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molding. The material exhibits low gel content, which contributes to end-use applications that require superior gloss, transparency, surface smoothness, and planarity, as well as good tear resistance. Also claimed are excellent sealing properties in cast film and good processability for injection molding. SABIC SK Nexlene Company (U.S. office in Houston; sabic. com), the new 50/50 joint venture between SABIC and South Korea's SK Global (skglobalchemical.com), is moving ahead with development of high-performance PE products made with "post-metal- locene" single-site catalysts and octene-1 comonomer in the Nexlene bimodal solution process. Included are mLLDPE and mMDPE grades with 0.5-3.0 MI and densities of 0.857-0.945 g/cc for applications ranging from food and non-food film packaging to pipe, rotomolding of chemical tanks, and heavy-duty film. New Nexlene film grades reportedly deliver enhanced toughness, low heat-seal temperature, downgauging potential, low extractables, and excellent bubble stability. Meanwhile, Nexlene MDPE grades boast a good impact/stiffness balance, as well as excellent ESCR and processability. Also newly emerging are advanced specialty polyolefins—both polyolefin elastomers (POEs) with bimodality that offers better impact, and polyolefin plastomers (POPs) with molecular design that renders it more elastic. There's also a new bimodal POE with improved heat resistance that is reportedly based on a "new olefin beyond octene in performance" … and also costs less. Characteristics of Nexlene POEs reportedly include excel- lent impact strength, flexural modulus, and low-temperature ductility, and better physical properties than butene-based POEs. Applications include blending at 10-25% levels with mineral-filled Several promising material and process developments were pre- sented at SPE's International Polyolefins 2017 conference, held in Houston this past March. Among the highlights were new materials and additives for applications ranging from food and non-food flexible and rigid packaging, to pipe, consumer goods, and automotive. GAME-CHANGING POLYOLEFINS Houston-based LyondellBasell Industries (LBI; lyondellbasell.com) touted its Spherizone process—a two-in-one circulating reactor that can produce novel PP grades said to be suited for inter-mate- rial applications. Included are PP pipe grades that offer up to 30% weight reduction, homopolymer grades with improved pro- cessing, transparent random copolymers, and random/impact copolymer combinations with good transparency. Among the latest additions is Purell RP320M, a PP random copolymer that can be used in caps and closures, labware, and flexible and rigid packaging of medical devices and pharmaceuti- cals. RP320M reportedly offers good clarity and excellent homoge- neity to meet high quality requirements in cast film and injection By Lilli Manolis Sherman, Senior Editor Conference Uncovers Innovations Across a Range of Processes, Markets New materials and additives for injection and blow molding, extrusion, compounding, and thermoforming highlighted the SPE Polyolefins Conference. Advanced specialty poly- olefins are emerging—both POEs with bimodality that offers better impact, and POPs with molecular design that renders it more elastic. In heavy-duty sacks, Dow's Innate precision packaging resins show outstanding toughness. 14 JUNE 2017 Plastics Technology PTonline.com P O LY O L E F I N S Close -Up On Technolog y