Lanxess polymers for the two wheeler industry.

By the year 2016-17 the Indian two-wheeler industry is expected to reach a size of 22-23 million units spurred by a volume CAGR of 8 to 9pc, says a report published by ICRA in 2013. Global technology leader Lanxess hopes to tap this market with its specialty elastomers that offer the opportunity to replace conventional elastomers in two-wheelers with products that can ensure high performance.

Specialty elastomers from Lanxess include Therban, Perbunan, Krynac and Baymod. These offer excellent properties for performance applications in a two-wheeler. Perbunan and Krynac represent a series of oil-resistant acrylonitrile-butadiene rubbers (NBR). Both product ranges consist of several grades ranging between 18pc to 49pc acrylonitrile content (ACN). The ACN content primarily influences and improves the resistance to swelling, oils, greases and fuels.

Nitrile Rubber is used for making carburetor gaskets, leakage-free seals in shock absorbers, vibration dampers and hoses. Therban HNBR (Nitrile Rubber) is the original high-performance elastomer from Lanxess. It has great resistance to heat, weather, aggressive fluids such as oils, fuels, and other non-polar liquids. The different Therban grades perform efficiently under extreme environment.

Therban is best suited for making clutch damper, fuel tubes, engine head gasket, fuel tank and gauge gasket, crankcase O-ring, seals, timing belts and hoses among others.

The Baymod N product range consists of specialty powdered Nitrile rubber (NBR), which has proved to be an effective binder to phenolic resins with improved flexibility, anti-fading and noise reduction in friction materials. Baymod provides safety and reliability in brake and clutch lining technology and encapsulates abrasive powders and decreases the wear and tear of the metal rotor for brake grades.

Lanxess also offers all grades of EPDM rubber under the brand name Keltan. The Keltan portfolio consists of a broad range of global grades with diverse properties that offer freedom in recipe formulations, product design and processing windows.

Source: Lanxess.