- 24 September 2008 -
New foam cell stabilizer for cellular PVC

Rohm and Haas has developed the Paraloid™ SureCel™ foam cell stabilizer for cellular PVC manufacture. The company says that the new technology offers good production advantages and lasting performance benefits to manufacturers of both cellular PVC foam sheet and cellular PVC extruded profiles. Rohm and Haas anticipates keen interest from many customers currently supplying foam sheet for promotional displays, as well as those producing the wide array of building materials profiles for residential and commercial construction.

Cellular PVC has become increasingly popular for use in promotional displays where sheets typically are manufactured in up to two metre widths and various thickness from 3-19mm. Rohm and Haas says that foam PVC displays must be rigid with exacting surface smoothness, free of imperfections and allow good adhesion for inks and coatings applied by silk-screening or painted application. SureCel technology will be of tremendous benefit to cellular PVC manufacturers and their customers, adds the company.

According to the company, the high efficiency acrylic foam cell stabilization product offers a number of important advantages. These include that it can cut additive usage by 10-15 per cent while producing the same amount of finished product and provides lower density cellular PVC with a performance equal to higher density cellular PVC. The cell stabilizer also yields an even expansion and superior cell uniformity across wide sheet dies with less shrinkage. An even cell structure is achieved that reduces cellular voids and it produces cellular PVC which exhibits a lower gloss that is easy to coat and enables good ink and paint adhesion. The stabilizer allows processing at a lower temperature to reduce energy consumption while also reducing decomposition and yellowing risks. It also exhibits good viscosity and easily substitutes into existing formulations.

Rohm and Haas; www.rohmhaas.com