BASF presents first carbon fiber-reinforced Ultradur against dust and flying sparks

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF, , the world’s leading chemical company, is adding its first carbon fiber-reinforced Ultradur to its PBT portfolio (polybutylene terephthalate), as per the company's press release.

The specialty Ultradur B4300 C3 LS features low electrostatic charge along with good conductivity. This makes it particularly suitable for components in sensitive areas of measurement and control technology for machines and automotive electronics. Due to the anti-static PBT, less dust or dirt adheres to the component: this allows it to work reliably and permanently - even in unfavorable usage conditions – and without damages because of electrostatic discharge. In areas with explosion hazards, the use of the conductive Ultradur grade also reduces the risk of electrostatic loading and possible sparking.

BASF thus meets the increasing requirements on material and parts especially in automotive electronics. With Ultradur B4300 C3, miniaturization, precision, and safety can be combined even better in the future: parts made of the carbon fiber-reinforced engineering plastic retain their antistatic property permanently and even after contact with media (e.g. fuels) and at high temperatures.

Ultradur B4300 C3 LS bk15126 is available in commercial quantities. The material, which is reinforced with 15 percent carbon fiber, has a low volume and surface resistance. It absorbs hardly any water, is laser-markable, and its good mechanical properties are similar to those of a standard PBT with 30 percent glass fibers. Furthermore, Ultradur B4300 C3 can be easily combined with other PBT grades, e.g. by welding or bonding, and is also suitable for complex, thin-walled components.

Possible applications of the carbon fiber-reinforced PBT are parts in cars or machines with gases or fluids flowing through, fast-moving components in textile machines or conveyor belt elements that are subject to static charge due to friction. Other fields of usage include machines in paper processing, printers, and transportation packaging for sensitive electronic goods that require ESD (=electrostatic discharge) protection.

As MRC reported earlier, in June 2014, BASF undertook three key capacity expansion projects for performance materials at its Pudong site in Shanghai (China). The capacity expansion projects includes Ultramid (polyamide, PA), Ultradur (polybutylene terephthalate, PBT), Elastollan thermoplastics polyurethane elastomers (TPU), and Technical Center and capacity expansion of Cellasto (microcellular polyurethane components).

BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF had sales of about EUR74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Arkema, a France-based chemical manufacturer, will display its latest innovations, espacially oriented for demanding industrial and automotive applications at Fakuma 2014, as per the company's press release.

Arkema offers a comprehensive portfolio of technical polymers: the group is the only chemical company in the world to offer the three families of long chain polyamides (polyamide 10, 11 and 12) and also PVDF fluoropolymers, adapted to all plastics technologies; injection moulding, extrusion technology or thermoforming.

Arkema, a leading developer of state-of-the-art solutions for automotive fluid transportation, expands its range of specialty polyamides for injection molding applications. Pebax HD, a new range of high performance thermoplastic elastomers for demanding industrial applications.

As MRC informed before, in April 2014, Arkema developed two new grades - Luperox organic peroxides and Kynar Flex PVDF resins - specifically designed for electric and electronic wires and cables applications.

Arkema with annual revenue of EUR6.4 billion is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc. Arkema operates 11 organic peroxide plants on the three continents.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is demonstrating the added sustainability value of its Exolit halogen-free flame retardants to composite manufacturers, reported the company on its site.

With today’s lightweight composite materials subject to stringent performance demands and ever-tightening segment regulations and restrictions, Clariant goes the next step in delivering efficient and effective fire protection with more environmentally friendly flame retardants that promise low emission. Its unique phosphorus flame retardant Exolit OP and ammonium polyphosphate Exolit AP product lines together support a wide range of composite applications where it is required that flame retardancy strikes a balance between fire protection, environmental and health factors, and manufacturing efficiency.

Clariant offers halogen-free Exolit flame retardants for gel coatings and formulations within the composite itself, often performing at lower dosage than comparable solutions. They can be used for demanding requirements for heat release, smoke density, smoke toxicity and spread of flame.

At The Composites & Advanced Materials Expo - CAMX 2014 - in Florida, USA, Clariant will give particular focus to the transportation industry to reinforce these benefits. Clariant is featuring advanced Exolit flame retardants for epoxy and unsaturated polyester resins, as well as engineering plastics. Exolit support composites in achieving the segment’s high flammability requirements of low Fire, Smoke, and Toxicity (FST) numbers, mainly focused on ISO 5658-2, ISO 5659-2 and ISO 5660-1.

Furthermore, Exolit halogen-free systems can be used for composite applications which have to fulfil the requirements of the recent European standard for the railway sector - EN 45545 Part 2. For example, halogen free systems featuring intumescent formulations based on Exolit APP are proven to obtain low smoke density numbers (DS4) and smoke toxicity numbers (CIT) for thermoset composites.

As MRC informed before, in late September 2014, Clariant announced that it had signed a purchase agreement with VitaPac, a Chinese specialist for healthcare packaging. The owner-led company with 80 employees is based in Hong Kong with a production site in Dongguan, China. It had consolidated sales of about CHF 4.0 million in 2013 (USD4.2 million). The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the fourth quarter of 2014 and subject to regulatory approvals.

Clariant Chemicals (India) Limited and custom color and additive products with production of more than 10,000 color matches which are completed each year. With more than 50 manufacturing plants around the world, Clariant
Masterbatches products, technology and service deliver competitive advantages that foster long-term customer relationships.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Traders have reduced spot prices of titanium dioxide (TiO2) for the Ukrainian domestic market, following the stabilization of the national currency, according to ICIS-MRC Price report.

According to sellers, there are no acute problem with buying the dollar by importers, as it was a few weeks ago. The foreign currency exchange rate also dropped, which makes it possible to reduce prices in the local currency. Domestic demand also remained weak, therefore it is difficult to maintain prices.

Prices of US TiO2 of Dupont were heard in the range of UAH40,000-42,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT. Prices reached UAH46,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT (given UAH1 = USD14,6) a few weeks ago.

Prices of Chinese TiO2 grades dropped to UAH36,800-38,000/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT, versus peak prices at UAH40,000-41,500/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT, in late September.

Prices of Crimean Titan's TiO2 were steady. Prices for large buyers were at UAH28,500/tonne FCA Armiansk, including VAT, for 230 grade. Price of 208 grade TiO2 were at UAH29,900/tonne FCA Armiansk, including VAT. Prices of Crimean Titan's TiO2 were heard in the range of UAH30,900-31,500/tonne CPT Kiev, including VAT, for the retail market.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Shell has become the first organization to offer a globally-available portfolio of natural gas-based fluids and solvents for the chemicals industry, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Its extensive supply chain, via Shell’s chemicals business hubs in Singapore, Houston and Rotterdam, makes the products available to customers across the world.

The next-generation, high-purity paraffinic fluids are made from gas-to-liquids (GTL) products manufactured at the world’s largest GTL plant -- Pearl GTL in Qatar, a joint venture of Shell and Qatar Petroleum.

They boast qualities that can enhance performance over conventional products in the market.

While demand is still expected from "traditional" segments, such as paints and coatings, personal care, cosmetics, and inks, it is increasing in a wide range of other end-uses, such as water treatment, crop protection, oilfield chemicals, mining, industrial cleaning and consumer goods.

Shell has been using upstream and downstream gas to manufacture a range of petrochemicals at its key facilities in the UK, US, Canada and Saudi Arabia, according to company officials.

This latest offering is yet another way that Shell uses gas -- instead of crude oil -- as a feedstock to make and supply building-block petrochemicals. Access to gas feedstock from its upstream and downstream businesses is a competitive advantage that Shell says its chemicals business gets from being part of an integrated energy company.

Based on the proprietary Shell Middle Distillates Synthesis technology, the GTL fluids and solvents offer enhanced performance over conventional products in a number of applications, according to company officials. Besides their high purity, low odor and more stable and consistent composition, the new range of GTL fluids and solvents are designed to be readily biodegradable. This range is also designed to result in very low ozone formation potential.

As MRC informed earlier, Shell announced in mid-November 2013 that it will upgrade its petrochemical plant in Singapore to meet rising demand for ethylene in Asia. The upgrade will increase the plant's capacity to produce olefins and aromatics industrial chemicals used to make plastic, paint and other products by more than 20%. The upgrade will take place during the next maintenance turn-around of the ethylene cracker.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is an Anglo-Dutch multinational oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the biggest company in the world in terms of revenue and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors". Shell is vertically integrated and is active in every area of the oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, refining, distribution and marketing, petrochemicals, power generation and trading.
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