BASF to Increase Production Capacity of High Temperature Thermoplastic by 20%

BASF is to increase the production capacity for its high-temperature Ultrason® polymer resin by 20 percent at its Ludwigshafen site by the end of 2004.

"The expansion of our Ultrason S [polysulfone: PSU] and Ultrason E [polyethersulfone: PES] capacity is a strategic move aimed at meeting future demand in the fast-growing market for high-temperature polymers", says Matthias Dietrich, head of BASF's Ultrason global product unit, into which all of BASF's Ultrason activities were recently consolidated.

Ultrason is a heat-resistant thermoplastic suitable for use at temperatures up to 220°C. It is also particularly resistant to boiling water, fuels and hot lubricants. This specialty engineering plastic is found in applications such as car headlamp units, parts for the vehicle cooling and lubrication systems, electrical system parts as well as aerospace components. The most recent new Ultrason applications are the high-temperature foam Ultratect® and thin films for the production of flexible liquid crystal displays.

For more information on polysulfone, click here.