Basell announced today that its new family of Ziegler catalysts designed for use in gas phase polyethylene technologies – to be marketed under the grade name Avant Z 230 – is now available for purchase on a global basis.
“The new Avant catalysts can produce the entire range of narrow molecular weight LLDPE, MDPE and HDPE,” said Michael Mulrooney, senior vice president of Basell’s Technology Business. Typical applications include film, injection moulding and rotomoulding grades.
“Most gas phase polyethylene catalyst systems use silica supports,” said Mulrooney. “Silica supports are widely available, but morphological stability in the reactor can be a problem.”
The Avant Z 230 catalyst uses a magnesium chloride support. The combination of new proprietary catalyst chemistry, with a more stable support structure, has resulted in a catalyst with expanded product properties and improved operational stability.
The Z 230 catalyst was developed in Ferrara, Italy and has been demonstrated on commercial Spherilene process plants. “LLDPE film grades modified with butene and hexene that are produced with these catalysts exhibit good optical properties, high strength, low extractables and a reduced blocking effect,” said Mulrooney.
He added, “Avant Z 230 is an excellent partner to the Avant Z 218 catalyst, which was commercialized in 2004. The Z 218 is designed to produce broad molecular weight HDPE, and both are Ziegler titanium catalysts on magnesium chloride supports, so they are fully compatible. When used in gas phase process technologies such as the newest version of Basell’s Spherilene process, switching between HDPE and LLDPE is not only technically possible, it can be more easily implemented in a normal production schedule.”
Basell produces and commercialises a complete range of polyolefin catalyst systems which are sold under the Avant trade name:
Avant ZN – Ziegler-Natta catalysts for polypropylene
Avant Z – Ziegler catalysts for polyethylene
Avant C – Chromium catalysts for polyethylene
Avant M – Metallocene catalysts for polypropylene
Basell also licenses process technologies for the production of the full range of polypropylene and polyethylene products.
Basell is the world's largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefin products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, and 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 products in more than 120 countries. Additional information about Basell is available at www.basell.com.
For more information contact Michelle Talmo, Basell Corporate Communications, at +1 410 996 1366, +1 302 438 6574 or michelle.talmo@basell.com
