DuPont: New Modifier Enhances Performance of PE-based Recycle Waste Streams

DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers has launched DuPont™ Fusabond® E EC-603D (www.fusabond.dupont.com), a unique compatibilizer for users of polyethylene- (PE-) based recycle streams. This proprietary copolymer improves both product performance and production efficiencies, while reducing costs for manufacturers of industrial packaging and plastic lumber, as well as blow molders, injection molders, compounders and others who are using PE-based recycle streams.

Compared to traditional grafted modifiers, Fusabond® E EC-603D polymer modifier provides four important benefits. It has a wider operating window for contaminants such as ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), moisture and zinc stearate lubricants. This enables manufacturers to have easier access to a constant recycle supply, while also reducing costs by being able to accept a higher mix in recycle streams, which are less expensive than those with cleaner reclaim.

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Additionally, test data show Fusabond® E EC-603D significantly improves the impact strength of wet blends (700 ppm water) and blends with lubricant. In fact, Fusabond® E EC-603D was proven to be more effective at 0.5 percent by weight than traditional grafted modifiers at 1.0 percent by weight. (See attached bar graph.) Thus, manufacturers can increase impact strength, while reducing costs, by using lower loading levels.

Another important benefit of using Fusabond® E EC-603D is that it helps reduce die buildup on the manufacturing equipment by helping to incorporate polar components into the polymer matrix. Reducing die buildup can help manufacturers improve processing efficiency.

“The increased anhydride functionality of Fusabond® E EC-603D will help our customers reduce costs while improving their product performance,” said Megan O’Brien, marketing manager, DuPont Industrial Polymers. “And, because customers will be able to handle a broader array of recycle materials than they might otherwise be able to accept, Fusabond® E EC-603D will also help to reduce the environmental footprint of landfills.”

Based on the outstanding performance of Fusabond® E EC-603D for PE-based recycle streams, DuPont scientists are currently conducting tests that should prove useful for systems containing fiberglass or nylon. It is important to note that Fusabond® E EC-603D is not globally approved for food or medical packaging use.

In addition to this unique co-polymer, other resins in the DuPont™ Fusabond® product line include modified polymers that have been functionalized (typically by maleic anhydride grafting) to help bond together polymers used in toughened, filled and blended compounds. The product line includes modified ethylene acrylate carbon monoxide terpolymers, ethylene vinyl acetates (EVAs), polyethylenes, metallocene polyethylenes, ethylene propylene rubbers and polypropylenes.

DuPont de Nemours (Deutschland) GmbH, Bad Homburg v.d.H.

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