Material and processing behaviour of thermoplastics filled with low melting metals

Abstract

Polymer blends filled with solid fillers such as metal fibres or carbon black can no longer fulfil the increasing demands on electrical and thermal conductivity. High levels of hard fillers increase the melt viscosity unacceptably, causing a minimised process window, high mechanical stresses on the polymer as well as an increased abrasion on both mould and machinery. The high electrical conductivity required for connectors, moulded interconnect devices or sensors can be achieved by a novel material developed by IKV, Aachen, and Siemens AG, Erlangen/Germany. It combines fibre filled polymer blends with low melting metal alloys. These alloys have the advantage of being already molten during processing and of not solidifying before the cooling phase. The result is a free flowing material that allows the injection moulding of complex geometries. A passage conductivity of the moulded parts in the range of pure metals can be achieved.