At this year’s JEC World Paris event, Henkel showcased its growing Loctite MAX resin portfolio designed for automotive applications where high temperatures resistance, toughness and clarity are required. Mike Richardson reports.
As you stroll around the JEC World Paris aisles, you can be guaranteed to see great companies showcasing great exhibits all within the confines of a great show. Add to this list, great hair too. As I mount the Henkel exhibition stand, Konrad Brimo Hayek, Henkel’s senior business development manager, chassis & electronic systems, is sporting a magnificently coiffured hairstyle that is almost as elegant as the products he’s promoting at this year’s event.
As one of the leaders in the field of polyurethane-based resin systems, Henkel is expanding its Loctite MAX polyurethane (PU) matrix resins portfolio by a family of high-performance materials based on epoxy. This resin portfolio is targeting the market of demanding automotive composite high temperature applications, such as wheels. And it’s here where the company’s Loctite MAX5 NextGen exhibits exceptional clarity for a rich carbon look, whilst its upcoming Loctite MAX6 combines ultra-high heat resistance with unique toughness.
In a nutshell, Henkel used JEC World to highlight the latest developments of its Loctite MAX PU and epoxy matrix resins technology, addressing the continuing need for both lightweighting and cost-effective as well as higher-performing composite solutions for the automotive industry.
Major benefits proven in several existing Loctite MAX series applications include rapid mould filling, thorough fibre impregnation and fast curing rates. In contrast to comparable aluminium designs, composite wheels moulded with Loctite MAX matrix resins can cut the weight of automotive wheels by as much as 30-50% per unit.
It’s a trend that is particularly evident in the segment of wheels, where, besides Loctite MAX5, the new Loctite MAX5 NextGen and MAX6 resin systems can make a significant contribution to weight-savings, enhanced productivity and customisation of parts showing superior thermal, mechanical and visual properties.
Getting the wheels in motion
Henkel’s Loctite MAX5 recently helped thyssenkrupp Carbon Components pioneer a new generation of ultra-light braided carbon motorcycle wheels. The matrix resin provides short mould filling times, as well as fast curing. Each set of these composite wheels can save up to 1.8kg of rotating mass vs. conventional forged aluminium designs. This translates into significant benefits in bike handling and fuel efficiency.
The wheels were developed in close collaboration with Henkel to optimise the manufacturing process and meet the extremely tight tolerances specified by the manufacturer. They have already received road clearance by the Federal German Motor Transport Authority for use on various different machine models.
“We have been focusing our efforts in this area on several key challenges especially in the market of high-performance composite and hybrid wheels,” Brimo Hayek begins. “Apart from helping OEMs and tier 1 suppliers reduce weight on modern vehicles and motorbikes, we identified a growing need for composite wheel materials that would also provide higher heat resistance and toughness while satisfying demands of greater production volumes and customised surface aspect.”
Wheels manufactured in series production using Loctite MAX5 matrix resin systems were on display at the Henkel JEC stand.
“At this year’s show we have the BMW motorbike wheels on display. Targeted at slightly higher volumes than Loctite MAX5, Loctite MAX5 NextGen is suitable for high temperature applications, such as wheels and particularly hybrid wheels. There is an increasing demand for the centrepiece (hub) of the wheel to be made from aluminium and the surrounding wheel is made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. This in turn requires slightly different performance characteristics, such as faster curing times.”
Henkel’s Loctite MAX matrix resin systems on display included two new grades with distinct added-value characteristics. The first is Loctite MAX5 NextGen, a two-component epoxy-based formulation building on the proven MAX5, and which offers a Tg of >200°C and a toughness value of K1C >1.1 for high-temperature applications with outstanding mechanical integrity. In addition, the next-generation material also provides exceptional clarity for a rich carbon look. Henkel says Loctite MAX5 NextGen can be processed using all common liquid moulding techniques, including high-pressure resin transfer moulding (HP-RTM) for higher volume production rates.
The second is Loctite MAX6. Designed to meet even higher performance requirements in terms of heat resistance and toughness, it offers a superior Tg of >270°C and a K1C of >1.0 for components operating at ultra-high service temperatures. Both resins are mainly targeting the OEM and tier 1 composite wheel market, as well as the consumer segment of after-market wheels and are globally available for testing.
Brimo Hayek believes that Henkel’s long experience in dealing with polyurethane matrix resins helped it to secure the motorbike wheel contract with thyssenkrupp Carbon Components.
“We were able to build a good working partnership with thyssenkrupp Carbon Components because we have a resin product which, in combination with the temperature resistance, toughness and resin clarity and colour, is something that no-one else can offer in the market,” he concludes. “For certain volumes, it may not always be the right resin, and in others it is perhaps too sophisticated and over-engineered for certain applications. The differences between Loctite MAX5 and MAX5 NextGen may look very small and specific, but it’s these small and specific things that provide the greatest impact in terms of performance, cost and reliability.
“This is why we really strive to understand exactly what the customer needs and how we go about customising our offerings based on the customers’ varying needs. Loctite MAX6 has even higher temperature resistance than that MAX5 and is therefore used in dedicated applications that are exposed to very high temperatures. Henkel has taken the conscious steps to ensure its product portfolio covers all the different requirements from the ground upwards.”
