DOW CHEMICAL
First commercial plant for syndiotactic PS onstream / 36,000 t/y of “Questra” at Schkopau
The world´s first commercial production plant for syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) was started up this autumn by Dow Chemical (European HQ: Bachtobelstr. 3, CH-8810 Horgen) at its eastern German subsidiary Buna Sow Leuna Olefinverbund GmbH (BSL, D-06258 Schkopau). The plant has two separate reactors, which together can turn out 36,000 t/y of the polymer produced with metallocene catalysts on the basis of styrene monomer.
Marketed under the trade name “Questra”, Dow´s new sPS is hardly comparable with conventional polystyrene. The new half crystalline polymer has properties that predestine it for high-end technical applications. In Dow´s technical plastics portfolio its place is at the medium-to high-value end. It competes mainly with PBT, but also to some extent with LCPs or PPS. Along with resistance to high temperatures and chemicals, Dow spotlights the material´s rigidity and dimensional stability, adding that it has excellent flow properties and extremely low moisture absorption, which improves processing properties.
Dow points also to Questra´s broad application spectrum, which it says facilitates its use in widely varying applications that up to now have required a number of different materials. The US group says this will simplify for converters the job of choosing the right polymer for electrotechnical applications (switches, connections, plugs, etc). Dow´s sPS is priced in the range of PBT, but its lower density is said to allow material savings of up to 30% compared with PBT.
“Questra” is to be marketed through three channels. Large customers, in particular global players from the automotive and electrical sectors or their system partners, are to be supplied directly from Dow, while buyers of medium-sized and small lots will be supplied by Dow´s distribution partners Resinex (D-64665 Alsbach-Hähnlein) and Ashland Plastics (German HQ: Mittlerer Pfad 2, D-70499 Stuttgart). Dow has awarded a compounding licence to M.A. Hanna (200 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio/USA 441144-2304). In Europe, some of these products will be marketed through Th. Bergmann Kunststoffwerk GmbH (D-76751 Gaggenau).
At present, Japan´s Idemitsu Petrochemical Co. (IPC, European HQ: Idemitsu International Plc, Nightingale House, 65 Curzon St., GB-London W1Y 7PE) is the only other commercial supplier of sPS. Idemitsu is Dow´s development partner and owner of the original patent. According to an agreement between the two groups, both have worldwide marketing rights to SPS products.
• Plasteurope.com SERVICE: Dow product folder “Engineering Plastics” (English): PIE-No. 44250 – Press information and application examples for “Questra” (English/German): PIE-No. 44251.
Marketed under the trade name “Questra”, Dow´s new sPS is hardly comparable with conventional polystyrene. The new half crystalline polymer has properties that predestine it for high-end technical applications. In Dow´s technical plastics portfolio its place is at the medium-to high-value end. It competes mainly with PBT, but also to some extent with LCPs or PPS. Along with resistance to high temperatures and chemicals, Dow spotlights the material´s rigidity and dimensional stability, adding that it has excellent flow properties and extremely low moisture absorption, which improves processing properties.
Dow points also to Questra´s broad application spectrum, which it says facilitates its use in widely varying applications that up to now have required a number of different materials. The US group says this will simplify for converters the job of choosing the right polymer for electrotechnical applications (switches, connections, plugs, etc). Dow´s sPS is priced in the range of PBT, but its lower density is said to allow material savings of up to 30% compared with PBT.
“Questra” is to be marketed through three channels. Large customers, in particular global players from the automotive and electrical sectors or their system partners, are to be supplied directly from Dow, while buyers of medium-sized and small lots will be supplied by Dow´s distribution partners Resinex (D-64665 Alsbach-Hähnlein) and Ashland Plastics (German HQ: Mittlerer Pfad 2, D-70499 Stuttgart). Dow has awarded a compounding licence to M.A. Hanna (200 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio/USA 441144-2304). In Europe, some of these products will be marketed through Th. Bergmann Kunststoffwerk GmbH (D-76751 Gaggenau).
At present, Japan´s Idemitsu Petrochemical Co. (IPC, European HQ: Idemitsu International Plc, Nightingale House, 65 Curzon St., GB-London W1Y 7PE) is the only other commercial supplier of sPS. Idemitsu is Dow´s development partner and owner of the original patent. According to an agreement between the two groups, both have worldwide marketing rights to SPS products.
• Plasteurope.com SERVICE: Dow product folder “Engineering Plastics” (English): PIE-No. 44250 – Press information and application examples for “Questra” (English/German): PIE-No. 44251.
15.12.1999 Plasteurope.com [17669]
Published on 15.12.1999