Sabic launches two PP-based materials for sheet extrusion and thermoforming

SABIC introduced SABIC® PP compound H1090 resin and STAMAX™ 30YH611 resin, two novel materials well-suited for sheet extrusion and thermoforming that offer a unique alternative to traditional sheet metal forming, compression and injection molding, allowing customers to form large, complex structural parts.

These new products are 30 percent glass fiber-reinforced, intumescent, flame retardant (FR) materials, based on polypropylene (PP), and can be used for electric vehicle (EV) battery pack components such as top covers, enclosures and module separators. Both grades offer excellent thermal barrier properties to help delay or contain thermal runaway propagation. Furthermore, the extrusion and thermoforming of these materials offer design, system cost, inherent thermal and electrical insulation and weight advantages vs. stamped sheet metal. Compared to injection molding of thermoplastics and compression molding for thermosets, which requires expensive tooling and equipment, extrusion and thermoforming can be more cost-effective and efficient for several cases.

SABIC’s development and validation of these new materials is made possible by BLUEHERO™, an initiative that supports the automotive industry’s mission to create reliable, safe and efficient EVs, with an emphasis on helping optimize structural battery components. 

SABIC has validated the mechanical and fire safety performance and the manufacturability of SABIC PP compound H1090 resin and STAMAX 30YH611 resin in EV battery applications with complex geometries, both in its labs and with customers. 

According to Sabis, both short glass fiber-reinforced SABIC PP compound H1090 resin and long glass fiber-reinforced STAMAX 30YH611 resin feature a distinct combination of intumescence for fire safety and balanced stiffness and ductility. Exposing these materials to vertical and horizontal flames at 1200°C for 10 minutes demonstrates excellent flame-retardant behavior. Efficient charring and intumescence keep the temperature of the reverse side of parts lower than 210°C and help prevent burn-through. Intumescence is enhanced by non-brominated/non-chlorinated FR that meets the UL94 V0 standard at 1.5 mm.