Teknor, Arkema Team Up On Broad Range Of Sustainable Housewrap Film Compounds
Teknor and Arkema alliance aimed at housewrap film compounds with renewable content and range of permeabilities.
A strategic alliance between Teknor Apex, Pawtucket, RI, and Arkema, King of Prussia, Penn., is expected to broaden the range of breathable films by combining the former’s Terraloy bioplastic compounds with the latter’s Pebax engineering-grade TPE, and enable housewrap film manufacturers to increase their product offerings and expand their commitment to sustainability.
At Teknor’s exhibit at the 2015 NAHB International Home Builders Show in Las Vegas, held Jan. 20-22, the partners jointly introduced the first of a family of compounds comprised of a blend of PEBAX polyether-block-amide TPE with Teknor’s Terraloy bioplastics, which are derived from plant-based, renewable sources. Teknor has developed multiple grades of the blend by varying the Terraloy biopolymer content, so that films with various levels of moisture permeability can be products. Such films can be bonded with nonwoven fabrics to form housewraps that allow moisture vapor to escape from homes, preventing mold and mildew, yet remain waterproof.
Pebax TPEs combine the advantages of thermoplastics with the elasticity of rubber. When extruded into a thin film or laminated to a substrate, they offer excellent permeability to moisture vapor while remaining waterproof. They do not require an adhesive or bonding agent to adhere to synthetic nonwovens. “Adding biopolymer to Pebax has broadened its breathability characteristics while maintaining good adhesion to fabric,” says Laurent Cartier, Arkema’s Pebax TPE sales and business development manager.
Want to find or compare materials data for different resins, grades, or suppliers? Check out Plastic Technology’s Plaspec Global materials database.
Related Content
-
Borealis and Partners Move Forward with Crosslinked PE and PP Pipes Based on Renewable Feedstock
The company’s partnerships in these new drop-in solutions significantly advances carbon footprint reduction.
-
IPEX Opens Injection Molding Facility in North Carolina
The pipe and fittings manufacturer’s new 200,000-square-foot facility represents a $200 million investment and will create 150 jobs.
-
Single- and Twin-Screw Lines for PVC and Polyolefin Pipes
New line produces pipe in a range of configurations for construction, other markets.