Predictive Model Helps Develop New High-Performance HDPE for Barrier Film Application

摘要

As the blown film industry has matured, the need for decreased cost has become paramount. The most attractive means of reducing cost is by down gauging film thickness, which inherently reduces the toughness of the film. This paper describes how a predictive model was used to develop a new homopolymer HDPE resin, which produces films with significantly improved mechanical properties without sacrificing barrier properties. The improved properties are the result of modifying the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the resin. Detailed blown film results demonstrate the performance improvement and the downgauging potential of the new resin compared to conventional HDPE.