A BASF plastic additives package is helping to protect the roof at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 2, with thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) sheets produced by Wonpoong Corporation in South Korea under the brand name SuperGuard.
The additives package, comprising a light stabilizer from the Tinuvin range and an antioxidant from the Irgastab range, helps protect the TPO membranes from wear and tear resulting from extreme heat and light exposure.
“TPO roofing membranes produced with BASF’s polymer formulation and stabilization can perform in some of the most extreme climate conditions and meet current roofing and waterproofing standards,” said Hermann Althoff, Senior Vice President, BASF Performance Chemicals, Asia Pacific. “Our stabilizers reduce production costs and make products last longer, and thereby help to conserve precious raw material.”
The additives are based on the company’s proprietary NOR-HALS (hindered amine light stabilizer) technology. Due to the inherent advantages of this technology, the stabilizers have a lower interaction with system components and acidic environmental contaminants than traditional HALS products, thereby helping to retain the mechanical properties of TPO membranes to meet the demands of building owners, the company said.
Manufacturers need to fulfill the new ASTM D6878 standard for TPO roofing formulations. These standards identify the minimum levels of exposure to heat and UV levels that a TPO membrane must be able to withstand. By using BASF’s plastic additives technology, Wonpoong succeeded in winning the contract over other companies by receiving a better evaluation for weatherproofing.
“We tried solutions from other suppliers but got the best results with BASF’s technology,” said John Yu, Director of R&D at Wonpoong Corporation. “Now we are able to ensure the polymer’s UV resistance and provide our customers with more durable products.”
Energy issues are growing in importance in the selection of all building materials, and roofing is no exception. Factoring in overall energy performance as part of a system’s life-cycle cost, many customers and contractors are insisting on TPO roofing membranes as they are heat-reflective. Energy efficient roofing systems can reduce a building’s internal cooling costs dramatically.