Processing
Pebax^® Elastomers

Pebax^® resin has excellent processability in each of the major thermoplastic processing technologies:

• Injection molding


• Extrusion (e.g. cast film, blown film, sheet, tube)


• Assembly process (e.g. overmolding, coextrusion)

Storage & Handling

For unopened bags, resin is ready-to-use without re-drying.

• Storage temperature should be less than 40-50ºC and avoid high humidity


• Store bags in the workshop 24 hours prior to processing to avoid condensation


• Shelf life is 2 years from the date of delivery


• Avoid using pellets from bags that have been open for longer than 2 hours


• Manually close the bags after feeding the hopper to avoid moisture uptake


• Heated hoppers are not necessary when processing Pebax^® resin


• After a one-day trial, reseal the bag before re-using the next day

Injection molding

The rheological behavior of Pebax^® elastomers allows for:

• A wide range of processing temperatures compared to other thermoplastic elastomers


• Ability to inject extremely thin parts (down to 0.8 mm)


• Short cycle times


• High recyclability


• Accurate dimension control

Recommendations:

• Residence time: < 10 min


• Injection volume: 25 - 80% of total shot capacity


• Compression rate: 2 - 2.8


• L/D: 18 - 22


• Correct check-valve


• Shrinkage rate: 0.5 – 1.5%
  
  
  • Varies depending on the grade chosen and on the injection conditions

Extrusion

Thanks to the rheological properties of Pebax^® resins, many extrusion and coextrusion technologies are possible:

• Films down to 10µm in cast or blown process


• Sheet


• Tubes

Pebax^® grades can be extruded on conventional equipment. Contact Arkema for more specific processing parameters such as tube sizing, blown film drawing, and cooling conditions for sheet calendaring.

Extrusion conditions

¹Melt temperature (°C)