of its latest engines for a crankshaft cover, where heat and chemical resistance, together with dimensional stability are key requirements. Because of the good fuel resistance of EcoPaXX, it is used in a number of fuel contact applications at various customers. And EcoPaXX is also resistant to polar media, such as cooling liquids.

In other market segments such as building and construction, EcoPaXX is being used in insulating profiles for aluminium windows. Here the combination of its green characteristics with its high temperature resistance, makes it suitable for in-line powder coating at 200+ degrees C. In the sports and leisure industry, where stiffness combined with toughness and/or bend recovery are often key requirements, EcoPaXX finds many applications, such as ski and/or snowboard bindings and other winter sport applications. Because of its hydrolysis resistance, EcoPaXX is being used in castor wheels for airline trolleys which need to withstand pressurised steam cleaning. Other applications are tubes, film and fibres.