Lightweight is the name of the game, especially in aviation and construction. Nature is the inspiration - from the honeybee.
Solvay developed and licensed the Nidacell® process, which is based on honeycomb cores made of PVC, giving them the strength to compete with other thermoplastics, even metals.
Until now thermoplastic honeycombs, mostly in polypropylene and usually produced in batch-wise processes, were highly costly. PVC honeycombs weren’t on the market in commercial quantities but Nidacell® has come to change that.
“That’s why we had to be present at this year’s PVC Conference in Brighton, the most important technical conference dedicated to PVC,” says Mrs Dominique Grandjean.
The Brighton pitch: with a wealth of knowledge in polymer production and compounding, as well as in plastic processing, Solvay developed a polyvalent continuous process for PVC honeycomb cores, the Nidacell® process. Based on flat die extrusion technology and associating a transversally stretching device, Solvay’s process is highly innovative.
“With Nidacell® we could make not only rigid but also soft PVC honeycombs,” says Dominique. “That means honeycombs with an easily tailored combination of thickness, rigidity, flexibility, formability and cell geometry.”
Moreover, as it can be combined with coextrusion technology, this process is the only one that offers multilayer honeycombs with customized surfaces.
The PVC Nidacell® honeycomb is a light panel with an apparent density from 60 kg/m³ to 90 kg/m³, and a thickness between an ultra-thin 5 mm and 30 mm.
‘’This honeycomb core presents good mechanical properties that allow it to compete with other thermoplastic honeycomb cores already on the market,’’ says Mrs Grandjean. ‘’In particular, due to its very good behaviour against fire, it positions itself as a “must-have” for the construction sector.’’
Due to its large range of possible applications, the Nidacell® PVC honeycomb can be used in a wide range of markets including building, transport, sport and leisure.
The first licensee is located in France, and the sky’s the limit. Perhaps with PVC wings!
