The European Patent Office will approve a patent for the Sweden-based additive manufacturer’s Reactive Recycling technology.
Additive manufacturer Nexam Chemical has developed a range of products to upgrade recycled polyethylene (rLDPE, rLLDPE, rHDPE). The Nexamite R301-305 additives, part of the Swedish company’s technology Reactive Technology, can be added to the extruder together with the PE to be mechanically recycled.
Now, the European Patent Office has informed the company it will approve a patent for the Reactive Technology for PE recycling applications. The announcement follows the granting of a patent for the same technology for PP applications this July.
“Nexam once again breaks new ground and broadens the field of use for Reactive Recycling and thus contributes to more sustainable solutions,” said Christer Svanberg, Chief Technology Officer at Nexam Chemical. “Together with the rest of Nexam’s portfolio of solutions for recycling plastics, the method means that even the largest recycling streams can be used in more products than was previously possible,” he added.
Polyethylene is the most abundant plastic in the world, accounting for over 30% of the total global production. Using the new method to recycling PE will help reduce the use of virgin plastic in the manufacture of new products.
For recycling companies, using Nexam’s additives reportedly tunes the flow characteristics of the rPE to fit application processing needs, enhances processability of rPE, and increases its quality. The company describes the material as non-hazardous and peroxide free.
For converters, the solutions reportedly enable the use of higher amounts of recycled PE in the final applications. They also increase melt strength and improve the mechanical properties of the products.