Basell is launching new metallocene-based Metocene polypropylene cast film and injection molding grades to customers in a variety of packaging manufacturing processes.
The company is unveiling a new, higher viscosity Metocene homopolymer cast film resin and two injection molding grades to customers which are producing thin-wall applications that require high clarity and high rigidity. These are reactor grade products which means that no peroxide is used during pelletizing to control rheology, therefore there are no peroxide residuals or peroxide by-products.
• Cast Film - Metocene X11291-55-1 - reactor grade, non-visbroken resin with enhanced product consistency to customers producing cast film applications. It is a 9.5 g/10 min melt flow rate resin with a very narrow molecular weight distribution and an uncharacteristically lower melting point compared to conventional polypropylene homopolymer resins. This enables exceptional optical properties and good sealability in film applications.
Typical customer film applications include stationery, food, multimedia, medical packaging, low volatile packaging, candy twist wrap, photo albums, laminations, floral and produce packaging, etc.
• Injection Molding - Metocene HM640T - high melt flow (60 g/10 min) reactor grade homopolymer resin with nucleation and a very narrow molecular weight distribution. This enables a high degree of resin consistency which is sought by manufacturers desiring low warpage/high dimensional stability parts, high clarity and good stiffness.
Typical customer injection molded applications include thin-wall food containers and thin-wall multimedia packaging (CD/DVD cases), etc.
• Injection Molding - Metocene HM1753 - very high (140 g/10 min) melt flow reactor grade homopolymer resin with nucleation and antistat for customer thin-wall packaging. It has excellent stiffness, transparency and low warpage. Very fast cycle times promote high productivity.
Typical customer injection molded applications include housewares, thin-wall food containers (cups, lids), closures, thin-wall multimedia packaging (CD/DVD cases), etc.
Basell continues to expand the product envelope and end-use applications of its Metocene resins by developing new grades. The higher viscosity resin for cast film applications builds upon the inherent properties of Metocene resins such as low smoke generation during extrusion, low volatiles and a high level of cleanliness. These properties promote less die drool/plate out, longer die life and less frequent die cleanups, resulting in less down time during cast film extrusion operations.
The new injection molding grades offer an alternative to crystal polystyrene by yielding part weight reductions of up to 40 percent in customer applications such as thin-wall drinking cups, CD/DVD cases and food packaging containers. Additional characteristics of the metallocene-based resins include lower warpage and reduced distortion when compared to traditional polypropylene grades made using Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
Metocene grades are produced with proprietary Avant M metallocene catalyst systems and are characterized by narrow molecular weight distribution and extreme homogeneity. This new generation of metallocene catalysts permits the production of low viscosity, high melt flow resins directly in the polymerization reactor without the need for a secondary visbreaking step with peroxide.
Basell is the world’s largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefin products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, a global leader in the development and licensing of polypropylene and polyethylene processes. Basell, together with its joint ventures, has manufacturing facilities around the world and sells product in more than 120 countries. Additional information about Basell is available at www.basell.com.
For more information contact Michelle Harrell, Basell Corporate Communications, at +1 410 996 1366, +1 302 438 6574 or michelle.harrell@basell.com or Sophia Dilberakis, SD Communications, +1 312 787 5800, sophiad@att.net.
