Polyscope
Polyscope, a producer of styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymers, has added a third group to its product portfolio by manufacturing terpolymers consisting of styrene, maleic anhydride and N-phenylmaleimide. These new products are commercialised and branded as XIRAN¢ç IZ grades.
Two new grades, XIRAN IZ1018M and XIRAN IZ0721M are designed to increase the high heat performance of many engineering plastics. They were reportedly developed response to the increasing trend towards styrenic engineering plastics with high temperature resistance and low volatile residuals. The new XIRAN IZ grades have been designed to be exposed to higher processing temperatures while retaining miscibility in styrenic polymers like ABS.
XIRAN IZ1018M and XIRAN IZ0721M have a different ratio of styrene, maleic anhydride and N-phenylmaleimide.
In order to produce these products Polyscope says it has upgraded its continuous polymerization process in Geleen, The Netherlands. This has enable the group to engineer a terpolymer with high thermal stability and adhesion properties brought about by the presence of the maleic anhydride groups, resulting in a balance between thermal improvement, mechanical properties and cost performance.
Compared to similar materials in the market, the XIRAN IZ grades are claimed to deliver a high degree of efficiency, both by increasing engineering plastics high heat performance and by having very low volatile residual levels. This is especially relevant for styrenics like ABS.