Announcing New Innovation Polymer – Kraton™ G1653 Polymer

Houston, TX /PRNewswire/ - Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. (NYSE: KRA) is a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymer (SBC). Kraton has a history of innovation focused on driving growth for its customers. With a broad portfolio of value-enhancing polymers used in a wide variety of applications, we are pleased to introduce our newest innovation polymer that we believe will enable our customers to further expand their competitive edge.

Introducing Kraton G1653
The new developmental polymer, Kraton G1653 polymer, is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer. With lower molecular weight than Kraton G1652 polymer, it still retains the high tensile strength and toughness of Kraton G1652 while offering significantly lower melt and solution viscosities. Kraton G1653 is suitable for food contact and medical applications.

Features and benefits
Although Kraton G1653 retains similar physical properties as Kraton G1652, it has a much lower solution viscosity than Kraton G1652. This low solution viscosity increases solid content and decreases VOC of solvent based products, yet maintains similar processability. For coating applications, the increased solid level translates to potentially reduced coating layers and lower labor cost. For sealant applications, the increased solid content is expected to reduce shrinkage and costs associated with solvent. Kraton G1653 also can be dissolved in PCBTF at 20 percent solids, which may enable formulators to replace organic solvents with PCBTF to reduce VOCs associated with the final product.

The free flowing dense pellet form of Kraton G1653 is expected to improve storage, handling, and feeding of the polymer in comparison to SEBS polymers in powder form. The polymer has the following qualities:

• Does not block together during storage
• Can be transferred using conventional pneumatic conveying equipment
• Does not agglomerate when dissolving in solvents, and
• The dense pellet form may enable improved production rates

Potential market applications include:
Coating applications, sealants, pressure sensitive adhesives, hot melt adhesives, TPE compound, elastic compound, medical compound, color master batch, additive concentrates, oil gel, and polymer modification.

Prakash Kolluri, Vice President Sales & Marketing Asia Pacific noted, "Kraton G1653 is another new Kraton innovation polymer that was developed to meet the market trend toward lower viscosity, high flow, and lower processing temperature. We expect that Kraton G1653 will allow our customers to meet the tight VOC regulatory requirements without sacrificing performance and processability."

(NTD: covered in the "About Kraton Polymers" section below)^* The product Kraton G1653 will be offered under the name Kraton MD1653 until fully commercialized.

Information for Technical Audiences

^* Properties measured on film cast from toluene solution.

Kraton G1653 offers significantly higher melt flow and lower solution viscosity than its conventional SEBS analogue. This allows formulators to develop high flow compounds with excellent properties without adding excessive oils. Compounds based on Kraton G1653 can also be extruded or molded at lower temperatures. For hot melt adhesives, the lower melt viscosity translates to lower processing temperatures, which is expected to reduce energy consumption and improve production rates.

Kraton G1653 has the same low rubber phase Tg (-48.5°C) as the conventional G1600 series polymers. This rubber Tg allows the polymer to remain flexible and elastic at low temperatures. G1653 can also be compounded with random copolypropylene and extruded into clear films with superior toughness for medical applications. Such films can be heat sealed and sterilized. It can also be used as an impact modifier for rigid polymers or as an interfacial compatibilizer for polymer alloys or blends.

Packaging and availability information
Kraton G1653 is produced at Kraton's Belpre plant. It is available immediately in commercial quantities. Please contact your Kraton representative or distributors for samples.

About Kraton Polymers
Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. (NYSE "KRA") is a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from pine wood pulping co-products. Kraton's polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving, roofing and footwear products. As the largest global provider in the pine chemicals industry, the company's pine-based specialty products are sold into adhesive, road and construction and tire markets, and it produces and sells a broad range of chemical intermediates into markets that include fuel additives, oilfield chemicals, coatings, metalworking fluids and lubricants, inks, flavors and fragrances and mining. Kraton offers its products to a diverse customer base in over 70 countries worldwide. Kraton, the Kraton logo and design, and the "Giving Innovators their Edge" tagline are all trademarks of Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc., or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. and all of its affiliates, including Arizona Chemical, believe the information set forth herein to be true and accurate, but any recommendations, presentations, statements or suggestions that may be made are without any warranty or guarantee whatsoever, and shall establish no legal duty on the part of any Kraton affiliated entity. The legal responsibilities of any Kraton affiliate with respect to the products described herein are limited to those set forth in Kraton's Conditions of Sale or any effective sales contract. NOTE TO USER: by ordering/receiving Kraton product you accept the Kraton Conditions of Sale applicable in the region. All other terms are rejected. Kraton does not warrant that the products described herein are suitable for any particular uses, including, without limitation, cosmetics and/or medical uses. Persons using the products must rely on their own independent technical and legal judgment, and must conduct their own studies, registrations, and other related activities, to establish the safety and efficacy of their end products incorporating any Kraton products for any application. Nothing set forth herein shall be construed as a recommendation to use any Kraton product in any specific application or in conflict with any existing patent rights. Kraton reserves the right to withdraw any product from commercial availability and to make any changes to any existing commercial or developmental product. Kraton expressly disclaims, on behalf of all Kraton affiliates, any and all liability for any damages or injuries arising out of any activities relating to the use of any information set forth in this publication, or the use of any Kraton products.

Kraton maintains a Cosmetics, Drugs and Medical Device Policy that restricts the use of Kraton's Products in certain end use applications without Kraton's prior written consent. Accordingly, Kraton does not guarantee that Kraton's products will be available for use in all potential end use applications. Kraton's Cosmetics, Drugs and Medical Device Policy is available on Kraton's website at www.kraton.com.