Milliken & Co. will introduce its latest extreme performance colorants for advanced engineering polymers at this year’s K 2022 trade fair. Resist, a spectrum of bright, high-performance colorants for engineering plastics, debuted at the previous iteration of the show in 2019 and the addition of Resist XTR 9798 takes performance to the next level, said the company.

Resist XTR 9798 is a high chromatic orange designed specifically to meet the extreme colorants performance required for demanding applications such as high-voltage battery connectors in electric vehicles (EVs). From a safety perspective, such color-coding is important for clearly identifying these parts.

Customers can formulate the desired RAL 2003 shade using Resist XTR Orange 9798 with multiple high-performance polymers, including polyamide 6, polyamide 66, polyamide 46, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyphthalamide (PPA), and polysulfone (PSU), among others to meet RAL 2003 requirements for multiple polymers and applications.

Resist XTR Orange 9798 is compatible with other performance additives and fillers such as glass fibers and beads, halogen-based as well as halogen-free flame retardants, and both short- and long-term heat stabilizers.

This latest grade meets the color and performance requirements of both short- and long-term thermal stability tests such as 1,000 hours at 120°C. Resist XTR 9798 delivers a consistent, stable chromatic orange color in engineering thermoplastics at lower loadings. This colorant also displays improved weather resistance and excellent lightfastness under UV exposure.

Polyamide resins and other high-heat engineering polymers present unique challenges in the world of plastics. As the materials of choice in demanding electrical, automotive, and industrial applications, these resins are subject to high-temperature processing and require steady, reliable performance properties, making vibrancy of color difficult to achieve.

Resist XTR 9798 offers thermal stability up to 300°C or more, maintains the polymer’s electrical properties, and offers reliable availability thanks to Milliken’s proven supply chain.

“Milliken is committed to developing high-performance colorants for extremely demanding applications, such as the RAL 2003 shade for EVs,” said Sami T.K. Palanisami, Senior Global Marketing & Sales Manager for Non-Polyolefin Colorants & Additives. “While we have started with a brilliant orange for Resist XTR, we have plans to offer the grade in other colors, as well, such as yellow, red, blue, and green.”

K Show visitors can learn more about Resist XTR and other developments at Milliken, including viscosity modifiers designed to specifically help PP recyclers and performance additives for PP that deliver an improved balance in properties between stiffness and impact resistance, at booth A27 in hall 6.