Borealis introduces a new Daploy™ polypropylene ‘soft foam’ solution for impact protection and furnishing applications

To meet the growing consumer demand for higher performance in soft foam applications ranging from automotive seating and impact cushioning, to sport shoe construction and protective packaging, Borealis has introduced Daploy™ WB260HMS, high melt strength polypropylene (HMS-PP).

Daploy WB260HMS represents a breakthrough in high melt strength PP development. It has been designed to capitalise on the excellent temperature and chemical resistance, and strength of polypropylene, while overcoming the stiffness of HMS PP that has previously excluded their use for the production of soft foams.

This advance in PP technology positions Daploy WB260HMS as a highly competitive material in applications currently dominated by polyurethane, polyethylene and PVC foams, giving designers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive, sports/leisure, furnishing and packaging industries a wider choice in tailoring final soft foam properties to meet specific end user requirements.

According to Rick Folland, Borealis Application Marketing Manager- Daploy HMS/Thermoforming: “Many existing PP foam applications are based on blends of standard HMS-PP with metallocene polyethylenes, thermoplastic olefin elastomers and ethylvinyl acetates. These can now be replaced by Daploy WB260HMS as a single material, or in blends with other grades of PP to make an all-PP product. Daploy WB260HMS makes it possible to economically produce soft PP closed cell foams with densities as low as 30kg/m³, with properties that cannot be achieved by other polymers serving that market.”

Daploy WB260HMS is processed on standard foam extrusion machinery. It has a considerably wider foaming temperature window than conventional HMS grades of PP.

The Borealis proprietary technology in Daploy HMS-PP uses a chemical modification to incorporate long chain branching into the basic polymer backbone. This has the effect of creating a PP with both high melt strength and extensibility which are important for foam quality. At the same time Daploy WB260HMS brings a new level of softness. All products in this family of foamable materials are recyclable and benefit from the other environmentally positive characteristics of PP.

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