New PP-compatible, high clarity SBC material unveiled for enhanced performance at lower cost

24-Feb-09

Kraton Polymers LLC, the world's largest producer of styrenic block copolymers (SBCs), has unveiled Kraton G1643, a SBC polymer with a hydrogenated midblock of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) claimed to have enhanced performance capabilities and lower system costs. As per the company, the new material is highly durable material and is highly compatible with polypropylene (PP). Further, it features excellent clarity and offers improved resistance to blushing and cracking which often occur during transport of large molded parts such as totes and bins. Moreover, the company claims manufacturers using Kraton G1643 have the ability to reduce wall thickness lowering overall material usage and production costs. Kraton G1643, the company says, is designed for a broad range of functionalities, including injection molding, sheet extrusion and blow molding applications, where high clarity and excellent impact strength are required for building durable parts. The material is ideally suited for housewares, medical devices, automotive and consumer packaging applications. It is also FDA and USP Class VI approved for food and medical applications. The company will present a technical paper entitled: "Transparent PP Modification with Kraton G1643 via Dry-Blending and Injection Molding," at the International Polyolefins Conference in Houston, Texas, February 22-25.