The formal framework of the abbreviation notation is the three-part data block system provided with examples below:

 

block 1

If necessary, the block 1 can be composed of four fields, each separated from the other by "-". In the field 1, the base polymer is entered by abbreviations in accordance with DIN 7728 or the future DIN ISO standard. In the case of polymer blends, the polymer with the highest mass content is written first. After this basic polymer, the blend is assigned to the characteristic polymer groups in PolSelec. In addition, the blend composition can be indicated by mass percentages on the respective polymer abbreviation, e.g. (PC+ABS35).

In Germany, plastic type abbreviations for curable moulding compounds and laminates that have already been bindingly defined are entered in the field 1 in accordance with the applicable DIN standard:

DIN 7708: Phenolic and aminoplastic moulding compounds, cold moulding compounds

DIN 16913: Polyester resin mats (prepreg)

DIN 16946: Casting resin moulding materials

DIN 16926: Decorative laminates A

DIN 7735: Hard paper, hard tissue and hard mat laminated materials

DIN 7737: Vulcanized fibre

If appropriate, these type designations are supplemented by the basic polymer abbreviation (e.g. MF152) and reduced in scope (e.g. Vf311 instead of Vf3111).

In the field 2, information on substance formation processes and/or material composition may be given by the following letter meanings:

B: Block polymer          

C: chlorinated                 

E: Emulsion polymer      

G: Cast resin                  

H: Homopolymerisate           

L: graft copolymer       

M: Bulk polymer

N: Novolak

P: plasticized

Q: Polypropylene-olefin elastomer blend

R: Statistical copolymer;resol

S: Suspension polymer

U: plasticizer-free

                                      

If several characteristics are specified, these are separated by commas (e.g. PVC-U,S).

The field 3 is used to indicate characteristic polymer properties by a combination of the following letter characters:

D: Density 

F: flexible, soft                

H: high  

I: impact resistant                   

L: linear, low                

M: mass, medium, molecular

N: normal 

U: ultra 

V: very

W: Weight

X: networked, networkable

Examples: 

            ultra-high molecular weight - UHMW

            linear & low density - LLD

            very soft - VF

            high impact - HI

The equality of some letters with those of the field 2 does not lead to misinterpretations, since they cannot appear as single characters.

In the field 4, special properties of the plastics are displayed if necessary, which are achieved by special equipment and/or processing or by chemical modification:

AR: particularly low frictional resistance and/or high wear resistance

CR: particularly resistant to chemicals

FR: Fire protection equipment

GC: particularly suitable for electrochemical metallization

RM: modified for reduced water absorption (Reduced Moisture)

T: increased transparent

Y: electrically conductive (volume resistance below 1000 W-cm)

Z: antistatic equipment

It is not possible to confuse the abbreviation CR with the same abbreviation for polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution (controlled rheology), since PolSelec does not take rheological properties into account. If several special properties apply to the basic plastic type, these are separated by commas and inscribed in the field 4 (e.g. PC-AR,FR).

block 2

Type characteristics can be specified in the block 2 by class allocation or numerical value ranges. In PolSelec these are mainly the following properties:

• Material density in g/ccm at 23°                                         D...
• Fire classes according to UL94:                                         V0, V1, V2
• Dimensional stability temperature in °C according to DIN 53461:         HDT/A..., HDT/B...
• Martens temperature in °C according to DIN 54462:                         MT...
• Vicat temperature in °C according to DIN ISO 306:                         VST/A..., VST/B...
• Shore hardness A or D acc. to DIN 53505:                                 SH/A..., SH/D...
• Ball indentation hardness in N/mm² according to DIN 53456:                H...

block 3

The block 3 is intended for marking the type, quality and quantity of additives, in particular fillers and reinforcing materials. Quantities are given in percent by mass as fixed values or ranges. Types and forms of additives are designated by letters or letter combinations in accordance with ISO 1043, whereby extensions of this designation system are required for PolSelec:

                  

AF:         asbestos fibre

AP:         Asbestos paper

AT:         Asbestos cords                 

AW:        Asbestos fabric

CF:        carbon fiber               

CB:         carbon black

CG:         Graphite                       

CR:         Carbon fiber strands

CW:         carbon fibre fabric         

COC:         Cotton shred

COF:         cotton fibre, cotton flocks       

COW:         Cotton fabric

GB:         solid glass microspheres       

GHB:         hollow glass microspheres

GD:         glass powder

GF:         glass fibre

GFC:         chemically coupled glass fibre

GG:        Glass fibre ground material, very short glass fibre

GK:         Glass fibre knitted fabric            

GM:         Glass fiber mats and matte analog structures   

GR:         Glass fibre roving,Unididirectional glass fabric

GS:         long glass fibre reinforced rod moulding compound (duromers only)

GW:         orthogonal glass fibre fabrics and scrims

K:         chalk, calcium carbonate                           

LC:         Cellulose paper pulp

LF:         cellulose fibre and flakes      

LGF:         long glass fibre

LGFC:        chemically coupled long glass fibre

LP:         cellulose paper

M:         unspecified minerals

PD:         Mica powder

PS:         mica scales, leaflets

PP:         mica paper, foil

RF:         aramid fibre                    

RM:         Aramid fibre mats

RR:         Aramid fibre strands             

RW:         orthogonal aramid fibre fabric

SC:         Synthetic fabric chips           

SF:         Synthetic fibre                 

SK:         Synthetic knitted fabrics

SM:         Synthetic mats and scrims

SW:         orthogonal synthetic tissues

SR:         synthetic fibre strands, unidirectional synthetic fabric

T:         Talcum

WD:         wood flour                       

WC:         wood chips and shavings

WV:         Wood veneers

In the case of all additives not listed above or not specified precisely, the substance name can, if necessary, be indicated by standardized or industry-standard abbreviations (e.g. abbreviations for metal alloys, plasticizer abbreviations according to DIN 7723) or, in the case of substances sufficiently defined chemically, by the chemical gross formula (e.g. pure iron = Fe, barium sulphate or barite = BaSO4). It is also possible to use a capitalized text name to describe the substance. Polymer additives which are not to be regarded as blending components (e.g. PTFE, silicone) are designated like other additives. If necessary, the form and nature of the additives, separated by "-", are indicated after the substance name with the following letter meanings:

B:         balls, beads, lenses       

C:         Schnitzel, shavings

D:         Flour, powder, semolina          

F:         fibre, fibre tufts, flakes

G:         Fibre ground material                 

H:         Whiskers

K:        Knitted fabrics                      

M:         Mats, fleeces

P:         Paper, foil 

R:         Roving, strands, wires, unidirectional amplification general.

S:         Leaflets, scales             

V:         Veneer                      

W:         Fabric, scrim  

Examples:

aluminium powder:                 Al-D 

              Aluminium powder:                 Al-D

              Aluminium hydroxide:                       Al(OH)3

              Polycaprolactam fabric:                 PA6-W

              Dioctylphthalate:                 DOP

             Metal whiskers in general:        METALL-H

              Steel fiber tuft:                         St-F

              Titanium white, titanium dioxide:  TiO2

The indication of the additives in the block 3 is possible in the following variants:

1.) ONE ADDITIVE:

• Without quantity specification (e.g. PE-HD-Z...CB)
• Percentage mass fraction as fixed value or range (e.g. PA6...GF30, PA6...GF30±5)

2.) SEVERAL ADDITIVES:

• Without quantity specification (e.g. PE-UHMW...Al-D+CG)
• Flat-rate percentage of total mass as fixed value or range (e.g. EP...(GF+M)65, EP...(GF+M)65±5)
• Differentiated percentage mass components as fixed values or ranges (e.g. PP...GF20+T15, PP...GF15±5+T10±5)
• Various additives in small proportions alternatively individually or combined (e.g. POM-AR...SILIKON,MoS2).