Aqueous Dispersions of Polyolefins, 2007 European PLACE Conference

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Polyolefins are used extensively in many industries due to a combination of attractive attributes. To date, these attributes can only be incorporated into finished articles through conventional thermoplastic forming processes such as extrusion, thermoforming, injection molding, and blow molding. These so called high polymer polyolefins are high viscosity thermoplastic materials, which have not been available in a low viscosity aqueous environment.

To address this gap, a novel process has been developed to disperse conventional polyolefins in water. Dispersions of ethylene and propylene based resins have been produced at scale with high solids content and with submicron particle size. When applied to a substrate, these dispersions combine heat sealability, low temperature flexibility, and water and chemical resistance, adhesion to polar substrates and the ability to accept inorganic fillers. Polyolefin dispersions (PODs) can be applied via traditional low viscosity application techniques including printing operations such as rotogravure. This combination of properties makes these materials ideal for use as a laminating adhesive and as a heat sealable coating.