NPE 2018 | MATERIALS REVIEW
Right: Shell had a big presence at NPE in Orlando
Shell Polymers – which has just commenced construction of a 1.6m tpa PE plant in Pennsylvania in the US – had a big presence at NPE 2018, underlin- ing the transformational effect the shale industry has had on the North American petrochemicals market. Shell has not produced polyolefins in North America since 2005, when it sold its stake in the Basell joint venture with BASF (the business was merged two years later into LyondellBasell). However, the attractive economics of shale have tempted the company back. Located in Beaver County, 45km north-west of
Pittsburgh, the project includes an ethane cracker and three PE polymerisation units that will produce HDPE and LLDPE grades. Construction began in the fourth quarter of last year with the first products set to reach the market in the early 2020s. Shell Polymers Business Integration Lead Michael Marr explained at the show that the decision to site the facility in Pennsylvania, close to the huge Marcellus and Utica shale fields, rather than on the Gulf Coast is intended to maximise the benefits of the new resource. “Our thought was to put the plant closer to the shale fields and to the market,” he said. “70% of the North American PE market is within 700 miles.” Marr said the company’s purpose at NPE was to identify new potential customers for the new facility, which will initially be focused on supplying the North American market. A decision to export further afield is yet to be made. RTP Company introduced its LT (Light and Tough)
series of PP, PA and PBT compounds that use glass sphere technology to achieve “drop-in” part weight savings of 5-10% with minimal loss of mechanicals compared to traditional glass reinforced grades. Senior Product Development Engineer Structural
Products Karl Hoppe said the new grades have resulted from developments in the strength of the
glass spheres and optimisation of the compound- ing process, which has minimised their breakage. “Previously with spheres we focused on maximis- ing the weight saving but you lost the properties,” Hoppe said. “The LT compounds are targeting the same properties that customers want with 30% glass filled PP or PA.” The LT materials provide similar weight savings
to that possible by using chemical foaming additives but there are no issues with developing an even cell structure and the surface finish is much more consistent, Hoppe said. Shrinkage of the new compounds is also broadly similar to current 30% glass reinforced grades, so a drop-in substitution is possible in many cases. Hoppe said RTP is aiming the new grades at
applications such as automotive and electrical connectors but also in hand held appliances such
Power tools are a potential application area for RTP’s new reduced density LT Series compounds
Tensile strength and density values of RTP’s LT Series PP, PA66 and PBY compounds compared to 30% glass reinforced alternatives Source: RTP Company 2018
36 INJECTION WORLD | May 2018
www.injectionworld.com
PHOTO: RTP COMPANY
PHOTO: AMI
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