Borstar® Technology

Borstar® is Borealis' state-of-the-art multi-modal proprietary technology for manufacturing polyethylene and polypropylene

What does Borstar® stand for?

Borstar® is Borealis' state-of-the-art multi-modal proprietary technology for manufacturing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Combined with Borealis' unique catalyst technology, Borstar supports the production of a wide range of enhanced PE and PP products for the most demanding applications by enabling molecular design. The Borstar process offers simultaneous improvements in conversion economics and in key environmental aspects, such as energy efficiency and raw material recycling.

Borealis guarantees continued Borstar development and is further commercialising the next generation of Borstar - Borstar PE 3G and Borstar PP 2G. The new developments represent a leap forward in process technology, allowing flexible polymer design from bi-modal to multi-modal PE/PP and facilitating the development of an ever-widening range of new plastics that outperform alternative materials in meeting the needs of manufacturers and end users.

Borstar PE and PP capacity expansion is a core ingredient of the Borealis and Borouge strategy. The most significant growth project entails an increase of Borouge production capacity in Abu Dhabi to 4.5 million tonnes of Borstar polyolefins per year in 2014.

Why Borstar®?

Borstar delivers what its customers need - consistently superior property products that can be converted into applications which give sustainable value. The Borstar process provides innovative polymers:

• with both good mechanical properties and good processability
• in a broad range of product applications (e.g. automotive, pipe, packaging, etc.)
• at competitive cost and less burden on the environment (e.g. downgauging)

Borstar yields a number of special property and structural benefits which are realised from tailoring the resin's molecular structure in both the PE and PP processes. These include:

• high environmental stress-cracking resistance (ESCR)
• long-term creep/burst resistance
• uniquely high stiffness/impact balance is in combination with add-on functionalities like surface aesthetics and dimensional stability