Options in High-Speed Nucleating Technology Expanded for Polypropylene Processing

Polypropylene processing companies are being offered increased flexibility in the use of high-speed nucleating technology as a result of Milliken Chemical’s introduction of Hyperform® HI5-5, a concentrated form of its Hyperform nucleating agent. The concentrated form allows plastics processors to determine the optimal approach in using high-speed nucleation to boost productivity and enhance product quality.

“Up until now, our Hyperform nucleating technology had to be added at the polypropylene manufacturers level,” said Jeff Jones, Ph.D., the global marketing manager for Milliken Chemical’s Hyperform product line. “As a result, plastics processors – injection molders and extruders – were limited in their options for its use.

“With the concentrated form, we have given the plastics processors increased flexibility in how they use high speed nucleation,” Jones said. “We believe the concentrated form will open up many new options for companies manufacturing products with opaque polypropylene (PP). The HI5-5 can be added at the converter level like any other color or additive concentrate.”

Milliken Chemical markets Hyperform HPN-68L as a high-speed nucleating agent that offers extremely fast crystallization, resulting in improved processing speed and productivity. HPN-68L also enhances product quality through improved dimensional stability and physical property balance.

“All of the benefits of HPN-68L are also available in the HI5-5 concentrate form,” Jones said. “The primary difference is that with HPN-68L, plastics processors had to turn to their resin suppliers for various trial-size grades of nucleated resins, which can be a time consuming process for everyone,” Jones said.

“Using our new concentrated product, plastics processors are being given the flexibility to run their own trials,” he continued. “They can experiment with the use of different equipment and with various levels of nucleating agents in the resins they are running to reach optimum levels and processes. We anticipate that this option will encourage more widespread and more creative use of high-speed nucleation in the industry.”

The concentrated form is most effective when molding opaque products such as lawn furniture, storage containers, returnable plastic packaging, automotive parts, beverage closures and coat hangers. Productivity improvements in the range of 15-25% are normal as compared to non-nucleated resins.

Jones added that Milliken Chemical is providing technical support and development for applications using HPN-68L or HI5-5.

“We welcome new application trials,” he said. “Because we have a cross-functional global technical support team we are able to assist with new product design and development solutions.”