| DuPont Dow Elastomers S.A., Switzerland, has recently introduced five new grades of Engage� polyolefin elastomers that provide customers with new application options, such as for automotive TPO, wire and cable, extrusion profiles, and a variety of other applications. Based on ethylene butene, the new grades of Engage� complement the broad range of existing octene products and are designed to offer an improved balance of properties, including processability, impact properties and higher melt strength for the targeted applications. While offering potential performance advantages, these grades have also been designed to fill value and performance gaps versus the broad range of existing elastomeric materials.
Several of the new grades of Engage� are specifically aimed at automotive TPO applications and offer increased versatility as well as excellent impact properties. They are designed for use in high-flow polypropylene compounds, which allow compounders and molders to produce larger and lighter parts thus enabling part consolidation. In addition, other grades will provide improved melt strength, softness, and feel for automotive interior applications. The new Engage� grades, all in pellet form, are:
- Engage� ENX 7467: (1 M.I., 0.863 Density) that offers superior impact properties for today�s demanding TPO applications;
- Engage� ENX 7458: (2.5 M.I., 0.863 Density) that provides excellent blend properties, better mixing capabilities and improved impact strength;
- Engage� ENX 7447: (5 M.I., 0.865 Density), a high-flow, low-density product designed for use in combination with other elastomers for polymer modification;
- Engage� ENX 7380: (0.3 M.I.), 0.870 density) that offers a higher molecular weight, better toughness and better melt strength;
- Engage� ENX 7270: (0.8 M.I., 0.880 density), a general-purpose grade designed for polymer modification and that provides a good cost/performance balance.
Commercial production will begin in 2003 with start-up of DuPont Dow's new 136 million kg/year Engage� facility in Plaquemin in the USA.
|
