Plastics play an important role in the manufacture of electronic products and consumer goods which have become ubiquitous in our daily lives. Market demands will continue to drive the trend towards thinner, more stylish and highly integrated, multifunctional devices. Energy efficiency is key – propelled by both regulatory and consumer demands for increased performance and lower energy requirements. Consumers also gravitate towards innovative designs and attractive aesthetics to complement their personal lifestyles, making differentiation in design and style essential to driving commercial success in a very competitive domain. At the same time, for both cost and environmental reasons, brand owners will continue to seek solutions that offer efficiency and sustainable features such as responsible manufacturing and end-of-life options.

“Rapidly changing customer demands mean manufacturers need to be flexible and responsive to the market,” said Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, Executive Vice President, Petrochemicals, SABIC. “SABIC provides a comprehensive and growing product offering of high performance material solutions for various segments in the electrical, electronics and consumer goods industry, collaborating closely with our downstream partners so that they can deliver.”

SABIC’S NEW FDA-COMPLIANT POLYCARBONATE GRADES FOR HIGH-TEMPERATURE FOOD CONTACT APPLICATIONS

Two new polycarbonate grades SABIC® PC 1804R and PC 1004R are FDA-certified products with clear and highly transparent resins, suitable for use in food contact applications under high temperature usage of up to 135oC, such as for food blender jars, food storage containers, ‘space’ bottles, sports water bottles and cups.

Polycarbonate resins are characterized by high levels of mechanical, optical, electrical and thermal properties. They have low haze and high gloss, allow high transmission of light, and are aesthetically versatile due to their colorability. They also offer dimensional stability, weatherability and thermal stability. Resins with transparent properties are often selected for devices when fluid flow needs to be visually monitored and view of contents is required, or when colorability for aesthetic enhancement is desired. Polycarbonate resins are recyclable.

SABIC® PC 1804R is a high flow product with MFR 18 while PC 1004R is a middle flow product with a MFR of 10. They can be used for both injection molding and blow molding processing.

SABITALTM GLASS FIBER REINFORCED POM FOR MOLDED PARTS

For molded parts applications such as gears, sprinkler systems, keyboard push buttons and zippers which require repetitive sliding movements, polyacetal or polyoxymethylene (POM), with its inherent lubricant makes it a suitable choice.

SABITALTM is a new SABIC line of polyacetal (POM) copolymer products reinforced with glass fibers for injection molding applications. The product is suitable for general industrial uses in need of high strength and dimensional stability as it offers superior stiffness and excellent wear properties, including outstanding resistance to thermal and oxidative degradation, moisture and chemicals. Other features include low friction coefficient and ease of machining.

SABIC LAUNCHES PMMA WITH COMPLETION OF NEW PLANT IN JUBAIL, SAUDI ARABIA

SABIC is broadening its global material portfolio with the addition of SABIC® PMMA(polymethyl methacrylate), a material commonly referred to as acrylic.

PMMA offers superior transparency, good scratch resistance, stiffness, hardness and shatter resistance. It is thus an excellent candidate for applications such as television and LCD monitors as well as injection-molded consumer goods such as filter jugs, cups and salad bowls.

SABIC® PMMA offers excellent optics with high transparency and light transmission, high glossiness, and has outstanding stability given its high UV resistance and low yellowing index, as well as good chemical resistance and continuous temperature resistance. It has superior mechanical performance, providing excellent scratch resistance and toughness. Its features also include ease of processing and recyclability. When used in replacement of glass, SABIC® PMMA can provide better performance and weight reduction.

SABIC® PMMA will be available in four grades for processes including extrusion, molding and thermoforming.

SABIC ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CYCOLACTM ABS RESINS

Another addition to SABIC’s portfolio this year is the CYCOLACTM resin product family, which are acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermoplastic materials, one of the toughest and most reliable materials available. CYCOLACTM resins are a range of opaque and highly colorable resins, characterized by a rich, glossy surface finish with admirable depth of color and good scratch resistance. They are highly tailorable, and with their excellent processing performance, they are suitable for either extrusion or injection molding. A wide array of flow and impact options are available, including:

CYCOLACTM MG94F is a high flow grade for compounding and general injection molding applications such as in 3D printing

CYCOLACTM EX58F is a sheet extrusion grade for applications such as luggage covers and refrigerator liners

CYCOLACTM MG47(F) colored is an injection grade for applications such as house