UBE:Chevron Phillips Chemical Introduces Modified PPS Grade

Chevron Phillips Chemical Introduces Modified PPS Grade
Resin's high-thermal resistance provides multiple benefits to wire coating industry  

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (November 2, 2005) - Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (Chevron Phillips Chemical) expands its line of engineering plastics with the introduction of a modified polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) grade, Xtel* XE3200NA PPS. Developed for use in automotive high-temperature wire and cable applications, Xtel* XE3200NA PPS helps solve the wire industry's high-performance design challenges while providing multiple environmental benefits.

Passing the industry's ISO 6722 testing for Class D wire requirements, Xtel* XE3200NA PPS is designed to withstand continuous exposure to temperatures up to 150*C. Even at 150*C, the resin inherently retains both its mechanical and physical properties without the need for cross-linking. As a result, Xtel* XE3200NA PPS produces an insulation or jacketing on a wire that is thinner than most competing resins, which reduces the wire's weight and size. 

Xtel* XE3200NA PPS offers environmental advantages. Xtel* XE3200NA PPS can be classified as a "green material" because it is halogen free.  Additionally, because Xtel* XE3200NA PPS does not require cross-linking, customers can avoid exposing the material to high-energy radiation and avoid the use of any heavy metals. The resin can also be reground and recycled to limit the amount of waste associated with the manufacturing of the coating.  

Another important property of Xtel* XE3200NA PPS is its chemical resistance.  The material's hydrolytic stability combined with its resilience to highly corrosive chemicals inhibits the deterioration of the wire coatings when exposed to automotive fuels, oils, and engine coolants.

"We recognize our customers want a thin, lightweight, environmentally friendly solution without sacrificing the wire coating's heat and chemical resistance," said Waverly Duggar, Chevron Phillips Chemical Business Development Specialist. "Xtel* XE3200NA PPS is designed to provide the wire coating industry with these and other significant advantages across the board," he added.

Xtel* XE3200NA PPS is ideal for extrusion processes and can be processed on standard equipment designed for 300*C melt temperatures. The PPS based resin also readily accepts pigmentation for custom colorization. Applications for wire coated with Xtel* XE3200NA PPS range from automotive and railway markets to industrial and specialty wire markets.

XtelŽ PPS alloys are produced worldwide by Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC and its affiliates. For more information about XtelŽ PPS, call 1-877-RYTON66 or email Ryton@cpchem.com .

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About Chevron Phillips Chemical 
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC with its affiliates is one of the world's top producers of olefins and polyolefins and a leading supplier of aromatics, alpha olefins, styrenics, specialty chemicals, piping and proprietary plastics.  The company has total assets of approximately $7 billion and is owned equally by Chevron Corporation and ConocoPhillips.  For more information about Chevron Phillips Chemical, visit www.cpchem.com <http://www.cpchem.com/>.