BASF’s PPSU Used to Extrusion Blow Mold ‘Next-Generation’ Baby Bottles

A ‘next-generation’ of baby bottles from Japan’s baby products manufacturer Zoom T are extrusion blow molded with Ultrason P 3010 polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) from BASF. The material meets Zoom T’s strict requirements for its curved Dr. Bétta brand baby bottles that are safe and easy to handle.

Ultrason P 3010 is approved for food contact and is said to feature excellent strength, chemical resistance and resistance to superheated steam up to 356 F (180 C). These properties are said to ensure the bottles are safe to use, while being lightweight and shatter-proof. They can be used over a long period of time without any loss of their mechanical and optical qualities. The transparent, lightly honey-colored Ultrason P 3010 is said to easily withstand sterilization in microwave ovens or in very hot water.

Moreover, the BASF PPSU allows for designing complex shapes like the Bétta baby bottles as it is also suitable for extrusion blow molding. Ultrason P 3010 has been shown to outperform commercially available PPSU materials used to manufacture baby bottles because of its excellent melt stability necessary for the extrusion blow molding process.

Says president and CEO of Zoom T Tomoko Kawai, “We are aware that Ultrason is also used in sensitive applications and even medical devices due to its outstanding quality. That’s why we count on this material as our goal is to provide maximum safety of our Bétta baby bottles. This unique PPSU material makes our bottles easy to handle, long-lasting, highly durable and lightweight – perfect for busy moms and dads. With Ultrason P we can perfectly produce the curved geometry of our Bétta bottles by extrusion blow molding. This is important as the curved design stops babies from swallowing air while being nursed, preventing ear infections or colic.”

The flexible extrusion blow molding process allows for molding of complex part geometries with various wall thicknesses and designs. The medium-viscosity Ultrason P 3010 is particularly suitable for this process due to its inherent high melt stability. This allows the hot, elongated parison to remain stable even near the hot die, ensuring uniform blow molding.

Says Georg Graessel from BASF’s global business development, “Health and safety are key aspects in producing not just baby bottles, but also bottles for adults. Ultrason is the ideal material for these kinds of bottles because it makes them safe to handle and it can be used for both hot and cold drinks, remaining stable for a long time. Due to the numerous design possibilities for color and shape as well as the option for producing the bottles either by injection molding or extrusion, it can also be employed to make water bottles for sports or multi-use bottles for green tea which can be found everywhere in Asian countries.”