Milliken Nucleation Innovation Gives Polyolefins A Boost

Milliken Chemical, a division of Milliken & Company, is continuing to expand the performance horizons of polyolefins with its pioneering nucleation technology. To be introduced to a broad audience for the first time at K 2007, Hyperform® HPN-20E makes cost-effective property modification of polyethylene (PE) a first-time reality for converters, resin and master batch producers, while providing a versatile, one-stop optimising solution for polypropylene (PP).

Hyperform HPN-20E is a hyper-nucleating agent with food contact approval. When added to polyethylene or polypropylene it affects the crystallization behaviour resulting in a wide range of property enhancements. These can include barrier improvements, optimum stiffness/impact balance, high quality aesthetics, potential weight and material reduction, and processing benefits such as faster cycle times owing to warpage elimination and shrinkage optimisation.

Initially launched for the blown film polyethylene market, Hyperform HPN-20E is the first ever commercially available nucleating agent for polyethylene. It opens up the potential for new film constructions taking advantage of the enhanced physical, optical and barrier properties now achievable in a range of linear types of polyethylene.

However, its benefits make the agent suitable for a wide range of both polyethylene and polypropylene end products including automotive, appliance, closure, material handling and sheet/thermoforming applications. It can be processed using blow moulding, rotomoulding, injection moulding, compression moulding and extrusion.

Martin Horrocks, global market manager, Polyethylene Additives for Milliken Chemical comments: “This unique nucleation technology is able to influence the crystallization behaviour of polyethylene in previously unseen ways. Hyper - Nucleation provides the polyethylene industry and its end-users with another tool to achieving and controlling specific sets of properties depending on the final end use needs. Hyperform HPN-20E opens up new opportunities for the polyethylene industry to cost-effectively achieve property modifications for many markets. We are looking forward to engaging K 2007 visitors in dialogue about their needs and those of the sectors they serve to fully realise the potential offered by HPN-20E.”

Hyperform HPN-20E builds on the productivity and quality optimisation already offered to polypropylene by Milliken’s Hyperform product range by providing solutions to additional needs such as coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE), dimensional control, and stiffness-impact balance.

Johnny Netzloff, global market manager, Polypropylene Nucleation for Milliken Chemical explains: “Hyperform HPN-20E’s novelty for polypropylene lies in its versatility. It has a unique ability to improve product (resin) performance and offer many enhancements without negatively affecting the material’s dimensional and physical requirements. HPN-20E and 68L can actually work together to optimize speed, dimensional controls, and physical properties. K 2007 will help us to better identify the challenges facing the polypropylene market and to continue to expand the Hyperform family to deliver value where it is most needed.”