BASF showcases sustainable materials innovation
BASF is using Chinaplas 2014 to show plastics solutions it says will “help Asia Pacific innovate for sustainability.”
The company says this means showcasing its latest materials to help companies compete in areas such as lightweight solutions that improve automotive fuel efficiency and comfort; consumer product safety; buildings with better environmental performance; and manufacturing efficiency, which is enhanced through accelerated polymer densification and other process innovations.
Dr. Zheng Daqing, Senior Vice President, Business and Market Development Greater China, BASF, said: “Rapidly changing consumer needs in China and other emerging markets, the result of fast urbanisation and growing disposable income, are creating challenges in areas such as energy use, consumer product safety, and waste management. With the latest plastics solutions, we are collaborating with our customers on innovations to address these challenges that are developed in Asia Pacific, for Asia Pacific and the world.”
BASF is using Chinaplas to reveal its latest concept for car seats, which showcases materials used in an innovative way to allow weight and space savings, as well as unique styling possibilities to enable maximum design freedom for slimmer, lighter and more comfortable car seats.
To enable greater productivity and energy savings in the plastics industry, BASF is also introducing additives at the show that allow faster rotomoulding cycles for polymer densification. Polyethylene stabilised with Irganox CB Roto promotes densification of the polymer during moulding and enables the production of products with high impact properties after shorter heating times and lower oven temperatures.
Additionally, the company is showcasing the world’s first co-extruded PVC-PBT window profile, with the launch of its latest innovation in its Ultradur (Polybutylene Terephthalate) product range. This new grade can reportedly be co-extruded with PVC (Polyvinylchloride) and hence optimises the manufacturing process of window profiles. Replacing steel as reinforcement in window profiles, the lightweight Ultradur is said to eliminate cold bridge effects and significantly increases energy efficiency while at the same time adding comparable durability and strength.
BASF is also enhancing new technologies and materials for plastics solutions by strengthening its research and development capacity. This month, BASF established the research initiative “Network for Advanced Materials Open Research” (NAO) at its Innovation Campus Asia Pacific in Shanghai together with seven leading universities and research institutes in China, Japan and South Korea. The initial focus is on products for the automotive, construction, as well as the water and wind energy industries. BASF has also launched similar initiatives in Europe and North America.