LyondellBasell launches new HDPE Resins with Improved Resistance to Bio-diesel fuels
LyondellBasell Industries, one of the world’s largest polymers, petrochemicals and fuels companies, announced that it has commercialised a family of newly patented Lupolen high density polyethylene (HDPE) resins. These new HDPE resins offer improved resistance to bio-diesel and may therefore be of interest to manufacturers of automotive plastic fuel tanks. The resins are manufactured to meet the needs of the fuel tank producers facing bio-based product challenges, and are available for use in blow molding (Lupolen 4261 AG BD) and injection molding (Lupolen 4261A IM BD) processes. Thomas Lindner, Technical Manager of LyondellBasell’s Automotive Fluid Systems Business “With this new resin, we have improved chemical resistance that should allow manufacturers to produce fuel tanks that can accommodate fuels containing higher levels of bio-diesel.”
According to the company, Lupolen HDPE test data using blow molded and injection molded parts have shown a significant increase in chemical resistance to bio-diesel fuels compared to current HDPE grades on the market. After 1500 hours of contact with fuel consisting of 100 percent bio-diesel, the grade changed its intrinsic viscosity by 1.7 percent, which corresponds to a nearly thirty-fold improvement in resistance compared to standard HDPE grades previously used by customers in fuel tank applications.