1. Large choice of processing

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

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

2. Handling recommendations

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

3. 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 ovens; higher temperature and time reduction is achieved with lack of oxygen. Desiccant dryers are also efficient with regularly changed filters. Risk of oxidation is greater with forced-air circulation ovens.

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

4. 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):

5. 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 best meets your specification.

6. Overmolding

Insert molding offers 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 shoes. Pebax^® is highly suitable for these applications as it features a wide plasticizing range. 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^® PA 12, Rilsan^® PA 11, Rilsan^® Clear…

7. Extrusion Conditions of Pebax^®

Thanks to the rheological properties of pebax^®, the possibilities of extrusion and coextrusion are endless:
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 sheet calendering.