BASF AG

BASF is one of the world s leading chemical companies with around 82,000 employees worldwide and reported total 2004 sales of 37.5 billion, up 12% from the figure of 33.4 billion recorded in 2003. Operating income earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by 82.7% to 4.9 billion in 2004 from 2.7 billion in 2003. BASF has production facilities in 41 countries and maintains contact with customers in more than 170 nations. 

The Elastogran GmbH subsidiary of BASF is a specialist producer of PU which in its soft, plasticiser-free formulation is a popular material for the handles of electric power tools, laptop computers and mobile phones, because, whilst remaining tough, it is relatively soft to the touch. 

BASF is very active in Asian markets and established a joint venture, Toray BASF PBT Resin Sdn. Bhd., with the Japanese Toray company whose activities include the construction of a PBT production plant in Kuantan, Malaysia, for potential customers in the automotive, electrical and electronics sectors. 

BASF invests heavily in R D, especially into nanotechnology, where results include the launch of Ultradur PBT High Speed where the addition of nanomaterials has resulted in the product s improved flow properties to the extent that the time needed to manufacture components has fallen by up to 30% for customers in the electronics and automotive sectors. There are also energy saving benefits because of the lower processing temperatures and pressures. 

BASF has also developed Ecovio, its first biodegradable plastic, which is 45% PLA, the other component of the compound being BASF s existing Ecoflex biodegradable plastic which is derived from petrochemicals. Applications include plastic films and mobile phone housings. The material will decompose in a matter of weeks and its PEA content is largely carbon dioxide neutral when composted. 

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Formamide, BASF Technical Leaflet 1983 BASF data sheet, BASF AG, Operating Division Zwischenpiodukte, Ludwigshafen, Germany, 1989. 

L. Siggel and S. Brode, technical data, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, 1992. 

There are six 1-propanol producers ia the world, ie, Hoechst Celanese, Texas Eastman, and Union Carbide ia the United States BASF AG and Hoechst AG ia Western Europe and Sasol ia South Africa. In 1993, worldwide production capacity for 1-propanol was ia excess of 180,000 t/yr actual production was approximately 110,000 t/yr (39). The December 1995 average deHvered price for 1-propanol ia the United States was 1144/1 (40). 

More recent process research aimed at anionic PS is that of BASF AG. Unlike the Dow Process, the BASF process utilizes continuous linear-flow reactors (LFR) with no back-mixing to make narrow polydispersity resins. This process consists of a series alternating reactors and heat exchangers (Fig. 22). Inside the reactors, the polymerization exotherm carries the temperature from 30°C at the inlet to 90°C at the outlet. The heat exchangers then take the temperature back down to 30°C. This process, which requires no solvent, results in the formation of narrow polydispersity PS. 

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