BASF’s light stabilisers from the Chimassorb range have been used by M/s Megaplast India Pvt Ltd (Megaplast), a leading polyethylene products manufacturer, to produce non-woven geotextile used in the construction of national highways.
BASF
BASF additives help improve highways in India
Die Lebensdauer der im Straßenbau eingesetzten Geotextilie wird durch Lichtschutzmittel der BASF verlängert, die den Abbau des Polymers verhindern. Dies verbessert die Qualität der Straßen und reduziert die Instandhaltungskosten.
The additive package used plays a crucial role in stabilising the production process and extending the service lifespan of the geotextiles.
Hermann Althoff, BASF Senior Vice President, Performance Chemicals Asia Pacific, said: “Non-woven geotextiles are high-performance materials used to improve the soil for the foundations of above-ground structures. They also help protect against weather erosion damage … During the production process, our plastic additives allow longer running times, resulting in more stable processing and reduced maintenance costs, which makes them suitable for highly demanding processing conditions.”
BASF provided Megaplast with the suitable light stabiliser package and helped interpret the technical data results. During the testing period, BASF also assisted the customer with the trial of various formulations, which gave them the option to choose the optimal balance between cost and performance.
The geotextile helps restrict the flow of water and finer soil particles into the gravel, which would otherwise drastically reduce the strength of the gravel. Using geotextile material in road construction improves the quality of the road, increases its lifespan, and reduces the repair cost.
Such geotextile membranes are usually made of HDPE, which is spun into fine filaments and bonded by heat without using a binder. Usually, the light stabiliser package will include a process stabiliser to protect the polymer during extrusion, as well as a UV stabiliser and a thermal stabiliser to protect it from heat and light degradation.
The global demand for geomembrane materials is expected to increase dramatically. Many developments in this field will take place in India due to large-scale infrastructure projects. The World Bank has even made the use of geotextiles/geomembranes mandatory in all infrastructural projects funded by it.