BPF - British Plastic Federation



























Styrene Acrilonitrile SAN

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We are grateful to BASF for their assistance in the preparation of this materials page. For more information click on www.basf.com or email styrenics.infopoint@basf-ag.de


 INTRODUCTION



SAN, the predecessor of ABS is a hard rigid transparent material.  The transmittance in the visible range is greater than 90% therefore it is easily coloured, it is also resistant to thermal shock and has a good chemical resistance. 

PROPERTIES  

Rigid, transparent, tough, resistant to greases, stress cracking and crazing, easily processed, resistant to food stains.

GRADES AVAILABLE

SAN is available in a range of colours and can be tailoured for specific applications. 

A variety of grades are available for different applications, the material is typically injection moulded or extruded.

ASA is an acrylate rubber modified styrene acrylonitrile copolymer with an acrylate rubber modifier included at the polymerisation stage.


 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Tensile Strength 3.40 - 3.90 N/mm²
Notched Impact Strength 250 Kj/m²
Thermal Coefficient of expansion 70 x 10-6
Max Cont Use Temp 55 oC
Density 1.08 g/cm3
 
 RESISTANCE TO CHEMICALS
Dilute Acid ****
Dilute Alkalis ****
Oils and Greases ****
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons **
Aromatic Hydrocarbons *
Halogenated Hydrocarbons *
Alcohols ** variable

 KEY
* poor ** moderate *** good **** very good


APPLICATIONS

The combination of transparency and resistance to oils, fats and cleaning agents make SAN very suitable for use in the kitchen as mixing bowls and basins and fittings for refrigerators. It is also used for the outer casings of thermally insulated jugs, for tableware, cutlery, coffee filters, jars and beakers as well as storage containers for all kinds of foods. An additional application is in multi-trip tableware for the catering sector.

The pleasing appearance especially when coloured and the ease of printing on SAN has allowed a number of applications in the bathroom (toothbrushes and bathroom fittings) and cosmetic packaging,

SAN is also hard wearing and is used in the office and in industry for diverse applications, all types of outer covers, e.g. printers, calculators, instruments and lamps.  Other applications include scales, battery housings, winding cores, writing and drawing equipment and cylindrical impellers for air-conditioners.

 

                                                                     

CURRENT CASE STUDIES:

  

Cosmetics 

Cosmetics and personal care products rely on high quality packaging.  SAN’s brilliant surface has great depth of color. It looks good and feels good – an important consideration in the bath where we surround ourselves with pleasing things. SAN accepts print very easily and affords diverse design possibilities. Moreover, SAN is resistant to chemicals.  SAN is also suitable for bathroom fittings and toothbrushes for example.

More information:  click here

At Home 

SAN is used because of its extraordinary transparency and brilliance when colored. It is resistant to fats and oils and to cleaning agents. What is more it is dishwasherproof.  In short SAN is exceptional for its high suitability for use in the home.

SAN is employed in transparent parts such as containers, mixing bowls and basins for kitchen utensils and fittings for refrigerators.

SAN is also used for the outer casings of thermally insulated jugs, for tableware, cutlery, coffee filters, jars and beakers as well as storage containers for all kinds of foods. An additional application is in multi-trip tableware for the catering sector.

More information:  click here

Office and industry

The plastics used in the office and in industrial applications must exhibit longwearing characteristics. Strength and dimensional stability are required. That’s no problem for Luran®. It even possesses high resistance to acids and alkalis, e.g. in batteries. These properties render Luran® the material of choice in all applications requiring transparency.

There are highly diverse applications in the office and in industry. Luran® is used for all types of outer covers, e.g. printers, calculators, instruments and lamps.

Further important applications include scales, battery housings, winding cores, writing and drawing equipment and cylindrical impellers for air-conditioners.

More information:  click here


History of SAN

Styrene Acrylonitrile copolymers have been available since the 1940’s and while its increased toughness over styrene made it suitable for many applications, its limitations led to the introduction of a rubber (butadiene) as a third monomer and hence was born the range of materials popularly referred to as ABS plastics.

Under the Luran® tradename BASF supplies styrene/acrylonitrile copolymers which for many years have proved to be highly effective in a large number of applications in the area of household goods and tableware, in cosmetics packaging, sanitary and toiletry articles as well as for writing materials and office supplies.

 
BASF Logo

We are grateful to BASF for their assistance in the preparation of this materials page. For more information click on www.basf.com or email styrenics.infopoint@basf-ag.de

 

 
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