Rilsan® PA11 & Pebax® Rnew® Elastomers
For more rigid components in wearable devices the Rilsan® polyamide family offers many solutions, including glass fiber and carbon fiber filled grades. When designing internal components that must keep a low profile, but maintain high strength and rigidity, Rilsan® polyamides may just do the trick. For softer components, a wide range of hardness and flexibilities are available in the Pebax® elastomer range from 90A to 80D. These tailored resins allow for customized soft-touch with the added benefits of chemical resistance and enduring elasticity, plus the overmold exceptionally well with Rilsan® PA11 and Rilsan® Clear polyamides.
Key properties
- Lightweight
- Wide range of hardness and flexibility (glass and carbon fiber)
- Soft touch
- Chemical resistance
- Transparent grades available
Developing the sustainable materials of tomorrow
Watch / Smartwatch / Fitness Tracker
Premium materials for watches and smartwatches can enable recycle-in-one-piece design while maintaining durability and aesthetics throughout the life of the product. With our Advanced Bio-Circular materials, most or even all parts can be produced with these polymers, from the injection molded casing to transparent "glass" and even as textile for the strap/band. Also, make sure to ask our team about compounding with natural fillers to create unique natural designs for your customers!
- Key applications
- Transparent covers/sensors
- Textile bands/straps
- Bezel, casing, structural parts
- Recommended grades
- Rilsan® Clear transparent polyamides
- Rilsan® PA11 for textiles
- Pebax® Rnew® elastomers (90A to 80D hardness)
- Rilsan® PA11 + glass fibers
- Key benefits
- Chemical & environmental stress cracking resistance
- Clarity and good surface aspect
- Good colorability and range of fillers for unique design
- Sustainability – bio-based and recyclable
AR/VR Headsets and Glasses
As augmented and virtual reality become more of... a reality, so do the challenges of the physical world. AR glasses and VR headsets will be exposed to more enviroments and subjected to stresses by users. High performance materials can be critical in new designs to ensure a positive user experience. This means extra durable materials that are strong and tough while staying lightweight to not cause fatigue. Our Advanced Bio-Circular materials make high performance possible with the added benefit of reduced carbon emissions and recyclability.
- Key applications
- Headband and supports
- Glasses frames
- Overmoldings for soft touch and feel
- Recommended grades
- Rilsan® Clear transparent polyamides
- Pebax® Rnew® elastomers (90A to 80D hardness)
- Key benefits
- Chemical resistance (e.g. sweat and body salts)
- Flex fatigue resistance and good shape recovery
- Shock and scratch resistance
- Overall durability with added comfort for user
- Sustainability – Bio-based, recyclable, easy processing > low scrap rate
Headphones
Material selection is incredibly important for headphones and earbuds. Daily wear and tear from users includes continuous flexing and bending, exposure to cleaning chemicals, sweat and oils, and UV exposure too. High performance materials can improve lifetime and overall quality of the product for consumers and with Advanced Bio-Circular materials, it can be sustainable too!
- Key applications
- Structural headband
- Overmoldings for soft touch and feel
- Inserts and enclosure/casing for earbuds
- Recommended grades
- Rilsan® Clear Rnew® transparent polyamides
- Pebax® Rnew® elastomers (90A to 80D hardness)
- Key benefits
- Chemical and environmental stress cracking (ESC) resistance
- Excellent fatigue resistance and shape recovery
- Overall durability
- Sustainability – Bio-based and recyclable
Health Monitoring
One of the fastest growing areas of wearable technology is in the healthcare industry. Devices that can monitor patients 24/7 and sustain reliable high performance require materials that do just the same. Chemical resistance, comfort, and medical certifications are important attributes for these materials. The Pebax®, Rilsan®, Rilsamid®, and Rilsan® Clear MED ranges have USP VI certification and should be considered when starting your next product development.
Kynar® Fluoropolymers
For extreme chemical resistance and durability, Kynar® fluoropolymers have a proven track record of over 50 years in some of the world's harshest conditions. Most fluoropolymers are inherently smooth, which adds a layer of comfort for those wearing the devices.
Key properties
- Chemical resistance
- Stain resistance
- UV resistance
- Smooth aspect
- Rigid and Flexible grades available