News Releases

BASF completes the certification program International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS at its production site in Lemförde, Germany to produce biomass-balanced thermoplastic polyurethanes. This allows BASF to expand its sustainable product portfolio and continue its commitment to supporting customers in achieving their sustainability goals.

For advanced metal replacement in structural parts, BASF is now offering a portfolio of polyamide (PA) and polyphthalamide (PPA) blends with better, more constant mechanical properties than PA66. Ultramid^® T7000 outperforms PA66 regarding stiffness and strength in dry state and especially in presence of humidity. The polyphthalamide portion leads to a lower water absorption, which gives components an excellent dimensional stability. Ultramid^® T7000 can be as easily injection-molded as PA66, giving parts a glossy and smooth surface finish. This unique combination of properties makes the PA/PPA blend a perfect metal replacement for structural parts which are exposed to moisture, e.g., automotive mirrors, air brake parts, valves but also furniture components.

The footwear specialist for ultrarunning and long-distance shoes, Mount to Coast, Hong Kong, China, and BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany have entered into a strategic partnership to explore high-performance, sustainable solutions for runners. CircleCELL™, an innovative midsole, is the first footwear technology the collaboration has produced. Based on BASF’s new biopolymer ecoflex® BMB, the new midsole is 90% more durable while showing the same energy return as midsoles made of polyether block amide (PEBA), a material widely used for performance running shoes. Biomass-balanced ecoflex® supports Mount to Coast in increasing the use of renewable feedstocks in its unique process of foaming the CircleCELL™ midsole while preserving the characteristics performance shoes require, most importantly, durability.

BASF celebrates the 40th birthday of Basotect^®, the world’s first melamine resin foam. It was introduced into the market in 1984 as a flame-retardant alternative to conventional foams used for sound proofing and thermal insulation in construction. Since then, customers have come to appreciate Basotect^® for its high performance and versatility: It is available in eight grades for different applications, amongst them the famous cleaning sponge, which simply rubs off the dirt without the help of cleaning agents. The thermoset foam is a symbol of BASF’s innovative power in the foams business unlocking its potential for industries as diverse as construction, automotive, public transport, cleaning, aerospace and renewable energies with a focus on safety and energy efficiency.

For next-generation power electronics, BASF has developed a polyphthalamide (PPA) that is especially suited for manufacturing housings of IGBT (insulated-gate bipolar transistor) semi-conductors. Ultramid^® Advanced N3U41 G6 addresses the growing demand for high-performance, reliable electronic components for e.g., electric vehicles, high-speed trains, smart manufacturing and the generation of renewable energy. Semikron Danfoss, a global technology leader in power electronics, now uses the BASF PPA as housing in its Semitrans 10 IGBT which can be installed in inverters of photovoltaic and wind energy systems. Due to its outstanding chemical resistance and dimensional stability, the Ultramid^® Advanced N grade enhances the robustness, long-term performance and reliability of these IGBTs.