Large choice of processing

Pebax^® has been historically documented as having excellent processability in each of the major thermoplastic processing technologies:

• Injection molding
• Extrusion (cast film, blown film, sheet, tube...)
• Assembly process: overmolding and coextrusion

Handling recommendations

• Ready to use products without re-drying for unopened bags
• Bag storage at T<40-50°C, without high humidity content
• No heated hopper necessary to process Pebax^®
• Bring bags in workshop 24 hours before processing (to avoid condensation)
• Do not use granules from opened bags (> 2 hours)
• During trials, manually close bags after feeding the hopper to avoid water uptake
• After one-day trial, reseal the bag before re-using the next day

• Bag storage conditions : Store away from moisture and heat, in ventilated atmosphere
• Shelf life: 2 years from the date of delivery
   

Drying Conditions

Granules exposed to atmospheric conditions for more than 2 hours should be dried prior to processing (see table below). Place the granules onto a clean flat metallic tray for efficient drying. Arkema highly recommends using vacuum drying ovensbecause the abscence of oxygen allows higher temperatures and time reduction. Desiccant dryers are also efficient with regularly changed filters. Risk of oxidation is greater with forced-air circulation ovens.

Injection Molding Recommendations

• Residence time < 10 min
• 25% < injected volume < 80% of total shot capacity
• 2.2 < compression rate < 2.8
• 18 < L/D < 22

Depending on the selected pebax^® grade and injection conditions, the shrinkage rate of pebax^® will typically vary from 0.5 to 1.5%.
The rheological behavior of pebax^® allows for a wide range of processing temperatures compared to other Thermoplastic Elastomers (especially TPU). Pebax^® can be injected in extremely thin parts (down to 0.8 mm). It also leads to short cycle times, high recyclability and accurate dimension control.

Injection Molding Temperature Recommendations (°C) :

Mold Temperature (°C):

Dry-blending compatibility

With its extensive hardness range, pebax^® is suitable for a vast majority of applications. It is possible, however, to mix various grades of pebax^® in order to achieve more specific properties. Arkema personnel will be pleased to assist you in selecting the pebax^® blend that will meet your specification criteria.

Overmolding

Insert molding offers a countless combinations of possibilities with a variety of materials such as glass, metals, polymers and textiles. The overmolding technique is widely used to manufacture soles of football and athletic footwear. Pebax^® possesses a wide plasticizing range, which makes it highly suitable for overmolding. The adhesion of pebax^® onto inserts can be optimized by adjusting the process parameters. From a general stand point:

• Pebax^® can over mold: Pebax^®, TPU (preferably Ether type), PVC, leather, coated parts…
• Pebax^® can be over molded by: Rilsan^®, Rilsamid^®, Rilsan^® Clear…

Extrusion Conditions of Pebax^®

Thanks to the rheological properties of pebax^®, many extrusion and coextrusion technologies are available:

• Films down to 10µm in cast or blown process
• Sheet
• Tubes

Pebax^® can be extruded on conventional equipment. Arkema personnel will be pleased to provide specific processing parameters related to pebax^® in technologies such as tube sizing, blown film drawing or the cooling conditions for sheet calendering.