Kraton: SBC-based alternative to PVC and TPUs for slush moulding

Kraton together with SO.F.TER will inform visitors at K 2010 about a new joint development, an SBC-based alternative product for slush moulded interior soft skins. The companies formed a strategic alliance, and this resulted in the development of this environmentally friendly alternative to PVC and TPUs.

With the new product manufacturers of instrument panel skins, door panels, airbags and consoles can achieve significant improvements in low-temperature performance, fogging, and recyclability while still using existing slush moulding equipment and standard processing conditions. As an additional benefit lowered manufacturing costs due to reduced service temperatures and decreased processing time are mentioned. The new product is said to provide a 30?–?40 % reduction in material weight, better ageing properties, and improved soft-touch compared to existing materials.

The SBC pioneer will furthermore highlight the G1645 polymer, suitable as PVC alternative in medical applications like IV bag films and tubing, elastic non-wovens based on the company's bicomponent fibre technology, protective films, and PVC alternatives for wire and cable production.

In addition to these key applications, Kraton will also discuss with visitors benefits of the Nexar selectively permeable system for membranes and coatings launched in 2009 and now making its debut in European markets. Nexar is a sulfonated polymer technology for water transport, filtration and separation, and performance fabrics applications. The polymers are most widely used for performance fabrics and energy recovery ventilators (ERVs).