SABIC launches butadiene-free NORYL WM300G resin for water systems, offering superior strength, compliance, sustainability, and proactive readiness for future regulations.
SABIC, one of the world’s leading diversified chemical manufacturers, has unveiled a new high-performance material—NORYL™ WM300G resin—designed specifically for water management applications. This innovative resin offers excellent impact resistance and superior mechanical strength, while eliminating the use of conventional impact modifiers that can release butadiene, a compound expected to face tighter environmental and health regulations in the near future. By launching this material, SABIC is proactively helping customers transition to safer, more sustainable alternatives ahead of upcoming butadiene-free mandates for drinking water applications.
According to Sergi Monros, Vice President of SABIC Polymers, Specialties Business Unit, the company is leveraging its deep expertise in water management to anticipate regulatory trends and customer needs. “With our long-standing experience, we are addressing potential future restrictions on butadiene. The new NORYL WM300G resin provides customers a drop-in solution that improves performance while aligning with future compliance requirements,” Monros explained.
A Butadiene-Free Solution
Traditional impact modifiers used in many polymers tend to degrade under high processing temperatures, causing the release of butadiene molecules that may migrate into water during product use. These substances raise potential health concerns and may soon be restricted in water-contact materials.
SABIC’s NORYL WM300G resin eliminates this issue entirely by employing a novel impact modification chemistry that enhances both processing stability and long-term safety. This new formulation ensures high impact strength and durability without generating butadiene, making it suitable for a wide range of applications such as faucets, shower heads, valves, water meters, and other water system components.
The material outperforms the previous NORYL 713S resin, delivering 20–30% higher burst strength—with test results showing 80–81 MPa compared to 64–65 MPa for the earlier grade. It also demonstrates superior fatigue resistance, improved flexural and tensile modulus, and maintains an attractive surface finish with low moisture absorption and excellent dimensional stability.
Furthermore, the resin is food-contact compliant and free from bisphenol A (BPA) and intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), aligning with growing sustainability and safety requirements. Global drinking water certifications are currently in process.
As a non-reinforced, impact-modified blend of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polystyrene (PS), NORYL WM300G can be used for both injection molding and extrusion processes, enabling production of durable pipes, fittings, and other water-handling parts.
SABIC supports customers through its Water Management Center of Excellence in the Netherlands, offering services such as predictive engineering, mold flow analysis, 3D simulation, testing, and validation. Through a dedicated digital platform, global customers can access these resources remotely to optimize design and performance.
