GE Flexible Noryl* Resins Help Enhance Environmental Performance in Consumer Electronics

GARCHING, GERMANY — June 29, 2005 — As part of GE’s ecomagination* initiative to help customers solve tough environmental challenges, GE Advanced Materials’ new Flexible Noryl* resins meet global requirements for halogen-free parts and international standards for recyclability while providing outstanding flame retardance, flexibility, and softness.

For example, Nokia, a world leader in mobile communications, has chosen Flexible Noryl PPO resin as a replacement for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in the cord of a charger that can be used with several of its mobile phone models.

Environmental Compliance, Robust Flame Retardance, and Flexibility

As a replacement for PVC, which can leach phthalates (plasticizers) into the environment and form dioxins when burned, GE’s Flexible Noryl resin portfolio of ten grades comply with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) standard governing specific heavy metals and certain brominated flame retardant (FR) additives. In addition GE’s material meets the requirements for halogen-free parts and complies with Nokia’s internal restricted substances list. The GE product also helps customers comply with Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) requirements by avoiding an additional waste stream from PVC that can add to recycling costs.

Flexible Noryl resins provide flame-retardant properties that meet UL 1581-VW1, the most currently known stringent global requirement for consumer electronics. They also meet the IEC60332-1 fire test on single wire, commonly used in Europe. Further, the materials are rated by UL for 80 C use temperature and are listed in Table 50 of UL 1581, which means customers can achieve faster UL approval with a seven-day heat-aging test vs. a 150-day test.

Further advantages of the GE materials are excellent flexibility and softness. Flexible Noryl resin grades also offer a range of flexural modulus from 50 MPa to 650 MPa. Shore A hardness ranges from 70 to 93. In addition, there are grades targeted for industrial applications with higher temperature requirements (105 C) as well as automotive applications (125 C).

A Total Materials Solution

GE Advanced Materials provided a total materials solution for the Nokia application: Flexible Noryl WCD891 resin for the wire insulation, WCD801 resin for the wire jacket, and WCP781 resin for the plug and strain relief. In addition, GE Cycoloy* CH6410 resin was chosen by Nokia for the charger housing.

“Our Flexible Noryl resins are just one example of the power of the ecomagination initiative – GE’s global investment in environmentally advanced technologies,” said Rob Welland, industry manager Consumer Electronics, GE Advanced Materials. “By providing a viable solution that meets the requirements for halogen-free parts, these materials help solve tough environmental challenges facing the consumer electronics market. We’re proud to support customers like Nokia in their commitment to a cleaner environment.”

Reader enquiries

GE Plastics
Plasticslaan 1
4600 AC Bergen op Zoom
Netherlands

Helen Vandebovenkamp
helen.vandebovenkamp@ge.com

Tel: +31 164 29 20 97
Fax: +31 164 29 10 66
Netherlands
+31 164 29 20 97
helen.vandebovenkamp@​ge.com
www.geplastics.com

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Notes for editors

About GE Advanced Materials

GE Advanced Materials (www.geadvancedmaterials.com) is a world leader in providing high-technology material solutions. Headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass., its businesses include Plastics, Silicones, Quartz, Automotive, Specialty Film & Sheet, Polymershapes, and Sealants and Adhesives.

GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work – a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world’s toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.

* Noryl, ecomagination and Cycoloy are trademarks of General Electric Company.

GE does not support AC wire used in residential and commercial construction.