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plastics

Special edit ion K 2010

The international plastics magazine from BASF | www.plastics-magazine.com | October 2010

Innovations at K 2010

Neopor: An insulating material for all needs

Cavity insulation

Pitched roof

Flat roof

External insulation

Internal insulation

Top floor ceilings

Shuttering elements

Neopor foams give up to 20 % better insulation than conventional EPS foams with the same thickness, making them a valuable tool in conserving resources and combating climate change and at the same time reducing heating costs. In applications right through to the passive house. Neopor the innovative insulating material for ecoefficient construction.
www.neopor.de

Editorial

Dr. Martin Brudermller

Plastics offer solutions to the challenges of the future


Dear Readers, or the plastics industry, 2010 is above all the year of the K trade fair. And thats no different at BASF. In this special edition of plastics we are therefore taking a closer look at some of the innovations in plastics that we will be showcasing in Dsseldorf from October 27 through November 3. These innovations reflect the diversity of plastics and their applications: You will find examples from the areas of engineering plastics, foams, films and packaging through to advances in plastics additives an area in which BASF has become significantly stronger thanks to the acquisition of Ciba. The sheer number and variety of these innovations underline the enormous potential of plastics and show that we can expect much more from this class of materials in the future. On the one hand, new developments are driven by the increasing segmentation of the

plastics market into commodities and specialties. On the other hand, the versatility of plastics is being used to find solutions to the challenges posed to society by megatrends such as a growing world population, urbanization, rising energy requirements and globalization. In this regard, plastics have plenty to offer because their properties are superior in innumerable applications from thermal insulation and construction to lightweight automotive components and packaging. In fact, if plastics didnt exist we would have to invent them to meet the demands of sustainability. You will find some of BASFs answers to these challenges at the K 2010 together with our full range of products and solutions for the plastics industry. More importantly, you will have the opportunity to meet and talk with our experts. We look forward to seeing you in Hall 5!

Dr. Martin Brudermller Member of the Board Responsible for the Plastics segment and the Asia Pacific region

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Engineering Plastics
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Metal replacement very close to the engine New heat-resistant polyamide Dr. Martin Baumert The longer, the better BASF enters the long glass-fiberreinforced polyamide market Dr. Andreas Wollny Weld joints and their fatigue BASF developed a second test specimen Dr. Stefan Glaser Test passed ready for re ghting A new polyamide for fire extinguisher valves Dr. Martin Bussmann

Packaging & Films


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More exibility for shrink lms New two-component concept for SB copolymers Dr. Daniel Wagner Around the world safe and sound Lightweight and sturdy EuroPallets thanks to SBC-Polymer Andrea Colombo A new milestone in the history of polymer foams First tough-elastic foam with the benefits of Styropor Dr. Jens Amann Sustainable products just a mouse click away New online tool for calculating the ecological footprint Prof. Dr. Andreas Knkel Sun protection for greenhouses New light stabilizer extends agricultural film life Victor Pacheco

Engeneering Plastics II
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Resistant to salt and hot water New PA 610 grades: the Ultramid Balance line grows Dr. Matthias Scheibitz Easy owing Ultramid family with improved flow behavior now complete Dr. Anka Bernnat Save efcient FRee New flame-retardant engineering plastics Michael Roth Improved laser transparency New PBT allows for faster laserwelding Dr. Peter Eibeck The operation is under control Applicator made from Ultraform PRO Dr. Dirk Binkowski

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The main valve body for a new generation of fire extinguishers is molded from the special polyamide grade Ultramid T KR 4355 G10 from BASF. This challenging plastic part replaces a brass predecessor in the main valve of the extinguisher. The valve withstands pressures of up to 100 bar over a temperature range of -40 to +80C.

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For the manufacture of shrink film which goes into the packaging market for consumer goods, BASF has developed a further improved version of its plastic Styrolux. By mixing the companys new SBC polymers Styrolux T and Styrolux S, which are part of an innovative twocomponent system, processors can individually shape their property profile.

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Plastics for the electrical and electronics markets (E/E) must satisfy a combination of different requirements. Minimal flammability and a light natural color are two of these, while absence of halogen-containing flame retardants that make disposal in compliance with European directives (WEEE) difficult is also important in many cases. This combination of requirements is satisfied by the new polyamide and PBT grades available from BASF for the E/E market.

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Content

Editors note The people behind the innovations In this special edition, which is dedicated to the K2010 Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber, we bring you the most important BASF-related news from the event. Every one of these innovations was the result of teamwork. Unfortunately, its difficult to capture the camaraderie and commitment shown by all these teams in a single photo or a short article. To give you just a brief insight into the people behind the innovations, weve chosen to create a portrait of one representative from each of the project groups. Sadly, we did not have room for portraits of the complete teams. With the exception of the portraits, the articles in this special edition are condensed versions of the speeches given at the BASF press conference on the subject of K2010. The full versions can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.plasticsportal.de/ k2010

Increasing plastic performance


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Re-inventing the color orange New BASF pigment for highperformance plastics Mario Dittes Lasting beauty New styrene copolymers for attractive surfaces Marko Blinzler Saving six minutes New additive system for rotational molding Andreas Thrmer Highlights in car interiors PUR for esthetic and touch requirements Manfred Michl Dr. Stefan Arenz

Efciency onshore & offshore


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Light as a feather, warming like a duvet Basotect helps to increase energy-efficiency Bernhard Vath Good for 1,000 volts in electric cars TPU cable sheathing for new vehicle drives Oliver Mhren Hardness test under water Polyurethanes in the offshore oil and gas industry Dr. Marcus Lebernger Soaking it up like a sponge Polyurethane rigid foam protects Nord Stream pipeline Christof Grieser-Schmitz Your freezer is your piggy bank Polyurethane insulation for an efficient cold chain Werner Wiegmann

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Overview of products and brands Internet homepages of products and brands Miscellaneous

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BASFs new inorganic orange pigment Sicopal Orange K 2430 is heat-resistant and weathering-resistant. It rarely offers a property profile that is new for orange pigments, making it ideal for high-temperature plastics and outdoor use.

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Electric and hybrid vehicles are within our reach now: In Germany cables and lines now have to meet the requirements of temperature class D of standard LV 112. The new Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM, a thermoplastic polyurethane made by BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, meets these requirements with ease.

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Engineering Plastics

Metal replacement very close to the engine


New heat-resistant polyamide

igh oil prices, increasing environmental awareness and changing political conditions are more and more focusing attention on the energy efficiency of automobiles. Lightweight construction, and the use of plastics as a substitute for metal, plays a key role in this regard. With the new polyamide (PA) specialty grade Ultramid Endure, researchers at BASF have now developed a glassfiber-reinforced polyamide that combines outstanding resistance to heat aging with the good processability of PA 66. Compared to the standard PA 66 grade Ultramid A3WG7, the processability has been improved notably as well. Thanks to this combination of characteristics, it is now possible to produce, at justifiable system costs, under-the-hood components that are exposed to very hot air. Long-term heat resistance through new stabilization The new Ultramid Endure easily withstands continuous use at temperatures up to 220 as well as spikes up to 240 degrees Celsius. This extends the field of application of polyamides into the high-temperature realm. For comparison, the traditional Ultramid A3WG7 with the same glassfiber content has a long-term service temperature of 170 degrees Celsius, while products in the heat-resistant Ultramid W2 line (PA 66/6) such as Ultramid A3W2G6

can withstand 190 degrees Celsius in continuous use. This enormous improvement in resistance to heat aging is achieved through innovative stabilization technology development by BASF. Formation of a protective surface layer even at temperatures up to 220 degrees Celsius provides continuous protection against attack by oxygen. The effect of this technology can be seen especially well on aged surfaces. In conventional PA 66, oxygen has eroded channels in the surface after 1000 hours at 220 degrees Celsius, allowing ever more oxygen to reach and attack ever deeper layers. In Ultramid Endure, the surface is sealed off very quickly by the new stabilization and sealing process, so that the material remains protected except for a thin layer of carbon black on the surface even after four months at 220 degrees Celsius. Also weld lines resist heat Under-the-hood components are frequently bonded together by means of welding. As a result of the lower glassfiber content, the weld line can create a weak spot, especially after aging. The new stabilization mechanism not only protects the polymer itself, but also strengthens this potentially weak spot. Weld lines also withstand continuous use

at elevated temperatures very well. No cracking at the joint is evident even after 1000 hours at 220 degrees Celsius. Weld line strength remains high as well. Benchmarking passed with very good Thanks to this stabilization, the Ultramid Endure retains its high strength in fatigue tests at 220 degrees Celsius even after 3000 hours, while considerable declines appear after a relatively short period of time in PA 66/6 and in even stronger thermoplastics such as PPA. In addition to the effect of aging, material properties at the continuous operating temperature play a decisive role when designing a part. The toughness and strength values are especially important. If they are high enough, wall thickness can be reduced without endangering part integrity. The Ultramid Endure also performs exceptionally well in this regard. Its break stress at 200 degrees Celsius lies considerably above that of comparable products. In addition the new plastic offers problem-free processing with a noticeably wider processing window than other highperformance plastics. As a result of the trend towards higher energy efficiency in automobiles, engine compartment temperatures continue to rise. For instance, automakers today are

Engineering Plastics

Dr. Martin Baumert

attempting to improve energy efficiency through turbocharging, among other approaches. Turbocharging, i.e. increasing air intake, allows the performance of the engine to be shifted to an operating point characterized by better fuel consumption. This requires use of turbochargers, which generate higher pressures and temperatures in the engine compartment, especially in the charge-air duct. In turbocharged diesel engines, for instance, operating temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius are common in the region between the turbocharger and intercooler and can spike to 230 degrees Celsius. A material for modern engine concepts At the same time, automakers would like to replace metal with plastic for weight reasons, and at the lowest possible cost. Until now, there were no acceptable alternatives (from the standpoint of costs) to the considerably more expensive highperformance resins in this temperature range. The Ultramid Endure, with its exceptionally good heat aging behavior and good processability, now fills this gap and will raise the amount of plastic used in the charge-air duct of diesel engines significantly. Possible applications include all components of the charge-air duct such as intercooler end caps, resonators,

charge-air lines and throttle valves as well as components on the somewhat cooler side of the turbocharger. Intake manifolds with integrated water-cooled intercoolers could be an additional future application for the new material. The high temperatures associated with these special intake manifolds push classical intake manifold materials (PA 6) to their limits.

Dr. Martin Baumert


Age: 40 Years Responsibility at BASF: Team Leader Product Development Automotive Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: PhD in chemistry, studied at the University of Freiburg and the University of Edinburgh. How long have you been at BASF? Since August 2007. Family: Married, three children. How I like to relax: Going on mountain expeditions, walking and climbing. What Id really like to see one day: Angkor Wat in Cambodia. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Go on a trip round the world. I would then visit places like Machu Picchu in Peru, the Etosha Pan in Namibia, Tierra del Fuego ... Which plastic still needs to be invented and why? Id like to see a plastic which has the same properties as metal, but is just as easy to process as a polyamide. What really should be made out of plastic and why? All of a cars bodywork; including the supporting structure.

Available for operating temperatures of up to 220C and top temperatures up to 240C on turbocharged engines: Ultramid Endure, a highly heat-stabilized and cost-competitive specialty polyamide. It qualifies e.g. for components in the charge-air stage such as resonator, intercooler end caps, charge-air lines, throttle valves and intake manifold. This new specialty polyamide from BASF will be introduced at the K show 2010. Sample quantities will be available in Europe from October.

Engineering Plastics

The longer, the better


BASF enters the long glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide market

unction integration and ease of processing: these are the two primary benefits of plastic as a lightweight material. This is why many components that were previously made of metal have been replaced by plastic components over the past decades. The more demanding the application, the greater the performance required from the plastic. Disregarding high-temperature materials such as PEEK or polysulfones, the greatest advances have been made with specially formulated polyamide grades, as can be seen from the first volume production of plastic transmission cross beams and engine mounts in 2009. If this class of materials is to make even greater inroads in high-load applications in the machinery and automotive industries, additional innovations are necessary. High-performance polyamides for metal substitution With this in mind, BASF is entering the market with a new class of high-performance polyamides in the K-year of 2010 and presenting its long glass-fiber-reinforced (LF) Ultramid Structure. This product group which is new in BASFs portfolio, represents a considerable advance in terms of performance with metal substitution as the objective. Where even highly optimized short glass fiber-

reinforced products reach their limitations, LF polyamides offer new opportunities. Greater performance thanks to the 3-D network The exceptional feature of components made from long glass-fiber-reinforced plastic is the three-dimensional glass-fiber network that forms during conventional injection molding, imparting the end product with its outstanding physical properties at both low and elevated temperatures. The fiber network forms the skeleton of the component and is retained even after ashing. This structure is the reason why the warpage, creep behavior and energy absorption of this material class already approaches the behavior of metals without losing the classical benefits of plastic. Production of LF resins employs the pultrusion process to first create plastic strands containing endless glass fibers. In a second step, these strands are cut to a pellet length of about 12 millimeters. The customer can process the LF granules on a conventional injection molding machine. With a favorable distribution of fibers in the molded plastic part, a three-dimensional fiber network of primarily three to six millimeters long fibers is formed directly without any significant additional effort. Processors can avoid major investment costs, and still gain access to a new sophisti-

cated material: Compared to classical reinforced polyamides with their only 0.3 millimeters long fibers, entirely new component characteristics are achieved. These exceptional component properties come from the enhanced mechanical capabilities brought about by the long glass-fibers: the LF polyamide grades Ultramid Structure are very stiff and strong at elevated temperatures, while at low temperatures they exhibit outstanding impact strength. Impressive creep behavior, the minimal warpage and the far higher energy absorption and thus optimized crash performance compared to conventional materials are further benefits. For cars, bikes and coffee machines The automotive industry has several obvious potential applications for the new LF polyamides. Engine mounts and metal inserts in seat structures are some examples. So are crash absorbers which are intended to undergo controlled destruction upon impact in order to absorb as much energy as possible to protect the rest of the vehicle. At the same time, other branches of industry need plastic components that can withstand high loads as well, such as coffee machines, where replacements for die-cast parts are sought, threaded connectors or components in power drills and bicycles.

Engineering Plastics

Dr. Andreas Wollny

Simulation for parts made of Ultramid Structure In addition to its solid backwards integration of PA precursors, BASF benefits from two additional aspects regarding its entre into the LF polyamides market: decades of experience and extensive formulation know-how from its wide range of classical PA 6 and PA 66 grades, as well as the capabilities offered by ULTRASIM TM, which has become a universal simulation instrument. Over the past few years, ULTRASIM has proven to be a valuable simulation tool for designing parts, mainly in the automotive sector. In addition to accurate predictions of component behavior as a function of gating parameters and fiber anisotropy, it is possible with the aid of Mathematical Component Optimization to establish the best possible shape under the given conditions. Improving components with controlled failure ULTRASIM is also for the simulation of components reinforced with long glassfibers. The best example is a crash absorber made of Ultramid Structure developed in-house: Its controlled failure upon impact is predicted and mapped precisely by ULTRASIM. Experiment and Simulation match closely, so that as in the case of short glass-fiber-reinforced

materials BASF will offer appropriate methods and be able to assist with component design for the new product group Ultramid Structure. This is a service that is not yet available in the LF-polyamide market in this comprehensive form. BASF has been operating a pultrusion line on a pilot scale for two years and is currently investing in an industrial-scale plant. This demonstrates its commitment to long-term involvement in this new field. The company is starting with a small range of PA 6 and PA 66 grades with LF levels between 40 and 60 percent as well as various types of stabilization. This portfolio will be expanded in the future to meet market requirements. First customers have already received samples.

Dr. Andreas Wollny


Age: 37 Years Responsibility at BASF: Marketing Ultramid Specialties Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Qualified chemist, studied for a degree at the University of Stuttgart and a doctorate at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. How long have you been at BASF? Since October 2006. Family: Wife and two daughters. How I like to relax: Being out in the countryside, walking or cycling. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Patagonia. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Go on a trip round the world. What is your favorite plastic? Polyamide. I have always been interested in polyamide. I am fascinated by the many possibilities that polyamides offer and the many different versions that exist. What really should be made out of plastic? Plastics should be used more often as a substitute for metals. For me, the car of the future will consist of less steel and will be made using more plastic.

With the product family Ultramid Structure BASF enters the market for long-glass fiber reinforced (LF) polyamides. These highly loadable materials will help to replace even more metal. Their specific property is the capability to form three-dimensional glass fiber networks (white, upper right side) during injection molding which gives the component as in the case of a crash absorber on the car body its unique mechanical performance.

Engineering Plastics

Weld joints and their fatigue


BASF developed a second test specimen

ong-term cyclical loading, is an area in the plastics industry that has barely been researched at all. The question of how long the engine mount, the intake manifold or the oil filter can withstand a pulsating compressive load in the presence of oil under changing temperatures cannot be answered, because of a lack of systematic investigations. A universal test specimen whose behavior can be predicted virtually and verified experimentally is one prerequisite for gaining this knowledge about fatigue strength and durability. It is for this reason that BASF presented such a test specimen made out of Ultramid A3WG7 CR a little less than a year ago. The open body with the designation ULTRASIM Fatigue Tester (UFT) was designed specifically for cyclical internal compressive loads: It has a minimum volume, withstands cyclical loads of maximum 30 bar, exhibits defined failure modes at defined locations and has a typical fiber distribution/ orientation at these predetermined weak spots. To permit systematic investigation of weld joint behavior in particular, BASF is now introducing a second test specimen for fatigue tests, the ULTRASIM Weld Tester (UWT). It employs a special Ultramid (PA) that is preferred for use in welded components. A new type of weld test specimen The new ULTRASIM Weld Tester has a different geometry than its slightly older relative, the

Fatigue Tester, since two test specimens are joined together for a weld test. For instance, there is a flange around the opening of the body, which is a typical weld geometry. The injection mold for the weld test specimen has a number of different inserts, so that not only two different flange thicknesses but also three test specimen sizes can be produced and combined. With this toolbox, it is now possible to conduct systematic short- and long-term (fatigue) tests of the integrity and durability of welds under various conditions. One of the variables to be considered is the direction of motion during vibration welding, as are the joining pressure and amplitude employed during the welding operation. Glass fiber content and orientation at the weld joint may also be important as well as temperature, moisture level, stress concentration and type of load. One thing is known for sure: the bursting strength does not depend directly on the strength of the material. Geometry and processing of the component the weld also have a significant effect. Two-step testing process An initial series of investigation is intended to establish the basic effect of welding parameters on the integrity of the specimen. This yields a set of optimal welding parameters. Using this knowledge, optimally welded test specimens can then be produced.

In a second step, the component experts investigate the fatigue strength, that is, the durability of the weld joints in the test specimen. Only then can reliable statements be made about the life expectancy of the weld, i.e. its fatigue behavior. Both of these steps represent new territory for BASF and its concept: in the past, welding parameters were established only with the aid of plastic plaques produced specifically for this purpose. Using the ULTRASIM Weld Tester, it is now possible to use close to real-world welded test specimens instead. Initial results have already demonstrated that strength values differ from those found with simple plaques. While tensile and flexural properties can be measured only separately on welded test plaques, tensile and bending moments that occur simultaneously under internal pressure on the welded component can be investigated at the same time. Further, the ratio of tensile and flexural loads can be varied through use of different component sizes. Predefined weak spot Most of the welded bodies on the market are symmetrical in shape, so that there is no particular weak spot. The UWT from BASF has been designed intentionally to be asymmetric and has one predefined weak spot. This characteristic is very

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Engineering Plastics

Dr. Stefan Glaser

important, as in this way it is possible to make use of the high predictability provided by the ULTRASIM TM computer program when laying out welds. Furthermore, the flexibility of the mold allows test specimens of different sizes to be welded together, so that close to real-world, asymmetric components can be produced. As a result, complex load profiles with a complicated interplay of tensile and flexural loads can be generated and investigated. With this capability, the conditions in real components can be approximated very closely. Plastic parts with longer service life The closer the weld tester can approach the planned component in terms of location of the weld joint, joining geometry, and welding parameters, the more reliably the BASF experts can predict the life expectancy of the customers part. This requires a test specimen in which various (failure) modes can be created reproducibly and with the aid of ULTRASIM be understood. It is also possible in such a variable weld test specimen system to take into consideration the loads associated with different fluids specified by the customer. Exposure to fluid on one or both sides, thermal stresses and pressure loads can all be investigated simultaneously. The ability to conduct fluid investigations in

conjunction with welds in this systematic manner is to date unique in the market. The material knowledge gained in this way is a long way from that provided by the classic test bar. The objective of the extensive studies being conducted with the ULTRASIM Weld Tester at BASF is to obtain Whler curves known from the metals science for welded plastic components that reproduce the effects of temperature, various fluids and pulsating pressures. By combining investigations of weld joints and fatigue strength, BASF is pursuing a new dimension. Thanks to its very exactly defined form and flexibility, the patented, extremely variable test specimen for fatigue testing of weld joints represented by the ULTRASIM Weld Tester provides the opportunity to increase greatly the knowledge concerning plastic parts.

Dr. Stefan Glaser


Age: 48 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Simulation Engineering, Engineering Plastics Europe Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Aerospace engineer (degree, doctorate and postdoctoral qualification obtained from the University of Stuttgart). Private lecturer at the Institut fr Statik und Dynamik der Luftund Raumfahrtkonstruktionen (Institute of Statics and Dynamics of Aerospace Constructions/ Engineering). How long have you been at BASF? Since 1996. Family: Wife, three children and one cat. How I like to relax: Walking. Favorite place for a vacation: The Dolomites. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Take a year-long vacation with the family. Which plastic still needs to be invented and what really should be made out of plastic? We are only just starting when it comes to plastics. And plastic offers an incredible range of possibilities if you know how you can make use of all of its properties. It should be possible to massproduce cars from carbon fiber and plastic which will be much more efficient than these great hulks of steel that we cruise around in today.

After BASF has presented their first test specimen, the ULTRASIM Fatigue Tester (left hand side) for the investigation of fatigue phenomena on highly loaded plastic components, the company has now completed the second of its kind: The ULTRASIM Weld Tester (right hand side) is made of Ultramid, too and together with the simulation instrument ULTRASIM shall help to determine and predict the fatigue strength of weld joints under different long-term loads. The target is to develop plastic parts together with the customer, which are optimized towards high durability under specific, sophisticated conditions.

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Engineering Plastics

Test passed ready for fire fighting


A new polyamide for fire extinguisher valves

ith the aid of CAE (ComputerAided Engineering), time and money can be saved when designing new plastic parts, as expensive prototypes can frequently be dispensed with. Multiplast in Austria and BASF have exploited this benefit during the development of a plastic valve for a new generation of fire extinguishers. The main valve body of the new fire extinguishers is molded from the special polyamide grade Ultramid T KR 4355 G10 from BASF and represents the first volume application of this highly glassreinforced new grade of plastic. This challenging plastic part replaces a brass predecessor in the main valve of the extinguisher. It was developed by Multiplast for the European fire extinguisher market. Tyco Fire Suppression & Building Products, one of the worlds largest manufacturers of fire extinguishers, has cooperated with Multiplast in the early development phase. Directly after the beginning of the serial production, Tyco switched to the new valve for about 90 percent of its product range. ULTRASIM showed: Plastic better than brass The new valve is in use in cartridge-operated fire extinguishers with a separate pressurized cartridge. The demanding requirements in this type of extinguisher

were previously met only by brass valves. The main valve is a multi-function component that integrates the connections for the internal riser pipe, the hose with the spray gun, the trigger mechanism and the handle. The manufacturer requires that, in order to operate reliably, the valve should be able to withstand a pressure of 80 bar between minus 30 and 60 degrees Celsius over a service life of 15 to 20 years. Inconsistent quality of the imported metal was one of the major drawbacks of the brass valve for Multiplast. Maximum plastic performance Not without simulation The common goal was to develop a plastic component that could be manufactured efficiently by injection molding, that offered more consistent quality and greater capabilities than the conventional brass component. Such an application requires that the plastic exhibits high heat resistance, high strength and stiffness as well as high dimensional stability. The material must also pass a number of safety tests. These include investigations of the service life, the burst pressure, the resistance to fire extinguishing agent and the stability after long-term UV-light exposure. To develop the complex component efficiently, quickly and reliably, BASF used its ULTRASIM simulation tool. Classic

mold filling simulations are state of the art in the field of CAE today. With ULTRASIM, however, it is also possible to determine the orientation of the fibers as a function of filling pressure and gate location, and then optimize the mechanical performance of the component on the basis of this information. This is no easy task with a glass fiber content of 50 percent and significant anisotropy in the component. Simulation of three load situations was of major importance: the valves behavior at a gauge pressure of 120 bar, its behavior under a bending load applied by the pressurized cartridge when in horizontal position and the effect of a dynamic load applied by the handle when the fire extinguisher is lifted abruptly. Resisting high pressure and extinguishing agents In case of excessively high pressure, a weak spot had to be designed on the valve that would rupture at a pressure above 105 to 110 bar and in this way prevent uncontrolled bursting of the entire extinguisher. Using ULTRASIM, experts were able to exactly define the function of the intentional rupture location and to fully confirm it experimentally. When the fire extinguisher is stored in a horizontal position, the fire extinguishing agent powder or liquid is in continuous contact with the valve. Finally, the fire ex-

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Engineering Plastics

Dr. Martin Bussmann

tinguisher must not exhibit any failures when lifted abruptly by the handle: a challenge for the lever and for simulation, since strain rate-dependent material properties are involved. Here, too, there was significant agreement between simulation and experiment. With this knowledge, it was possible to establish the design of the complicated part exactly, with all of its integrated additional functions and without metal inserts, for production in a single injection molding step. Even the four integrated metric threads are plastic. The special Ultramid grade used provides such good chemical resistance that the new main valve also received immediate approval for use in maritime environments a field of application that demands even greater fire extinguisher safety. Furthermore, the final version of the valve, with an operating window of minus 40 to 80 degrees Celsius, achieved a burst pressure increase to 100 bar and resistance to pressure spikes of up to 250 bar, considerably better characteristics than those of the brass part. Resistance to the fire extinguishing agent, environmental factors such as UV radiation and ozone must not be overlooked either. ULTRASIM no longer for automotive applications alone Without a powerful computer tool, this plastic application would not have been

possible. At the same time, working with ULTRASIMTM at this level requires extensive material data, which must be either available for the particular special resin or established in advance. Both together made it possible for the very extensive methodology and program collection of BASF to pass an extremely crucial test outside the automotive field.

Dr. Martin Bussmann


Age: 34 Years Responsibility at BASF: Market Development Industries Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Studied mechanical engineering at the University of Essen, specializing in mechanical engineering; doctorate obtained in plastics processing at RWTH Aachen University. How long have you been at BASF? Since 2007. Family: Married, one child. How I like to relax: Riding my motor scooter. Where Id really like to travel one day: To the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania/Africa. If you had a year off (no need to worry about money or work), what would you like to do? Go on a trip round the world. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? I like learning about how the world works every single day. What is your favorite plastic? Ultramid A3XZG5. I am impressed by its mechanical performance at low and high temperatures along with its excellent flame-retardant properties!

The main valve body for a new generation of fire extinguishers is molded from the special highly glass-reinforced polyamide grade Ultramid T from BASF. This challenging plastic part replaces a brass predecessor in the main valve of the extinguisher. It was developed by Multiplast in Moosbrunn, Austria. The valve withstands pressures of up to 100 bar over a temperature range of -40 to +80C, offers high strength as well as dimensional stability, and has passed numerous safety tests.

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Packaging & Films

More flexibility for shrink films


New two-component concept for SB copolymers

aunched onto the market three years ago, shrink films based on Styrolux HS 70 have now become well-established in the European sleeve market. Compared to conventional mixtures of SBC (styrene butadiene block copolymer) and PS (polystyrene), this material stands out for its very high final shrinkage of more than 70 percent. BASF researchers have now developed even further improved Styrolux grades with an eye towards expanding the product line for this application. They have done so in response to the industrys desire for stiffer films that allow even larger, more complex objects to be shrink-labeled and the thickness of the sleeve film to be further reduced. Two-component system for more individualized films A two-component concept that differs from Styrolux HS 70 is being implemented for the first time: with Styrolux T (T = toughness) and Styrolux S (S = stiffness), this concept offers two new Styrolux grades with which the desired property profile of the shrink film can be set when the processor blends them, and only once they are put together do they yield the film material Styrolux T/S. This concept has already received very positive first feedback from film manufacturers. The combination of the two newly

developed Styrolux grades now allows manufacturers themselves to adapt the film properties to their specific requirements a first in the realm of shrink sleeves. In the blended T/S products, the T component provides basic properties such as toughness and good stretchability, while the S component improves the stiffness of the film as well as its storage stability. The latter is determined by the so-called natural shrinkage that the material undergoes after the stretching procedure. This value is ascertained in a 21-day storage test at 40 degrees Celsius [104 degrees Fahrenheit]. A one-to-one mixture of Styrolux T and Styrolux S, for instance, yields a film that is 25 to 30 percent stiffer and that exhibits a natural shrinkage that is about 50 percent less than a corresponding film made of Styrolux HS 70. Greater stiffness high final shrinkage lower gel content Films based on Styrolux T/S exhibit an unparallel level of transparency and brilliance. They are particularly well-suited for the technology of transverse stretching (TD = transverse direction). TD films allow shapes having widely varying radii or unusual designs to be shrink-labeled by sleeve technology.The new product formulation has succeeded in retaining the familiar, well balanced shrinkage curve of Styrolux HS 70, along with a very high

final shrinkage of more than 70 percent at 90 degrees Celsius [194 degrees Fahrenheit]. The uniform, moderate rise of the shrinkage curve permits well-controlled shrink-labeling over a very broad processing range, whereas the high final shrinkage makes it possible to decorate even the most complex of shapes. Like Styrolux HS 70, the T/S film products stand out for very high efficiency and processing reliability. Owing to the relatively low density, approximately 30 percent more film per kilogram of plastic can be produced than, for example, with PET-G. Moreover, when provided with higher percentages of the S component, the Styrolux T/S films can reach the level of stiffness of PET shrink films. The two-component concept and the systematic adjustability of the film properties in terms of toughness and stiffness have enabled BASF to respond to customer demands, to their system concepts and to the brand owners, all of which vary considerably from one region to another. The gel count of Styrolux HS 70, which is already very low, has been reduced even further in the films based on the innovative Styrolux T and S components. The new Styrolux T/S films not only are suitable for transverse stretching processes but, as so-called MD films, they also yield high-quality products. Stretching films in the extrusion direction (machine direction

14

Packaging & Films

Dr. Daniel Wagner

= MD) as is done in band labeling technology is simpler from the standpoint of the machinery employed and thus correspondingly cheaper. With the roll-on-shrink-on method ROSO for short the film label is wrapped around the bottle in the form of a band, fixed by glue and then shrunk onto the bottle under the effect of heat. New perspectives for MD technology The ROSO method used to be limited almost exclusively to polypropylene (PP) and to just a few suppliers. The low shrinkage of classic PP-MD shrink films 20 percent at the maximum at temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius [212 degrees Fahrenheit] restricted the use of this method to bottles with simple shapes. The new Styrolux shrink-film products, but also the proven Styrolux HS 70 and the highly transparent Styrolux grade 3G 46 first introduced onto the market in 2006, open up completely new perspectives for the MD method. These films can achieve shrinkage levels of as much as 45 percent at temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius [212 degrees Fahrenheit], and even up to 65 percent at temperatures between 100 and 120 degrees Celsius [212 to 248 degrees Fahrenheit]. In this context, shrink films based on Styrolux 3G 46, which only reach their maximum shrinkage at a temperature above 100 degrees Celsius [212

degrees Fahrenheit], are especially easy to process in hot-air shrink tunnels. MD films on the basis of Styrolux HS 70 or of the new T/S components already attain their highest shrinkage at lower temperatures. This is why they lend themselves for shrink-labeling in steam tunnels. The significantly higher final shrinkage of the MD Styrolux films means that it is also possible to tightly shrink-label complex shapes such as contoured bottles that have large radius differences, a realm that up until now had been the exclusive domain of TD sleeve films. In cooperation with leading machine and film manufacturers, it could be demonstrated that Styrolux MD films run very smoothly on existing labeling stations that currently work almost exclusively with ROSOPP films. Moreover, newer methods such as the hot-sealing of the seams on laser equipment made by the Italian company Sacmi or the hot bar sealing method of Alfa Sidel all yield very good results with Styrolux MD films. Attractive market segment with growth potential In view of the current global market volume of more than 3.5 million square meters and estimated annual growth rates of well over 10 percent for the coming years, shrink films are an extremely attractive segment of the packaging market for consumer goods.

Dr. Daniel Wagner


Age: 57 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Development SBC Polymers Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Qualified chemist, studied for a degree and a doctorate at Clausthal-Zellerfeld University. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1985. Family: Married, two sons. How I like to relax: Listening to classical music - operas and baroque music or reading. Favorite place for a vacation: Any seaside location as long as I am able to go diving. Where Id really like to travel one day: To South America. I would like to see Tierra del Fuego, Machu Picchu and the Amazon. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Travel. Which plastic still needs to be invented and why? A plastic which boasts high transparency, has the conductivity of metals and is also lightweight.

For the manufacture of shrink film which goes into the packaging market for consumer goods, BASF has developed a further improved version of its plastic Styrolux. By mixing the companys new SBC polymers Styrolux T and Styrolux S, which are part of an innovative two-component system, processors can individually shape their property profile. The resulting Styrolux T/S works well for the shrink-wrapping of complex formed bottles via the sleeve technology (left), but also for processing via the ROSO technique using glue-able labels in the form of a band (right). For film producers and packaging com-

panies the main advantages of films made from Styrolux T/S come from the plastics constant shrinkage behavior and its high final shrinkage values. Starting in early 2011, the two sleeve film components Styrolux T and S should be available in commercial quantities throughout the world.

15

Packaging & Films

Around the world safe and sound


Lightweight and sturdy EuroPallets thanks to SBC-Polymer

henever goods are transported in large unit loads be it by sea, land or air they are usually consolidated on pallets for easier handling. As a rule, products made of wood are used for this purpose. A new generation of transport pallets made of plastic is being launched onto the market by the Hirsch Group, located in Glanegg, Austria. These pallets overcome quite a few of the drawbacks of the conventional models: among other things, they are easier to clean and very sturdy, but first and foremost, they weigh much less than EuroPallets made of wood. The highly elastic BASF styrene butadiene copolymer Styroflex 2G66 is playing a crucial role in this innovation. Engineers at Hirsch are using Styroflex 2G66 as a toughness modifier for the HIPS film (HIPS: High-impact polystyrene) that protects the lightweight core of the new pallets against damage. Light weight low transportation costs Compared to conventional wooden pallets, weighing 20 to 40 kilograms, or newer metal-reinforced polyethylene pallets, the innovative products from the Hirsch Group offer the advantage of a significantly lower weight: they weigh 50 up to 75 percent less. It is hard to estimate how many EuroPallets there are in the global flow of

goods. Specialized logistics service providers employ several hundred million such pallets and, year after year, they produce tens of millions of these versatile goods carriers. All in all, the number of pallets roaming the world is probably in the order of magnitude of a few billion: that is how big the potential market is for innovative solutions. For the purposes of lower transport costs and low carbon dioxide emissions a lightweight pallet represents a decisive environmental advantage even if only a small part of the enormous quantity of pallets was replaced by the lightweight solution. Even the 5 kilogram pallet, the lightest variant, can handle one ton of payload, that is to say, two hundred times its own weight. Foamed core wrapped with protective film In order to minimize the weight of their new plastic pallet, engineers at Hirsch have developed a rigid and strong core made of expanded polystyrene for this standard transport structure. To withstand damage during the rough-andtumble daily routine of logistical operations this structure has to be protected by a very robust skin. This is why the developers turned to a two-layer film made of BASFs impact-resistant polystyrene whose layers have Styroflex added to

them. The one to two millimeters thick film wraps the pallet tightly. HIPS made tough with the help of Styroflex While the special styrene butadiene copolymer serves in other applications in the form of films, in this case it is used as a toughness modifier for impact resistant polystyrene. Even in small amounts, it can considerably boost the basic toughness of HIPS, turning it into a material that can withstand severe mechanical stress. The Charpy notched impact strength of the basic polymer and the energy needed to puncture the product are markedly increased. As a result, the new pallets can withstand all of the jolts, impacts and shear loads normally encountered in routine logistics operations without suffering any appreciable damage. According to BASF experience, Styroflex 2G66 also makes the material less prone to stress cracking as characterized by the so-called environmental stress cracking resistance, abbreviated ESCR. Furthermore, the addition of Styroflex 2G66 also enhances the compatibility among the materials and creates a non-slip surface. Packaged goods are much less prone to slipping on the HIPS-Styroflex film than on smooth polyethylene. The combination of the lightweight core

16

Packaging & Films

Andrea Colombo

with the HIPS skin entails a few more advantages. The pallets are considerably more impervious to changing weather conditions than wood and, unlike the latter, they do not absorb water. This is not only advantageous for the transportation of frozen products, where absorbed moisture unnecessarily consumes cooling capacity, but it means that the plastic pallets do not have to be extensively treated against mold and rot. As an added bonus, occupational accidents and damage caused by splinters or protruding nails are a thing of the past. Sturdy washable design-friendly What comes on top are hygiene aspects: the modified HIPS surface can be easily cleaned with regular power washers, which makes it the ideal transportation material for food products. Together with the requisite food contact approvals, the new pallets are also suited for the safe transportation of food. Since all of the materials involved come from the polystyrene family, it is, moreover, much easier to recycle the pallets once they have finally reached the end of their useful life. Last but not least, from a designers standpoint, the plastic version is much more flexible with regard to design parameters than the obdurate wooden vari-

ants. For instance, pallets sporting the colors of the customers, and even with molded indentations or printed with company logos, are all conceivable. RFID tags can easily be inserted under the protective film, so that the route traveled by pallets identified in this manner can be continuously tracked all over the world.

Andrea Colombo
Age: 37 Years Responsibility at BASF: Business Management Styroflex Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Industrial chemist, Universit degli Studi di Milano. How long have you been at BASF? At BASF in Italy since December 2006, in Ludwigshafen since July 2009 (delegation for four years). Family: In a relationship, one stepdaughter. How I like to relax: By playing rock, blues or modern numbers on my guitar. Where Id really like to travel one day: Through Germany as I have not yet had the opportunity to get to know the country. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? I would go on a trip round the world. What is your favorite plastic? The vinyl of my long-playing records. I like the ritual of putting on an album and treating the records like a treasured possession.

The new transport pallets made of plastic, being launched onto the market by the Hirsch Group, Glanegg, Austria, are not only hygienic, safe and easy to clean: First and foremost, they weigh up to 75 % less than conventional wooden EuroPallets, because they consist of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Their protecting and robust skin contains Styroflex 2G66, a higly elastic styrene butadiene copolymer (SBC). Engineers at Hirsch are using this BASF product as a toughness modifier for the HIPS film (HIPS: High-impact polystyrene) that closely wraps and protects the lightweight core of the new pallets against damage.

17

Packaging & Films

A new milestone in the history of polymer foams


First tough-elastic foam with the benefits of Styropor

olymer foams are a success story for BASF. This story began in 1952 with the invention of Styropor (EPS: expandable polystyrene). Today, following the successful development of the extruded polystyrene rigid foam panels Styrodur (XPS), the tough-elastic polyolefin range Neopolen, the melamine resin foam Basotect, and the advanced version of EPS for thermal insulation Neopor, BASF has a broad portfolio and unique knowhow when it comes to particle and extrusion foams. BASF has now succeeded with another innovation: E-por, a material which is based on a new formulation and is manufactured in novel production process. E-por is the first tough-elastic, crack-resistant foam which can be transported, stored, processed and recycled like traditional Styropor. The material is noted for very good fusion of the surface, excellent resistance to solvents, and an appealing look and feel. Because of its high crackresistance it is multishock-safe and therefore well-suited to being used as transport packaging for high-quality, shock-sensitive electrical and electronic (E/E) products, such as plasma televisions, laptops, refrigerators or washing machines. When it comes to the safe transportation of electrical and electronic devices, the weight and sensitivity to shock of the product are crucial. A protective cardboard

packaging is usually adequate for transporting robust and lightweight goods. However, cardboard only absorbs a small amount of energy, so its cushioning effect is limited. This is why cardboard is generally combined with Styropor. Styropor is light and has an excellent cushioning effect. But Styropor is a rigid foam and can break if the packaging is dropped, for example when unloading a truck. Once Styropor has been broken or torn, the cushioning effect diminishes significantly. Increasing requirements for the packaging of sensitive E/E goods As electronic products are becoming lighter and lighter, but electronically more elaborate and thus more sensitive to multiple shocks, the requirements for the packaging are becoming more stringent. This is the reason why valuable and sensitive products are packed in multi-shock safe polyolefin and interpolymer foams. Compared with the standard packaging material Styropor, these foams have a number of disadvantages in processing and are not as easy to recycle as Styropor. E-por combines the shock resistance and aesthetic appeal of interpolymers with the cost-effective recycling and ease of processing of the standard material Styropor. E-por has a very low blowing agent content of less than 6 percent. Rival products based on interpolymers require a blowing agent

content of more than 10 percent. This large amount of blowing agent has to be frozen in the raw material, which means that interpolymers have to be transported and stored in a cold chain. Rival products are pre-foamed during the production process, which means that it is mainly air that is transported from the raw material producer to the packaging manufacturer. This increases the transport costs considerably. E-por thus saves transport, storage, and energy costs. It can be transported and stored at room temperature. It is foamed by the packaging manufacturer with a small amount of steam. The material can also be processed on conventional Styropor machines, which is more energy-efficient than processing polyolefins. Ultimately, E-por is the only foam resistant to multiple shocks which can be degased and recycled using Styropor technology: This means that converters do not have to change their machines. Advantages along the entire value chain Beyond the converter, E-por offers advantages for the entire value chain right through to the consumer: Appliance manufacturers are provided with a dust-free, flexible packaging material with an appealing look and feel which allows compact packaging with reduced damage and returns, and lower disposal costs. Retailers and consumers

18

Packaging & Films

Dr. Jens Amann

can dispose of the reliable transport packaging in the same way as Stryropor, that is cost-efficiently and without additional efforts. Impact-strength modification combined with foam technology The development of E-por became possible thanks to a new research approach: BASFs researchers no longer regarded foams as a static blend of a polymer and a blowing agent, as is the case with Styropor, for example. Instead, they developed E-por as a complex formulation of different ingredients which interact both with one another and with the blowing agent pentane. The researchers managed to transfer the concept of the impact-strength modification of polymeric materials to particle foams. This formulation is produced in a new type of BASF process. BASFs direct customer, the converter, is then able to process the granules using conventional Styropor technology. And this produces a foam with a new foam architecture. BASF has been present in the market for almost a year with pilot quantities of E-por in all regions many customer projects are running successfully.

Dr. Jens Amann


Age: 37 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Manager E-por Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Chemist with a doctorate qualification. How long have you been at BASF? Since 2003. Family: Married, one son. How I like to relax: With a glass of red wine out on the balcony, jogging or playing with my son. What Id really like to see one day: The Pyramid of Cheops. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Build a house, a boat or a houseboat. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? We launched a product on the market which according to the information in textbooks should not exist. E-por was invented through chemical trickery. It is fascinating to do things like this.

BASF has developed a new foam: E-por is the first tough-elastic, crack-resistant foam which can be transported, stored, processed and recycled like traditional Styropor. The material is noted for very good fusion of the surface, excellent resistance to solvents, and an appealing look and feel. Because of its high crackresistance it is multishock-safe and therefore well-suited to being used as transport packaging for high-quality, shock-sensitive electrical and electronics products.

What really should be made out of plastic? Clothing which converts body heat that is given off into energy and charges up a reservoir store for portable chargers. This would then allow, for example, a camera battery that is about to run out to be recharged while you are out skiing.

19

Packaging & Films

Sustainable products just a mouse click away


New online tool for calculating the ecological footprint

hen does it make sense to use biodegradable plastics? The packaging industry, consumers and policy makers are often confronted with this question. Up to now, anyone who wanted to base a decision on a solid foundation had to turn to extensive individual eco-efficiency analyses or other life cycle assessments (LCA) that scrutinize the consumption of resources during the manufacture, use and disposal phases of a plastic product. A new BASF online tool, the so-called Ecovio Eco-Efficiency Compass (E 3C), will make this decision much easier in the future. Biodegradable is not necessarily eco-efficient The software compiles all of the relevant data for the production and disposal of selected products the findings of many exhaustive Eco-Efficiency Analyses in a single user-friendly interface. Various parameters that are crucial for the ecological evaluation of a given product can be quickly checked, revealing their impact on the products eco-efficiency right away. The uncomplicated comparison of the ecological footprint of various approaches allows the user to quickly ascertain whether, in the final analysis, a biodegradable plastic is actually more environmentally friendly.

Biodegradable plastics continue to enjoy a growing interest from the market and the public at large. A number of BASF products have contributed to this development. Ecovio F Film is commonly found in compostable shopping bags. At the end of 2009, BASFs Ecovio product line was expanded by two new types, namely, Ecovio FS Paper, which is suitable for the production of coated paper cups and cardboard boxes, and Ecovio FS Shrink Film, which was developed explicitly with an eye towards the manufacture of shrink films. Biodegradable plastics, do not automatically solve environmental problems simply because they can be composted. Their use only makes sense if they are more sustainable than non-biodegradable materials at a performance level that is the same or even better. The biodegradability is supposed to create added value, for instance, by allowing organic waste to be composted rather than incinerated. After all, organic waste consists primarily of water, which makes thermal utilization very inefficient. In contrast, if the film can be composted along with its contents, this can have a positive effect on the environment. For many years, comprehensive life cycle assessments, like the Eco-Efficiency Analysis developed by BASF, have been helping people to make the right choice among different product and process alternatives. Towards this end, such analyses

thoroughly and quantitatively investigate and evaluate the consumption of resources, the environmental impact and the economic effects during the production, use and endof-life phases of a material in a given application. However, all of this makes these studies complex: a comprehensive Eco-Efficiency Analysis has to be performed by LCA experts and takes several months. Such individual studies do not lend themselves to being combined and specific scenarios must be prepared separately. This again affords the experts support. It is not possible to make flexible and quick decisions from among several material alternatives. User interface friendly with clear layout This is where the new Eco-Efficiency Compass springs into action. A web-based interface with an input mask is provided so that users can combine numerous parameters that are of relevance for the ecological profile of their envisaged product such as, a shopping bag. These parameters include not only the selection of the packaging material if necessary all the way down to the monomer level but also the weight of the bag and the type of disposal technology. Thus, the entire life cycle of the product is depicted, from the selection of the raw material all the way to disposal. The software bases its calculations on several Eco-Efficiency Analyses and control parameters

20

Packaging & Films

Prof. Dr. Andreas Knkel

describing materials, applications and disposal scenarios. For the sake of clarity, however, they stay in the background. Simple presentation of complex systems Users first receive the analysis results in the form of a radar and portfolio diagram that clearly and logically shows the eco-efficiency of the approaches being compared. This already shows where a product variant has advantages or disadvantages, for example, in terms of its consumption of resources or its emissions. If so desired, users can receive assistance from BASF experts who will provide them with individual diagrams showing valid and reproducible estimates of the energy and material streams involved in the production, transportation, use and final disposal. The environmentally relevant effects of the material selection and naturally also the costs of the chosen approach are provided. Example: shopping bag with double benefit The calculational comparison between a shopping bag made of paper and one made of Ecovio, both of which offer double benefit since they can be used for shopping and for biowaste disposal, shows: under the boundaries chosen the Ecovio bag is more eco-efficient than the paper bag, because the latter has to be consid-

erably thicker in order to perform equally well. Generally speaking, this parameter plays a crucial role. Together with trained BASF employees, users can experiment with these parameters. At the present time, the new Ecovio Eco-Efficiency Compass is still tailor-made for estimating the eco-efficiency of shopping bags and foam trays. Major developments on the market can be promptly incorporated; an example of this is polyethylene made of bio-ethanol. At the moment, experts are implementing models for paper coatings as well as for shrink films. These will help BASF customers to ascertain the eco-efficiency of paper cups and beverage packaging and also to ensure that, in these sectors, biodegradable plastics are only employed where they are indeed more sustainable while performing at least equally well.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Knkel


Age: 41 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Research Biopolymers Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Biologist with a doctorate qualification, honorary professor of industrial biotechnology at the University of Marburg. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1999. Family: Married. How I like to relax: Walking, reading and playing tennis. Favorite place for a vacation: Mexico. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Israel. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? I am very into German history and would read a lot about it, study sources in libraries or travel to places of historical interest. What is your favorite plastic? Ecovio: Because it is biodegradable and can be used in many different ways. Which plastic still needs to be invented? A biodegradable plastic whose monomers can be manufactured on the basis of cellulose.

From an eco-efficiency standpoint, is it better for a newly planned product be it a shopping bag, a bag for organic waste, an agricultural film or a coated paper cup to be made of a biodegradable plastic such as BASFs Ecovio or of a conventional plastic? With its Ecovio Eco-Efficiency Compass (E3C), BASF is now providing an online tool with which the pros and cons of the individual product options can be quickly and efficiently identified so that they can be discussed with customers. It also includes energy and material balances, ranging from the manufacture of the plastic product, on to its life cycle, and all the way to its disposal.

21

Packaging & Films

Sun protection for greenhouses


New light stabilizer extends agricultural film life

ccording to United Nations estimates, over 9 billion people will be living on Earth by the year 2050. The amount of arable land needed to feed them, however, will not increase at the same rate. Inexpensive greenhouses made from plastic film represent one way to solve this problem: With the aid of such greenhouses, the output per hectare can be increased considerably. A new light stabilizer that BASF will launch at the K show, after six years of development, can help improve these greenhouses and make them even more effective. Tinuvin XT 200 protects film made from thermoplastic resins against overly fast degradation when exposed to UV light. This economical additive ensures the efficacy of these films over a longer period of time even in the presence of severe concentrations of agricultural chemicals like elemental sulfur. Tinuvin XT 200 fills a gap in the BASF portfolio of light stabilizers for resins used in agriculture. An important market in several respects As a result of urban growth, but also because of increased erosion and climate change, the amount of arable land is decreasing. The challenge is how to increase the intensity of agricultural activity while keeping the products affordable. Greenhouses that can be erected very

inexpensively through the use of plastic film are one possible way out of this dilemma. They provide an ideal environment for plants, protect vegetables from the effects of frost, wind and rain, ensure uniformly high quality and help fruit ripen faster. In this way, several crops can be harvested in one year. Moreover, modern plastic film can be tailored specifically to the unique light and temperature requirements of many field-grown fruits. At the same time, they help to use water more economically. Agriculture has special requirements The benefits of greenhouse production are so convincing that vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and eggplants are already being cultivated largely under polyolefin roofs. In 2009, about 900,000 tons of plastic film for greenhouses were produced worldwide, covering about 800,000 hectares of arable land. At the same time, the demand for agricultural film for use in greenhouses is foreseen to grow at an annual rate of about four percent. The most important markets are found in the Mediterranean region. Other fast growing greenhouse areas in the world are Asia, South America and Eastern Africa. Optimized agriculture also includes carefully considered use of agricultural

chemicals to prevent harvests from attack by pests or mold. Environmentally friendly solutions are advancing on this front as well. The use of sulfur, for instance, being approved for application on organic produce even in highly regulated German agriculture, is recording noteworthy growth. However, the use of elemental sulfur and other agricultural chemicals places special demands on the film used in greenhouses. The reason for this lies in the sensitivity of thermoplastic films to UV light. This energy-rich radiation causes plastics to become brittle over the course of time via a complex, multi-step chemical mechanism. Low-cost, thin film in particular, can become useless after only a few weeks of exposure to the open sky as a result of this effect. Special products withstand agricultural chemicals Polymer chemistry has already developed additives that can slow this degradation reaction. However, their suitability for use in agricultural film is rather limited, since their effectiveness is reduced considerably by sulfur and acids stemming from the wooden or iron construction of greenhouses. Halogen-containing chemicals can also contribute to the deactivation of common UV stabilizers. There are, however, alternatives in the BASF light

22

Packaging & Films

Victor Pacheco

stabilizer portfolio, specifically for the agricultural sector. Light stabilizers recommended depending on the amount of agricultural chemicals used are, for example, Tinuvin NOR 371, a powerful high-end product on the market since 2001, but also Tinuvin 494, Tinuvin 111 as well as Chimassorb 2020 and 944. The new Tinuvin XT 200 operates in a range that for technical or economic reasons could not be considered for the previous Tinuvin. Through use of Tinuvin XT 200 it is possible to produce in a very economical manner LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) films that withstand severe agricultural chemicals levels and also assure a service life of two and more years even under intense sunlight. The performance of such stabilized films is also very good when in contact with wood and metal greenhouse structures. Without a light stabilizer, they would not last even one growing cycle. Extensive testing verified capabilities The capabilities of the new UV stabilizer were verified by extensive testing at BASF over several years. This testing involved not only highly specialized laboratories but also experimental greenhouses at the large BASF development center for light stabilizers for agricultural plastics in Bologna, Italy. After the aging characteristics

of the stabilized film were investigated in detail in the laboratory, they also had to prove themselves in extended field tests in Italy and Spain. Now the new stabilizer has the opportunity to grow along with a dynamic market.

Victor Pacheco
Age: 30 Years Responsibility at BASF: Marketing Plastic Additives for Agriculture Where: BASF Schweiz, Basel Profession: Master of Economics and Marketing (University of Granada, Spain); Bachelor of Business Administration (University of the West of England, Bristol). How long have you been at BASF? Since August 2005. Family: Single. How I like to relax: By doing taekwondo and reading. Favorite place for a vacation: Spain. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Japan. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? I would enjoy my life and spend half of the year with my family in Spain. I would spend the second half of the year traveling the world. What is your favorite plastic? Low density polyethylene because greenhouses are made from this material. What really should be made out of plastic? We should replace more and more metal with plastics, to allow lightweight structures to be built.

With the aid of inexpensive greenhouses made from plastic film the agricultural output per hectare can be increased considerably. A new light stabilizer by BASF can help improve these greenhouses and make them even more effective: Tinuvin XT 200 protects films made from thermoplastic resins against overly fast degradation when exposed to UV light. The economical additive also ensures the efficancy of the films over a longer period of time even in the presence of severe concentrations of agricultural chemicals like elemental sulfur.

23

Engineering Plastics II

Resistant to salt and hot water

New PA 610 grades: the Ultramid Balance line grows

ASFs polyamide 610, on the market since 2007, is being joined by additional grades. Four new glass fiber-reinforced materials now complement the unreinforced grade Ultramid S3K Balance: Ultramid S3EG6 Balance, Ultramid S3WG6 and S3WG7 Balance and Ultramid A3HG6 Balance. Their glass fiber contents are 30 (G6) and 35 (G7) percent and they will be available in sample quantities in Europe. It is known that Ultramid S Balance differs from conventional polyamide 6 (PA 6) and 66 (PA 66) by having a lower density and reduced moisture uptake. In-depth comparisons with other special polyamides available on the market indicate, however, that the material holds much greater potential. Strong in comparison: resistant to hydrolysis and stress cracking Two properties in particular make this material a worthy competitor to other long-chain high-performance polyamides such as PA 612 or PA 12: its hydrolysis resistance, i.e. its great resistance to hot water and steam as well as its resistance to environmental stress cracking when exposed to aggressive chemicals. It is resistant to calcium chloride, which is used in Asia and Russia as road salt, and zinc chloride, which can form on car bodies. Compared to PA 66, the material has

not only greater dimensional stability, but also exhibits only a slight difference in mechanical properties between the dry and conditioned states. It is stronger, stiffer and has a higher heat deflection temperature than PA 12. Performance demonstrated in wheel speed sensors The three new grades in the Ultramid S Balance line are thus especially wellsuited for overmolding of metal and electronic components that come into contact with aggressive fluids. They are also of interest for housings and transmission components where dimensional stability is a major factor. Connectors, tubing and reservoirs in coolant circuits that must satisfy demanding requirements for hydrolysis resistance represent an additional field of application. The material has already demonstrated its performance capability in wheel speed sensors that are exposed to water spray and can be attacked by road salt. Blended with PA 66, it yields the equally new grade Ultramid A3HG6 Balance. This product is characterized by a property profile that lies between that of PA 66 and Ultramid S Balance, while retaining its high resistance to environmental stress cracking and exhibiting in addition very good resistance to hot oil. This makes it a suitable candidate for oil

pans and oil filter housings as well as for radiator end caps, wheel speed sensors and other components subject to contact with aggressive water spray in other words, for applications that do not have to satisfy the most demanding requirements for resistance to hot water, but must be strong, stiff and dimensionally stable at elevated temperatures. It is possible in this way to develop finely tuned specialties in terms of price and performance that allow customers to satisfy their specific needs. Renewable resources are included One of the raw materials for production of Ultramid S Balance and Ultramid A Balance is sebacic acid, which is derived from castor oil. Thus, over 60 percent of the base polymer for the product family comes from renewable resources. For customers who value bio-based materials, this resin is of interest for more than just its performance characteristics. Whenever possible and practical, BASF also offers materials based on renewable resources. As a rule, however, the company recommends that an Eco-Efficiency Analysis be carried out before using bio-based materials as an alternative to conventional plastics, since use of a biobased product alone does not guarantee an eco-efficient profile in the end product.

24

Engineering Plastics II

Dr. Matthias Scheibitz

Surprising result of Eco-Efficiency Analysis In an Eco-Efficiency Analysis, BASF compared two automobile intake manifolds with a service life of 200,000 kilometers. The Analysis included all ecological and economical criteria regarding production, application and disposal of the product in order to have a complete picture of the environmental impact and cost aspects of the alternatives being considered. The glass fiber-reinforced Ultramid S Balance had slightly less environmental impact, but considerably higher costs than the classic PA 6. For an air intake manifold, the standard PA 6 resin thus represents the more ecologically efficient solution. Ultramid S Balance is an example of how the discussion about performance, costs and sustainability of a modern plastic can be conducted. In the case being considered, the fact that the sebacic acid used for production of PA 610 is derived from a renewable resource provides a slight ecological benefit, but contrary to expectations this benefit is based not on the plant origin of the carbon, but rather largely on the lower specific weight of the Ultramid S Balance. The considerably higher additional costs associated with the production plants for this relatively low-volume plastic, however, outweigh the slight ecological benefit from an economic standpoint.

A further contributing factor is the volatility of the sebacic acid price, which is typical for renewable resources. It results from the occasionally occurring crop failures and the resultant fluctuations in availability. The plastic is thus of interest today not because of its renewable resource base, but for its outstanding performance profile, which positions it distinctly above PA 6 and PA 66 and raises it to a level comparable to PA 612 and PA 12 when it comes to certain central properties. Against the backdrop of highly charged discussions about costs, environmental factors as well as performance requirements, numerous new products will be developed that allow the variety of plastics to continue growing, and in view of this wide assortment the customer must carefully consider where his preferences lie.

Dr. Matthias Scheibitz


Age: 33 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Development Automotive Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Chemist with a doctorate qualification. How long have you been at BASF? Since November 2004. Family: Married, two children. How I like to relax: By reading crime thrillers or novels. Favorite place for a vacation: Anywhere that is hot. Where Id really like to travel one day: To the Seychelles. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Go on a trip round the world. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? The flexibility and the design possibilities. Which plastic still needs to be invented? A plastic which can replace metal, which for example has similar mechanical properties or is conductive. What really should be made out of plastic? A fully plastic car of lightweight design.

BASFs polyamide 610 range is being joined by additional grades. Three new glass fiber-reinforced PA 610 grades and a blend from PA 610 and PA 66 now complement the unreinforced product Ultramid S3K Balance. Among the extraordinary properties of this polyamide family, which is based on the renewable resource castor oil by up to 63 %, are its hydrolysis and stress crack resistance against chemicals like calcium chloride or zinc chloride. Thus the material is interesting for the housings of electronic parts which are in contact with aggressive media, but also for wheel speed sensors, oil filters and oil pans.

25

Engineering Plastics II

Easy flowing
Ultramid family with improved flow behavior now complete

ith any thermoplastic resin, improved flow characteristics always represent a benefit for processing that offers time and cost as well as energy savings. After having greatly improved the flow characteristics first of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) Ultradur High Speed and then of various polyamide 66 grades Ultramid A High Speed BASF has now completed the family: The new High Speed products are polyamide 6 compounds; the first grade will be Ultramid B3WG6 High Speed. A new member of the family: Ultramid B High Speed The primary characteristic of this new grade is its flowability. In spiral flow tests, the new Ultramid B High Speed flows at least 50 percent farther than its conventional predecessor: with a spiral flow thickness of 2.5 millimeters, flow path lengths of up to one meter are possible. The benefits associated with good flowability can basically be exploited in two different situations. Sophisticated structures and thin walls often encountered in electronic components because of increasing miniaturization can be filled more easily and reliably; the reject rate drops, especially in the case of complex geometries. The considerably reduced injection pressure means that molds are subject to less wear. This translates

into increased uptime and reduced maintenance costs. On the other hand, wall thicknesses can be reduced, which means lower component weight. Since large under-the-hood parts, such as engine covers and intake manifolds, and pedals represent the most important fields of application for polyamide 6, a flow-optimized PA 6 will first demonstrate its cost benefits in these applications. As the result of easier material flow, the injection and filling pressure needed for large parts drops. This, in turn, lowers the clamping force requirement, and the processor can produce parts on smaller machines. This also represents a significant added value, since it is well known that the operating costs of an injection molding machine increase disproportionately with size. Since, for instance, many intake manifolds are assembled by means of vibration welding, it is important to know that the new Ultramid B High Speed achieves weld joint strengths comparable to those of its classic predecessor. Other mechanical properties of the new material, such as stiffness and strength, also have values similar to those of the standard material. The very good surface of components produced from Ultramid B3WG6 High Speed can also be counted as one of the special characteristics.

Greater energy efficiency during injection molding A great deal of experience regarding the potential energy savings when processing flow-optimized grades has been obtained for Ultradur High Speed, since the easy-flowing PBT from BASF has now been on the market for six years. For this reason, more extensive investigations of the energy efficiency during injection molding have been conducted with this material. A detailed analysis of the injection molding parameters makes it possible to determine exactly the benefits that improved flowability offers the plastics processor. One of the primary benefits is that better flowability allows the temperature during injection molding to be lowered: the PBT grade Ultradur B4300 G6 High Speed can be processed at a 30 degrees Celsius lower temperature than the corresponding standard material with no other changes in the process or molded part quality. This translates into a 10 percent reduction of the power consumed by the machine. The lower processing temperature also reduces the cycle time by 20 percent, which means an additional energy savings of 20 percent as well. Thus, in the case investigated here, which is representative of typical injection molding machines, a total energy saving of 30 percent is achieved.

26

Engineering Plastics II

Dr. Anka Bernnat

High-Speed polyamide in automotive electronics A related grade of the new high-speed polyamide, Ultramid A3WG10 High Speed (PA 66 with 50 percent glass fibers), has recently gone into use for volume production at Tyco Electronics, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of electronic components. A product called a center plate is used to manufacture electronic circuits for automobiles and is being molded from this easy-flowing material. The center plate has over 200 openings with a diameter of only 0.5 millimeters and a wall thickness of only 0.2 millimeters. Such a complex, thin-walled design in such a comparatively large part requires a material that flows easily through the narrow separations and fills them reliably. In addition to its flow properties, the benefits of the resin in this demanding part include its high dimensional stability, which ensures that the tiny openings are positioned exactly where they belong, since this plate serves to position many metal contacts perfectly. In addition, this easy-flowing product allows the injection pressure to be reduced by one-half, protecting the mold and reducing the wear on the mold with its many delicate cores while lowering the reject rate at the same time. Moreover, the High Speed grades in the Ultramid A product line are characterized by very good surface quality, which is

a benefit for visible parts in the engine compartment. Ultramid A3WG7 High Speed, for instance, is being used for a cylinder head cover that has been molded in commercial volumes in China since 2009. Flow-optimized and available in light colors Flow-optimized PA 66 grades with only minimal inherent color that can be tinted in light shades possibly even directly by the processor represent an additional benefit for the electrical and electronics industry. Ultramid A3EG7 and Ultramid A3EG10 High Speed are two examples. These products are useful especially in the automotive electronics industry: it works with a variety of colors and color codes that ensure fast and reliable assembly and assignment of different connectors and sockets.

Dr. Anka Bernnat


Age: 41 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Development Ultramid Automotive Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Chemical engineer; studied at the University of Stuttgart and Imperial College London. How long have you been at BASF? For nine years. How I like to relax: I like listening to classical music or jazz, playing music myself and attending concerts. Favorite place for a vacation: I like being by the sea. I like the atmosphere there, the waves, the wind and long walks on the beach. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Support a natural conservation project. What sort of plastic still needs to be invented and why? We do not really need to invent any new plastics. It is more a question of exhausting the potential of the plastics that we already have in a sensible way and exploring new areas of application. We should also always think about the ecological and social consequences.

Fragile design: The center plate from Tyco Electronics is made of Ultramid A3WG10 High Speed (PA 66 GF 50) and has more than 200 openings that are no larger than one-half millimeter in size and separated by 0.2 millimeter walls. The optimized flow characteristics of the resin from the BASF family of High Speed products permit a considerable improvement in the quality of such injection molded parts where maintaining tight position tolerances is essential. BASF is now completing its line of flow-optimized Ultramid grades and introducing the first High-

Speed grade of its polyamide 6 compounds. It has the designation Ultramid B3WG6 High Speed and will be available in sample quantities after K-show 2010.

27

Engineering Plastics II

Save efficient FRee


New flame-retardant engineering plastics

ASF is introducing additional grades of flame retardant polyamides (PA) and polybutylene terephthalates (PBT), and launching the new Ultramid FRee and Ultradur FRee product lines. The FRee grades are formulated without halogen-containing flame retardants and, because of their light natural color, are ideally suited for manufacturing electrical components in all color tones the suffix FRee thus stands for Flame Retardant and Electrical/Electronic (E/E), but also for design freedom and halogen-free. Ultramid FRee and Ultradur FRee use innovative flame-retardant systems that are the result of years of research and development. Tighter flame retardance requirements To ensure greater safety for consumers during operation of electrical household appliances, the regulations promulgated by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) tightened the requirements for the flame retardance of household appliances about five years ago. The requirements are summarized in the IEC 60335 standards. During the required glow wire tests (acc. to IEC 60695-2-10ff) it is determined whether a test specimen ignites upon contact with a glowing wire and how long it burns.

This criterion has been made more stringent for certain critical cases involving electrical insulation. According to the current standard, any flame that is ignited on a test specimen must die out within five seconds while still in contact with a glowing wire at a temperature of 750 degrees Celsius. If this is the case, the material is given the rating GWIT 775. GWIT stands forGlow Wire Ignition Temperature; GWIT: 775 / 1.0 means that a glowing wire at 750 degrees Celsius was not able to ignite a one millimeter thick specimen of the material. Until a few years ago, the requirement called for the flame to die out within a minute after the plastic was ignited by a glowing wire at a temperature of 850 degrees Celsius. This result was documented in a so-called GWFI 850 rating. A different but similar regulation applies specifically in the USA: There, products are subject to the standards issued by Underwriters Laboratories (UL): These require that the material pass a combination of flammability (acc. to UL94) and ignition tests. Halogen-free, light colored, compatible, economical It has been possible for some time to comply with the more stringent requirements through use of halogen-containing flame retardants. However, a trend to-

wards halogen-free flame retardant thermoplastics has taken hold in the market recently. One of the primary reasons for this is the European directive for disposal of electronic/electrical equipment waste, WEEE. It requires that components with halogen-containing flame retardants be sorted and disposed of separately. It is not always possible, however, to find a substitute for halogen-containing flame retardants. Red phosphorus, for instance, is an outstanding halogen-free flame retardant but has the drawback of a pronounced dark natural color. On the other hand, the E/E industry has an increasing preference for light-colored plastics. For instance, switches, connectors and circuit breakers in many applications are often kept light in color to satisfy special design requirements or prevent mixups during assembly. These colors can be achieved only through use of color-neutral flame retardants. Effective flame retardants must not only harmonize with the matrix material, but also exhibit the correct behavior in the extremely sensitive interplay with numerous other additives during compounding and subsequent processing. They must also be priced competitively. Alternatives to red phosphorus in the form of organic nitrogen or phosphorus compounds, for instance, are quite

At the K show 2010, BASF will introduce the first four new FRee grades: Ultramid FRee A3U40 G5 (PA66): satisfies the safety requirements for household appliances Ultramid FRee B3U31 G4 (PA 6): optimized price/performance ratio for circuit breakers Ultradur FRee B4440 G5 (PBT): flame retardant class V0 Ultradur FRee B4450 G5 (PBT): flame retardant class V0 and high tracking resistance

28

Engineering Plastics II

Michael Roth

expensive. The new members of the FRee family from BASF have succeeded in combining performance and economy. Thinner walls, but still safe The new members of the FRee product line not only satisfy the demanding requirements for absence of halogens, thus reducing the disposal costs associated with the WEEE directive. They can be used with a variety of colors, giving designers greater possibilities. The impact-resistant Ultramid FRee A3U40 G5 (PA 66), for instance, successfully passes the glow wire tests called for by the tighter regulations in IEC 60335-1 starting at a thickness of one millimeter this corresponds to the rating GWIT: 775 / 1.0. This is noteworthy: Generally, the thinner the part, the easier it is to ignite. As a result, the new FRee polyamide provides considerably greater freedom when designing switches and thin-walled housing with snap fits: Thinner walls also mean optimal use of the available space which translates into lower material costs. The new Ultramid FRee B3U31 G4 (PA 6) in particular satisfies the demanding circuit breaker requirements regarding flammability and ignitability starting at a wall thickness of one millimeter. Moreover, it is characterized by a very favorable price/performance ratio and

incorporates a new type of thermal stabilization system that reduces yellowing significantly. This makes the material extremely color-stable, reflecting the current trend in the circuit breaker market where ever-lighter colors, even approaching white, are desired. Ultradur FRee B4440 G5 (PBT), the first new PBT, even achieves the highest V0 rating according to UL 94 at a wall thickness of 0.4 millimeters. The material is very well-suited for applications that call for outstanding dimensional stability, e.g. lamp sockets, connectors and sensors, for instance, but also control unit housings such as those for electronic control units (ECUs) in automobiles. In Ultradur Free B4450 G5 (PBT), the focus is on exceptional tracking resistance, measured as the so-called Comparative Tracking Index (CTI). This property is important when it comes to insulating very high voltages. The extremely high CTI of 600 for Ultradur FRee B4450 G5 makes it possible for component designers to reduce the spacing between contacts and thus shrink the housing and save material. All members of the FRee and Ultradur FRee lines have very good processability in common. They exhibit good flow characteristics, rapid cooling and solidification rates and minimal plate-out in the mold.

Michael Roth
Age: 42 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Development Industries Engineering Plastics Europe Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Chemical engineer with a doctorate qualification. How long have you been at BASF? Since January 1997; twelve of these years spent at Ciba. Family: Married, two children. How I like to relax: Mountain biking, running and skiing. Favorite place for a vacation: Italy. What Id really like to see one day: The Aeolian Islands off Sicily. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Do an apprenticeship with a Tuscan wine grower. What is your favorite plastic? Polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC): An intrinsically flame-retardent polymer. What sort of plastic still needs to be invented? A polyester with the toughness of a polyamide which also has selfhealing properties. What really should be made out of plastic? Thermoplastic parts, such as cell phones, qualified to shield from electric fields.

Plastics for the electrical and electronics markets (E/E) must satisfy a combination of different requirements. Minimal flammability and a light natural color are two of these, while absence of halogen-containing flame retardants that make disposal in compliance with European directives (WEEE) difficult is also important in many cases. This combination of requirements is satisfied by the new polyamide and PBT grades available from BASF for the E/E market. The technical challenges mastered by the products offered under the trade names Ultramid FRee (PA) and Ultradur FRee (PBT) include the glow wire

test and the UL94 flammability test as well as a high comparative tracking index. In connector systems, good surface quality, dimensional stability and easy mold filling are also important. The well-established flame-retardant BASF plastics in the Ultramid and Ultradur product lines such as Ultramid A3X2 G5 (which contains red phosphorus) are not affected by the introduction of these new grades and remain available.

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Engineering Plastics II

Improved laser transparency


New PBT allows for faster laserwelding

xperts agree that polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) cannot, as a rule, be properly laser-welded. BASF researchers have recently disproved this with the new Ultradur LUX. Through a clever modification of the polyesters morphology, they succeeded in increasing its laser transparency from 30 to 60 percent. A PBT with such a high and constant laser transparency is unique and has not been available on the market until now. Thanks to the improved laser transparency, markedly higher welding speeds are now possible, and the process window is considerably wider. Using the standard PBT with a 1064-nanometer laser, a welding speed of only 5-12 millimeters per second was possible; with the new Ultradur LUX, speeds of 10-70 millimeters per second can now be achieved. The greater laser transparency also provides a variety of other benefits. For instance, it allows much thicker parts to be welded and applications that previously required other joining methods are now accessible. It is also possible to work with lower laser power, which extends the life of the laser. The laser-transparent Ultradur LUX not only opens up new possibilities, but also contributes greatly to the efficiency of the welding process. Ultradur LUX is initially being offered in black or uncolored, with 20 or 30 percent glass fiber reinforcement. An ex-

panded product line, including other colors, will be considered as needed. Laser welding clean joining technology Compared to other joining techniques, laser welding offers the following advantages: no other materials such as glue and primer need to be stored, no particles are rubbed off (as with friction welding and ultrasonic welding) and there is no excessive vibration. Vibration-free joining is particularly important when delicate components are integrated into one of the two parts being joined. The benefits of laser welding are thus very important in the case of small parts requiring the use of flexible geometric design and a clean work method. This applies in particular to electronic and medical applications such as automobile ECU housings or assemblies with sensors. While there are special Ultradur grades in use today that exhibit the specified characteristics in regard to laser welding, these solutions still leave something to be desired; not only because of the intrinsically low laser transparency of the material, but also because of the difficult-to-control consistency of this property. The problem with the laser transparency Too low a laser transparency can lead to a prolonged cycle time, result in defective

parts, or even make laser welding impossible. To a certain degree, this can be compensated for by increasing the welding time. However, a longer welding time increases the likelihood of the material burning or degrading. When the average laser transparency is at a low level, fluctuations can have an especially negative impact to the point where the welding process can no longer be kept within an acceptable process window. Damage may also result. As laser welding is usually the last step in the production sequence, defective parts at this stage mean the total loss of the products value. For components containing high-quality electronic modules, this can easily amount to 100 Euros per piece. The lost value then exceeds the material costs for the laser-transparent plastic by about a factor of 1000. The goal was to develop, within the Ultradur line, a product with higher and more constant laser transparency. Strong scattering achieved by large spherulites Laser welding of semi-crystalline thermoplastics is fundamentally more difficult than of amorphous products, since the laser beam is scattered by the spherulites. Compared to a polyamide 6 plaque of equal thickness, PBT lets much less laser light through. This is because the backscattering portion is greater due to the pro-

Laser welding The principle of laser welding is that laser beams pass through a laser-transparent joining partner and melt the underlying component, which absorbs the laser beams. The melted plastic transfers the heat to the lasertransmitting material, thereby creating a weld joint. Thus, a basic prerequisite for laser welding is the pairing of a laser-transmitting and a laser-absorbing material.

30

Engineering Plastics II

Dr. Peter Eibeck

nounced scattering. In addition, the beam that passes through is widened more. From physics, we know that deflection of light rays is particularly low when the scattering centers are smaller than the lights wavelength. In the Nd-YAG laser, the most common type of laser, these are about 1000 nanometers (i.e. 1 micron / m). The solution was therefore to limit the spatial growth of the spherulites to a maximum size of one micron. After numerous experiments, the BASF research team finally achieved the desired modification. The new Ultradur, labeled LUX, has a finer structure and, consequently, a significantly greater and much more constant laser transparency than other PBT grades available in the market. Its mechanical properties are at a comparable level to those of established Ultradur products. Huge improvement in optical properties The huge improvement in the PBTs optical properties is clearly evident from the transmission curves. At the wavelength of the Nd-YAG laser, Ultradur LUX lets through about twice as much light as the standard PBT. But also the quality of the transmitted laser beam is increased significantly as well. By means of scattering experiments using a so-called integrating sphere, it was demonstrated that conventional unreinforced

PBT allows virtually no light in the wavelength range relevant for laser-welding to pass through directly; all the rays are scattered to a greater or lesser extent. In contrast, for Ultradur LUX direct transmission of about 50 percent and a significantly less widening of the laser beam are obtained at the wavelength of the Nd-YAG laser. The practical importance of these theoretical values is exemplified clearly by holding the sample plaques up to the sun. The increased light transmission of Ultradur LUX is already evident here. Considering that the new materials transparency to laser light is much higher than to daylight (380-780 nanometers), the large step forward represented by the quality of new plastics becomes plausible.

Dr. Peter Eibeck


Age: 42 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Development Ultradur (PBT) Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Qualified chemist. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1999. Family: Single. How I like to relax: By listening to classical music. Where Id really like to travel one day: To China. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? I would write a novel. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? The work is exciting, multi-faceted with strong networks including different areas such as research, production, application development and sales. What is your favorite plastic? I have worked with many plastics and they all have their own advantages. I therefore dont really want to name a favorite plastic.

BASF demonstrates with Ultradur LUX that polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) can be successfully laser welded. The researchers increased the laser transparency of PBT from 30 to 60 %. A PBT with such a high and constant laser transparency is unique in the market. Even when holding a test plate into bare sun light, the difference in light transmission between conventional PBT and the new product can be detected. Through the increased laser transparency of the plastic, a higher welding speed is possible and the processing window becomes a lot wider.

31

Engineering Plastics II

The operation is under control


Applicator made from Ultraform PRO

n engineering plastic from BASF will in the future help to minimize the consequences of torn cruciate ligaments: The handle of a new instrument for inserting cruciate ligament implants that the company Resoimplant, Regensburg, will probably launch this year utilizes Ultraform PRO a semi-crystalline POM copolymer (polyoxy-methylene, polyacetal) from BASF. In addition to the good mechanical properties, the deciding factor for selecting this material was an extensive service package that BASF created specifically for applications in the medical device sector and which has often proven its value in recent years. Only one operation necessary A new operating procedure developed by Resoimplant will be able to simplify treatment of torn cruciate ligaments. The concept that the company (founded at the end of 2006) is currently introducing to clinics with great success simplifies securing a cruciate ligament implant in the bone of the knee in an unusual manner: It uses an anchor made from a bioabsorbable material. A few months after the operation, it is resorbed, and the new cruciate ligament usually a tendon taken from the thigh is firmly attached. Previous operating procedures used metal screws to affix the tendon. These had to be removed again after the healing

process was complete posing the risk that the newly attached tendon might be damaged. The new procedure eliminates the need for the second operation. The screwdriver is replaced by a disposable applicator called Resofix Plus that helps to guide the critical anchor through the operating channel and expands it in the bone. Strength and resilience count The instrument is offered in three versions, depending on the type of operation and location of the drilled channel. The designers use the Ultraform PRO resin at two locations in the handle area: in the blue handle itself as well as at the tip of the handle, the color of which allows the individual performing the operation to readily identify the applicator version. The primary characteristics of the material in this case, Ultraform W2320 003 PRO are very good strength, rigidity and dimensional stability in particular, since when introducing the anchor considerable force must be exerted; in certain circumstances, the doctor may even reach for a hammer. Even a clip at the end of the applicator not facing the patient that is removed immediately prior to insertion of the anchor is made from Ultraform. This is where very good resilience was called for in the material and which makes this plastic ideal

for use in spring elements. It ensures that the clip is held securely and can be withdrawn without complications at the critical moment. Included: the service package Additional properties that Ultraform PRO contributes in other medical device applications, such as exceptional frictional characteristics, high chemical resistance and its especially good heat aging resistance, were not primary concerns here. Of major importance, however, was the service package for the medical industry, that BASF has offered for years to all customers of its specialty polymer line (POM, ABS, MABS, SAN) in this sector. Risks reduced considerably Users of these plastics benefit not only from comprehensive application-specific advice and support for design, but also with regard to the calculation of the component. The materials also possess Drug Master Files as well as all of the relevant approvals stipulated in the EU, US and Japanese pharmacopoeias for medical devices and have passed stringent biocompatibility tests, too. As a result, they are usually suitable for applications up to Risk Class 2, which essentially covers use on and around the patient. Customers are still obligated to demonstrate in every individual case that

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Engineering Plastics II

Dr. Dirk Binkowski

their product satisfies the pertinent legal requirements and regulations but having the certificates of BASF reduces the effort and risk associated with the approval process considerably. Furthermore, the medical device package helps to ensure that the sometimes large investment in development and product testing can be amortized over the entire product life cycle and that the medical products do not need to be requalified. BASF, in turn, provides a certified commitment not to make any changes in the plastics formulation defined in the Drug Master File. If legislation should subsequently require changes the customer is notified at least 36 months in advance. Suppliers are also required to maintain a constant formulation: The PRO in the name of the Ultraform grade stands for Profile covered Raw Materials Only. Investments safeguarded The colorants used in Resofix Plus are pelletized masterbatches from BASF Color Solutions Germany GmbH, Cologne. They must satisfy legal requirements as stringent as those for the resin and must comply with regulations that usually apply to materials in direct food contact, for instance, regulations governing the levels of heavy metals and aromatic amines. It is also very important that the master-

batches used have no effect on the processability and long-term behavior of the Ultraform PRO grades. The new applicator, which was developed remarkably fast in just one year, is a good example of the claim that BASF would like to fulfill with its medical device polymers: To facilitate the customers successful entry into the market while simultaneously safeguarding the customers considerable investments in a new medical device over the long term.

Dr. Dirk Binkowski


Age: 34 Years Responsibility at BASF: Application Development Engineering Plastics for Medical Technology Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Mechanical engineer, specializing in plastics technology. How long have you been at BASF? Since 2008. Family: Single, but in a relationship. How I like to relax: I like listening to music and windsurfing. Favorite place for a vacation: Maui, so Hawaii. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Australia. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Sail once around the world. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? I get the chance to promote many developments and I like the great professionalism in medical technology. What is your favorite plastic? PVC: The viewing windows in windsurf sails are made from it. Which plastic still needs to be invented? A weather-resistant, media-resistant plastic which is stable over the long term. In principle, a material which will keep its quality characteristics for centuries.

The development of the Resofix Plus by the company Resoimplant in Regensburg, Germany took only about one year. During an operation for a torn cruciate ligament, the disposable applicator ensures safe and gentle attachment of a new tendon in the knee. The handle (blue) and the various versions of the handles tip (white, yellow, green) are molded out of Ultraform PRO from BASF, and colored with masterbatches from BASF Color Solutions produced specifically for this application. The custom-formulated POM (polyoxymeth-

ylene) grades for the medical device market offer, in addition to the classical material properties of the engineering plastic, a comprehensive service package for the user.

33

Increasing plastic performance

Re-inventing the color orange


New BASF pigment for high-performance plastics

he color orange has a cheerful and refreshing, warm and dynamic effect. At the same time, this color tone sends a strong signal. When it comes to engineering plastics for use in demanding applications, however, useful orange pigments are few and far between. With its Sicopal Orange K 2430, BASF is remedying this state of affairs. This new, extraordinarily stable inorganic mixed oxide is well-suited for areas of application in which many organic pigments fail, including those where high UV resistance and weathering resistance are required or where there is a need to withstand aggressive chemicals and high temperatures. But even aside from these high-end applications, this intensely colored, brilliant BASF pigment, with its very good covering capacity, can bridge existing gaps since this product expands the palette of warm, thermally stable orange shades into a new dimension. Pigment selection can be difficult Nowadays, anyone who would like to make a plastic product in an attractive color can choose from a broad spectrum of colorants. BASF today is the industry leader in organic as well as inorganic pigments. Nevertheless, there are areas where the search for the right colorant can be quite challenging for designers. Particularly in plastics processing technology,

there is a demand for not only color intensity and brilliance but also for a number of other properties, one example being temperature resistance. For most organic pigments, the typical processing temperatures of some polymers (e.g. more than 300 degrees Celsius [572 degrees Fahrenheit] for polyamide) cause rapid degradation. At certain temperatures, even the inorganic alternatives undergo phase transformations that substantially affect the color impression. Such pigments are not suitable for use in plastics at high processing temperatures. Intensely colored heat-resistant easy to process These limitations are responsible for the fact that, for certain colors, there are far fewer pigment choices than colorists would like. In spite of the strong psychological significance of this color shade, orange pigments are scarce when it comes to demanding areas of application. Many of the pigments currently available exhibit insufficient brilliance and low color intensity, which is why not all segments of the orange color spectrum are adequately covered. Sicopal Orange K 2430 sets new standards in numerous aspects. The pigment is suitable for use in a wide array of technically relevant plastics, ranging from polyolefins to PVC and PS all the way to ABS,

PC, PET, PBT and PA. In particular, it is stable even at temperatures above 320 degrees Celsius [608 degrees Fahrenheit], and is thus resistant under the processing conditions of all known plastics. Moreover, it can replace frequently used products containing cadmium and lead. This pigment is also very attractive from the standpoint of processing technology: it is easy to disperse, that is to say, it can be distributed very evenly and quickly throughout the polymeric matrix. This is conducive to the production of films and fibers that are free of gel particles. Thinwalled molded parts such as housings and covers come out of the mold without displaying any warpage, in other words, with high dimensional stability. Furthermore, Sicopal Orange K 2430 does not exhibit any tendency to migrate and has been approved in the European Union for food packaging and for use in toys; an application for FDA approval has been submitted. Much redder color shade therefore newly catalogued With the color it offers, Sicopal Orange K 2430 has also bridged a gap that had existed until now. It is much redder than chromium titanates such as Sicotan Yellow K 2001 and Sicotan Yellow K 2112 two BASF pigments that had been used up to now in the production of orange pig-

34

Increasing plastic performance

Mario Dittes

ments for special applications. Other inorganic pigments are less favorable in terms of their coloration or else they lack sufficient depth of color. Sicopal Orange K 2430 is one of the few new pigment developments of recent years to be given its own color index (C.I.) by the Society of Dyers and Colorists. It now bears the designation Pigment Orange 82 in technical circles. This material can also add coloristic strength to pigment mixtures. Organic colorants such as, for example, Cromophthal Orange GP or BASFs Paliogen Red K 3580 only acquire greater covering capacity and are more brilliant that conventional mixtures when combined with Sicopal Orange. It also entails advantages in combination with other inorganic pigments; for example, it serves to expand the color space of chromium titanates far into the orange range. UV- and wheatering resistant: pigment for outdoor applications The outstanding UV-resistance and weathering resistance of this pigment accounts for constant and high levels of fastness, even at low concentrations and in mixtures with titanium oxide. Color-matching tests confirm that pigment formulations containing Sicopal Orange retain their defined color practically indefinitely when exposed to weathering. Comparable levels of fast-

ness cannot be achieved through a combination with organic pigments. This weathering resistance means that the pigment lends itself for co-extruded or laminated Luran S films in outdoor applications. Even deep-dyed solid plastic objects such as garden tools or patio furniture, fence posts, playground equipment or car body parts all benefit from the excellent sturdiness of this new mixed oxide. Its migration behavior and good dispersability also make it a suitable candidate for dyeing self-adhesive films used outdoors

Mario Dittes
Age: 51 Years Responsibility at BASF: Technical Center Plastic Additives Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Qualified process technology engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1979. Family: Married, two children. How I like to relax: With my family, on my mountain bike and by going sailing. Favorite place for a vacation: Ibiza. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Just take off in a motor home with my wife. The journey is its own reward. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? Long lasting relationships to our customers, with always new challenges, an innovative BASF team, the implementation of technical solutions in the market. And color: we are making the world of plastics more colorful. What is your favorite plastic? Styrolux (SBS): it is very transparent, scratch-resistant, tough and it has a very nice touch. Which plastic still needs to be invented? A durable plastic which will assume any color you want on command.

BASFs new inorganic orange pigment Sicopal Orange K 2430 is heat-resistant and weathering-resistant. It thus offers a property profile that is new for orange pigments, making it ideal for high-temperature plastics and outdoor use. The stadium seat manufactured by the German Held Grossraumbestuhlungen company is made of one of BASFs UV-stabilized polyamides. It can be dyed in different shades using the appropriate masterbatches. One of these may be the new Sicopal Orange.

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Increasing plastic performance

Lasting beauty

New styrene copolymers for attractive surfaces

mong BASFs styrene copolymers, the specialty series Terblend N, Terluran HH and Luran S cover a particularly broad range of applications. The product developers have refined these proven products to give them even more attractive surfaces, higher temperature or UV resistance, and improved flow properties. New blend: light-fast and impact-resistant Terblend N allows the creation of matt surfaces without coating and offers a favorable profile in terms of acoustics and feel. A new item in this product line is Terblend N BX 13043, BASFs first ASA/PA blend, which still bears its research designation. Up to now, Terblend N only comprised ABS/PA blends. In the new material, ABS has been replaced by ASA. The new blend unites toughness, flowability and UV stability in an unprecedented manner. Neither strong sun exposure nor a vigorous kick can do any harm to components made of Terblend N BX 13043. Moreover, the new blend is more chemical-resistant than current Terblend N grades. In weathering tests that simulate exposure to sunlight at high temperatures (accelerated weathering, VW standard PV 1303), for up to 1000 hours, the ASA/PA blend exhibited results that were comparable to UV-stabilized Luran S (ASA) and considerably better than conventional ABS/PA blends. Owing to its

improved properties of use and ease of processability, the ASA/PA blend of the Terblend N family opens up the possibility of new applications that are exposed to a great deal of light such as garden chairs or rear window shelves in cars. When it comes to the classic area of application for Terblend N, namely, vehicle interiors, the improved UV resistance is of special significance. Here, the improved light fastness makes this material even more attractive. In contrast, what counts for recreational equipment and gardening tools is mainly toughness and sturdiness. In all of these applications Terblend N can be used uncoated, thus making it very cost-effective. Easier to process and easier on the eyes Both new Terblend N grades, NM-21 EF and NG-02 EF, where EF stands for excellent flow, do justice to the trend towards enhanced flowability and thus more energy-efficient and cost-effective processing. Thanks to its good flow behavior, the first product is even easier to process by means of injection molding, so that it can be used for large and complex visible parts such as center consoles in vehicle interiors or motorcycle fairing parts, all with an even better surface quality. The glassfiber-reinforced Terblend N NG-02 EF combines improved flowability with high mechanical

strength. Its impact resistance, which is good despite the glassfiber reinforcement, also makes this styrene plastic blend so sturdy that it lends itself very well for highly stressed, thin-walled parts. Furthermore, both grades stand out for their enhanced dimensional stability under heat. Heat stability high stiffness good flow Terluran High Heat (HH), as the name says, is BASFs particularly heat-resistant ABS. Even at temperatures above 112 degrees Celsius [234 degrees Fahrenheit], this modified ABS remains very dimensionally accurate and keeps its shape. Terluran HH, a stiff, hard as well as impact-resistant material, is easy to process. The material is easy to process. Finished parts made of this material can be easily and reliably coated as well as metallized. Usually, however, ABSs high heat stability causes the material to lose toughness and flowability. BASF researchers have now succeeded in modifying the formulation in such a way that these properties are retained. The new type Terluran HH 102 combines this extraordinary toughness and flowability with the high-gloss surface for which this product group is known, as well as a particularly low level of blooming. Thanks to its high scratch and abrasion resistance, components made of Terluran HH 102 still look attractive even after a long period of time.

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Increasing plastic performance

Marko Blinzler

The durability and attractive appearance of the material also come in very handy for household appliances such as vacuum cleaners. A well-known manufacturer is currently testing this special ABS in the housing of a new vacuum cleaner model. Sturdy make-up for exterior applications BASFs ASA, Luran S, creates pretty, colorful surfaces for exterior use that retain their high brilliance, even after many years. This copolymer is not only suitable for processing by means of injection molding, but it also lends itself very well for the mono-extrusion and co-extrusion of panels and profiles. It is precisely for this processing technique that a novel material has now been created: Luran S 767 KE, with its improved flowability and gloss-optimized formulation unlike the grades known so far can be readily co-extruded with PVC, even at low melt temperatures. It imparts co-extruded cover layers on PVC exterior applications with a surface that adheres well, is highly glossy and also withstands weathering much better than pure PVC. Together with the properties of the new grade, the well-known color brilliance and durability of Luran S make this product suitable for applications such as color-fast and high-gloss gutters that are easy to adapt to the design of the house. But other connecting parts on buildings and roof coverings are also potential applications

for this new material that can be not only extruded but also injection-molded. Luran S 767 KE recently went into the serial production of Plasa, a gutter made by the Plastmo Polska SP. z o.o. company in Poland. News from Luran S: Colors even more stable Color fastness and surface quality are crucial aspects when it comes to applications made of Luran S. In order for these properties to be retained to the greatest extent possible, even for challenging colors and during prolonged outdoor use, BASF researchers are constantly looking for new ways to improve and refine UV stabilization. A new approach has recently shown great optimization potential: in a test run for the simulation of weathering, a completely new stabilization for snow-white as well as pitch-black surfaces attained a substantially better color constancy than did the standard product. The advantages in terms of gloss retention and color fastness were particularly evident in the case of prolonged exposure to light (many thousand hours). This effect will pay dividends not only in the automotive industry but also in the construction sector. Preparing the market launch, the new UV-stabilized grades are now undergoing thorough testing in the laboratory.

Dr. Marko Blinzler


Age: 40 Years Responsibility at BASF: Product Management Styrene Copolymer Specialties Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Qualified process technology engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since 2003. Family: Not married, but in a relationship; one daughter. How I like to relax: Playing the piano and running. Favorite place for a vacation: Crete. What Id really like to see one day: A concert by Prince, my hero when I was young. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Travel for a few months. Then I would take lots of piano lessons so that I could then really play jazz. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? I work at an interface where there are many things to consider: customer interests as well as matters of production and product development. This is really exciting. What is your favorite plastic? Terblend N: because it meets high aesthetic requirements but is also a very functional material.

The new Luran S 767 KE not only flows more easily than its predecessors but it is also shinier. Above all, it can be efficiently co-extruded with PVC at low melt temperatures. The Polish company Plastmo, for instance, manufactures PVC gutters whose cover layer made of the new Luran S makes the products weather-proof, brilliant in color and durable.

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Increasing plastic performance

Saving six minutes


New additive system for rotational molding

otational molding is a process that is suitable for shaping large hollow articles made of plastic, especially polyethylene (PE). These include all kinds of tanks, transportation containers and recreational articles such as kayaks and toys. The advantages of this production process include, in particular, the wide array of design possibilities and the low investment costs. Nevertheless, it entails some challenges. Relatively long processing times and high oven temperatures place extraordinary demands on the stability of the plastic. Moreover, the process is very energy-intensive. Irgastab RM 68 is an additive system made by BASF specifically for plastics that are processed by means of rotational molding. It optimizes the molding process, improves the quality of the final product and helps to save energy. Process optimization thanks to a special additive The patented combination of various stabilizers optimizes the property profile of the plastic specifically for processing by means of rotational molding. Here, Irgastab RM 68 primarily promotes the melting behavior of the polymer during the shaping process. This allows the processing times to be shortened and the oven temperatures to be lowered, resulting in a wider processing window

an important aspect since rotational molding often involves the use of different molds at the same time in one machine. If the residence time in the oven is the same, there is a risk that the polyethylene will not melt sufficiently in large molds while, in contrast, it will already have degraded in the small molds. In other words, the wider the processing window, the more robust the production process and thus the better the quality of the final product. The effect of this special additive can be evaluated on the basis of the so-called Peak Internal Air Temperature (PIAT) while the process is being carried out. The PIAT indicates the air temperature in the interior of the blow mold during processing and makes it possible to follow the melting and cooling behavior of the polymer during the processing cycle. At an oven temperature of 288 degrees Celsius [550.4 degrees Fahrenheit], the PIAT for optimally melting a three millimeter-thick test specimen made of polyethylene and containing conventional stabilizers is 233 degrees Celsius [451.4 degrees Fahrenheit]. With Irgastab RM 68, the material already reaches its optimum melting range at a PIAT of 210 degrees Celsius [410 degrees Fahrenheit]. This is why the test specimen also needs an altogether shorter cycle time in order to achieve an ideal production result. In

this manner, energy savings of up to 16 percent and lower costs can be attained in comparison to the standard approaches and, at the same time, the productivity is greater. Productive strong light-stable Shorter processing times can also account for less degradation of other additives in the plastic, thus increasing the service life of the plastic part. But other quality features of the final product are also positively affected by the additive system. For instance, the inherent discoloration of the product during processing is reduced and the color fastness upon exposure to nitrogen oxide is increased. The better stabilization of the polymer chains against degradation improves the mechanical properties, especially the impact resistance of the plastic. Moreover, Irgastab RM 68 contains a light stabilizer that complies with the UV8 weathering standard. This worldwide standard stipulates an elongation at break of at least 50 percent of the original value after 8,000 hours of exposure to accelerated weathering. This corresponds to outdoor use in a subtropical climate for at least three years. Irgastab RM 68 has been approved in polyethylene by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for indirect contact with food products.

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Increasing plastic performance

Andreas Thrmer

A calculation example: 80-liter-tanks A case study shows how the effect of the special additive can be expressed in concrete figures: With a conventional additive formulation in a rock-and-roll machine, operating in three shifts of eight hours, forty-four 80-liter tanks can be produced per day. The cycle time is 33 minutes. With Irgastab RM 68, the cycle time can be cut back to 27 minutes. This shortening by six minutes translates into ten additional tanks per day per machine. Extrapolated over an entire year (here 225 days), a manufacturer can produce about 2,300 extra tanks per machine. Moreover, the final product has a considerably lower yellowness index than products made using the conventional approach and, on top of it, it has better mechanical properties. The results will vary for each individual manufacturer as a function of the type of machine, the properties of the plastic, the geometry of the parts and the wall thickness. For this reason, BASF has also developed a program that allows the savings for the customers to be calculated on an individual basis. In comparison to other methods that process thermoplastics, such as blow molding or injection molding, it is true that rotational molding is a niche process. Only about one percent of all plastics in

Europe is processed by means of rotational molding. In 2008, Irgastab RM 68 was introduced onto the American market today still the main market for rotational molding. But in Europe as well, this method now has become an alternative to blow-molding in recent years, especially for applications in the building sector, for toys and sports equipment as well as in the automotive and machine construction. The reason for this can be ascribed to technological improvements in the process itself. Niche process on the rise The key aspect, though, is that rotational molding can achieve decisive cost advantages in comparison to the technically very demanding blow molding method, particularly for small production runs of large blow-molded parts. Thanks to the savings in terms of time and energy, but also due to the qualitative improvement of the final product, Irgastab RM 68 helps to optimize the process and thus contributes to its competitiveness in the market.

Andreas Thrmer
Age: 49 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Technology and Product Management Where: BASF Schweiz AG, Profession: Qualified chemist, studied in Frankfurt am Main and in Mainz. How long have you been at BASF? At BASF for about a year, but at Ciba for around ten years before that. Family: Married. How I like to relax: Riding my motorbike. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Iceland. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? I would be even more active in working for animal welfare. I have been chairman of an animal welfare organization for the last ten years. What really should be made out of plastic? As a substitute for metals, we need materials which are resistant to high temperatures. There should also be adhesives which separate again on command. This would be very useful for adhesive bonds which need to be released in order, for example, to better recycle aircraft or car components.

Researchers at BASF have developed the additive Irgastab RM 68 especially for plastics that are processed by means of rotational molding. The patented combination of stabilizers optimizes the molding process, improves the quality of the end product and helps to save energy. Rotational molding is suitable for shaping large hollow articles made of plastic, especially polyethylene (PE). These include recreational equipment such as toys and kayaks, but also all kinds of tanks and containers.

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Increasing plastic performance

Highlights in car interiors


PUR for esthetic and haptic requirements
Manfred Michl

Manfred Michl
Age: 40 Years Responsibility at BASF: Segment Leader Automotive Interior Where: Lemfrde, Germany Profession: Qualified plastics technology engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since 2000. Family: Married, one son. How I like to relax: At the beach or on the water. What Id really like to see one day: The Great Wall of China. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Travel and sail in lots of regattas. What is your favorite plastic? I consider the range of application as well as the range of characteristics of plastics to be fascinating. The spectrum of PUR e.g. starts at very soft, viscoelastic foams and goes up to highstrength, carbon fiber reinforced structural elements.

hemists at BASF Polyurethanes GmbH have paved the way for elegant car interiors by developing two tailor-made polyurethane (PU) solutions, namely, Elastoskin, the in-mold-coating (IMC) spray skin, and Elastollan, the hard-phasemodified aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane (HPM-TPU). Both surface materials stand out for their luxurious look and exquisite feel. The IMC spray skin, an aromatic PU system, is relatively soft since it is also back-foamed. This is why it is employed whenever good haptic properties in response to pressure are valued. HPMTPU, in contrast, yields a soft touch (tactile sensation). Parts with Elastollan surfaces are not back-foamed. Moreover, the lightfast TPU does away with the otherwise necessary laborious off-line coating process. Elastoskin: New generation of spray skin for lightweight construction The new generation of Elastoskin spray skin weighs up to 20 percent less than the standard product introduced three years ago. This weight reduction is achieved by physically expanding the PU system with air. The machine manufacturers Hennecke and KraussMaffei have developed special mixing heads for this particular purpose. The new skins not only contribute to lightweight construction but they are also less expensive thanks to the savings in material. As was the case with the older variant, the new spray skin is applied into the open mold. Its surface can hardly be distinguished from leather and its pressure behavior meets the strictest standards of the automotive industry. Among the many different kinds of plastic system solutions for instrument panels, the IMC offers highest performance.

Thanks to its upscale look, this material has entered the interiors of high-end automobiles. For some years now, the inside door paneling in Daimlers S and SLK classes have had an Elastoskin. In September of 2009, BMW started using IMC spray skin for the instrument panel of its 5 GT. However, it is not only because of its extraordinary a esthetic and haptic properties that Elastoskin is suitable for use in automotive interiors but also because of its low emission values. Even though aromatic polyurethanes are not lightfast and consequently require a coating, the relatively low material costs of the PU and of the coating account for the fact that they still compare very favorably to products from the competition in terms of their cost. The coating not only serves to improve the long-term durability but also plays a significant role for setting the hardness and feel, which ensues from the interplay between the PU formulation, the coating and the back-foaming system. Here, too, the coating creates a harmonious color and gloss impression over the entire surface. Thanks to the high-grade, matt coated surface in combination with the very soft, expanded aromatic PU, Elastoskin has a very pleasant touch in comparison to TPO skin and the more conventional aliphatic spray skin. Moreover, the IMC spray skin affords considerably more design freedom

40

Increasing plastic performance

Dr. Stefan Arenz

than TPO does. Complex geometries are easy to form, and radii and edges are precisely reproduced without stretching the film. In comparison to PVC slush skin, the Elastoskin spray skin not only entails advantages in terms of touch but also, and especially, in terms of multicolored design options, energy consumption during production of the component, considerably lower component density as well as interaction with the semi-rigid foam. A simple masking technique can be used to cover up individual areas of the component so as to coat them in different colors. Also very light-colored surfaces can be achieved. The amount of development and testing work needed for the skin-foam material combination can be cut back considerably when an aromatic spray skin is employed. Elastollan: Aliphatic TPU with a broad hardness spectrum Upon its introduction onto the market three years ago, the hard-phase-modified aliphatic HPM-TPU Elastollan already attracted a lot of interest because of its multifaceted haptic possibilities, ranging from velvety to leather-like. The improvements achieved in its flow properties as well as the broad spectrum of available Shore hardness values mean that there are almost no limits when it comes to

In September 2009, BMW started using IMC (In-Mold-Coating) spray skin for the instrument panel of its BMW 5 GT. Surfaces made of BASF Polyurethanes Elastoskin also create an upmarket look in the inside door paneling or the dashboard of Daimlers cars or in Hyundais concept car i-flow. Elastoskin is a spray skin made from an aromatic polyurethane system, which is so soft because it is back-foamed. In its newest version it is up to 20 % lighter and more cost effective. It is employed in high-end automobiles where the focus is on good touches under soft pressure.

component design, to creating grain patterns and to attaining a soft touch. The special feature of Elastollan is that its feel can be precisely set to match customer specifications. Components with Elastollan surfaces can be integrated into the application environment seamlessly, both from an esthetic and from a haptic standpoint. The most recent example is the cover of the center console of the VW Golf VI of the automotive supplier Key Plastics from Lennestadt. This center console cover is made by means of two-component injection molding with PC/ABS (polycarbonate/ acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer) as the underlying component. This complex component surrounds functional elements such as the storage compartment, ashtray, air-conditioner control element, rolling cover of the cup holder and chrome ornamentation on the gearshift cover. The high lightfastness of the aliphatic HPM-TPU means that there is no need for the subsequent process step of laborious offline coating. Thanks to the versatile Elastollan, the TPU soft component that runs along the contact surfaces to the adjacent parts accounts for an effective anti-squeaking effect, thus entailing yet another cost advantage since it eliminates the need for the additional vibration decoupling that is otherwise often necessary. Another valuable advantage of HPMTPU for use in car interiors is its resistance to creams. The soft coatings otherwise employed in offline coating processes can acquire clearly noticeable cracks over the course of time. Visible parts made of Elastollan, in contrast, retain their highquality appearance over the entire lifetime of the vehicle.

Dr. Stefan Arenz


Age: 51 Years Responsibility at BASF: Leader Marketing TPU Automotive Where: Lemfrde, Germany Profession: Chemist with a doctorate qualification. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1989. Family: Single. How I like to relax: By playing tennis or volleyball or running. Favorite place for a vacation: The Asia-Pacific region. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Hong Kong. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Discover more about the countries, people and culture in South-East Asia. What is your favorite plastic? TPU: It is versatile and innovative. New areas of application are constantly being developed.

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Efficiency onshore & offshore

Light as a feather, warming like a duvet


Basotect helps to increase energy-efficiency

he BASF foam Basotect offers economical, tailor-made solutions for the efficient use of energy and materials. The areas of construction and mobility derive particular benefit from the potential of this thermally insulating and lightweight material for boosting energy efficiency: Now, Basotect is increasingly used in solar thermal energy systems, in air-conditioning technology, and in high-speed trains. The open-celled foam based on melamine resin has a unique set of properties: Thanks to its base material, it is flame-retardant (B1 acc. to DIN 4102), abrasive and can be used at temperatures of up to 240 degrees Celsius retaining its properties across a wide temperature range. The open-celled foam structure means that it is lightweight (9 g/l), soundabsorbing, flexible even at low temperatures, and thermally insulating. This varying combination of properties allows it to be used as a versatile, high-quality solution in energy-efficient applications, with advantages from processing to its final use. Effective insulation of solar energy systems The construction sector benefits particularly from Basotects low thermal conductivity of less than 0.035 watt per meter and kelvin (W/(m*K)) and the good insula-

tion performance resulting from this. The materials high temperature resistance and the easy processability offer an additional advantage. This combination of properties means that Basotect increases the level of efficiency of solar thermal energy systems. In such applications, the foam insulates the collectors on rooftops, the pipes which transport the heat, and the heat reservoir. The international heating-systems manufacturer Viessmann, Germany, now uses Basotect, on the side walls and the back of its flat-plate collectors so that the collectors save as much sunlight as possible. The foam shows a good insulating performance over a prolonged period of time even at high temperatures, and has a positive influence on the exchange of air in the collector in different climatic conditions. It releases hardly any volatile substances which could impede sun radiation, for example by causing fogging on the collector glass plate, and thus reducing the efficiency of the solar system. Basotect makes it easier to assemble the collectors and to insulate the pipes: It is flexible, fiber-free and can be cut to size with precise dimensions and contours. air-conditioning systems The manufacturer of sealing and insulation systems Hanno, Germany, now uses

Basotect to reduce energy losses in computing centers. Computing rooms with network cabinets are often equipped with false floors to accommodate the cabling. Through the openings in the floors the cables are routed upward. However, the cold air which is intended to cool the servers escapes through these openings. In order to eliminate this thermal bridge, Hanno developed the energy-saving foam closure Clima-Tect. Thanks to a special coating, the company makes the BASF foam almost airtight. Pre-punched rectangles make it easier to pry out the cable openings so that the foam nestles perfectly against the cables. In this way, up to 99.9 percent of the air losses in the false floors can be reduced, temperature and air pressure remain stable. The costs for air conditioning are also reduced by up to 10 percent. As Basotect can be processed without any fibers, the foam cushions can be installed in ongoing operations. In contrast to other materials, with this retrofit the fire load is not increased. Another area in which Basotect is now used is high-speed trains. Innovative lightweight construction concepts are in great demand in trains. This is because lightweight construction results in a more efficient use of energy coupled with higher speeds.

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Efficiency onshore & offshore

Bernhard Vath

and high-speed trains The melamine resin foam in trains is used, for example, in backed wall and ceiling systems or in laminated interior decorations. The precisely fitting cuts are supplied in a building block system and fitted in the trains on site. The high degree of flexibility and the ease with which the material can be processed mean that complex installation can be carried out using as little time as possible. The lightweight Basotect helps to save energy in everyday operations. The weight reduction in the ceiling and walls also lowers the center of gravity of the carriage and therefore enhances the level of safety and comfort when traveling around corners. But above all else, the BASF foam meets the strict fire-safety standards for rail cars. Basotect does not melt and drip when it comes into contact with flames, it becomes charred with slight smoke formation only and does not show any afterglow. In tests on fire behavior in accordance with national and international regulations, Basotect attains the highest classification that can be achieved for organic substances. The grade Basotect UF does in fact reach the highest safety level HL3 in line with the tightened EU Fire Safety Directive for trains, EN 45545. Two examples for new high-speed trains with Basotect: the 395 fleet built by Hitachi for the Southeastern Railway in

the UK and the new Shinkansen E5 by East Japan Railway. The trains of the 395 fleet run on the the first domestic highspeed railway the UK connecting London with the South-East coast. The lightweight foam is used in floors, walls and in the air-conditioning ducts on the ceiling, with the aim of absorbing sound and providing thermal insulation. The Japanese Shinkansen is noted for the constantly high speed at which it travels and its high level of safety. The new generation E5 running between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori will be the fastest train among the Tohoku Shinkansens. It is expected to start operations in March 2011. E5 will be equipped with tilt technology and is intended to travel at a speed of 320 kilometers per hour on a route with many tunnels in 2013. This is why the lightweight, flame-retardant Basotect is found in the ceiling, the floor and the corners of the walls. In various tests on thermal insulation and sound absorption, the BASF material scored considerably better than carbon fiber. The level of noise and and the vibrations inside the train are reduced. This increases the level of travel comfort and safety on high-speed journeys.

Bernhard Vath
Age: 48 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of New Business Development Basotect Where: Ludwigshafen Profession: Process engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since June 1989. Family: Married, two children. How I like to relax: By playing the guitar and making music with my friends. Favorite place for a vacation: Provence and Tuscany. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Alaska. What Id really like to see one day: An aurora borealis. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Travel to Spain, learn the language and improve my guitar playing. What is your favorite plastic? Basotect because it still has great potential for development. Which plastic still needs to be invented? A foam with very low thermal conductivity and low weight. What really should be made out of plastic? We are currently working on interesting new approaches. But I cannot say any more than that.

The manufacturer of sealing and insulation systems Hanno, Germany uses Basotect by BASF to reduce energy losses in computing centers. Computing rooms with network cabinets are often equipped with false floors having openings to accommodate the cabling. In order to eliminate this thermal bridge, Hanno developed the energy-saving foam closure Clima-Tect. Thanks to a special coating, Hanno makes the BASF foam material almost airtight. In this way, up to 99.9 % of the air losses in the false floors can be reduced. The costs for air conditioning are also reduced by up to 10 %.

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Efficiency onshore & offshore

Good for 1,000 volts in electric cars


TPU cable sheathing for new vehicle drives

efore the backdrop of ever-stricter emission limits, all car manufacturers and suppliers are working feverishly on new technologies like the electric drive. However, it is precisely these innovative electric and hybrid vehicles that place high demands on cable harnesses and lines, all of which are hardly comparable to the on-board power supply systems of today. In fact, due to the high voltages of as much as 1,000 volts and correspondingly high currents, these cables have to be able to withstand temperatures that are much higher than those encountered by their predecessors. In response to this, BASF Polyurethanes has added the new variant Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM (high performance material) to its product line of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) for cable sheathing. The Lemfoerde researchers had to comply with the more stringent requirements for automotive cables, so they developed a new TPU production method and also turned to proven highquality materials when it came to selecting the basic chemicals and stabilizers. Thus, they succeeded in achieving good polymer structure in combination with a very effective resistance to external influences. For many years now, products belonging to Elastollans 11 series have been doing a good job as sheathing material for cables and connectors in vehicles, including lines for the ABS and ESP systems. These flexible materials are mechanically very strong, vi-

bration- and friction-proof as well as chemical-resistant, and they also ensure a high level of functional reliability. These properties have enabled the materials to prove their worth in the areas near the axles, in the wheel wells and also in the engine compartment as well as in the spaces close to the transmission. Design engineers also like to manufacture battery lines from TPU which, if required, can be supplied in a halogen-free, flame-resistant variant. Automobile manufacturers raise the bar With the new Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM, this performance spectrum that has been optimized for sheathing automotive cables, is now also available for the high temperatures found in electric and hybrid cars. Aside from its temperature resistance, which surpasses that of products of the 11 series, the new TPU also stands out for its much lower compression set, and yet for the rest, it exhibits similar mechanical properties. In keeping pace with the trend towards electric and hybrid cars, but also in view of the ever-higher temperatures found in classic vehicles with gasoline or diesel engines, German carmakers have agreed to apply the temperature class D of the German standard LV 112. This standard stipulates that the cables have to pass the usual winding test, even after having been exposed to 3,000 hours of hot-air ageing at

150 degrees Celsius [302 degrees Fahrenheit]. According to the temperature class C of ISO 6722, which had been required up to now, depending on where it is installed, it was sufficient for the cable sheathing to withstand hot-air ageing at 125 degrees Celsius [257 degrees Fahrenheit] over the course of 3,000 hours. When compared to ISO 6722, LV 112 is also more stringent in terms of resistance to hydrolysis at high temperatures. Whereas ISO 6722 accepts 1,000 hours at 85 degrees Celsius [185 degrees Fahrenheit] and 85 percent relative humidity, new LV 112 requires a test duration of 3,000 hours here as well. The new Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM easily meets the requirements of temperature class D as well as the more strict specifications of LV 112 in terms of hydrolysis resistance. Alternative plastics that display a comparable performance in this respect are either considerably more expensive because they come from even higher temperature classes, or else they are more laborious, and thus more costly, to process. Elastollan surpasses elongation requirements During long-term tests in hot air at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius [302 degrees Fahrenheit], Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM largely retains its high strength, even after 3,000 hours. Even though the elongation at break drops to 200 percent after this time

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Efficiency onshore & offshore

Oliver Mhren

period, it is still well above the value required by LV 112. An elongation at break of about 50 percent is sufficient to pass the cable test prescribed here. After the ageing procedure over 240 hours at 175 degrees Celsius [347 degrees Fahrenheit], which is likewise required by LV 112, and even after 6 hours at 200 degrees Celsius [392 degrees Fahrenheit], the elongation at break of Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM, at a value of 610 percent and 530 percent respectively, falls well within the safe range. In comparison, the tensile strength drops much more markedly at higher temperatures. This, however, is not all that relevant for cable applications since the strength of the cable is determined by the conductor materials and the sheathing. When the material is stored in hot air at 85 degrees Celsius [185 degrees Fahrenheit] at a relative humidity of 85 percent, its elongation at break over a time period of 3,000 hours actually rises from 690 to 840 percent. The residual strength after this long-term load is still a respectable 20 MPa. New TPU being used by leading cable manufacturers Customer tests with the new product are currently been conducted at leading automotive cable manufacturers and, in many cases, it is about to be specified and approved for high-temperature cable applications. For cable manufacturers, the behavior

in the winding test is the decisive factor. The data gathered with S2 standard test rods at the BASF Polyurethanes laboratory has been consistently and thoroughly confirmed in actual practice tests. Following the winding test, the cable manufacturer also conducts electric tests. Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM also easily passes these tests, even after 3,000 hours of hot-air ageing at 150 degrees Celsius [302 degrees Fahrenheit] or 3,000 hours at 85 degrees Celsius [185 degrees Fahrenheit] and 85 percent relative humidity. Aside from the soft Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM, whose Shore A hardness is 85, BASF Polyurethanes also offers the considerably harder Elastollan 754 D 15 HPM (Shore D hardness of 53). This product is suitable for very thin core insulation. At the present time, it reaches the resistance level required by ISO 6722 in humid heat over 1,000 hours, but does not yet comply with the 3,000 hours stipulated in the more stringent standard LV 112. Researchers at the laboratory are working on remedying this as soon as possible. Another focal point of the research are flame-resistant formulations if required also halogen-free of the HPM family. Color masterbatches and metal deactivator masterbatches that allow the materials to be specifically tailored for the application in question are already available.

Oliver Mhren
Age: 39 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Sales/Technical Service Cable Where: Lemfrde Profession: Qualified materials science engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1996. Family: Married, one child. How I like to relax: By spending time with my family, riding my racing bike and jogging. Favorite place for a vacation: Spain. Where Id really like to travel one day: To Tibet. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Travel once around the world by bike. What do you like about the work you do at BASF? I work with a material which offers great potential for technical applications and is innovative. Which plastic still needs to be invented? A plastic which you can eat.

Electric and hybrid vehicles are within our reach now and so carmakers are adapting the performance range of their products accordingly: cables and lines now have to meet the requirements of temperature class D of German standard LV 112 and, for instance, must be able to pass the so-called winding test even after 3000 hours of hot-air ageing at 150C [302F]. The reasons for this are the much higher voltages and currents that occur in vehicles with electric motors. The new Elastollan 785 A 10 HPM, a thermoplastic polyurethane made by BASF Polyurethanes

GmbH, meets these requirements with ease, while it is less costly and easier to process than the alternative materials.

45

Efficiency onshore & offshore

Hardness test under water


Polyurethanes in the offshore oil and gas industry

n spite of all the efforts made searching for renewable sources of energy, fossil fuels such as oil and gas will continue to be indispensable in the coming decades. Tapping into offshore sources will play an increasingly significant role, one example are the huge deposits off the Brazilian coast. Experts anticipate that the offshore share in the total oil and gas production will apparently grow the next ten years. The recent explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and its consequences in the Gulf of Mexico are evidence of the hazards involved in offshore operations. Thus, making activities of the offshore industry as safe as possible and being able to utilize such resources in the first place call for the use of reliable high-performance plastics. Over the past years, BASF Polyurethanes has been consistently expanding its expertise by developing customized polyurethane systems for offshore applications. The polyurethane casting systems that are used here consist of two liquid components. Special metering machines normally use catalysts to bring about the reaction of the components that later will make up the finished highperformance plastic. The development of these offshore polyurethane systems has been focused not only on resistance to high temperatures and seawater but also on the use of environmentally friend-

ly catalysts that are free of heavy metals. Moreover, the products are extremely tough. After all, they have to be able to withstand high forces while, at the same time, being sufficiently elastic to absorb dynamic loads and impacts. PUR protects pipelines during installation One application example are vortex-induced vibration (VIV) strakes, spiral sheaths made of polyurethane that are affixed to the pipeline rising from the seabed, called riser. The special feature of the strakes is their helical shape, which vertically dissipates the horizontal current forces. These strakes are polyurethane cast parts, designed and produced by Trelleborg Offshore. Immediately before the pipeline is laid, the strakes are mounted on the riser aboard the pipelaying vessel, after which the riser is lowered into the sea. While the pipeline is being installed from the ship over the so-called stinger, the enormous weight of the pipeline exposes the strakes to such colossal loads that they are severely deformed. This is why the chemical structure of the polyurethane material has to be formulated in such a way that it cannot break. Furthermore, the cast part has to return to its original shape after being stressed. Under water, the specific shape of the strakes ensures

that the pipeline is positioned securely in the water and does not start to vibrate since this could lead to breakage of the pipes. Diving bell for maintainance in depths of 300 meters Under certain circumstances, there is a need to manually inspect and maintain the pipeline underwater. Mostly, however, the pipelines are at depths that cannot be reached by the deep-sea divers on their own. Therefore a diving bell has been developed to transport experts to depths of 300 meters. Thus the bell was designed as a submersible decompression chamber. The thermal isolation was performed by Trelleborg Offshore using a so called glass-syntactic polyurethane system from BASF Polyurethanes: The polyurethane is foamed apparently, however a true foam would not be able to withstand the hydrostatic pressure underwater and would collapse. This is why the polyurethane matrix is mixed with hollow glass microbeads that are under vacuum, but ensuring that the material can resist the pressure at the same time. These hollow glass microbeads function like miniscule thermos bottles. The special feature of this polyurethane system is the realization of long flow paths achieved through its viscosity and through its reaction profile when the mold is filled with the two components.

46

Efficiency onshore & offshore

Dr. Marcus Lebernger

Helping to keep oil from cooling down The principle of glass-syntactic polyurethane is also employed in offshore pipelines. Crude oil is pumped at temperatures of 120 to 140 degrees Celsius [248 to 284 degrees Fahrenheit]. In order to be able to transport the black gold over long distances, it is imperative to keep it from cooling down, especially during a possible shutdown, so as to prevent the pipeline from clogging. This task, too, is achieved through the use of glass-syntactic polyurethane, which also offers resistance against the hydrostatic pressure of up to 300 bar at a depth of 3,000 meters. Worldwide service The offshore industry is a conservative and global industry, but it relies on innovative high-performance products. Thanks to its 38 polyurethane system houses around the world, BASF can provide polyurethane products and technical service with a constant level of quality to the offshore industry in every region of the world, be it Brazil or the Baltic Sea.

Dr. Marcus Leberfinger


Age: 46 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Segment Elastomers Where: BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, Lemfrde Profession: Chemist with a doctorate qualification. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1995. Family: Married, two daughters. How I like to relax: By playing football or skiing. Favorite place for a vacation: The Alps for skiing. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? I would return to visit all the places I have been to on business trips - only with more time and accompanied with my family. What is your favorite plastic? Polyurethane of course: it can be used to deliver any set of properties. We sometimes reach our limits here, but we always manage to stretch and cross these lines of limitation. Which plastic still needs to be invented? One which can be sown and therefore propagated and harvested. What really should be made out of plastic? High-voltage power lines with superconducting properties. This would considerably reduce losses in transporting power.

One of the many different offshore applications of polyurethanes (PU) from BASF Polyurethanes GmbH are the so called vortex induced vibration (VIV) strakes. They are helixshaped sheaths enveloping the pipelines rising from the seabed, dissipating strong horizontal current forces. The strakes are made from two-component casting PU systems and have to pass a 70-ton load test to get qualified. Other applications of BASFs PU in offshore oil and gas industry are pressure-resistant insulations on deep sea diving bells, undersea buoys for rising pipeline and the

thermal insulation of the pipelines themselves. In all cases the important material properties are temperature resistance, seawater resistance, toughness, elasticity and pressure resistance.

47

Efficiency onshore & offshore

Soaking it up like a sponge


Polyurethane rigid foam protects Nord Stream pipeline

ince April of this year, the crew on the first pipe-laying ship has been working hard on the Baltic Sea, laying the gas lines of the Nord Stream Pipeline Project, which is to run between Vyborg in Russia and Greifswald in the eastern part of Germany. Approximately 200,000 pipes will have to be welded together, and so 200,000 weld seams will have to be sheathed to protect them from damage. Elastopor H, an open-cell polyurethane rigid foam, has been selected by the Allseas Group to accomplish this mission. The products strength and processing speed have been refined and optimized by BASF Polyurethanes from Lemfoerde, Germany. Consequently, this rigid foam is contributing to the success of the project, not only quantitatively but also qualitatively. Nord Stream, a consortium of five companies OAO Gazprom, BASF SE/ Wintershall Holding, E.ON Ruhrgas, Nederlandse Gasunie and GDF Suez plans for its pipeline to connect Russia to the European Union via the Baltic Sea. The goal is to securely supply businesses and households with natural gas in the future. Over next two years, the two pipe-laying companies Saipem and the Allseas Group will deploy three ships to lay two 1220 kilometer-long pipeline conduits on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The big challenge for the Nord Stream Project is the

logistics involved: three pipe-laying ships, five marshalling yards and five countries. In such an endeavor, trust between the contractors and the suppliers is paramount. In addition, efficient and flawless work is a prerequisite for this type of project. In April 2010, Saipems Castoro Sei set out to sea with the mission of building a pipeline. It carried aboard polyurethane components made by BASF Polyurethanes. It is anticipated that approximately 2.5 kilometers of pipeline will be laid per day. The Allseas vessel Solitaire joined the team in August. The team. BASFs polyurethane, Elasopor H, was on board. Quickly and uniformly distributed in the hollow space The optimized Elastopor H was developed over the past two years. The polyurethane systems consist of two liquid components that are mixed together on site using special metering machines and then filled into the hollow space in the sleeve. Subsequently, an exothermal reaction turns the reaction mixture into the actual polyurethane, which is expanded by means of a foaming agent that is also present in the mixture. Thanks to its good flow properties, the polyurethane system is quickly and uniformly distributed throughout the hollow space. In order to prevent the polyurethane rigid foam from being buoyant, it is configured to be open-celled so

that hydrostatic pressure causes it to fill up completely with water. Its dimensional stability is crucial here. The material stands out for its high dry density of 160 kilograms per cubic meter, which ensures the sophisticated physical properties of this product. A decisive factor during the laying operation is the fast hardening, since only after that the foam can withstand the stress encountered while the pipeline is being lowered into the sea. Then the weld seam of the pipeline is protected from all sides and can be lowered into the water by the vessels socalled stinger. Once the pipeline is finally resting on the seabed, the polyurethane rigid foam can perform its full protective function against mechanical stress. The Nord Stream pipeline might come into contact with the weights used in large dragnets or with the anchors of ships. The rigid foam is formulated to be so flexible that it can withstand and absorb such a massive impact. The destructive force is not transmitted to the pipe. In order to check this property, the foam has to undergo an impact test in which several test sleeves are fixed and subjected to massive blows by a hammer weighing more than two tons. The test demonstrated that the foam is able to withstand even higher forces than required without any damage occurring to the steel pipe.

48

Efficiency onshore & offshore

Christof Grieser-Schmitz

Polyurethane rigid foam protects welded sites The construction of the Nord Stream pipeline also makes very strict demands on the other materials and production processes. The pipes, each measuring approximately 12 meters in length, are made of high-strength steel that is suitable for underwater applications. They have a diameter of 48 inches and have an anticorrosion coating made of polyethylene. Over the coating, the pipe is sheathed by a layer of steel-reinforced concrete 60 to 110 millimeters thick. This sheathing protects the pipeline against mechanical damage and its weight prevents the pipeline from floating so that it will stay safe and sound at the bottom of the sea. The steel pipes are welded automatically on the ship during the pipe-laying operation. In the area of the weld seam, there is no corrosion protection and, since the concrete sheathing is interrupted at this point, there is no protection against external effects either. This sensitive part of the pipeline has to be painstakingly protected. With this in mind, shrink tubing is pulled over the weld site to seal the break in the anti corrosion layer. A sleeve is put over the concrete sheathing forming an annular hollow space which is filled with the polyurethane components.

Pipeline tested for tightness In 2012, the pipeline is scheduled to be fully operational, accounting for a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The internal design pressure in the pipes varies along the pipeline length, from 220 bar in Russia to 170 bar in Germany. Prior to the start-up, the pipeline will be filled with water and will have to withstand a pressure test. This concluding test will ascertain whether the pipeline is 100 percent tight and complies with all of the safety requirements. The pipeline is expected to remain in operation for at least 50 years.

Christof Grieser-Schmitz
Age: 39 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Segment Pipe Insulation Where: BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, Lemfrde Profession: Chemical engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1998. Family: Married, two children. How I like to relax: By playing with my children. What Id really like to see one day: A Fata Morgana sitting on sand dunes in the desert. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? Emigrate to Australia for a year and spend every day diving on the Great Barrier Reef. What do you like about the work you do at BASF and why? The fact that it is so varied and you can expect something new every day.

Since April 2010, the first pipe-laying ship has been hard at work on the Baltic Sea, laying the gas lines of the Nord Stream Pipeline Project, which is to run between Vyborg in Russia and Greifswald in the eastern part of Germany. Approximately 200,000 pipes will have to be welded together, and so 200,000 weld seams will have to be sheathed and protected against damage. Elastopor H, an open-cell polyurethane rigid foam, has been selected by the Allseas Group to accomplish this mission. A product whose strength and processing speed have been refined and optimized by BASF Polyurethanes GmbH of

Lemfoerde, Germany, for this purpose will come into operation on the Solitaire.

What is your favorite plastic? Neoprene because diving suits are made from it. What really should be made out of plastic? A window pane which not only lets in light but also acts as a solar cell.

49

Efficiency onshore & offshore

Your freezer is your piggy bank


Polyurethane insulation for efficient cold chain

inus 20 degrees Celsius: A frozen pizza must not get any warmer than that before it makes its way into the consumers freezer. And polyurethane rigidfoam insulation made by BASF Polyurethanes is an integral part of this logistical cooling feat. But the insulation not only has to be efficient in terms of retaining the cold but also has to behave sustainably when it comes to energy and material consumption. Polyurethane experts from Lemfoerde together with the ko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology) in Freiburg have conducted an Eco-Efficiency Analysis in order to determine how large the differences are when insulating materials of different thicknesses are used in freezer warehouses or freezer trucks where frozen pizza is stored or transported. The findings indicate that if all of the storage facilities, freezer chests and transport vehicles were to be insulated with polyurethane rigid foam having an optimized insulating thickness, then 16 times more energy could be saved than is needed for the production of the insulating material. Eco-Efficiency Analysis shows the advantages The cold chain starts when a freshly made pizza is quick-frozen and subsequently deep-frozen. It goes to the refrigerated warehouse, travels in the refrigerated

truck, is put into the freezer chest of the supermarket and then into the freezer of the final consumer. On the average, the journey of a complete pallet of frozen food takes 75 days from the warehouse to the household freezer. If the latest generation of polyurethane insulation made by BASF Polyurethanes is used in optimal thickness in all of the cooling segments, the analysis shows that, already after this short period of time, 16 times more energy is saved than the amount that went into the production of the insulating material. At the same time, modern insulation made of polyurethane not only improves the energy balance but also reduces CO 2 emissions. Three PU grades for the cold chain Fundamentally speaking, the better the insulation effect, the less energy has to be used for the actual cooling. Various polyurethane systems are used nowadays for insulation purposes. BASF Polyurethanes has three innovative system groups in its portfolio: Elastocool , Elastopir and Elastopor. Thanks to this polyurethane insulation tailored for use and efficiency Elastocool for refrigerators and freezers, Elastopir for refrigerated warehouses and cold-storage cells, and Elastopor for freezer chests, truck trailers and transportation boxes the energy and raw

material consumption as well as the emissions can be considerably reduced. The rigid-foam insulation made of polyurethane stands out especially for its very low thermal conductivity resulting from the combination of a fine, closed-cell foam structure and heat-insulating cell gases. Owing to the low thermal conductivity and the good physical properties such as the low density, polyurethane is the insulation material most frequently found in the cold chain. For every specific cooling step, the Eco-Efficiency Analysis of the cold chain compared polyurethane insulation made of the same material but with different thicknesses. Accordingly, the difference does not lie in the material itself, but rather, in the thickness of the insulation since the PU foam is already highly efficient. The thinner insulation used as the reference in the analysis is the thinnest insulation layer used in the cold-chain segment and still available on the market today. A closer look at an appliance such as a freezer shows that a model whose insulating material is 50 millimeters thick can be compared to a freezer that is optimally insulated with polyurethane that is 60 millimeters thick. The Eco-Efficiency Analysis shows that a modern appliance with BASF polyurethane insulation has an energy-savings factor of 20:1. Such an appliance literally becomes a

50

Efficiency onshore & offshore

Werner Wiegmann

piggy bank since within a mere seven days this is the duration of this part of the examined cold chain this freezer saves 20 times more energy than is required for the production of the polyurethane. Extrapolated over an entire year, this would rise to a factor of roughly 1040:1. Clear-cut energy savings with thicker insulation layer This energy balance, which is related only to the polyurethane insulation, not only affects the monthly energy costs but also has a lasting impact on the carbon dioxide emissions. Calculated on the basis of an average cold chain of such an appliance, this translates into an improvement of 15 percent. Whereas a freezer with insulation that is 50 millimeters thick emits 23 kilograms of CO2 in seven days, the model with insulation that is 60 millimeters thick, emits only 15.5 kilograms of CO2 over the same period of time. These figures already include the production and the disposal of the polyurethane rigid foam. At the same time, more than 15 percent of the requisite resources can be saved during the production of the insulating material currently primarily fossil fuel resources whose supply is known to be finite. Consequently, consumers who own freezers with insulation that is ten millimeters thicker make a huge contribution to energy savings. And such

savings are already achieved when the frozen pizza makes its way through the cold chain and stays in the freezer for a mere seven days before it is eaten. As far as the total cold chain of 75 days is concerned, the Eco-Efficiency Analysis of BASF Polyurethanes demonstrates that each pallet of frozen food will emit 5.3 kilograms less CO2. This is an improvement of 13 percent. And in spite of the need for more resources to produce the thicker polyurethane insulation, the amount of resources saved during the utilization phase is so great that a plus of 12 percent remains at the end of the cold chain. This result is the outcome of just the difference in the thickness of the insulation of this generation of BASF polyurethane rigid foams, in fact, already very efficient.

Werner Wiegmann
Age: 60 Years Responsibility at BASF: Head of Development PU Insulation Where: BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, Lemfrde Profession: Chemical engineer. How long have you been at BASF? Since 1973. Family: Married, two children. How I like to relax: By being out in the countryside. Favorite place for a vacation: I like being at home because my house is situated in the heart of the countryside. Apart from this, I like traveling to the island of Borkum where I enjoy the cool air and the salt water. If you had a year off, what would you like to do? As I would like to work with my hands, I would like to help out on a huge collective farm in Russia. What sort of plastic still needs to be invented? A plastic which has an entirely different cell structure, so that it delivers super thermal conductivity and is ten times better at providing insulation than the existing polyurethane products. What really should be made out of plastic? A vehicle shell with a plastic sandwich structure which also provides energy efficient insulation for the interior of the cabin of an electric car.

BASF Polyurethanes offers three innovative insulation materials for the cold chain: Elastocool for refrigerators and freezers, Elastopir for refrigerated warehouses and cold-storage cells, and Elastopor for freezer chests, truck trailers and transportation boxes. The efficiency of different polyurethane systems in the cold chain has lately been scrutinized by means of an eco-efficiency analysis. Findings indicate that if all of the storage facilities, freezer chests and transport vehicles were to be insulated with polyurethane rigid foam having an optimized insulating thickness, 16 times more energy could be saved than is needed for the production of the insulating material.

51

Overview products

Overview of products and brands

Autofroth* Basotect Capron Cellasto *


Polyurethane system Foam from melamine resin Polyamide Components made from microcellular PU elastomers Multifunctional composits made from Cellasto components Service for the self-coloring of polystyrene and ABS PU soft foam system Biodegradable plastic /polyester Biodegradable plastic /polyester based on renewable raw materials Systems for sports field surfaces PU system PU systems as coating and casting compounds PU systems as coating and casting compounds PU cast system Soft polyurethane foam systems Soft integral polyurethane foam systems Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers Rigid integral polyurethane foam systems and RIM systems Flexible integral polyurethane systems Polyurethane shoe foam systems Rigid polyurethane foam systems Rigid polyurethane foam systems Flexible integral polyurethane systems PU spray foam system Systems as cold curing cast elastomers Viscoselastic foam Diisocyanates Polyether polyols Polyether polyols

PUR MF PA PU PU PU

CeoDS *

Colorflexx Ecoflex Ecovio

CosyPUR*

Elastan * Elastoclear* Elastocoat *

PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU PU

Elastocoast *

Elastocore* Elastoflex *

Elastofoam *

Elastollan *

Elastolit* Elastonat *

Elastopan *

Elastopir *

Elastopor *

Elastoskin *

Elastospray * Elasturan* E-por


Lupranat * Lupranol *

Lupranol* Balance
= reg. trademark of BASF SE * = reg. trademark of Elastogran GmbH ** = reg. trademark of BASF Corporation TM = trademark of BASF SE TM* = trademark of Elastogran GmbH

52

Overview products

Lupraphen* Luran

Polyether polyols Styrene /acrylonitrile copolymer Acrylonitrile /styrene /acrylate polymer Acrylonitrile /styrene /acrylate polymer and polycarbonate Polyethylene foam Polypropylene foam Expandable polystyrene Alkali silicate Expandable polystyrene Web-based e-Commerce platform for solutions and information Polyether polyols Polystyrene HIPS Polystyrene GPPS Steel-polyurethane systems Extruded rigid polystyrene foam Styrene / butadiene block copolymer Styrene / butadiene block copolymer Expandable polystyrene Acrylonitrile / butadiene /styrene polymer and polyamide Acrylonitrile / butadiene /styrene polymer Acrylonitrile / butadiene /styrene polymer Methyl methacrylate /acrylonitrile / butadiene /styrene polymer Polybutylene terephthalate

PU SAN ASA ASA+PC EPE EPP EPS PS-E PU PS-I PS PU XPS SB SB PS-E ABS+PA ABS ABS MABS PBT, (PBT+ASA) POM PA 6, 66, 6/66, 6/6T PESU PSU

Luran S Luran SC

Neopolen E

Neopolen P Neopor Palusol Peripor


PlasticsPortalTM Pluracol** Polystyrol, schlagfest Polystyrol, Standard SPSTM* Styrodur C

Styroflex Styropor Terluran Terlux

Styrolux

Terblend N

Terluran HH Ultradur

Ultraform

Polyoxymethylene Polyamide Polyethersulfone Polysulfone

Ultramid Ultrason P Ultrason E UltrasimTM Ultrason S

53

Overview products

Internet homepages of products and brands

Abacustica Basotect Cellasto Colorflex Cosypur designfabrik Ecoflex Ecovio Elastocoast Elastocoat Elastocool Elastocore Elastoflex Elastofoam Elastollan Elastolit Elastopan Elastopave Elastopor Elastopir Elastoshore Elastoskin Elasturan Epor

www.abacustica.de www.basotect.de www.cellasto.de www.colorflexx.de www.pu.basf.eu www.designfabrik.basf.de www.plasticsportal.eu/ecoflex www.ecovio.de www.elastocoast.com www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.elastollan.com www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.pu.basf.eu www.e-por.basf.com

HD-Grades Luran Luran S Neopolen Neopor Palusol Peripor Polystyrol Styrodur Styroflex Styrolux Styropor Terblend N Terluran Terluran HH Terlux Ultradur Ultraform Ultramid Ultramid-Fibers Ultramid-Extrusion Ultrasim Ultrason

www.plasticsportal.eu/hd-plastics www.luran.de www.luran-s.de www.neopolen.de www.neopor.de www.palusol.de www.peripor.de www.plasticsportal.eu/polystyrol www.styrodur.de www.styroflex.de www.styrolux.de www.styropor.com www.terblend-n.de www.terluran.de www.terluran-hh.de www.terlux.de www.ultradur.der www.plasticsportal.eu/ultraform www.ultramid.de www.polyamides.basf.com www.polyamides.basf.com www.ultrasim.basf.com www.ultrason.de

54

Miscellaneous
Tel.: +49 621 60-41446
Tel.: +49 621 60-78780 Fax: +49 621 60-78730

Styrenics Infopoint
E-Mail: styrenics.infopoint@basf.com
E-Mail: ultraplaste.infopoint@basf.com

Engineering Plastics: Tel: 800.527.TECH E-Mail: n-ktn_Technical_Questions@ basf.com Expandable Polystyrene Foams: USA : Tel: 973-324-6523 E-Mail: kathie.evers@basf.com Canada : Tel: 514.340.3905 Fax: 514.340.1248 Styrenics: Tel: 973-324-6523 E-Mail: ann.flynn@basf.com

Tel.: +49 621 60-42888 Fax: +49 621 60-92689

E-Mail: ultraplastics.infopointasia@basf.com

Tel: +65 6398-5067 Fax: +65 6432-3767

E-Mail: extrusion.ultramid@basf.com

You can also order the brochures about the published topics on our website www.plastics-magazine.com

Editorial Ofce: BASF SE Karen Kling, Jutta Schmidt KT/K F 204 67056 Ludwigshafen Tel.: +49 621 60-20191 Fax: +49 621 60-49497 Distribution: BASF SE Layout: Spektrum, Ludwigshafen

All articles in the magazine as well as the complete magazine are available for download in .pdf format at www.plastics-magazine.com WMN: KST 1007 BE

Photo credits:

Cover: messe-duesseldorf Page: 6- 21 BASF Page 22: gettyimages/BASF Page 23-39: BASF Page 40: BMW Page 46: Fa. Trelleborg Offshore UK Page 41-51: BASF

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