Currently, Solvay Plastics has developed two Priex adhesive-functional polyolefins that increase the flow of PE and PP. Among them, the first one is produced by reactive extrusion of PP and HDPE with maleic anhydride (MA). They can be used as adhesion promoters, dispersants, compatibilizers, and coupling agents for glass fibers and wood fibers in the coating of metal tubes. Another potential application area for this polyolefin is automotive fuel tanks. After mixing it into ordinary HDPE, Priex (maleic anhydride modified HDPE) can be well bonded to the EVOH barrier layer. According to Solvay, Priex will no longer need a separate connection layer due to its migration to the connection surface of the layer, and the tank can be reduced from the original five-layer structure to a three-layer structure. In addition, because Priex has higher purity and stability than other resins, the content of free MA is less than 100 ppm, so that better performance can be achieved in less amount. The second is an ionomer made from a blend of HDPE ionomer, PP homopolymer and PP copolymer. Compared to standard PP and HDPE, their mechanical and thermal properties have been improved and their adhesion to pure PP and pure HDPE has been improved. The addition of 2.5% to 5% of Priex ionomer can increase the HDT, creep resistance, rigidity, and impact resistance of PP and HDPE. Unlike other ionomers, Priex ionomers are not highly crystalline and are more easily dispersed in polyolefins.
At the same time, Crompton is improving its coupling agent so that wood-plastic composites have higher mechanical properties. To this end, the company is embarking on the production of highly maleic anhydride HMW PP that cannot be achieved with traditional reactive extrusion methods. In addition, Crompton is also developing a reactor grafting technology similar to Interloy's reactive alloying process. This work is still in the laboratory stage and is expected to be put into commercial production by the end of this year.
Lotader AX8950 is a new epoxy-group-containing ethylene-acrylic terpolymer launched by Arkema (formerly Atofina) in France. It not only improves the overmolding of polymers and polyolefin foam, nylon, TP polyester, steel, aluminum adhesion, but also can be used as engineering thermoplastics compatibility and impact modifiers, in particular, can be applied to polyester, improve its injection molding fluidity.