SABIC is set to unveil an innovative new polypropylene (PP) resin product engineered to deliver enhanced properties in melt-blown fibers for nonwoven fabrics. The new product, designated SABIC^® PP 514M12, can serve a wide range of potential end-uses in personal hygiene applications and other market segments. It is the first grade of a new family of high-flow resin compounds which SABIC started to develop only two years ago, and is expected to be commercially available by end of 2018.

Challgnes in the hygiene market and strong consumer demands have influenced partners along the entire value chain to accelerate their development program and deploy highly innovative solutions. SABI PP 514M12 is based on phthalate-free and odor-free technology that offers good processability for meltblown fibers with high levels of drawability, spinability and uniformity. The resulting nonwovens are developed to combine high barrier properties and absorption with breathability in thin and lightweight high performance webs of enhanced conformability and reduced mateiral consumption.

The resin can easily be tailored to specific customer and application needs. Trials performed in collaboration with a dedicated machine manufacturer's latest high-speed machine using production quanitites of the new meltblown PP confirmed its good processing and performance properties on par with or better than reference market grades. Subsequent sampling by selected nonwoven manufacturers successfully underscored the innovative new materials as a great candidate for a wide range of potential end use products including diapers, sanitary napkins and other hygiene applications.