Arkema launches Lotader® AX8820, reactive impact modifier for polyphenylene sulphides (PPS)
PPS compounds are high temperature resistance and high stiffness thermoplastics mainly used in demanding applications, such as under-the-hood automotive, E&E and oil&gas.
While the combination of Lotader® and Lotryl® resins has been used successfully to adjust the viscosity of impact-modified PA and polyester compounds, an improved solution was needed for injection molding PPS grades.
Thanks to its lower reactivity, the new Lotader® AX8820 copolymer is the ideal modifier when it comes to impact-modify polyphenylene sulphides while maintaining a fluidity compatible with injection molding. Lotader® AX8820 is a copolymer of ethylene and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and contains a medium level of epoxide reactive groups. Its GMA content has been optimized to achieve good impact modification of PPS, while maintaining a higher fluidity than with the existing grades of Lotader® AX modifiers. Its melt viscosity has been increased to better match the rheology of the PPS matrix.
Lotader® AX8820 copolymer completes Arkema’s range of reactive terpolymers, Lotader® AX8900 and Lotader® AX8840 resins, already used for the modification of PPS and thermoplastic polyesters (PET/PBT).
|
GMA content (w%) |
Melt Flow Index (g/10 min) 190 °C, 2.16 kg |
Melting point (°C) |
Recommendations |
Lotader® AX8820 |
4 - 5 |
1.5 – 2.5 |
105 - 110 |
PPS for injection molding |
Lotader® AX8840 |
6 - 8 |
4 - 6 |
104 - 108 |
PPS for extrusion |
Lotader® AX8900 |
7 - 9 |
4 - 8 |
63 - 67 |
PPS for extrusion |
Furthermore, Lotader® AX8820 is currently being tested for additional applications such as crosslinkable polyolefinic compounds, impact modifier of PBT as well as for bitumen modification. Lotader® AX8820 copolymer is now available commercially globally through Arkema’s local subsidiary and distribution network.
This new grade completes Arkema’s impact modifiers portfolio:
- Lotader® 4700 and Lotader® 4720: general impact modification of polyamides
- Lotader® AX8900: general impact modification of PET and PBT
- Lotryl® 35BA40: high fluidity impact modified PBT
- Lotader®/Lotryl®: impact modification of PA and PBT for injection molding
- Orevac® IM300 for high fluidity impact modification of polyamides
Arkema’s range of Lotader® reactive terpolymers and Lotryl® acrylate copolymers offers a wide scope of solutions for the modification of main engineering plastics, including polyamides (PA6, PA6,6 and PA12), thermoplastics polyesters (PET and PBT), bioplastics (PLA) and polyphenylene sulphides (PPS). Lotader® AX8840 and Lotader® AX8900 have been used successfully for many years to provide impact resistance and higher flexibility to PPS compounds, mainly for extrusion applications where the high reactivity of Lotader® AX grades provides an inherently high viscosity to the compounds.