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Providing solutions

Forward-looking manufacturers in today’s eyewear and face protection market demand a total-solutions perspective and total-capability experience from material providers.

Eastman combines its technical expertise and leadership with materials that offer unmatched technical attributes for fabricators and molders.

Attribute/benefit Tenite cellulose acetate Tenite cellulose propionate (CAP) Eastman Tritan copolyester
Impact strength Good Good Excellent
Chemical resistance Excellent Excellent Very good
Optical clarity Excellent Very good Very good
Heat resistance Good Very good Very good
Scratch resistance Excellent Very good Good
Tintability Excellent Excellent Excellent
Flowability Good Excellent Good
Extrusion processability Excellent Good Very good
Edges can be polished Yes Yes Yes
Use with antifog and anti-scratch coatings Yes Yes Yes
A man welding, holding a welding hood to his face.

Solutions for fabricators

Extruded solutions

Eastman Tritan copolyester creates excellent sheet that adds value for processors, fabricators and end users. Spartech, a leading extruder of innovative sheet and roll-stock solutions, offers ULTRATUF FS sheet made with Tritan in gauges up to 70 mil (typical tolerance up to +/10%).

You can rely on an industry leader for technical support and peace of mind in the face and eye protection value chain.

Processability advantages

Spartech ULTRATUF FS sheet, made using Eastman Tritan copolyester, provides many processability advantages, including:

  • Easier to fabricate than PC, requiring less shear-strength force for die cutting
  • Lower density than PC, allowing more product per unit of resin
  • Saves energy and time because Tritan thermoforms at a lower temperature than PC and doesn't require drying before thermoforming
  • Capable of being laser cut, routed, welded, drilled, die punched, and bent hot or cold
  • Can be joined by screws, rivets or bolts
  • Can be edge polished with commercial edge-finishing equipment, sanding, solvents, flame polishing or buffing
  • Can be coated to provide antifog and anti-scratch performance.
A man in a large, clear, full-face shield operates a cutting machine.

Solutions for molders

Molded and extruded solutions

For molders of clear, optical grade face and eye protection, Tenite cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) and Eastman Tritan copolyester provide high-impact alternatives to PC. Both also provide excellent chemical resistance and offer processability and secondary processing advantages over PC and heritage copolyesters, including PETG.

Advantages of Tenite CAP

Molders can use Tenite CAP to optimize injection molding efficiency better than PC and other polymers. The processability advantages of Tenite CAP include:

  • Superior flow characteristics allow molding shields with thin walls (1 mm thickness) and long flow lengths.
  • CAP maintains excellent clarity and optical properties while meeting the ANSI 87.1+ standard for eye protection.
  • CAP is offered in many formulas and flows to meet special molding conditions and finished product requirements.
  • CAP can reduce material usage, cycle time and cost for molders while improving wearer comfort.

Advantages of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester

  • Parts can be molded from Tritan with less residual stress than with PC, so there is less risk of cracking, crazing or failure — and no annealing.
  • Molded parts do not exhibit the stress whitening that can occur with polymers like impact-modified acrylic, acrylonitrile and PVC.
  • Molded parts do not exhibit many of the aberrations common with some polymers, helping to ensure better, more durable visual clarity.
  • Excellent toughness and chemical resistance allow parts to withstand assembly stress and strains, including:
    • Solvent and adhesive bonding
    • Ultrasonic and laser welding
    • Cold swaging
    • Hot or cold bending
    • Fastening with screws, rivets and bolts
    • Die punching and drilling without significant microcracking (contact us for drilling recommendations)  

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