BASF’s plastic additive shields 5G base stations from UV light

Shenzhen Xingshengdi New Materials Co, a manufacturer of communication equipment, electronics, and electrical appliances in China, has used BASF’s plastic additives to produce 5G base stations for major international telecommunications companies.

With Tinuvin 360, the outdoor 5G base stations can withstand weathering and degradation by intense sunlight, therefore maintaining stable service with extended life span.

The base station that uses radio waves to relay communications between the mobile device and the core network is commonly mounted outside a building, and usually made of polycarbonate which undergoes various degradation reactions when exposed to sunlight, meaning it must therefore be light stabilised.

Tinuvin 360 is added to the polycarbonate resins during the production stage as it is particularly suitable for processing and weathering conditions where high loads, very low volatility, and good compatibility are required.

Low volatility reduces die build-up and allows longer running times, resulting in more stable processing, reduced production time and maintenance costs.

Tinuvin 260 can also achieve high UV screen performance in the final electronic casing, as it absorbs UV light and releases the excess energy as heat.

Hermann Althoff, Senior Vice President of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division in Asia Pacifdic, said: “Tinuvin 360 creates value by optimising the production process, thereby increasing productivity and profitability for our customers.”

“It also helps to create custom-formulated plastic appliances that are designed to be mechanically tougher and weather resistant.”

Dethew Xu, General Manager of Shenzhen Xingshengdi New Materials, said: “Previously such outddor base station were made of metal. Making them available in small, lightweight plastic packages improes the size, weight, power performance for a range of commercial applications, thus optimising system performance at a competitive price.”