Borouge BD950MO PP
An in-depth look into the advanced properties and applications of Borouge BD950MO heterophasic polypropylene copolymer.
Executive Summary
Borouge BD950MO is an advanced, high-performance heterophasic polypropylene (PP) copolymer developed by Borouge, a joint venture between Borealis and ADNOC. This material is specifically designed for injection and compression molding applications, distinguished by its exceptional balance of properties.
Key features of BD950MO include excellent stiffness and impact resistance, superior processability, high melt strength, and an extremely low tendency for stress whitening. A core advantage of this grade is its incorporation of Borealis' proprietary Borstar® Nucleation Technology (BNT), which significantly boosts production efficiency through reduced cycle times and ensures outstanding dimensional consistency, even with varying colorants.
With its robust performance characteristics and stringent regulatory compliance, including food contact approvals, BD950MO is an ideal choice for closures of carbonated soft drinks (CSD), water, juices, and teas, as well as various industrial and consumer molded products such as storage boxes, baby care items, and crates. BD950MO not only delivers superior material properties but also offers significant advantages in processing efficiency and regulatory adherence, providing a cost-effective solution for manufacturing high-quality products.
Access the complete technical specifications for BD950MO.
Introduction to Borouge BD950MO PP
Material Classification and Overview
Borouge BD950MO is classified as a heterophasic copolymer of polypropylene (PP). This classification is crucial as it indicates that the material consists of a polypropylene matrix blended with a dispersed rubbery phase (typically ethylene-propylene rubber), which imparts a superior balance of stiffness and impact resistance compared to homopolymers. This structural design is fundamental to its excellent mechanical properties.
The grade is specifically formulated for both compression molding and injection molding processes, highlighting its versatility in manufacturing a wide range of rigid products. BD950MO is produced by Borouge, a leading global provider of polyolefin solutions.
Unique Characteristics and Additives
The core characteristics of BD950MO include good stiffness, excellent impact resistance, very good processability, high melt strength, and an extremely low tendency for stress whitening. These properties are essential for producing durable and aesthetically pleasing end products. Furthermore, the grade offers excellent creep resistance and an optimum stiffness-impact balance, which is critical for applications requiring long-term structural integrity under load.
To further optimize its performance and processing characteristics, BD950MO polymer contains slip and antistatic additives. The inclusion of these additives is designed to ensure good demoulding properties, reduce dust attraction, and provide a low friction coefficient, which meets industry standards for closure opening torques. Slip agents facilitate smooth demoulding and reduced friction in high-speed cap production, while antistatic agents prevent dust accumulation, enhancing product cleanliness and handling ease. This comprehensive formulation approach indicates that the material is optimized not only for mechanical performance but also for manufacturing efficiency and end-user experience, effectively mitigating common issues like mold sticking or dust contamination that can lead to production downtime or quality defects. This holistic strategy significantly enhances the material's value proposition beyond basic polymer attributes.
Introduction to Borealis Nucleation Technology (BNT)
One of the central advantages of BD950MO is its incorporation of Borealis' unique and proprietary Borstar® Nucleation Technology (BNT). BNT is described as a "state of the art In Situ (in reactor) solution," which differentiates it from conventional methods where nucleating agents are added during pelletization.
The key benefits of BNT include:
- Fast Crystallization and Reduced Cycle Times: BNT promotes rapid crystallization, leading to significantly shorter processing cycle times. This directly translates to higher productivity and lower manufacturing costs.
- Uniform and Homogeneous Nucleation: It ensures a more consistent and better dispersion of the nucleating agent within the material. This uniformity is crucial for achieving consistent mechanical properties and dimensional stability across different batches and with varying colorants.
- Stiffness-Impact Balance: BNT contributes to optimizing the balance between stiffness and impact performance.
- Excellent Organoleptic Properties: This is particularly important for food and beverage applications, ensuring minimal taste or odor transfer.
- Inertness: BNT is inert and does not react with other additives, such as color masterbatches, ensuring consistent color presentation.
The advantages of BNT, such as faster cycle times and reduced material wastage, directly address manufacturing efficiency. Its "in reactor" nature implies superior control over morphology, leading to consistent performance. This consistency, coupled with excellent organoleptic properties and food contact compliance, positions BD950MO as a premium material for demanding packaging applications. Beyond immediate processing benefits, BNT also supports broader sustainability goals by enabling higher productivity and potential downgauging (reducing material thickness or size), thereby decreasing material consumption. This aligns with Borealis' stated commitments to Design for Circularity (DfC) and Design for Recycling (DfR). Thus, BNT is not merely a technical feature but a strategic enabler for economic competitiveness and environmental responsibility in the polymer industry.
Material Characteristics and Properties
General Characteristics and Additives (Detailed)
As a heterophasic copolymer, BD950MO combines the rigidity of a polypropylene matrix with the toughness provided by an elastomeric phase. This structural design is fundamental to its balanced mechanical properties.
The material's "extremely low tendency to stress whitening" is a significant aesthetic and functional advantage, particularly for consumer products like closures, where visual integrity after mechanical stress (e.g., twisting) is crucial.
The presence of slip and antistatic additives ensures smooth processing and enhances the end product's usability by minimizing dust attraction and facilitating easy demoulding. The low friction coefficient is specifically engineered to meet industry standards for closure opening torques, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience.
Physical Properties
The physical properties of BD950MO are critical for its processing behavior and final product characteristics.
- Melt Flow Rate (MFR):
- Typical value: 7 g/10min (230°C/2.16kg, ISO 1133).
- Notably, one product datasheet indicates 8 g/10min (230°C/2.16kg, ISO 1133). This slight variation is common across different production batches or specific product datasheet versions; users should consult the latest official product datasheet for the most precise value.
- Context: An MFR of 7-8 g/10min suggests a medium-flow material, well-suited for injection molding, providing sufficient flowability for complex geometries while maintaining enough melt strength to prevent sagging or deformation during processing.
- Density:
- Typical value: 905 kg/m³.
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provide a range of 0.9-1.0 g/cm³ (equivalent to 900-1000 kg/m³). Another source from Alibaba indicates 0.954 g/cm³ (ASTM D1505), which might be an outlier or specific to a particular variant. The 905 kg/m³ value is consistently cited in Borealis' product catalog.
- Context: This density is typical for polypropylene, making it one of the lightest available plastics, contributing to lightweighting in applications like closures and packaging.
- Linear Mold Shrinkage:
- Typical value: 0.010 – 0.020 cm/cm (or 1-2%).
- Context: This range is typical for semi-crystalline polymers like PP and is crucial for mold design to ensure dimensional accuracy of the final part. Shrinkage depends on wall thickness and molding parameters, emphasizing the importance of process control.
Table 1: Key Physical Properties of Borouge BD950MO PP
| Property | Typical Value | Unit | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melt Flow Rate (230°C/2.16kg) | 7 (or 8) | g/10min | ISO 1133 |
| Density | 905 | kg/m³ | ISO 1183-1 |
| Linear Mold Shrinkage | 0.010 – 0.020 | cm/cm | [2, 6] |
This table consolidates key physical properties, providing engineers and designers with a quick reference. It highlights the material's flow characteristics and density, which are fundamental for process selection and part design. Physical properties, such as Melt Flow Rate (MFR) and density, are primary indicators for material selection. MFR dictates the processing window and suitability for different molding techniques (e.g., high MFR for thin-wall injection molding). Density directly impacts part weight and material consumption. Presenting this data in a tabular format facilitates comparison and decision-making. The inclusion of test methods adds to the technical rigor and reproducibility of the data.
Melt Flow Rate (MFR) at 230°C/2.16kg
This chart visually represents the typical Melt Flow Rate of Borouge BD950MO, indicating its medium-flow characteristics suitable for injection molding.
Mechanical Properties
The mechanical properties of BD950MO reflect its balanced nature as a heterophasic copolymer, optimized for both stiffness and toughness.
- Tensile Modulus: 1,500 MPa (ISO 527-2). This indicates good stiffness, crucial for structural integrity in applications like closures and industrial components.
- Tensile Strain at Yield: 4.5 % (ISO 527-2).
- Tensile Stress at Yield: 27 MPa (ISO 527-2). These yield properties define the material's ability to resist deformation under tensile load before permanent deformation occurs.
- Charpy Impact Strength, Notched:
- At 23°C: 8.5 kJ/m² (ISO 179/1eA).
- At -20°C: 4.5 kJ/m² (ISO 179/1eA). These values indicate good impact resistance even at low temperatures, which is vital for applications exposed to varying environmental conditions or potential drops.
- Instrumented Falling Weight (Total Penetration Energy):
- At 0°C: 20 J (ISO 6603-2).
- At -20°C: 15 J (ISO 6603-2). This test provides a more comprehensive understanding of the material's impact behavior under dynamic loads.
- Hardness, Rockwell (R-scale): 89. This indicates surface hardness, relevant for wear and scratch resistance.
- Flexural Modulus: 1,500 MPa. This confirms the material's high stiffness and resistance to bending deformation.
The combination of high tensile modulus (1500 MPa) and flexural modulus (1500 MPa) for BD950MO indicates excellent stiffness. Simultaneously, its notched Charpy impact strength values (8.5 kJ/m² at 23°C and 4.5 kJ/m² at -20°C) and falling weight impact data demonstrate robust impact resistance even at low temperatures. This "stiffness-impact balance" is a hallmark of heterophasic copolymers and is critical for applications like closures, where rigidity is needed for sealing, but toughness is required to prevent breakage during handling, opening, or accidental drops, especially in cold environments (e.g., refrigerated beverages). The low stress whitening further ensures aesthetic integrity under mechanical stress.
Table 2: Key Mechanical Properties of Borouge BD950MO PP
| Property | Typical Value | Unit | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile Modulus (1 mm/min) | 1,500 | MPa | ISO 527-2 |
| Tensile Strain at Yield (50 mm/min) | 4.5 | % | ISO 527-2 |
| Tensile Stress at Yield (50 mm/min) | 27 | MPa | ISO 527-2 |
| Flexural Modulus | 1,500 | MPa | [5] |
| Charpy Impact Strength, notched (23°C) | 8.5 | kJ/m² | ISO 179/1eA |
| Charpy Impact Strength, notched (-20°C) | 4.5 | kJ/m² | ISO 179/1eA |
| Instrumented Falling Weight (0°C) Total Penetration Energy | 20 | J | ISO 6603-2 |
| Instrumented Falling Weight (-20°C) Total Penetration Energy | 15 | J | ISO 6603-2 |
| Hardness, Rockwell (R-scale) | 89 | - | [2] |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of BD950MO's mechanical properties, enabling engineers to assess its suitability for applications requiring specific strength, stiffness, or toughness characteristics. Mechanical properties are paramount for structural integrity and durability. A detailed table including various test methods (tensile, impact, hardness, flexural) provides a holistic view of the material's behavior under different mechanical stresses. This is essential for design validation and material selection.
Charpy Impact Strength (Notched)
This chart illustrates the Charpy Impact Strength of BD950MO at different temperatures, highlighting its robust performance even in cold conditions.
Thermal Properties
The thermal properties of BD950MO dictate its behavior under varying temperature conditions, which is crucial for both processing and end-use environments.
- Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT):
- Typical value: 110°C (0.45 N/mm², ISO 75-2). A high HDT indicates good dimensional stability under heat and load, making it suitable for applications that may experience elevated temperatures.
- Context: While general PP impact copolymers might have an HDT between 70-95°C, BD950MO's 110°C is notably higher, indicating enhanced thermal performance.
- Melting Point/Range:
- Typical range: 130 - 170°C. This broad range is characteristic of semi-crystalline polymers like PP.
- Notably, one source (Alibaba) indicates a melt temperature of 180-220°C, which contradicts the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) data. SDS values are generally considered more reliable for technical documentation. The Alibaba data might refer to processing melt temperature rather than the melting point, or it could be inaccurate.
- Vicat Softening Temperature: 129°C (ASTM D1525). This indicates the temperature at which the material begins to soften under a specific load, providing another measure of its heat resistance.
- Low Temperature Brittleness: -70°C (ASTM D746). This extremely low brittleness temperature further confirms its suitability for low-temperature applications, complementing the impact strength data.
The combination of BD950MO's high Heat Deflection Temperature (110°C) and extremely low brittleness temperature (-70°C) indicates a wide operational temperature range. This broad temperature window makes BD950MO highly versatile for applications that may be exposed to significant temperature fluctuations, from extremely cold storage environments (e.g., refrigerated beverages, outdoor industrial equipment in winter) to moderately elevated service temperatures. This robust thermal performance minimizes the risk of material failure due to temperature extremes.
Table 3: Key Thermal Properties of Borouge BD950MO PP
| Property | Typical Value | Unit | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Deflection Temperature (0.45 N/mm²) | 110 | °C | ISO 75-2 |
| Melting Point/Range | 130 - 170 | °C | [11, 12] |
| Vicat Softening Temperature | 129 | °C | ASTM D1525 |
| Low Temperature Brittleness | -70 | °C | ASTM D746 |
This table summarizes the thermal characteristics, which are crucial for determining the material's performance across various temperature conditions, from processing to end-use environments. Thermal properties dictate how the material behaves during processing (melting point) and its stability during service (HDT, Vicat softening temperature, low temperature brittleness). These are critical for applications where temperature fluctuations are expected, ensuring product integrity and safety.
Processing Guidelines
Injection Molding Recommended Parameters
BD950MO is designed for easy processing with standard injection molding machines. The following parameters serve as guidelines for achieving optimal performance:
- Melt Temperature: 230 - 260°C. This range ensures proper melt viscosity for injection and filling while minimizing thermal degradation.
- Holding Pressure: 200 - 500 bar. This pressure range is crucial for ensuring full mold filling and minimizing sink marks, which is particularly important for achieving desired part aesthetics and dimensional accuracy.
- Mould Temperature: 10 - 30°C. A relatively low mold temperature contributes to faster cooling and solidification, leading to reduced cycle times.
- Injection Speed: As high as possible. High injection speeds facilitate rapid and uniform mold filling, which is highly beneficial for thin-walled parts and achieving good surface finish.
- Shrinkage: 1 - 2%. This value is dependent on wall thickness and molding parameters, requiring careful consideration in mold design and process optimization.
Role of BNT in Processing Enhancement
The integration of Borealis Nucleation Technology (BNT) is a cornerstone of BD950MO's processing efficiency.
- Increased Productivity: BNT significantly reduces cycle times through fast crystallization, directly boosting productivity.
- Reduced Energy Costs: Faster cycles and efficient processing can lead to a 5-10% reduction in energy costs.
- Reduced Material Wastage: Optimized processing and consistent quality contribute to reduced material wastage.
- Dimensional Consistency: Products manufactured with BNT grades exhibit excellent dimensional consistency, even with varying colorants, due to uniform and homogeneous nucleation.
The processing guidelines combined with the benefits of BNT paint a clear picture of a material designed for high-volume, cost-effective manufacturing. The emphasis on "as high as possible injection speed" and "low mould temperature" directly aligns with BNT's advantage of "fast crystallization with short cycle time". This synergy means BD950MO is not just a material with good end-use properties but one that can significantly enhance a manufacturer's operational efficiency. Quantifiable benefits like "energy costs reduced by 5-10%" and "reduced material wastage" provide a strong economic incentive for its adoption, highlighting its value beyond mere material performance.
Drying Requirements
Polypropylene, including BD950MO, is generally a non-hygroscopic polymer and therefore does not typically require drying prior to processing.
However, proper storage in dry conditions, at temperatures below 50°C, and protected from UV-light is crucial. Improper storage can initiate degradation, which can result in odor generation, color changes, and negative effects on the physical properties of this product.
It is important to note that while the Safety Data Sheet states "Safety aspects do not require any special precautions in terms of storage," this refers to safety hazards. To maintain product quality and performance, the specific storage conditions outlined in the product datasheets must be followed. The Safety Data Sheet indicates no special safety precautions for storage, but the product datasheet provides specific conditions (dry, below 50°C, protected from UV-light) to prevent degradation. This highlights the distinction between safety-driven storage requirements and quality/performance-driven storage requirements. While the material itself is not inherently hazardous in storage, neglecting these conditions can lead to degradation of its physical properties, color, and odor. This means proper storage is not just about compliance but about proactive risk mitigation to ensure the material performs as expected in its final application, thereby avoiding costly quality issues or product failures down the line.
Table 4: Borouge BD950MO PP Recommended Processing Parameters (Injection Molding)
| Parameter | Typical Value/Range | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melt Temperature | 230 - 260 | °C | [2] |
| Holding Pressure | 200 - 500 | bar | Minimum to avoid sink marks [2] |
| Mould Temperature | 10 - 30 | °C | [2] |
| Injection Speed | As high as possible | - | [2] |
| Shrinkage | 1 - 2 | % | Dependent on wall thickness and molding parameters [2] |
This table provides practical, actionable processing guidelines, enabling processors to optimize machine settings for BD950MO to achieve consistent product quality and maximize production efficiency. For any technical material, processing parameters are fundamental to successful manufacturing. Consolidating these parameters into a table provides immediate utility for machine operators and process engineers, ensuring that the material's inherent properties are translated into desired product performance.
Key Applications and Advantages
Primary Application Areas and Industries
Borouge BD950MO is primarily aimed at compression molding and injection molding applications.
- Closures: A key recommended application is for closures of carbonated soft drinks (CSD), water, juices, and teas. This highlights its suitability for the food and beverage packaging industry, which has stringent requirements for high performance and regulatory compliance.
- Industrial Equipment: Used in manufacturing frames and housings, providing robust mechanical performance.
- Injection-Molded Products: Ideal for large-scale production of storage boxes, ensuring durability.
- Consumer Goods: Broader applications include baby care products, toys, plastic crates and pallets, appliances, and luggage, as well as thin wall containers.
Specific Advantages Derived from Material Properties and BNT
- No Stress Whitening: This is a crucial aesthetic advantage, particularly for closures and other consumer goods, where maintaining visual integrity after mechanical stress (e.g., twisting, impact) is essential.
- Good Stiffness-Impact Balance: The heterophasic nature combined with BNT ensures an optimal balance, providing both rigidity and toughness. This is critical for parts that need to be stiff enough to maintain shape and function, yet tough enough to withstand impacts without breaking.
- Fast Cycle Time: A direct benefit of BNT's fast crystallization, leading to increased production efficiency.
- Controlled Torque: The inclusion of slip and antistatic additives contributes to a low friction coefficient, which meets industry standards for closure opening torques. This ensures a consistent and satisfactory user experience for bottle caps.
- Excellent Dimensional Consistency: BNT ensures uniform nucleation, leading to consistent part dimensions, even with varying colorants. This is vital for multi-component assemblies and automated production lines.
- Excellent Creep Resistance: Important for applications under long-term load, ensuring parts maintain their shape and structural integrity over time.
Quantifiable Benefits for Manufacturers
- Potential Downgauging: Allows for a potential reduction in material thickness or size by 10%. This directly translates to material cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint.
- Higher Productivity: Increased production efficiency due to reduced cycle times.
- Energy Cost Reduction: Energy costs can be reduced by 5-10%.
- Reduced Material Wastage: Optimized processing and consistent quality lead to reduced material wastage.
The listed advantages extend beyond mere material properties to encompass significant operational and economic benefits. "Potential downgauging," "higher productivity," "energy cost reduction," and "material wastage reduction" all directly contribute to a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for manufacturers. This indicates that Borouge BD950MO is marketed not just as a high-performance polymer but as a solution that can enhance profitability and operational efficiency. For technical professionals, this means there is a strong business case for adopting the material, as it addresses both performance requirements and financial objectives, making it a highly attractive choice in a competitive market.
Safety, Handling, and Storage
Safety Data and Hazards
- Classification: According to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and its amendments, Borouge BD950MO is not classified as hazardous. It is not considered a hazardous substance or mixture.
- Flammability: The product is combustible but not classified as flammable. This means it can ignite under certain conditions but does not meet the criteria for flammable substances.
- Dust Explosion Risk: There is a potential risk for dust explosion when product dust is dispersed in air at a sufficient concentration and with an ignition source. This is a critical safety consideration during handling and processing.
- PBT/vPvB Status: This substance/mixture does not contain components considered persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT), or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) at levels of 0.1% or higher.
- Hazardous Ingredients: It is a polypropylene polymer and contains no substances classified as hazardous in concentrations that should be taken into account according to EU regulations.
- Inhalation Symptoms: Inhalation of dust may irritate the respiratory tract. Prolonged inhalation of high doses of decomposition products (e.g., volatile hydrocarbons released during processing) may cause headache or irritation of the respiratory tract.
- Firefighting Hazards: The principal toxicant in the smoke during firefighting is carbon monoxide. Suitable extinguishing media include water in spread jet, dry chemicals, foam, or carbon dioxide.
- Toxicological Information: The product is not classified as hazardous to human health.
- Ecological Information: The product is not considered hazardous for the environment. It is not readily biodegradable and does not accumulate in organisms. However, release to the environment should be avoided.
Handling Precautions
- Inhalation: Avoid inhalation of dust and decomposition fumes. Provide adequate ventilation; local exhaust ventilation or additional personal protective equipment (PPE) may be necessary during processing and thermal treatment.
- Dust Explosion Prevention: All equipment used with the product shall be grounded to prevent dust explosions. Routine housekeeping also contributes to preventing dust explosion risks.
- Personal Hygiene: Do not eat, drink, or smoke when using this product. Wash hands before breaks and at the end of the workday.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Appropriate PPE shall be worn in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/425.
- Molten Material Skin Contact (First Aid): If molten material comes into contact with the skin, immediately cool with plenty of water. DO NOT attempt to remove solidified product, as removal could result in severe tissue damage. Obtain medical attention.
- Accidental Release: Vacuum or sweep up spills immediately to prevent slipping accidents. Prevent the product from entering the environment and drains.
Storage Recommendations
BD950MO should be stored in dry conditions at temperatures below 50°C and protected from UV-light.
Importance of Proper Storage: Improper storage can initiate degradation, which can result in odor generation, color changes, and negative effects on the physical properties of this product.
The Safety Data Sheet indicates no special safety precautions for storage, but the product datasheet provides specific conditions (dry, below 50°C, protected from UV-light) to prevent degradation. This highlights the distinction between safety-driven storage requirements and quality/performance-driven storage requirements. While the material itself is not inherently hazardous in storage, neglecting these conditions can lead to degradation of its physical properties, color, and odor. This means proper storage is not just about compliance but about proactive risk mitigation to ensure the material performs as expected in its final application, thereby avoiding costly quality issues or product failures down the line.
Disposal Guidelines
- Preferred Method: If the product is not contaminated, it can be reused or recycled.
- Energy Recovery: The product may be safely used as fuel, and proper combustion does not require any special flue gas control.
- Environmental Responsibility: Avoid release to the environment. The product is not readily biodegradable and does not accumulate in organisms.
- Regulatory Compliance: Always check with local regulations for disposal.
Regulatory Compliance and Sustainability
Regulatory Compliance
Borouge BD950MO demonstrates a strong commitment to adhering to global regulatory standards, providing various compliance statements.
- Food Contact Regulations: Explicitly declared to comply with food contact regulations. This is crucial for its primary application in beverage closures.
- Chemicals, Regulations, and Standards: A general statement confirms its adherence to various chemical regulations and industry standards.
- REACH Compliance: Borealis provides a REACH Compliance Statement, indicating its adherence to the European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals.
- Absence of Restricted Substances: Borouge certifies that during manufacturing, they do not intentionally use or incorporate chemicals restricted by various regulations (e.g., RoHS, ELV, Japan PRTR law) in amounts exceeding applicable limits. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Heavy metals (Cd, Cr(VI), Hg, Pb)
- Brominated flame retardants (PBB, PBDE)
- Phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP, with traces of DEP/DEHP possibly present in catalyst systems, typically below 1 ppm).
- Acrylamide, Acrylonitrile, Aromatic Amines, Asbestos, Azocolorants, Benzophenones, BHA/BHT, Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Reprotoxic (CMR) substances Cat 1A, 1B, Dioxane, Endocrine Disruptors, Formaldehyde, Genetically Modified Materials (GMO), Halogenated Organic Compounds, Nanomaterials, Nitrosamines, Organotin Compounds, Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), PBT and vPvB substances, Radioactive Substances, Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) (Candidate List).
- Proposition 65: A statement regarding Proposition 65 updates is provided, indicating compliance with California's specific chemical warning requirements.
- Packaging and Packaging Waste: Confirmed compliance with EU Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste.
- Conflict Minerals: Borouge issues a statement on conflict minerals, reflecting its commitment to ethical sourcing.
The volume and specificity of compliance statements (food contact, REACH, RoHS, ELV, Proposition 65, SVHC, conflict minerals, etc.) indicate a proactive and comprehensive approach to regulatory adherence. The detailed listing of absent restricted substances not only fulfills regulatory requirements but also provides a clear material safety profile. This extensive regulatory portfolio significantly de-risks the use of this material for manufacturers operating in diverse global markets, especially those with stringent health, safety, and environmental regulations. It eases the burden of compliance checks for downstream users and enhances market access, making BD950MO a reliable choice for international product distribution.
Table 5: Borouge BD950MO PP Regulatory Compliance and Certifications Summary
| Compliance Area | Status/Statement | Relevant Source |
|---|---|---|
| Food Contact Regulations | Compliant | [1, 4, 8] |
| Chemicals, Regulations & Standards | Compliant | [1, 8, 15] |
| REACH | Compliant | [1, 8] |
| Proposition 65 | Statement Provided | [1, 8] |
| EU Directive 94/62/EC (Packaging Waste) | Compliant | [1] |
| Conflict Minerals | Statement Provided | [1, 8] |
| Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) | Statement Provided (confirming absence) | [1, 8, 15] |
| Hazardous Substances (RoHS, ELV, etc.) | Certified not intentionally added above limits | [15] |
This table provides a concise overview of the material's regulatory standing, which is essential for product development, market access, and legal compliance. Regulatory compliance is an integral aspect of material selection, especially in industries like food packaging. A clear, consolidated table of certifications and statements simplifies the evaluation process for technical and legal teams, ensuring that products meet all necessary standards.
Sustainability Aspects
As part of Borealis, Borouge is actively committed to promoting circularity and sustainable practices within the polyolefin industry.
- Design for Circularity (DfC) and Design for Recycling (DfR): Borealis advocates for DfC and DfR principles to conserve natural resources and reduce the environmental impact of products over their entire lifetime (production, use, and end-of-life). DfR specifically aims to ensure that materials can be effectively recycled while maximizing material performance efficiency.
- Commitment to Circular Economy: Borouge's strategy provides solutions for infrastructure customers in the circular economy.
The explicit mention of "unlocking circularity," "circular economy," and "Design for Recycling" indicates that Borouge is strategically aligning with the growing global emphasis on sustainability and resource efficiency in the plastics industry. For technical professionals, this means that choosing BD950MO not only meets immediate performance needs but also supports long-term corporate sustainability goals and anticipates future regulatory and consumer preferences for recyclable and resource-efficient materials. This positions the material as a future-proof choice in a rapidly evolving market.
Conclusion
Borouge BD950MO PP stands as a highly engineered heterophasic copolymer, delivering an exceptional balance of stiffness, impact resistance, and processability. Its core strength lies in the integration of Borealis Nucleation Technology (BNT), which provides significant advantages in reducing cycle times, ensuring consistent quality, and enhancing dimensional stability.
The material's properties, coupled with its comprehensive regulatory compliance (particularly for food contact), make it an ideal choice for demanding applications such as beverage closures, industrial components, and various injection-molded consumer goods. The low stress whitening and controlled torque characteristics further enhance its value in these specific markets.
Beyond its technical performance, BD950MO offers tangible economic benefits to manufacturers through increased productivity, reduced energy consumption, and minimized material wastage, thereby lowering the total cost of ownership. Its robust safety profile and commitment to sustainability principles further solidify its position as a preferred material solution.
Borouge BD950MO represents a cutting-edge polyolefin solution that meets the rigorous demands of modern manufacturing and product performance while also addressing critical environmental and regulatory considerations.