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SILICONE SURFACTANTS OFFER APPLIANCES IMPROVED ENERGY EFFICIENCY
04 August 2004 - GE Advanced Materials
| GE Advanced Materials has a new family of silicone surfactants for hydrocarbon (HC) blown foam insulation used in the appliance industry. |
Niax Silicone L-6884 and Niax Silicone L-6988 silicone surfactants represent a breakthrough in the manufacture of rigid polyurethane foam systems based on hydrocarbon (HC) blowing agents. The new products not only improve the solubility of hydrocarbon into the polyurethane system for a stable mix, but also enable formation of very fine foam cells for superior insulating properties. By implementing Niax silicone surfactants, manufacturers of refrigerators, freezers, and coolers can improve the energy efficiency of their appliances for greater consumer appeal. The global industry has widely adopted rigid polyurethane foam systems based on HC blowing agents. While these blowing agents offer good performance, they also have historically had the significant disadvantage of limited solubility into the raw material blend, which causes pentane phase separation and loss of the homogeneity of the mix. GE’s Niax silicone surfactants, however, provide improved HC solubility, resulting in a clear and stable system that reduces the issue of pentane separation. Further, the new products expand the range of polyols that can be used in formulated systems. A second and equally important benefit of Niax surfactants is their ability to produce extremely fine foam cells with reduced void formation and superior thermal insulating properties. Better insulation of refrigerated contents means lower energy consumption and a more efficient appliance – which is especially important to today’s cost-conscious purchasers. Niax surfactants also offer potential for application areas such as water heaters, pipes, and insulating panels. NIAX Silicone L-6884 silicone surfactant provides compatibility with pentanes and other hydrophilic polyol compositions, avoiding haziness and phase separation. It produces extremely fine cells and delivers good foam flow, even density distribution, and low void formation. Niax Silicone L-6988 is a very efficient surfactant that provides uniform, low thermal conductivity in hydrocarbon blown-foam cabinets. “As the industry continues efforts to reduce emission and fuel costs continue to rise sharply, there is an increasing focus on energy efficiency across the board,” said Alberto Melle, global marketing manager, Urethane Additives, GE Advanced Materials. “Consumers are looking for products – especially major appliances – that deliver measurable cost savings through operating efficiency. By using GE Advanced Materials’ NIAX silicone surfactants in their insulating foam systems, manufacturers can lower the energy requirements of their appliances to address this consumer demand. At the same time, they can optimise the production of rigid foam insulation for an improved end result.”
http://www.ge.com
About: GE Advanced Materials
GE Advanced Materials is a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicone-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. Among its businesses are:• Silicones, which includes GE Toshiba Silicones in the Pacific region and GE Bayer Silicones in Europe, offers silanes, specialty silicones, urethane additives, adhesives, sealants, resins, and elastomers for a variety of industries such as personal care, automotive, tire and rubber, construction, healthcare, electronics, household and institutional, agriculture, textiles, appliances, bedding and furnishings, foam control, and consumer (http://www.gesilicones.com/gesilicones/am1/en/home.jsp); • Plastics is a global plastics materials supplier and distributor, which serves customers in a variety of industries including aerospace, appliances, automotive, building and construction, data storage and optical media, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications, computers and peripheral devices, outdoor vehicles and devices, and packaging (http://www.geplastics.com/); • Quartz produces high purity materials for the semiconductor, fiber optic, lamp making and water purification industries. GE Quartz is a leading supplier of quartz materials to the semiconductor industry (http://www.gequartz.com/en/index.htm); Established in 1968, GE Advanced Materials’ Specialty Film & Sheet business is a leading supplier of high-performance engineering film and sheet products to the United States, Europe, Africa, India, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and operates a worldwide network of sales, research, manufacturing and technical services facilities. Today, GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet employs about 600 people, and manufactures engineering sheet and film products at 12 facilities in 9 countries worldwide. Recent investments:
• 2003 New Roofing Structures Line in Italy, Europe
• 2003 New Coating Lines in China & Malaysia, Pacific
• 2002 Acquisition of Plastech, China
• 2001 New Film Lines in USA and Europe
• 2001 Acquisition of Carboron, Malaysia
• 2000 Acquisition of Matraplast, Canada
• 2000 Acquisition of Nim Plastics, USA Products:
GE Advanced Materials offers a variety of film materials are to meet different type of applications such as graphic film, coated products, electrical & electronic products, and specialties. The key film materials available today include:
• Lexan* Polycarbonate film
• Ultem* film
• Lexan* SLX film
• Valox* film
• Lexan* Illuminex* film GE Advanced Materials’ sheet product line includes a wide range of structures from solid sheet, multi-wall sheet and corrugated sheet through to coated sheet and laminates and combinations of each of these. The key sheet materials available today include:
• Lexan* Polycarbonate sheet
• Lexan* Solar Control IR sheet
• Margard* coated sheet
• Lexgard* laminated sheet
• Ultem* sheet
• Lexan EXL* sheet GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet, serves customers in a variety of industries including aircraft, appliances, automotive, building and construction, business machines, electrical & lighting, furnishing, greenhouse, industrial roofing, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications and packaging. In January 2004, in line with GE Corporate’ new brand architecture, GE Advanced Materials has announced the change of GE Structured Products business naming to GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet. |
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