Mechanical
engineering
Substitution of metal materials through radiation crosslinking
Mechanical
The radiation crosslinking of plastics opens up new horizons for mechanical engineering. Through the targeted use of ionizing radiation, the properties of plastics can be optimized to meet the high demands of mechanical engineering. It is becoming increasingly possible to substitute traditionally used metallic materials with radiation crosslinked plastics. This means that radiation crosslinked plastics can be used to produce robust and durable components and completely new design possibilities can be considered.
REPLACEMENT OF METALLIC MATERIALS : Applications of radiation crosslinked plastics
Fasteners and brackets
Screws, nuts, clips and brackets made from radiation crosslinked plastics offer high strength and durability while weighing less than metal alternatives. This leads to weight reduction of assemblies and enables savings in manufacturing costs and material consumption.
Gears
Gears, rolling and plain bearings, and bushings made of radiation crosslinked plastics offer improved tribological properties, reduced wear and consequently an increased lifetime compared to metallic materials. These components are particularly suitable for applications that are exposed to high temperatures, mechanical loads and chemical influences.
Electronic components and housings
Housings and electronic components made of radiation crosslinked plastics offer good insulation and protection against environmental influences such as moisture, chemicals and electromagnetic interference. Weight reduction and cost savings can be achieved by substituting metal housings, especially in applications where a high material density is to be avoided.
OPTIMIZED MATERIALS PROFILE : RADIATION CROSSLINKING UPGRADES PLASTIC MATERIALS
High-energy radiation can improve the mechanical, thermal, chemical and tribological properties of plastics to such an extent that they can replace conventional metal materials in many applications. However, this does not apply to all types of plastic. A corresponding reactivity must be present. For some plastics, the use of a crosslinking additive helps to enhance the material properties.
In addition to standard plastics such as polyethylene (PE) or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), engineering plastics such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyamides (PA6, PA66, PA11, PA12) or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are particularly suitable for radiation crosslinking – in some cases with an additive. High-performance plastics such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) are also suitable for crosslinking.
PLASTIC APPLICATIONS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING: IMPROVEMENT OF PROPERTIES THROUGH RADIATION CROSSLINKING
Mechanical properties
Better impact strength due to radiation crosslinking increases the ability of a material to absorb impact energy and impact energy without breaking. Radiation crosslinking also improves fiber-matrix adhesion, which can also optimize tensile strength and creep behavior, for example.
Tribological properties
An important selection criterion for machine elements made of plastic, e.g. plain bearings or bushings, guide rollers or gear wheels, is their friction and wear behavior. Plastics traditionally have disadvantages here, as amorphous areas easily form on their surface due to the manufacturing process, which worsen the wear behavior. However, these amorphous areas are particularly suited for radiation crosslinking.
Thermal properties
Thermoplastic materials become thermoelastic during radiation crosslinking. The crosslinking reaction creates a polymer network that prevents the plastic from flowing. This has a positive effect on heat resistance.
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ADVANTAGES OF Radiation CROSSLINKING: ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY
The use of radiation crosslinked plastics in mechanical engineering pays off in terms of economic efficiency. Substituting traditional metallic materials can lead to considerable savings in manufacturing costs. This is because the processing of plastics by injection molding, extrusion or blow molding requires less complex production processes compared to metal processing. This reduces the overall cost of the components and enables more competitive pricing. In addition, radiation crosslinked plastics are lighter than metals, which leads to weight reduction of components and assemblies and can therefore increase the energy efficiency of machines.
Furthermore, expensive post-processing and assembly steps that are often required with metallic materials are no longer necessary. These include deburring, sandblasting or thread cutting, for example. This helps to significantly reduce the overall costs for the manufacture of products, to enable breaking of new ground in terms of design, and thus to strengthen overall competitiveness on the market.
Radiation crosslinked components are extremely resilient and can be used over very long periods of time. BGS and partners recently investigated the material recycling of radiation crosslinked polyamides in a two-stage research project. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of recycling radiation crosslinked polyamides and show material savings as well as an improved CO2 balance due to the reduction of virgin material in the production of new components. The next task is to identify and establish suitable material cycles.
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