Hydrolysis Resistant PBT Help Connectors Withstand Hot, Humid Environments in Cars and Other Vehicles

Florence, Ky.; Kelsterbach, Germany, April 17, 2007 – FCI, a leading developer of connectors and interconnect systems, has chosen a hydrolysis resistant grade of Celanex® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) for its Apex® 150 1.5 mm connector line. This resin, Celanex® PBT 3309HR, which is made by Ticona, the engineering polymers business of Celanese Corporation, was selected for its ability to withstand moisture and retain its dimensions at elevated temperatures in automotive and other applications.

The Apex®150 line includes 10-, 14- and 16-way electrical connectors for 12-volt systems. They are a miniaturized connector based on the 1.50 mm ISO blade-type terminal specification for use in autos, as well as in construction, agricultural, marine and commercial vehicles. Typical automotive applications include seat connections, the main body harness, and underhood connections. “Apex 150 connectors give carmakers and other manufacturers an essential component for today’s compact installations,” said Edmond deChazal, marketing director at FCI. “In developing this connector line, we evaluated a variety of PBTs and found that hydrolysis-resistant Celanex gave us the best combination of cost, processing and long-term performance in vehicle environments.”

Celanex 3309HR has better retention of elongation at break, tensile strength and other mechanical properties than standard PBT in hot, humid environments. Testing of Celanex 3309HR under USCAR Class III exposure conditions shows 100 percent tensile strength retention and 85 percent tensile elongation retention after cycling 40 times between -40 and 125 °C. In an extended-use test, Celanex 3309HR retained 90 percent of its tensile strength after 1000 hours at 85 °C and 85 percent RH. The PBT also has good dimensional stability and low water absorption

“Celanex PBT helped us create a rugged, 1.50-mm terminal interconnect to provide excellent electrical performance for vehicle service lives of 150,000 miles or 15 years,” said Jeff Bruett, FCI’s purchasing manager. “In addition to their ability to meet the demands of applications where moisture may be present, these connectors were also designed to withstand rough treatment during assembly and ongoing vibration in the auto environment.”

APEX 150 connectors were also designed to make installation easier. They come pre-assembled so only the terminated wires need to be installed. In addition, mating the connectors at the vehicle assembly plant requires about 30 percent less mating effort with standard tin terminals than is required in USCAR specifications.

About FCI
FCI has it corporate headquarters in France and the North American headquarters of its Automotive Division in Novi, Mich. The company has operations in 30 countries and 13,500 employees. It had global sales of 1.28 billion euros in 2005. As a leading connector manufacturer, its products are used in the auto, telecommunications, consumer electronics, data storage, energy, industrial, instrumentation and medical markets. Specific applications involve terminal systems, instrument panels and cockpits, harness sections, engine compartments, flex interconnection systems, safety restraints, ECU connectors and packages, and car multimedia systems.

About Ticona and Celanese
Ticona Engineering Polymers is one of the businesses of Celanese Corporation. Ticona produces and markets a broad range of engineering polymers and achieved sales of $915 million in 2006. Ticona has approximately 2,000 employees at production, compounding and research facilities in the USA, Germany and Brazil.
As a global leader in the chemicals industry, Celanese Corporation makes products essential to everyday living. Our products, found in consumer and industrial applications, are manufactured in North America, Europe and Asia. Net sales totaled $6.7 billion in 2006, with over 60% generated outside of North America. Known for operational excellence and execution of its business strategies, Celanese delivers value to customers around the globe with innovations and best-in-class technologies. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company employs approximately 8,900 employees worldwide