EPOLENE® polymers are typically used as additives or resins in various applications within industries such as plastics, coatings, adhesives, and several others. Unlike competitive polypropylene and polyethylene waxes, EPOLENE® is vertically integrated with captive feedstocks, allowing for consistent production and fewer supply disruptions due to raw materials.
Applications for EPOLENE®
Candles
EPOLENE® polyethylene wax increases desirable properties in candles made of cheaper, low-quality paraffin waxes. Candles made with EPOLENE® have longer burn times, better color strength, and increased gloss, sheen, opacity, and hardness. EPOLENE® is virtually odorless and smokeless, making it an ideal additive to improve the quality of many candle types. For more on this topic, check out
this article.
Adhesives
The EPOLENE® C-grade polyethylene waxes are particularly useful as base resins for hot-melt adhesives. In this instance, EPOLENE® creates adhesives with strong bonds and lower melt viscosity to allow easier wetting onto surfaces. In addition, hot-melt adhesives have excellent molten stability through lower changes in viscosity when heated, which increases pot life and reduces the incidence of plugged dispensing nozzles. To read more about how EPOLENE® polyethylene waxes improve hot-melt adhesives, read this article.
Masterbatches
EPOLENE® polypropylene and polyethylene waxes function as outstanding dispersing agents and process aids for creating masterbatches. A small addition of EPOLENE® helps to prevent the agglomeration of pigments and creates a more homogeneous dispersion in masterbatches. This uniformity also reduces the torque and die pressure required to make compounds. For more information on Epolene® and masterbatches, click here.
Coatings
Epolene® polymers play large roles in coating formulations for the packaging and fruit industries. EPOLENE® C-grade PE waxes are used in hot-melt barrier coatings, and EPOLENE® E-grade PE waxes are used to create emulsion barrier coatings for paper. These coatings have low moisture vapor transmission rates and high grease resistance. E-grades of EPOLENE® PE waxes may also be used to create scuff-resistant coatings for glass bottles and barrier coatings for fruits to retain moisture and freshness.
Inks
Both emulsifiable and nonemulsifiable EPOLENE® PE waxes find utility in inks; emulsions containing emulsifiable EPOLENE® polyethylene waxes are added to waterborne ink formulations to increase abrasion resistance, act as a slip agent, and reduce offset. Dispersions of nonemulsifiable EPOLENE® polyethylene waxes can similarly be added to solvent-based ink formulations to obtain the same benefits.
Polishes
EPOLENE® provides value in a variety of automobile and floor polishes. Emulsions made with EPOLENE® E-grade waxes improve slip and scuff resistance, hardness, leveling, and water resistance to floor polishes. Automotive polishes using EPOLENE® E-grade PE wax exhibit excellent gloss and film hardness in creamy automobile polishes.
EPOLENE® Equivalents for Competitive PP and PE Wax
As mentioned, while the supply and price of competitive polypropylene and polyethylene wax may be unstable, Westlake Chemical is vertically integrated into feedstock to provide consistent supply. The tables below list EPOLENE® polymers that compare to Honeywell's A-C® waxes and BASF Luwax®.
Polyethylene Polymers
