Feb. 6, 2025

Orange technical compounds: safety and performance for electric mobility

Performance, safety, and color stability: the new orange compounds for a safer electric mobility, with LATI's IATF 16949-certified quality ensuring reliability and full traceability.

In next-generation electric vehicles, the high voltages and currents used in traction systems and onboard services impose strict safety standards. One of these requirements is the immediate visual identification of plastic components designed for high-voltage management, which must be colored in a specific shade of orange.

However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures and harsh environmental conditions can cause color shifting, compromising not only the component’s aesthetics but also its critical safety function. For this reason, thermal color stabilization in technical compounds represents a crucial challenge.

LATI innovations for thermal stabilization of engineering polymers

In 2024, LATI developed an advanced formulation of LATAMID 66 H2 G/25-V0HF1, a PA66 reinforced with 25% glass fiber, UL94 V0-certified for flame retardancy and designed with a low environmental impact.
This new version, now available in orange, has successfully passed severe thermal aging tests, demonstrating remarkable resistance to color shifting:

• DeltaE ≤ 5 after 168 hours of exposure at 100°C

This solution, identified as OR:4349, complements the RAL 2001 version, which has already been validated for exposure beyond 1000 hours at 100°C.

[Read the technical datasheet and molding characteristics of LATAMID 66 H2 G/25-V0HF1]

Diversified solutions for specific needs

Different mechanical, thermal, and environmental requirements in the e-mobility sector call for a range of customized compounds for power lines. Key objectives include:

• Moisture resistance to minimise absorption and reduction of mechanical properties.
• Greater stability under static and dynamic stresses, even in critical thermal conditions.

To meet these requirements, LATI has developed orange heat-stabilized engineering polymers, based on different polymeric matrices:

• PBT reinforced with 30% glass fiber, available in standard and UL94-V0 HF flame-retardant versions (halogen-free and red phosphorus-free). The LATER 4 G/30-V0HF1 demonstrated acceptable color shifting after 1000 hours of exposure at both 125°C and 150°C.
• PA9T (Aromatic polyamide) flame-retardant and glass-fiber reinforced, ideal for extreme temperature conditions, now available in orange.

Innovation in the e-mobility sector requires advanced solutions that ensure safety, durability, and compliance with international regulatory standards. Thanks to the new orange technical compounds, LATI provides materials that maintain color and performance stability, even in extreme operating conditions.

[Contact us to discover our solutions for electric mobility!]