bro. knowing h. 06/2001 englisc...bro. knowing h. 06/2001 englisc 11.07.2001 18:04 uhr seite 5...

KNOWING HOW

High Performance Polymers

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Introduction.............................................................. 4

Automotive Applications............................................. 6

Laser Technology...................................................... 10

Electrical Engineering................................................ 12

Cable/Signal Engineering...........................................14

Machinery and Engineering........................................ 16

Medical Technology...................................................18

Sports..................................................................... 20

Lifestyle.................................................................. 22

Monomers.............................................................. 24

Quality and the Environment...................................... 25

Service................................................................... 26

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High performance polymers are movinginto an ever-widening range of applications.Where wood and metal were once considered indispensable, plastics made to exact speci-fications are now in demand. This applies justas much to automotive parts as to sportsarticles, electrical and electronic appliances.As much to machines and equipment as tomedical devices. People encounter the poly-mers of Degussa AG’s High PerformancePolymers Business Unit every day. The brands VESTAMID®, TROGAMID®, VESTODUR®,VESTORAN®, DYFLOR®, VESTENAMER®,VESTOSINT® and VESTAMELT® have beenwell known in the market for decades. Thebusiness unit also produces and sells themonomers that are the basic building blocksof these plastics.

Developing and manufacturing high performance polymers is just one of our jobs.Supporting customers in both word and deedis the other. For us, customer focus is morethan a catchphrase, and service is more thanjust advice.

It doesn’t matter where you need our support—we come to you anywhere in theworld.Your partner in High PerformancePolymers.

We in the High Performance PolymersBusiness Unit of Degussa AG have made it ourjob to work together with customers in thedevelopment of high performance polymercompounds. With employees who know themarket and the needs of our partners in detail.With products that are continuously modifiedto meet new demands. With procedures thatensure high quality. And with a corporate philosophy that equally values economy,safety and quality.

Our business unit currently employs some 750persons. Of these, as many as 150 work in research and development.

This many employees devoted to R&D justunderscores the important role R&D plays inour business unit. All told, half of our sales arerealized with products that are younger thanfive years: Because customer desires change,new regulations are made, advanced processesmake new solutions possible, and not leastbecause our creative ideas for innovations arewhat drive us forward. We concentrate on products that are highly useful to customers,on the strength of innovation and flexibility,and on outstanding technological positions.

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VESTAMID® L Series (PA 12) _Polyamide 12

VESTAMID® D Series (PA 612) _Polyamide 612

VESTAMID® E Series (PEBA) _Polyamide elastomers

TROGAMID® _ Transparent special polyamides

VESTODUR® (PBT) _ Polybutylene terephthalate

VESTORAN® (PPE) _ Polyphenylene ether

DYFLOR® (PVDF) _ Polyvinylidene fluoride

VESTENAMER® (TOR) _Transpolyoctenamer

VESTOSINT® (PA 12) _PA 12 powder

VESTAMELT® (COPA, COPES) _Copolyamide/copolyester

powders and copolyamide

granules

K & K Composites _Plastic/rubber composites

without adhesion promoters

® = registered trademark of Degussa AG

P R O D U C T

O V E R V I E W


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A U T O M O T I V EDespite the fact that makes of cars are intended and

sometimes conceived for specific regional markets, the

automobile industry has had a global orientation for

years. So has the parts suppliers industry. Whether in

Korea or the USA—manufacturers of fuel lines, for

example, in the most diverse countries face the same

problems. This is why we’ve set up different working

groups, whose members provide our overseas

sales and you, our customers, with an

equally high level of information, no

matter the country.


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EUnder normal conditions, the breakingsystem of a truck is subjected to as much as12.5 bar of pressure. But for safety’s sake, thebrake lines must be able to withstand muchmore. VESTAMID brake lines hold out whetherthey’re used in Siberia at -50° C or in the desertabove 100° C and subjected to permanent UVrays, or whether they’re sharply bent wheninstalled. Approximately 150 meters of VESTAMID tubes of various diameters andwall thicknesses are laid in tractors and trailers:150 meters that have the highest relevance tosafety.

A fuel line should conduct fuel from the tank to the motor, not into the environment.Admittedly, this is a cliché—but one that hasfar-reaching consequences. This is why fuelline systems are subject to strict regulationsand demanding standards. They must resistchemicals and be sealed perfectly so that nofuel penetrates the wall or seeps out onto theconnectors. They must resist cracking or break-ing in cold and heat, and during installation inthe narrowest bending radii. Fuel lines andquick connectors made of VESTAMID meetthese requirements completely. VESTAMID istrusted worldwide by the automobile industry.

But it’s not the only high performance plastic made by Degussa that’s found in cars.VESTODUR, for example, is used to manu-facture the housings of coils. Among theadvantages of this material is that it is so elastic that it can withstand the change between high and low temperatures without tearing. It also retains its shape very well andabsorbs practically no water. And since it isespecially heat-resistant, even spark plugscan’t harm it. VESTORAN, another Degussaplastic, is used to make the secondary coilbody inside the housing.

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The High Performance Polymers Business Unit offers a complete system solutionfor the new communications technology inautomobiles.The growing density of data fromthe increasingly advanced instrumentationintegrated into cars calls for an especiallyeffective data transport solution: optical fibers.Light is better suited than conventional coppercables for transmitting data, because it’s fasterand holds up better against electromagneticdisturbances.This goes for communicationssystems and for motor management, as well asthe transmission of ABS and ESP signals.

For the demands of the automobile industry,an optical fiber made of plastic—a PolymerOptical Fiber (POF)—is protected by a two-layer jacketing system made of modifiedVESTAMID compounds. Because these materials are also suitable for laser welding,the optical connectors can be welded ondirectly. A good value in a complete solutionfrom one source.

The key to all these high-quality productsis the careful research we do to improve ourproducts continuously.Years ago fuel lineswere still one-layer plastic tubes. Today theyare made of several layers in order to satisfycurrent requirements. The adhesion betweenthe individual layers of the tubes is especiallyimportant. This is where we profit decisivelyfrom our knowledge of polymer bonds and byour development work.

For example, we’ve worked out extensive testprocedures to ensure the safe use of our products. Fuel lines must undergo a 5,000-hour durability test. At the end of this test thefuel lines must be just as leak-proof and keeptheir fit as before. The tests are conducted inpermeation test units developed by us atsome expense: Know-how that we pass on tothe end user.

For you, our customers, such testing means ahigh degree of safety.You know that thematerials you get from Degussa are always inline with the specifications of the automobileindustry. The contact between TechnicalMarketing and the automobile manufacturersguarantees this.

Like VESTAMID, VESTORAN is suitable for avery unique application: plastic and rubbercomposites. The manufacturing process forcombining plastic and rubber is accomplishedin one step—and without adhesion promoters—whereby you, the customer, can save up tohalf of the production costs. For example, theautomobile industry conventionally manufac-tures spark plug housings in three parts—onesteel tube and two joint rings. By using a special TROGAMID blend and a fluorocarbonpolymer, the spark plug housings can now bemanufactured automatically in one piece as aplastic-rubber composite. This plastic-rubbercomposite is also used in car door locks and indamping parts in the wheel suspension of cars.

Degussa has also developed a special productfor easier processing of rubber compounds.Because of their raw materials characteristics,rubber compounds are often hard to mix andprocess. The usual processing agents used bythe rubber industry reach their limits here. Butnot VESTENAMER. This polymer processingagent behaves like a plasticizer in the rubbercompound during mixing and processing. Butbecause it’s an elastomer, it’s completely integrated into the network during the final vulcanization of the formed piece of rubberand becomes rubber itself. An ideal solution tothe problem.

Even fuel filters contain Degussa products:The thermoplastic hot-melt VESTAMELT holdsthe filter papers together permanently andanchors them to the filter housing. VESTAMELTalso protects the heating filaments of seatheaters against slipping, even under highstress conditions.

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L A S E R T E C H N O L O G Y

The „e” on a computer keyboard is a sign

of its quality. Statistically, the middle

finger of the left hand hits this letter more

often than any other. In spite of that, the

key should be just as easy to read after

several hundred thousand touches as

when it was new, resisting both cleansers

and hand care products. Because we want

your customers to be satisfied with your

product, we’ve developed special

compounds for just such applications.

When it comes to working with lasers,precision is expected. This is exactly the focusof High Performance Polymers when it manu-factures laser-markable polymer compounds—precision in inscribing computer keys, forexample. In the right color, the desired typeface, permanent, fast, rich in contrast and,above all, abrasion-resistant. Whether it’sArabic, Hebrew, Japanese or Cyrillic—the laserdoesn’t care: The ray of light dances over thekey caps and in ten seconds has inscribed acomplete keyboard according to regionalrequirements.

The characters become visible through a colorchange in the plastic caused by the laser’sprecise heating of the surface. With Degussa’slaser-markable VESTODUR compounds thisreaction happens because of a special additivefor which we’ve owned a patent for years. Thisensures characters with sharp contours that arerich in contrast. At the same time VESTODURprevents the key cap from expanding duringthe marking process. The advantage here:Dirt and dust can’t settle so easily, and the individual characters don’t fade with intense use.

Well-known manufacturers have used laser-markable VESTODUR compounds exclusivelyfor their keyboards. Not least for ecologicalreasons: Unlike many conceivable additivesthat are perhaps not so readily accepted intothe environment or that may even be unhealthy, the additives patented by Degussaare completely harmless. This has been in-dependently confirmed numerous times. It’sno coincidence, then, that an environmentallysafe keyboard is made from VESTODUR.


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Obviously, letters are not the only thing alaser can write. It can also draw the dot matrixof a data matrix code, an application withgreat market potential in the field of electricalengineering. In this process, work pieces aremarked in such a way that a wealth of encodedinformation is deposited onto a surface that’sonly a few square centimeters in size. A specialreading device decodes, as needed, the seem-ingly chaotic jumble of lines and spaces. Themarked parts permanently carry all the infor-mation that the user wants.

Such fraud-proof marks also gain more andmore meaning with other applications, forinstance for protection against brand piratesor for consumer protection. Even ear tags foranimals can be made from laser-markablecompounds.

Such developments can best be realized if wecan understand how the application looks inall its details. This is why we in High Perform-ance Polymers work closely with laser producers.We’ve even procured our own laser to help usfind solutions to technical application problemsand make additional advances. Whether it’sletters, photos, data matrix codes or fraud-proof labels—whatever applications you wantto see developed, you can always trust andrely on our extensive application know-how.

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The application possibilities

of high performance poly-

mers in electrical engineering

are as numerous as the

specifications and licenses

that the user has to deal with.

This is why we in High

Performance Polymers have

relieved you of some of your

work: We’ve compiled an

extensive collection of data

regarding specifications and

characteristics, and prepared

comparison tables that we

update regularly—always

with an eye to your application

and specification problems.

The result is a wealth of

information covering all

relevant areas of electrical

engineering.

E L E C T R I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G

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High voltage normally brings to mind peakcapacity—and peak danger. But you can insulate high voltages with our track-resistantVESTODUR and TROGAMID compounds. Thetrend in electrical engineering is toward smallerand smaller components, like pin-and-socketconnectors, relays or switches. The electricalcontacts are so close in those componentsthat better track-resistant compounds areneeded to achieve the same insulation effect.

New manufacturing technologies like SMD(surface-mounted devices) or 3D MID tech-nology (3D molded interconnected devices)allow many components to be soldered closely together on one circuit board.Temperatures on these boards reach 300° Cfor short periods, so the materials must behighly temperature resistant. With this inmind, we made our VESTODUR compoundscross-linkable without altering VESTODUR’snormal properties. Since these compoundsare also easily plateable—over the entire surface or just part—they are outstanding forcircuit boards, 3D molded interconnecteddevices and shielding for housings. Customerswho use VESTODUR and the new manu-facturing technologies save in three ways.First, VESTODUR compounds replace themore common, expensive plastics with hightemperature stability. Second, less material isneeded. Third, they save installation steps. Forexample, there’s no need for separate built-incircuit boards and plug contacts, since theseare directly integrated in the molded VESTODUR article.

The highest degree of safety is called for whenever electricity is involved. Our high performance plastics fulfill the most stringentrequirements for fire protection, even with

thinner walls. Our non-migrating flameretardants protect metallic contacts againstcorrosion. Relay manufacturers, in particular,prefer our products because they avoid malfunctions. We’ve also developed halogen-free flame retardants for our customers. Theseproducts are used in cable insulation, forexample, where the composition of the gasesis particularly important when there’s a fire.

High picture quality doesn’t just enhance theenjoyment of TV. Because many workplacesare now equipped with monitors, the qualityof the monitors also makes our work easier.Deflection yokes made of VESTAMELT in thepicture tubes prevent convergence problemsand fuzziness. The high heat resistance of thehot-melt precludes deformation of the deflection yokes, even with prolonged use,and guarantees a distortion-free picture.

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S I G N A LE N G I N E E R I N GIt takes years of development work to be

able to offer products that meet the high

standards of quality of VESTODUR and

VESTAMID. You, the customer, profit from

this resultant know-how. In an environ-

ment of continuing advancements, we

want to keep you as well as ourselves at

the cutting edge of technology. For

example, in the area of fiber optic cables,

we work together with the producers of

jellies and machines, offer seminars and

continuing training, and take part in

symposiums and fairs. What’s more, you

get the service from us that you want

and need.


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These days, when someone makes a long-distance call, he might consider the costs orthe quality of the connection, but he almostcertainly never gives a moment’s thought tothe jacketing that covers the glass fibers in thecommunication cable. But it’s exactly thisjacketing that has so much to do with lowcosts and higher quality. It guarantees that thehighly sensitive glass fibers are protectedagainst mechanical stresses, that the fiberscan’t be buckled, and that they can withstandtemperature fluctuations and chemicals.

With its VESTODUR compounds, Degussa AGis the worldwide market leader in optical fiberjacketing. VESTODUR can be processed withextraordinarily high production speed andperfectly meets the stringent profile of requirements for optical fiber jacketing.

Along with the VESTODUR jacketing, jelly isapplied to the fibers during production asadditional protection against moisture.A process with a great deal of experiencebehind it—know-how that was developedtogether with users and machine manu-facturers over a period of years.

The field of telecommunication is developingwith breathtaking speed. This has been madepossible only through the constant evolutionof cable construction. For Degussa, this meansconstantly confronting new challenges.Whether it’s a question of dimensional stability,viscosity, chemical resistance or degradationbehavior, we try to make everything better. Forthis reason, we are continually supplementingor replacing proven VESTODUR compoundswith new materials that have even better properties.

Despite the meteoric market growth in thefield of optical fibers, great quantities of coppercores are still used worldwide for communi-cations and energy cables. And they, too, musthave jacketing. VESTAMID and VESTODURhave a proven record here as well in specialapplications. But the cores themselves are notthe only part of the cable that’s protectedwith these high-performance plastics. Eventhe cable’s outer jacket is made of VESTAMIDfor protection against termites and rodents.


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We in the High Performance Polymers Business Unit of Degussa AG not only sell high

performance polymers. It is just as important to us to offer comprehensive service to

you, our customers. When your products are successful, we’ve reached our goal.

We secure our market leadership in a number of fields with our mutual innovations.

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Some things are so obvious that you hardlythink about them. For example, that wateralways comes out of the pipe with the samepressure. People would think about it only if itdidn’t happen that way. The fact that you don’thave to think about it, though, is in large partthanks to TROGAMID. Filter bowls, found inalmost every house installation, are made fromTROGAMID. The filter unit is needed to keeppipe sediment—resulting from corrosion, forinstance—and impurities, which could alsodamage the pipe over time, out of the drinkingwater. Combined with a pressure reducer, whichreduces the water pressure downstream fromthe waterworks to the desired pipe pressure,the filter ensures constant water pressure andefficient use of water.

Naturally, the filter bowl must also be perma-nently transparent so that the filter elementcan be visually controlled at any time. Thematerial must also be completely innocuous,since it constantly comes into contact withdrinking water, our most important foodstuff.TROGAMID meets these standards. Filter bowlsmade of TROGAMID are technically state-of-the-art.They have been inspected under theregulations of the Deutsche Vereinigung desGas- und Wasserfaches (German Associationof Gas and Water) and were awarded with itsinspection seal.

The list of TROGAMID’s fields of applicationis long. No wonder:This polyamide compoundis suitable for just about everything from viewing ports on electronic appliances or lightbarriers, to transparent housing parts, to con-tainers for adhesives, greases or cosmetics.Of course, TROGAMID can also be colored anycolor, for example for joint rings of miniaturebatteries.

New application possibilities are alwaysbeing added, so our researchers and appli-cation engineers are continuously developingthe material family. In addition to the proven products of the T-line, completely new members of the family, the C-line materials,have been developed.

Products in the TROGAMID C line are distinguished by a stress cracking resistancesuperior to that of all other transparent materials. Combined with its excellent trans-parency, high impact strength and good weathering resistance, this material is toughenough to be used in light covers at gaspumps of service stations.

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No question: When human lives are

involved, high performance plastics

must not only demonstrate excellent

properties, they must meet very special,

prescribed standards. Innovative

research, modern production technology,

and validated testing methods guarantee

that our products meet these standards.

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It’s no coincidence, then, that TROGAMID istrusted in the area of medical technology, forexample for the production of infusion equip-ment. The material must resist a number ofchemicals and also ensure perfect functionunder extreme stress—there is no telling whatthe consequences of failure would be.TROGAMID is, of course, inert, so it doesn’t contaminate the medical solutions throughreleased material. We’ve made sure of thisthrough tests that follow the rigorous require-ments of the United States Pharmacopeia(USP). The result: TROGAMID compounds usedin the area of medical technology meet thehighest standards in existence for these applications.

TROGAMID also plays an important role in the development and analysis of new types of medicines: The most diverse laboratoryarticles—from needle covers to connectors to housings and viewing ports for medicalequipment—are produced from this trans-parent material.

But non-transparent polyamides like VESTAMID are also used in medical technology.For example, the material that goes intomaking catheters must be especially resistantto the chemicals of the medicines. At thesame time, VESTAMID is compatible withbody fluids, so it doesn’t trigger a defensivereaction in the body. It also causes no skin ortissue irritation.

Beyond these characteristics, the handling of the finished catheter should satisfy certainrequirements: It must be easy to direct, butshouldn’t buckle. This calls not only for formstability, but a high degree of flexibility andbendability—characteristics that make VESTAMID the material of choice so that theapplication of the catheter is as gentle andpain-free for the patient as possible.


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When it comes to getting ahead,

it isn’t just professionals who

rely on a very particular high-

tech material. Atmosphere and

feeling also play a role when the

sports world becomes more and

more colorful. Above all, the

brands should be visible from

far away and unmistakable in

design. High performance

VESTAMID and TROGAMID com-

pounds are there to make high-

tech and beautiful decoration

possible. They win in icy cold on

the ski-run or in the heated

struggle for goals—thus proving

their fitness for applications in

other industries where the

going perhaps isn’t so tough.

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Sports articles must be able to stand up toextreme conditions, especially those involvedwith winter sports. The cold calls for not onlyhigh mechanical flexibility, but also de-icingsprays, waxes, cleansers or thawing salt toenhance the surfaces of skis and snowboards.VESTAMID compounds show themselves totheir best advantage in these articles. In a filmthat withstands the cold and chemicals, forinstance. As an outer coating, it completelylocks with the sports article and protects thedecoration and delicate inner material fromscratches and damage from pointed ski sticksand polished edges. In addition to that, thedecoration—often the name brand of themanufacturer of the article—shines in perma-nent brilliance because of the new procedureused to imprint the transparent VESTAMIDfilm during production of the sports article.

In the sublimation process the decorations are first printed on special photographic paper.When the paper is pressed onto the VESTAMIDfilm at approximately 150° C, the color pigmentsdiffuse into the plastic.The paper is then pulledoff and the film with the decoration is trans-ferred down onto the snowboard or ski. Thearticle is now effectively protected against alloutside influences. Knifing, priming and pro-tective varnishes are unnecessary. Thus, thefilm kills two birds with one stone: 80% of itsfunction is protection of the surface, 20% ismaking it look good.

No wonder that VESTAMID decorative filmshave moved into other disciplines. Their protective characteristics are all-important forskis and snowboards. In the manufacturing oftennis rackets, the most important function,aside from strength, is the procedure for thedecoration—an advantage that pays.

Reliability and safety also play importantroles in sports activities.This is why many snow-board manufacturers rely on inspection windows made of TROGAMID for snowboardbindings. The reason: No other transparentmaterial is so scratch resistant, impact resistant,rigid and chemical resistant.

VESTAMID elastomers are also used for shoes. The entire shell and tongue of ski and snowboardshoes are made of VESTAMID, making theshoes considerably lighter than those madewith other materials. This has distinct advan-tages for the cross-country skier, for example.Also, the characteristics of the shoes will notchange in extreme cold.

We frequently offer a complete system solution or develop one for our customers.For example, the soles of soccer shoes aremade of VESTAMID elastomers, making theshoe lightweight. It moves with the athletebut always retains its original shape. The carriers for cleats, on the other hand, are madefrom VESTAMID reinforced with glass fibers.These compounds are rigid enough to anchorcleats strongly in the sole, and tough enoughnot to break during the winning goal.A successful combination of elasticity andextreme resistance.

Your requirements as the customer determinethe direction in which we develop our plastics.Whether it’s a tough bicycle-racing shoe whoseglass fiber reinforced sole can easily be usedto drive a nail into the wall, tennis shoes withviewing ports on built-in shock absorbers orsprinting shoes whose weight can only becompared with ballet shoes. Whether films for extravagant decoration, for improving functionality, for optimal protection or in-moldlamination by injection for easier and innovativeproduction of a molded article. We developthe right compound for you and find the solution for your application—working withyou, if possible.

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In our society good clothing is essential,whether on the job or off. But we rarely considerwhat a piece of clothing has to endure in itslife. Jackets and suits are subjected to hardwear every day, whether during long car journeys or in the pouring rain. They are alsowashed, ironed, steamed and dry-cleaned.

And clothes should always retain their shape.This is ensured by VESTAMELT hot-melt adhesives, which are used invisibly as inter-linings and to reinforce the material of suits,blouses or coats without affecting the textilecharacter of the garment.

High performance adhesive bonds that resistheat well, with excellent resistance to deter-gents and cleansers are practical for the mostdiverse industries.The palette of technicalapplications extends from the securing ofheating coils between non-woven inserts inautomobiles to the connection of the glasspanes in insulated glass windows, to use inacoustic ceilings and the bonding together ofaluminum plates for lightweight constructionmaterials, for example, for building cars.

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Who hasn’t looked at a blackened, rustingshopping cart at some point and wondered,„Is this really the state of the art?”

It certainly isn’t. A 300-micrometer-thick layerwith corrosion resistance and wear-resistantfluidized-bed coating, VESTOSINT protects thesteel against the weather. The coating is notonly easy to clean and thus especially hygienic,it can also be a marketing strategy in thehouse colors of the retailer. Coatings madefrom the Polyamide 12 powder VESTOSINThave proven themselves for years in the washing baskets of dishwashing machines.

As a fine powder, VESTOSINT is added tocold- and hot-curing structural coatings alike.This ensures that the coating itself doesn’tcrack with bumps or knocks.The coating isespecially elastic, resistant to bending and veryabrasion resistant. These are characteristicsthat, for example, ensure that painted rollershutters look good for years. VESTOSINTenhances this through a uniformly fine structural surface and satin luster.

It’s no wonder, then, that the fine powder isalso in demand in the cosmetics industry. Inface powders, lipsticks, creams or deodorants

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they are carriers for perfume substances, vitamins, UV filters or pigments. They prevent sweating,absorb sweat and oil on the skin, and decreaseshine. And thanks to VESTOSINT’s round-shapedparticles, it not only looks good, it feels good.

Looking good and seeing well go hand-in-hand when fashion designers and eyeweardesigners discover TROGAMID for their products. These resins are transparent and inherently neutral in color. This gives designersthe freedom to follow modern trends in transparent as well as brilliantly colored frames.The mechanical characteristics of framesmanufactured from TROGAMID are excellent.They are exceedingly robust yet flexible andadaptable.

Thanks to these kinds of advantages, glassescan be constructed with TROGAMID that untilnow could only be made with titanium alloys.There are more possibilities than ever for thedesigner, whether for sunglasses and sportsglasses or for other optical applications,especially for children’s glasses. Skin irritationsby the material are practically eliminated—TROGAMID is even used in the field of medicaltechnology.

Because of its good optical characteristicsand high resistance to chemicals, TROGAMIDis also excellent for manufacturing lenses forsports and sunglasses.


Our high performance polymers are onlythe end of a chain of value-added activitiesthat begins with the dimerization and trimerization of butadiene.

Degussa is the only company worldwidethat markets the entire palette of the secondary products based on butadiene.

For this we can rely on our 30 years’experience—and the know-how that comesfrom it.

The industry uses the monomers we producein the manufacture of flame retardants, per-fumes, agricultural chemicals and surfactants,as well as intermediates for the pharma-ceuticals and paint industries.

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The success of a company means morethan a good operating result. It is also all about quality and the highest standards for safetyand environmental protection.

The High Performance Polymers BusinessUnit, together with the entire Marl site, wasvalidated in 1997 under the EU Eco-Audit(EMAS) regulations. It was also certified accord-ing to ISO 14001 for several other activities at the end of 2000. The management system

—certified to DIN EN ISO 9001 since 1992—is constantly being optimized. The positive resonance among our customers is palpable.Nearly all rated our services and the manage-ment system in the highest category. We arealso proud that since April 2000 our activitieswith most products have been certified under the particularly prestigious standards of QS 9000 of the US automobile industry.

Such performance cannot simply be made to order. It can be achieved only when allemployees work together for one goal. This iswhy we have it anchored in our guidelinesthat the standards for quality and occupationalsafety and for environmental protection arealways at the center of everything we do. Forus, economy, environmental protection, safetyand quality are equal goals in all businessactivities. The key word is responsibility.Responsibility for people, the environmentand for the shareholders in the spirit ofResponsible Care. Responsibility that eachindividual accepts as part of his work. He fulfillsthis responsibility with professional com-petence, creativity and a talent for innovation.

We regard our customers, suppliers and service providers as partners. We measure oursuccess by how well we meet our customers’demands. Our management system helps usin the ongoing improvement of our servicesfor your benefit.

Q U A L I T Y A N DT H E E N V I R O N M E N T

Some products and

processes are occasionally

also assessed from very

specific points of view. The

production of cyclodode-

canone has been approved

by the North Rhine regional

rabbi. The basic question

was whether the substance

is kosher. The answer is a

resounding Yes. A certificate

confirms that cyclodode-

canone or appropriately

produced secondary

products are allowed to

come into contact with

kosher food.

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■ Materials consultation

■ Supplying test material

■ Intensive project consultation

■ Individual compounds, concepts and advancements

■ Tool design (CAD, CAE)

■ Assistance with construction and processing technology

■ Analyses and tests

■ Assistance with measuring methods (for example, for quality control)

■ Standardization and licensing

■ Determining appropriate machine or parts suppliers

■ Recycling consultation

■ Safety issues

S E R V I C E

SE

RV

IC

E

26


SE

RV

IC

E

Want to turn an innovation into a reality?

We are with you right from the start!

Finding the right material, assisting you

with mold design, quality ensured

production, assisting you with implemen-

tation. Worldwide. With comprehensive

know-how. Talk to us!

S Y S T E M S O L U T I O N SF R O M P L A N N I N G

T O S E R I E S M A T U R I T Y

27


Degussa AGHigh Performance Polymers45764 MARL . GERMANYTel. +49 (0)2365/49-9878Fax +49 (0)2365/49-5992www.degussa-hpp.com 01

/re/

2.00

0/e


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