Luban Homopolymer PP added to the most coveted ‘Recommended’ Starlinger list after successful trials
OQ - the global integrated energy company has completed trials of its homopolymer PP grade, Luban HP 1102LC, for the production of high-speed raffia tapes, demonstrating significantly improved line speed and lower processing temperatures.
Sergej Stryuk, Product Development & Application Manager for Lummus Novolen Technology explains, “The newly developed 1102LC enables raffia producers to operate high-speed lines at maximized output”, while maintaining excellent physical properties of the produced raffia tapes. This includes higher tenacity and elongation combined with reduced residual shrinkage compared to standard grades. The successful development of new grade for raffia application is the result of a close collaboration between Lummus Novolen Technology and OQ (Oman), and is an impressive example of the strong partnership between Lummus Novolen Technology and its licensees.
The superior quality of Luban Homopolymer PP enables the manufacture of top-quality raffia grades with improved processing, as well as less water carry-over. These characteristics help manufacturers across a range of sectors to optimize efficiency during conversion by running higher line speed, improving weaving performance, and better adhesion quality during the final lamination process. The processing temperature of the Luban grade is lower than the standard temperature required and is thereby expected to also deliver clear energy savings.
Typical applications include the large-scale manufacture of woven bags and flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC) and the mass production of carpet backing, which are used across a range of industries from construction to logistics and furnishings.
Luban HP1102LC was developed by OQ Marketing in collaboration with Lummus Novolen Technology, the licensor of the existing PP Plant. The two-stage trials for this newly developed Luban Homopolymer PP grade began in 2019 and included commercial scale trials carried out using Starlinger equipment. Starlinger‘s starEX 1600 is designed to extrude polypropylene or HDPE/LLDPE tapes for high-performance applications at premium quality and lowest cost. Starlinger has added the new grade to its coveted list of recommended materials.
Referring to the scale and efficacy of the trials, OQ Performance Chemicals’ global marketing head, Markus Hoschke commented that, “Our exhaustive commercial-scale trials clearly indicate that OQ’s Luban Homopolymer PP grade, in comparison to market standard raffia grade, has superior characteristics of high speed performance, exceptional tenacity, and considerably less shrinkage and extremely strong mechanical properties for industrial-scale processing.”
The commercial-scale trials were conducted in three stages –– tape extrusion, weaving, and finally, lamination. The results demonstrated that all types of tapes made from the new OQ Luban HP1102LC resin during the trials ran without any difficulties, which concluded that it performed “exceptionally well” at all stages.
Speaking on behalf of Starlinger, Franz Schneider, Senior Process Engineer, said, “The new Luban raffia-grade resin from OQ has been put through its paces in exceptionally rigorous commercial-scale trials using proprietary Starlinger starEX 1600 tape extrusion technology. The end-result is one of the best materials that we have run on a raffia extrusion line.”
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