Munich -- At the JEC COMPOSITES Show 2011, the worlds leading composites tradeshow being held in Paris, WACKER will be showcasing high-quality composites for a broad range of applications. The product portfolio, being presented under the motto "Your + in Expertise," ranges from VINNAPAS solid resins as low-profile additives for perfect, shrinkage-free surfaces to pyrogenic silicas for controlling viscoelastic flow properties of composite resins. WACKER will also showcase silicone rubber for cost-effective and efficient production of fiber-composite articles, a high-impact modifier for epoxy resins, and novel natural-fiber composites for innovative floor, wall and furniture coverings made of cork, leather or wood. JEC COMPOSITES Show 2011 takes place in Paris, France.

At JEC COMPOSITES, WACKER will highlight its pooled expertise in high-quality, challenging composite components, and, in its "Plus Lounge," will offer composites experts the opportunity to network and share information.

Silicone Rubber for Diverse Composite Moldings

ELASTOSIL C 1200 is an innovative silicone rubber which enables series production of molded parts in almost all conceivable dimensions. This is made possible by the greatly extended pot life of around 20 minutes and a special shear-thinning silicone elastomer formulation. This property causes the normally stiff composition to liquefy under the shearing effect of brushing or spraying. ELASTOSIL C 1200 can thus be applied to vertical surfaces without its dripping. ELASTOSIL C 1200 enables the production of customized vacuum bags used, for example, in boat building, racing cars and wind turbines. The high efficiency of the process permits significant cost cuts.

HDK - Specialist for Perfect Flow Properties

HDK pyrogenic silica from WACKER has the important task of controlling flow properties during the manufacture of composites in open-mold processes. The thixotropic effect of HDK makes systems stable and easy to handle. HDK confers stable viscosities on end products and prevents separation effects and the settling out of pigments and fillers.

These qualities make pyrogenic silica from WACKER also a useful component in adhesives used, for example, in the production of modern wind turbines. HDK is added to control the rheology of the widely employed epoxy or vinyl-ester resins.

As a globally established market and technology leader, WACKER offers a broad, application-specific product portfolio of hydrophilic and hydrophobic pyrogenic silicas for the production of laminating resins, gel coats and top coats.

GENIOPERL: Highly Efficient Impact Modifier for Epoxy Resins

WACKER is also offering a powder additive to significantly increase the impact resistance of epoxy resins ? without compromising their mechanical strength or heat resistance. The dispersible product, sold under the name GENIOPERL P52, is effective even in small amounts. Of particular note is the fact that epoxy adhesives containing GENIOPERL P52 can withstand severe shock- and vibration-induced stresses; this is because the additive substantially reduces the brittleness of epoxy reaction resins. The impact modifier GENIOPERL P52 thus renders adhesive layers much more durable and reliable.

Homogeneous Surfaces - Consistent and Reliable

VINNAPAS polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) solid resins produce perfect, shrinkage-free surfaces. During the fabrication of composite parts based on unsaturated polyester resins, volume shrinkage is considerable unless what is known as a low-profile additive is used. As a result, the molded parts are often cracked or warped, do not retain their shape or are of unattractive appearance.

However, the addition of VINNAPAS solid resins to the formulation minimizes shrinkage to a value below 0.05 percent, producing extremely smooth, homogeneous surfaces. This makes it possible to obtain Class A surfaces distinguished not only by their planar structure but also by outstanding gloss and consistently high product quality. The PVAc solid resins offer good mechanical properties and are easy to process. Plus, they dissolve fast and completely in styrene, making them suitable for use in a wide variety of formulations and processes. VINNAPAS solid resins are accordingly ideal for challenging composite applications, for example in the automotive industry.

Natural Fiber Composites for Interior

WACKER will further be showing natural fiber composites at JEC. These are composites of VINNEX powder binder and natural products such as cork, wood, leather or slate enabling the manufacture of thoroughly novel wall and floor coverings. At the heart of these new developments is WACKERs patented VINNEX powder binder based on vinyl acetate and ethylene (VAE) copolymers.

VINNEX does an outstanding job of binding natural fibers such as cork or wood, while bonding extremely well to a wide variety of substrates. Implemented in collaboration with partner firms, this technology is used to produce, for example, click-lock slate/cork floorings that are easy to lay and pleasantly warm underfoot, or furniture and floor coverings made of recycled leather scraps. The new project platform revolving around thermoplastic processing of natural fibers forms the basis for a wide spectrum of innovative applications, from floorings to wall and ceiling coverings, on through to furniture and automotive interior.

Source: WACKER