Asahi Kasei: Introduces New Halogen-Free Flame Retardant Polyamide 66 with Superior Surface Quality and Laser Printing Performance

Asahi Kasei launches halogen- and red phosphorus-free flame retardant polyamide 66 LEONA™ SN to the European market
.
This semi-aromatic material combines high levels of safety, surface quality and laser printability
.

Increasingly stringent safety and environmental regulations in the European Union are placing increasing demands on the materials used in appliances and systems
.
Halogen- and red-phosphorus-free solutions are key to ensuring safety in a variety of applications, while taking a more sustainable approach than traditional materials
.

Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei is currently introducing the halogen- and red phosphorus-free semi-aromatic polyamide 66 LEONA™ SN to the European market
.
According to UL standards, LEONA™ SN grades are V-0 flame retardant certified at 0.
75mm wall thickness and achieve 600V, the highest Tracking Index (CTI) value
.

Safety, sustainability and surface quality in one material

In addition to flame-retardant and creep-resistant properties, the material has an excellent surface quality
.
This is achieved without additional treatments and coatings, even with glass fiber contents up to 50%
.
Another feature of this material is its high retention of physical properties in the conditioned state
.

While similar halogen-free PA66 materials show a significant drop in performance, LEONA™ SN also maintains high levels of tensile strength and flexural modulus after moisture absorption
.
This opens up new possibilities for applications in environments where the use of standard FR PA66 can be a problem
.

In addition, LEONA™ SN has excellent laser printing ability, and in high-speed processing of 1000 mm/s, its surface marking is clearer than ordinary red phosphorus materials, which helps to increase production speed
.
Applications for LEONA™ SN include automotive powertrain projects, as well as electromechanical components that require flame retardancy, such as connectors, electromagnetic switches or relay blocks
.

This material is also suitable for the electrical systems of railway vehicles by meeting the requirements of the highest hazard class 3 for the categories R22 for internal parts and R23 for external parts in the European railway fire safety standard EN 45545
.

"LEONA™ SN meets the most stringent requirements in terms of safety, surface quality and laser printing performance, while fully complying with environmental regulations
.
The high level of critical properties will make this material a problem-solving solution for our customers and in a wide range of applications Open up new possibilities
," said Taku Ishida, General Manager of Asahi Kasei Europe's Engineering Plastics Division
.

Extensive expertise in flame retardant polymers

The LEONA™ SN series is part of Asahi Kasei's new LEONA™ polyamide resin series
.
The range also includes UV resistant grades (SU series), as well as semi-aromatic grades (SG series) for metal replacement and automotive interior applications
.

They all have one thing in common, an unparalleled combination of excellent surface quality, ease of processing and high mechanical properties
.
Asahi Kasei has a broad portfolio of halogen-free and flame-retardant polymers, including modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) XYRON™ and polyamide 6.
6 LEONA™
.

The company further leveraged its expertise in the field to develop SunForce™, an mPPE-based particle bead foam, the first foam to receive UL94 V-0 flame retardant certification
.

These materials are particularly suitable for applications in the automotive and E&E (electrical engineering and electronics) fields
.