Improving Polyethylene Film Product Performance with Additive Technology, 2014 PLACE Conference

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Advancements in polyethylene product performance have traditionally originated from modifications in resin architecture, as the result of new developments in catalyst technologies or reactor design (e.g. superhexene, metallocene, bimodal resins, etc.). An alternative post-reactor strategy to improve polyethylene product performance is through the utilization of additive technologies.1 Polyethylene additives can be grouped into three general categories: stabilizers, modifiers, and processing aids, with each class playing a specific role in maintaining or enhancing the physical attributes of the polymer.2 Stabilizing additives, such as acid neutralizers or catalyst deactivators, prevent catalyst residues from behaving as pro-degradants. Antioxidants, another important category of stabilizing additives, protect polyethylene from undergoing catalytic autoxidation reactions that can significantly alter the polymer’s molecular architecture. This paper will focus on improving product performance through the innovation of enhanced stabilization systems.