Flexible resins are greener alternative to PVC

A Sabic Innovative Plastics product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Sep 28, 2006

Nokia uses Flexible Noryl PPO resin as a replacement for polyvinyl chloride in the cord of a charger that can be used with several of its mobile phone models.

GE Plastics' new Flexible Noryl resins meet global requirements for halogen-free parts and international standards for recyclability while providing outstanding flame retardance, flexibility and softness.

For example, Nokia, a world leader in mobile communications, has chosen Flexible Noryl PPO resin as a replacement for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in the cord of a charger that can be used with several of its mobile phone models.

As a replacement for PVC, which can leach phthalates (plasticisers) into the environment and form dioxins when burned, GE's Flexible Noryl resin portfolio of ten grades comply with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) standard governing specific heavy metals and certain brominated flame retardant (FR) additives.

In addition GE's material meets the requirements for halogen-free parts and complies with Nokia's internal restricted substances list.

The GE product also helps customers comply with Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) requirements by avoiding an additional waste stream from PVC that can add to recycling costs.

Flexible Noryl resins provide flame-retardant properties that meet UL1581-VW1, the most currently known stringent global requirement for consumer electronics.

They also meet the IEC60332-1 fire test on single wire, commonly used in Europe.

Further, the materials are rated by UL for 80 C use temperature and are listed in Table 50 of UL1581, which means customers can achieve faster UL approval with a seven-day heat-aging test compared with a 150-day test.

Further advantages of the GE materials are excellent flexibility and softness.

Flexible Noryl resin grades also offer a range of flexural modulus from 50 to 650MPa.

Shore A hardness ranges from 70 to 93.

In addition, there are grades targeted for industrial applications with higher temperature requirements (105C) as well as automotive applications (12 C).

GE Plastics provided a total materials solution for the Nokia application: Flexible Noryl WCD891 resin for the wire insulation, WCD801 resin for the wire jacket, and WCP781 resin for the plug and strain relief.

In addition, GE Cycoloy CH6410 resin was chosen by Nokia for the charger housing.

"Our Flexible Noryl resins are just one example of the power of the ecomagination initiative - GE's global investment in environmentally advanced technologies", said Rob Welland, Industry Manager Consumer Electronics, GE Plastics.

"By providing a viable solution that meets the requirements for halogen-free parts, these materials help solve tough environmental challenges facing the consumer electronics market".

"We're proud to support customers like Nokia in their commitment to a cleaner environment".