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Modified polyphenylene ether resins for connectors and junction boxes 540Z・644Z・PV40Z・PV41Z
What is XYRON™?
Asahi Kasei’s XYRON™ materials are polymer alloys combining polyphenylene ether (PPE) with other resins. The XYRON™ family, which Asahi Kasei has been producing since 1979, boasts an extensive track record—occupying a key role in the history of engineering plastics—and today encompasses a full-fledged line-up of polymer alloys.
XYRON™ materials offer multiple excellent physical properties. In addition to their outstanding heat resistance, they boast flame retardance, electrical insulation property, good dimensional stability, and hydrolysis resistance, as well as low specific gravity. These polymer alloys combine the advantages of PPE with the specialized properties of various other plastics to yield unique functional properties.
Outstanding properties of XYRON™ resins
- Weather resistance
XYRON™ modified PPE resins offer excellent weather resistance and are suitable for use in the harsh environments in which solar-power generators operate.
To demonstrate this, Asahi Kasei conducted exposure tests designed to mimic the operating environment faced by components of solar-power generators. In these tests, samples of various functional materials were installed at an outdoor test site in Okinawa, Japan, and held there for a period of 10 years beginning in 2011. Post-exposure tests confirmed that XYRON™ resins exhibited no catastrophic decrease in strength.
- Ammonia resistance property
XYRON™ modified PPE resins also feature excellent ammonia resistance property. The importance of this property stems from the fact that solar panels are often installed on land previously used as farmland or pasture, and must therefore be capable of operating in contact with ammonia originating from livestock. Tests conducted by Asahi Kasei confirmed that XYRON™ materials exhibit essentially no degradation after immersion in an aqueous solution of ammonia, and these materials can thus be used for solar-power generators installed on farmland and other places.
Asahi Kasei’s Recommendations: XYRON™ grades for junction boxes
- Solar cell junction box
For junction boxes in solar-power generators, Asahi Kasei recommends the 540Z, 644Z, and PV41Z grades of our XYRON™ modified PPE resins. These materials offer high tracking resistance, high hydrolysis resistance, high acid and alkali resistance, good mechanical properties in high-temperature, high-humidity environments, and good dimensional stability.
- Asahi Kasei’s Recommendations: XYRON™ grades for connectors
For connectors in solar-power generators, Asahi Kasei recommends the PV40Z grade of our XYRON™ modified PPE resins. This material offers a good balance of tracking resistance and cold-impact resistance and is well-suited to the design of miniature high-voltage connectors.
In addition, this material offers high hydrolysis resistance, high ammonia resistance, and no dramatic degradation in physical properties even when used in high-temperature, high-humidity environments. The outstanding electrical properties and tracking resistance of XYRON™ resin have also earned this material a role in high-voltage solar-power generation systems. The use of plastics with outstanding tracking resistance for high-voltage systems allows miniaturization of products and helps to reduce resource usage. The low specific gravity of these materials also reduces CO2 emissions during shipping.
For these reasons, Asahi Kasei has solicited advice from third-party institutions regarding viewpoints and computation methods to assess environmental impact from the standpoint of life-cycle analysis (LCA), and has received internal certification as environmental contribution products.
XYRON™ modified PPE resins have also been used for inverters and other similar components in product development.