ENHANCING THE CHEMICAL RESISTANCE OF PLASTICS
Chemical resistance provides significant advantages for plastics, allowing end products to withstand harsh environmental conditions, disinfection and cleaning. Inadequate chemical resistance will reveal itself through material cracking, swelling, softening, discoloration and shortened service life. Americhem utilizes the inherent properties in polymers to create customized blends that bring about a desired balance of properties, including the enhanced chemical resistance of plastics. Our polymer blending expertise allows us to develop high-performance compounds like our Sevrene® thermoplastic elastomers and Surlyn Reflection Series® alloys, helping our customers achieve unmatched aesthetics and weatherability for long-lasting performance. From high impact and scratch resistance to excellent moldability, Americhem can tailor its chemical-resistant plastic solutions to meet a variety of dimensional and mechanical property requirements at the right overall cost.
Want to explore all the ways Americhem can improve the chemical resistance of your product?
Our material experts can develop a custom-blended package that enhances multiple polymer properties. Reach out to connect with one of our team members today.
INNOVATIVE POLYMER BLEND TECHNOLOGY THAT EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
Perhaps you need an engineered compound that fulfills specific fire performance requirements? Or maybe the materials used must also have good thermal and electrical conductivity? Our material science experts carefully examine every application’s criterion to create customized products that bring the best attributes of different polymers together. Americhem is a true resin agnostic company with advanced technologies that work with virtually every type of polymer. By choosing the correct base resin and introducing fillers such as glass or carbon, color additives and other pigments, our custom formulations ensure proper structural, flame-retardant, UV-resistant, lubrication, thermal and conductivity specifications are achieved.
HELPING BRING NEW PRODUCTS TO MARKET, EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY
Americhem supports our global customers’ chemical-resistant material needs in the healthcare, travel, hospitality, automotive, aerospace, marine, military/defense, semiconductor, electroplating, photovoltaic/solar, clean room, pharmaceutical, metallurgical, additive manufacturing, agriculture, and oil and gas industries. From UL ratings to ISO 10993 and USP certification, our development team offers a standardized approach toward testing and meeting regulatory agencies’ performance and quality requirements to ensure your finished product is safe and compliant. Americhem’s regulatory consultants have extensive knowledge about industry rules and procedures, including restricted substances, emission standards and packaging regulations. We can assist with the testing services and documentation you need to get your finished product to market in an efficient manner.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN EVALUATING CHEMICAL-RESISTANT POLYMERS
With the chemical properties of plastic varying significantly, chemical resistance is influenced by the polymer used for a particular application and the chemicals used within that application. At Americhem, we consider every factor when evaluating which polymers, fillers or additives will yield the optimal safety, quality and performance results. Besides the concentration of chemicals, our team looks closely at the mechanical stress, sunlight/outdoor exposure, flammability risk, electrical conductivity, operating temperature, wash cycles and disinfecting procedures that the final product will need to endure. Having a complete understanding of the product’s geometries, including its wall thickness, and knowing whether water wicking properties are required helps us further determine a suitable chemistry composition.
UNMATCHED PROTECTION AGAINST THE HARSHEST CHEMICAL MEDIA
Americhem’s acid checmical-resistant materials protect against chromic, hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, phosphoric and sulphuric acids. Other types of chemical media that Americhem can develop chemical resistance materials for include bleach, calcium chloride, chlorine/chlorinated water, hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, salt water, phenol, isopropyl alcohol (70%), glutaraldehyde, glucoprotamin, DET, quaternary compounds, jet fuel, gasoline, oils and lubricants. If you would like to verify the chemical resistance of our materials for your product or application, know that Americhem performs testing on an individual basis to confirm material behavior under the harshest anticipated conditions.