Borealis reveals new polypropylene process

June 15, 1998
Borealis AS, Copenhagen, has launched a proprietary process for making polypropylene and will use it in a new plant at Schwechat, Austria. The Borstar PP process is claimed to produce improved polypropylene grades for high-volume applications and to open new applications as a replacement for polyvinyl chloride and styrenic polymers. Borstar PP uses a proprietary Ziegler-Natta catalyst in a loop reactor configured in cascade with one to three gas-phase reactors. Borealis said the reactors are

Borealis AS, Copenhagen, has launched a proprietary process for making polypropylene and will use it in a new plant at Schwechat, Austria.

The Borstar PP process is claimed to produce improved polypropylene grades for high-volume applications and to open new applications as a replacement for polyvinyl chloride and styrenic polymers.

Borstar PP uses a proprietary Ziegler-Natta catalyst in a loop reactor configured in cascade with one to three gas-phase reactors. Borealis said the reactors are operated independently, enabling tailoring of molecular weight distribution.

"The gas phase reactor," said Borealis, "enables higher comonomer content in the polymer. The technology is built on modules, allowing for one or two additional gas-phase reactors for production of heterophasic copolymers."

The Schwechat plant will be built at a site that is operated by PCD Polymere GmbH but will be taken over by Borealis on July 1. Borealis plans to build a 200,000 metric ton/year plant to replace two old slurry polypropylene units at the site.

The new plant is scheduled to begin production in mid-2000.

Borealis will begin marketing the new products in spring 1999 and says the plant will be designed with future debottlenecking potential. It will comprise three reactors and will be capable of producing homopolymers, random copolymers, and heterophasic copolymers.

Borstar PP is claimed to offer cost and environmental benefits over other polypropylene processes.

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