In the era of carbon neutrality, Idemitsu Kosan is trying to develop new industrial material. The company has rich experience in the chemical advanced fiber material field.
Syndiotactic Polystyrene (SPS) is the company's original material which was industrialized in 1997. SPS has strong points of heat resistance, electric characteristics, and chemical resistance.
"SPS is a crystal of common plastic. Compared to the original general-purpose polyethylene, SPS has a crystal structure and melting point. Its melting point is 275 degrees, and it changes into a material that melts at a very high temperature. SPS is a highly heat-resistant resin, and it is said that it was synthesized at Idemitsu Kosan's Central Laboratory in 1985," Masayuki Morikawa from Idemitsu Kosan said.
"Currently, there is a group of highly heat-resistant resins called super engineering plastics that are used for industries, home appliances, daily necessities, and automobile parts. SPS has the characteristic of microwave penetration, so when you put the ingredients inside and heat them in the microwave, only the inside gets warm and the surrounding container stays cold," Morikawa explained.
"In this way, it is commonly used as a container for microwave. It is chopsticks used in the factory cafeteria. It was previously a wooden chopstick, but it has been changed to plastic. This material is used as a chopstick because SPS is highly hydrolytic and resistant to chemicals. The main target of the business is car parts. SPS is used for connectors that connect things with electricity, and it is also gaining recognition worldwide," Morikawa added.
A factory to produce SPS is under construction in Japan's Chiba prefecture. Later this year, a new factory in Malaysia will be launched targeting export to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
"The main market is overseas, and the main areas are Europe, the United States, and Asia. Currently, a second plant for SPS production is under construction in Idemitsu Kosan's oil complex in Malaysia. We plan to start production of SPS within the fiscal year 2022," Morikawa said
Idemitsu Kosan is developing technologies to reduce the harmful effects of carbon. For that, SPS could be transformed into various products to enrich lives.
( With inputs from ANI )
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