A new grade of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from ExxonMobil designed for recyclability can help converters create mono-material laminates to replace multi-material structures that can be difficult to mechanically recycle.
ExxonMobil HD7165L for machine direction oriented (MDO) PE film applications features excellent optical properties and mechanical properties, according to ExxonMobil. It is suited for packaging products such as nuts, crackers, condiments, granola bars, and potato chips.
“The development of new HD7165L has been driven by market demand from brand owners and processors looking to develop all-PE packaging,” said Nilesh Savargaonkar, principal customer and application development engineer at ExxonMobil. In turn, this demand has created a need for print webs made of blown MDO-PE films, added Savargaonkar.
HD7165L can help converters produce blown MDO-PE films with 60 to 70% HDPE for enhanced stiffness and heat resistance, said ExxonMobil. Output rates in excess of 400 kg/hr are possible.
Other features of HD7165L include:
- MDO stretch ratios as high as 7:1 and high stiffness (1% secant modulus as high as >200 kpsi);
- less than 10% haze and more than 60% gloss;
- heat resistance, stiffness for a lack of extensibility, and printability for optimal brand promotion when used as a print web of a PE-PE laminate;
- uniform orientation, gauge stability, and low gels for easy processability in blown MDO-PE film applications;
- compared to a market reference HDPE grade (density 0.962 g/cm³), HD7165L (density 0.961 g/cm³) delivers better shear thinning behavior and extrudability, higher melt strength for bubble stability, excellent orientability, and gauge uniformity, according to ExxonMobil.
“Brand owners and the value chain globally have ambitious goals around the development of packaging that can be recycled,” said Justin Schmader, CANUSA market development manager. “Our ongoing innovation to develop new polyethylene grades that can help enable the creation of mono-material packaging structures is one step in helping them potentially achieve those goals.”
