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Wednesday - February 13, 2008

The first plastic drum with a conductive outer layer based on Baytubes® nanotubes:

Outstanding electrical conductivity, low material consumption

Improved mechanical properties and better chemical resistance

Baytubes® carbon nanotubes are used as a substitute for carbon black in the polyethylene outer layer. Even at a low concentration they impart antistatic properties to the drum. Furthermore, they improve the drum’s low-temperature impact strength and resistance to chemicals.

Leverkusen, February 13, 2008 – One of the distinctive advantages of Baytubes® carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is their high electrical conductivity, a property that can be used, for example, to make plastics conductive. This very effect is the basis of an innovative product recently introduced by Schütz GmbH & Co. KGaA, an international manufacturer of high-quality transport packaging headquartered in Selters, Germany. The company collaborated with Bayer MaterialScience AG on a project study to develop the F1-EX-Nano, the first plastic transport drum to be made electrically conductive by nanoparticles. The drum is envisioned for use in explosion-protected zones. “Our Baytubes® replace carbon black. Thanks to their antistatic properties, only low concentrations of the CNTs are needed to prevent flammable freight, such as solvents or oils, from igniting due to electrostatic charge,” explains Dr. Heiko Hocke, nanotechnology specialist at Bayer MaterialScience. Now that the project has been brought to a successful conclusion, Schütz currently is examining the possibility of using multiwall carbon nanotubes in its other packaging products instead of carbon black systems.

The new drum is an improvement on the F1-EX tight-head drum introduced two years ago, and is made of polyethylene in an extrusion blow molding process using Schütz's own Security Layer technology. It comprises three layers, with the thin outer layer containing Baytubes®. Apart from providing good conductivity, the use of carbon nanotubes also enhances the already excellent mechanical properties of the F1-EX-Nano drum. For example, the increased low-temperature impact strength of the polyethylene further improves the drum's low-temperature drop impact strength. Chemical resistance to the content of the drum is also improved.

About Schütz:
Schütz GmbH & Co KGaA was established in 1958 and today maintains 23 production locations around the world. The company employs a workforce of over 2,600. In addition to packaging systems, its core business further includes energy systems for the building services and domestic engineering sector, as well as industry services. This segment bundles the comprehensive know-how Schütz has acquired in the various areas of metal and plastics processing, development and engineering, plant and mechanical engineering.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2006 sales of EUR 10.2 billion (continuing operations), Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and sports and leisure industries. Bayer MaterialScience has 30 production sites around the globe and employed approximately 14,900 people at the end of 2006. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.

For more information visit www.bayermaterialscience.com, www.baytubes.com, and www.schuetz.net.

Hotline for readers’ inquiries:
Fax: +49 221 9902 160

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.