Copolymer

for the manufacture of special membranes

  • by BASF AG
  • September 7, 2011
  • 1074 views
  • Copolymer
    Copolymer

Special membranes are needed wherever materials have to be separated from one another in a particularly gentle way, i.e. without heat or chemicals. With thousands of tiny pores, they cleanse drinking water of bacteria or facilitate the concentration of juices.

The polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) Luvitec is an important component in the manufacture of membranes. Luvitec VA 6535 P is even better tailored to the requirements of the membrane industry. Its residual monomer content is less than 10 ppm (parts per million), thus meeting the European directive on plastic materials in contact with foodstuffs (directive 2007/19/EC), and is proven to be toxicologically harmless. Additionally, on account of its higher water-repellent properties in comparison to other PVP products, the new Luvitec is compatible with plastics such as polysulfone (PSU), polyethersulfone (PES) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); used in the manufacture of membranes.

“With its characteristic profile, the new product is particularly well suited to sensitive membrane applications such as food production or medical devices,” said Dr. Stephan Bauer, Technical Marketing Luvitec.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is soluble in water, but it can also absorb large quantities of water; it is non-irritant to the skin and does not pose a health hazard; it is temperature-resistant, pH-stable, nonionic and colorless. Due to these varied features PVP can be used for a wide range of applications. PVP is used in various BASF product lines, including Kollidon as a pharmaceutical excipient, Luviskol as a component of hair gels and hair sprays and Divergan that is used in the filtration of beer and in the treatment of wine.