Global diversified chemical company SABIC recently launched new LNP® STAT-KON® and LNP® STAT-LOY® modified materials. These products can effectively improve the antistatic performance of applications, helping to meet the increasingly strict regulatory requirements of the European Union's ATEX Directive. These new materials are expected to replace less efficient metals and coatings/filled polymers for applications such as electronic encapsulation, automation equipment, equipment housings, lighting equipment, safety devices, and handheld devices such as flashlights.
"SABIC's Specialty Plastics division, led by Joshua Chiaw, Business Manager for LNP and NORYL, stated: "SABIC is committed to developing specialized anti-static materials to help customers meet ATEX compliance requirements. Our latest LNP-branded products feature an optimized anti-static formula with unique performance advantages, such as excellent colorability, and have undergone rigorous testing by independent third-party laboratories. These modified materials not only help accelerate product launch times but also improve application performance, durability, aesthetics, and processability, thereby enhancing product competitiveness and creating a differentiated advantage."
These two new products are based on SABIC's LNP® polymer technology. LNP® STAT-KON® DD000XI is a leading material with excellent electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, while maintaining excellent impact resistance, providing comprehensive protection for sensitive electronic devices and ease of product processing. LNP® STAT-LOY® D3000IEU6 is a colorable material that avoids costly secondary coating operations. The company's proprietary polymer blend achieves excellent electrostatic discharge performance without interfering with electronic signals.
Incorporate ATEX requirements into material design.
LNP STAT-KON DD000XI modified material and LNP STAT-LOY D3000IEU6 modified material can meet the ATEX regulations for electrical safety, while also providing customers with ideal performance and processing properties. The surface resistivity of LNP STAT-KON DD000XI modified material ranges from 106 to 1010 ohms, and it maintains high impact resistance and high heat resistance (with a deformation temperature of 140°C at 0.45 MPa) even under low temperatures and long-term water aging. Its wide processing window and high flowability support thin-walled designs, which can reduce product weight and facilitate demolding (suitable for parts with small demolding angles), thereby enhancing design flexibility.
Compared to traditional toner-filled polycarbonate (PC) solutions, LNP STAT-KON DD000XI modified material offers higher actual flowability and a wider processing window, further improving production efficiency and design flexibility. Its exceptional impact resistance also helps meet increasingly stringent assembly and usage conditions.
The surface resistance of LNP STAT-LOY D3000IEU6 modified material ranges from 109 to 1011 ohms, enabling high-speed transmission of electrical signals such as radar, radio, and wireless internet, while complying with ATEX regulations. A key feature of this material is its complete colorability – offering a wide range of colors for customers to choose from, enabling vibrant shades and excellent color retention after processing. By using LNP STAT-LOY material, customers can enhance the attractiveness of their products in terms of branding, aesthetics, or safety indication, while avoiding additional steps such as coating and painting. Previously, PC-branded materials for ATEX applications were generally black.
Other advantages of LNP STAT-LOY D3000IEU6 modified material include high impact strength at low temperatures (maintaining extensibility even at temperatures as low as -30°C), and extremely high impact retention after water aging.
"With each update to the ATEX Directive, stricter requirements are introduced, and the scope of impact expands – from industrial, electrical, and mechanical equipment to applications in electronics and healthcare. Our new anti-static materials utilize a unique LNP copolymer technology, enabling customers to more easily and reliably meet the ATEX compliance requirements for end-use applications. SABIC is committed to continuously developing new technologies to enable the production of innovative and differentiated products, ensuring that we remain ahead of regulatory changes and market demands. Through the continuous expansion of our product portfolio, we provide customers with solutions that meet future ATEX regulatory requirements."