Advances in Polypropylene for Automotive Blow Molding

Himont has developed a technology that dramatically improves the melt strength characteristics of polypropylene. This technology has been applied to the generation of polypropylene grades designed specifically for large part blow molding. Compared to conventional polypropylene, these materials exhibit less parison sag and more uniform stretching, which can lead to improved part uniformity and the potential to downgauge. In addition, inherent to the high melt strength polypropylene is improved heat resistance and a better stiffness/impact balance as compared to its conventional polypropylene counterparts. The improved processability and physical property balance have made high melt strength polypropylene ideal for blow molding of seat backs, resonators, and many other automotive components.