SABIC Expands Chemical Resistant LNP™ CRX Product Line with Four Sustainable, Thin Wall Flame Retardant Polycarbonate Copolymer Resins for Healthcare and Consumer Electronics Applications

Latest: Globally diversified chemical company Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has launched four new grades of high chemical resistance LNP™
CRX polycarbonate (PC) copolymer resin further enriches the product line. The four new grades feature thin-wall flame retardancy (FR), excellent low temperature ductility and ultraviolet (UV) stability, and two of the new grades also contain bio-based sustainable ingredients. Developed for applications such as healthcare and consumer electronics, the four new grades are divided into two groups, each with a bio-based material that can effectively reduce environmental impact and help companies reduce their carbon footprint. These high-performance materials help meet customer demands for stringent chemical-resistant materials, including disinfectants commonly used in the medical industry, as well as chemicals such as sunscreen and hand creams that frequently come into contact with consumer electronic devices. New grade LNP
CRX materials are also expected to enhance product compliance capabilities and design flexibility.

Zhao Fianli, Director of LNP and NORYL Business Management, SABIC Specialty Materials Division, said: “SABIC is committed to continuously improving our material range to create greater value for customers. The new LNP
CRX grade materials are a powerful testament to our innovative ability. These advanced technologies can effectively improve the sustainability of products, adding non-brominated/non-chlorinated flame retardants. At the same time, it also achieves a certain thin-wall flame retardant grade, which helps to reduce the thickness of parts and the amount of raw materials. ”

The above products are in line with the EU 2019/2021 “Electronic Display Ecodesign Regulations” Annex II D (Point D, Annex II of the Ecodesign
Regulations for Electronic Displays).

New solutions to industry challenges

New LNP ELCRES™ CRX7412U Copolymer for Healthcare and its Biobased Version LNP ELCRIN™ CRX7412UB Copolymer with ISO
Limited biocompatibility under 10993, promising replacement for existing PC, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polyester/copolyester materials for device housings, diagnostic and monitoring equipment, and durable medical equipment and other thin-walled applications.

LNP ELCRES
Not only is CRX compatible with the most aggressive disinfectants on the market such as alcohol, peroxide and quaternary ammonium compounds, but it also has excellent mechanical properties, especially a good balance of impact resistance and ductility.

Two other grades – LNP ELCRES CRX7416U copolymer and its biobased version LNP ELCRIN
CRX7416UB copolymer, developed for demanding consumer electronics and mobile products such as mobile device housings and battery covers. Compatible with many competing materials such as PC/ABS and PC/PBT (polycarbon
These two materials are expected to meet more stringent chemical resistance and low temperature ductility (-60°C) requirements than those of poly(butylene terephthalate) blends.

Excellent chemical resistance

Frequent sterilization of medical devices can lead to environmental stress cracking (ESC) in polymers, which can lead to component degradation and failure. Likewise, repeated exposure to sunscreen, skin oils, and lotions can cause ESCs in smartphone cases and other consumer electronics. LNPs of SABIC
CRX copolymer resins solve this challenge by improving chemical resistance over traditional materials such as PC or impact-modified materials. Using these new materials can help customers extend the life of their equipment and avoid the high costs of premature replacement.

New grades of LNP
The CRX material retains the excellent chemical resistance that is the hallmark of the series, while improving the flame retardancy of thin walls, giving it a richer application value. Thin-wall molding is gaining traction in the design of smaller, lighter applications such as portable and handheld medical devices as well as tablets, smartphones, and wearable electronics. New grades still meet UL in very thin wall thicknesses
94 V0 standard: LNP CRX7412U/B copolymer is FRV0/1.2mm and LNP CRX7416U/B copolymer is FR V0/1.0mm.

ISCC+ certified biobased grades

Biobased LNP ELCRIN
Using renewable raw materials from non-fossil waste, CRX copolymer resins do not compete with the food chain, thus helping to improve product sustainability. The material complies with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. An internal life cycle analysis according to the ISO14040/14044 protocol shows that,
LNP ELCRIN CRX7412UB Resin with Petrochemical-Based LNP ELCRES
Compared with CRX7412U resin, it can reduce the carbon footprint by up to 36%, and thus has obtained the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC+).

For consumer electronics and mobile applications, LNP ELCRIN CRX7416UB resin can reduce carbon footprint by up to 36%. In the “cradle to gate” process of these resins
“The comparison was made using heavily vetted SABIC raw data, combined with the latest manufacturing data and industry average estimates.

Luc, Technical Director of SABIC Specialty Materials Department
“The plastics industry has long struggled to develop innovative solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of products and improve their environmental friendliness while maintaining bromine/chlorine-free flame retardancy and high chemical resistance,” said Govaerts.

“Today, our scientists and engineers have overcome this challenge to introduce the new LNP ELCRIN
CRX grade, which marks another major step forward in our development of bio-based advanced materials technology with outstanding durability. This combination provides customers with a richer range of high-performance material solutions for more industries and a wider range of applications. ”

The four new grades of LNP CRX copolymer materials have been sold worldwide.