‘Breakthough’ Nucleating Agent for Range of PP Applications
CAI Performance Additives’ new ST-NAP32 nucleator boosts PP performance for improved lithium battery separators, injection-molded products and PP-R pipe.
A new formulated β (beta) crystal nucleating agent is said to be a “breakthrough” in improving performance of PP in applications such as lithium battery separators. Newly available from CAI Performance Additives, the sole distributor of high-performance additives produced by China’s Starbetter Chemical Materials, ST-NAP32 falls in the special class beta nucleators, which cause a different crystal structure of PP to form when a molded or extruded part is cooled from the melt.
Certain properties of PP are drastically altered by this change in crystal structure as β crystals are known for their superior properties, including high impact strength, high heat distortion temperature, and good thermal stability.
ST-NAP32 is said to increase impact strength, heat distortion temperature, and porosity of PP products. It has been shown to be very useful for better performing separators for lithium ion batteries, but can also be used to improve the performance of a wide range of other PP products, including PP-R pipe and injection molded PP products. Easy-to-use ST-NAP32 can be added directly to PP resin or as a masterbatch.
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