- BASF launching a polyamide 6.10 on the market
- The plastic called Ultramid BALANCE consists to over 60 % of castor
oil
A material developed, produced and marketed by BASF over fifty years ago in
the pioneering phase of engineering plastics is undergoing a renaissance. At K
2007, the world’s largest plastics exhibition, BASF is unveiling Ultramid®
BALANCE, a polyamide 6.10. This is based to the extent of about 60 per cent on
sebacic acid, a renewable raw material derived from castor oil.
“Given that interest in materials based on renewables has risen sharply in
many markets we have decided to bring the product back into our range”,
explains Kurt Hoefli, Head of Marketing for BASF’s Engineering Plastics in
Europe. “We have woken it up from a long sleep because the subject of renewable
raw materials has become important to our customers.” This established and now
revitalized material combines a relatively low density for a polyamide with
good low-temperature impact resistance and has great dimensional stability due
to its low water absorption. Accordingly, it can be employed not only in
classic PA 6 applications, but also wherever the use of PA 6 in the past has
run up against limitations.
Castor oil – suitable for many plastics
Apart from Ultramid BALANCE BASF has another plastic in its portfolio that
is produced in substantial measure from castor oil. BASF’s subsidiary
Elastogran has already presented its new polyol Lupranol® BALANCE 50. This can
be used for manufacturing slabstock foams for mattress production. Castor oil
is obtained from the seed of the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis). It was in
use for thousands of years as a medicine, but it has also long been used in
engineering oils, cosmetics, coatings and in hydraulic oils. The principal
regions where the castor oil plant is grown as a crop are India, Brazil and
China.
You can obtain further information about BASF’s Ultramid® via the email
address ultraplaste.infopoint@basf.com
or telephone number +49 621 60-78780.
You can find a press photograph at www.basf.de/pressphotos under the
heading “Kunststoffe” or using the search term “Ultramid”. You will soon be
able to find this text and the photo in press release archive of BASF plastics:
www.basf.de/plastics/pressreleases.
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Already in its product range 50 years ago BASF after a long pause is now
supplying its customers again with a polyamide 6.10 based on renewable raw
materials. The material is called Ultramid® BALANCE and consists to the extent
of about 60 per cent of sebacic acid that is obtained from castor oil. In
comparison with PA 6 the polyamide has a lower density and good low-temperature
impact resistance. Moreover, due to its low water absorption it has high
dimensional stability.
Photo: BASF, 2007 - Print version JPG:
1512 x 2268 px / 300 dpi / 1990 KB
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phototext (Word document)
