Kraton Launches SEBS Block Copolymer for Coating Applications

Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc.,  a global producer of styrenic block copolymer (SBC), recently introduced Kraton G1653.

The new developmental polymer, Kraton G1653 polymer, is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer. With lower molecular weight than Kraton G1652 polymer, it still retains the high tensile strength and toughness of Kraton G1652 while offering significantly lower melt and solution viscosities.  Kraton G1653 is suitable for food contact and medical applications.

Features and benefits
Although Kraton G1653 retains similar physical properties as Kraton G1652, it has a much lower solution viscosity than Kraton G1652. This low solution viscosity increases solid content and decreases VOC of solvent based products, yet maintains similar processability. For coating applications, the increased solid level translates to potentially reduced coating layers and lower labor cost. For sealant applications, the increased solid content is expected to reduce shrinkage and costs associated with solvent. Kraton G1653 also can be dissolved in PCBTF at 20 percent solids, which may enable formulators to replace organic solvents with PCBTF to reduce VOCs associated with the final product.

The free flowing dense pellet form of Kraton G1653 is expected to improve storage, handling, and feeding of the polymer in comparison to SEBS polymers in powder form. The polymer has the following qualities:

• Does not block together during storage
• Can be transferred using conventional pneumatic conveying equipment
• Does not agglomerate when dissolving in solvents, and
• The dense pellet form may enable improved production rates