Added benefits from BASF

BASF showcased its broad range of products and technologies for the nonwovens market at IDEA 13, including its industry-critical HySorb superabsorbent polymers.

These are characterised by the high capacity and permeability that enables optimised comfort and performance in the latest diapers, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products that are thinner and lighter than ever before.

For the medical market, the company’s HyGentic NW is a rapid-acting technology formulated to help protect patients and healthcare workers from harmful pathogens.

Ideal for hygiene-sensitive applications such as surgical masks, drapes, gowns and surgical kit wraps, it enables products to retain the feel and breathability of untreated nonwoven fabrics with the added benefit of built-in antimicrobial protection.

BASF’s Acrodur acrylic thermosets, meanwhile, are effective binders for a variety of applications, including natural fibre composites, technical nonwovens and filtration media.

They are characterised by their light weight and high strength, along with easy processing and handling and no odour or hazardous  emissions.

While meeting automotive interior specifications they enable lighter, thinner parts and allow for high fibre content composites, reducing the use of non-renewable materials. At the same time, they eliminate VOCs.

The one-component binder systems consist of a modified polyacrylic acid and a polyalcohol crosslinker. They also have an additional dispersion component incorporated into the binder system by ua special polymerization technology.

Acrodur contains no ingredients such as phenol or formaldehyde. During thermal curing, a crosslinking reaction occurs between the functional acid and alcohol groups in the binder. The only by-product of this is water.
This ensures no exposure to odour and no emissions of critical contents at the workplace and in the production environment. As a consequence, elaborate installations and high investments in workplace hygiene and environmental protection are not required.