A blowmoldable, polyamide 6 has been awarded a CARB (California Air Resources) Executive Order (EO) for use in small-engine fuel tanks. The EO will allow manufacturers and users of small-engine fuel tanks to avoid the lengthy and expensive testing process needed to confirm adherence to the stringent requirements for all off-road equipment sold in the state of California.

Akulon Fuel Lock FL40-HP from DSM Engineering Plastics (Geleen, The Netherlands) is used as mono-material in fuel tanks The EO stipulates that tanks blow molded from the resin with a minimum wall thickness of 1.2 mm (0.047 inch) need not be tested to the CARB test standard TP-901. Akulon Fuel Lock FL40-HP yields permeation rates that are less than 5% of the maximum value of 2.0 g/m²/day allowed by CARB under their test rules.

Akulon Fuel Lock FL40-HP is a polyamide 6-based material, designed to be blow molded into fuel tanks that are used for engines that power handheld and ground-supported lawn and garden equipment, as well as recreational, professional landscaping and marine applications.

Akulon FL40-HP achieves this low permeation level without the use of additives or post-molding processes, such as fluorination. Risks of non-conforming tanks due to improper or inadequate processing are almost completely eliminated. Tanks molded from this grade also exhibit excellent cold impact resistance, even in temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F).

Due to the regulation of maximum levels of hydrocarbon permeation by both CARB and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the material most commonly used for fuel tanks can no longer be used in its current form. Akulon Fuel Lock can be processed with conventional injection or blow molding equipment, using existing HDPE tooling. All scrap material can be reused in the molding process, with virtually no degradation of physical or mechanical properties.

Akulon Fuel Lock is a cost-competitive material that reduces evaporative emissions from small engine fuel tanks by more than 99% compared to HDPE according to the supplier. —[email protected]