Hydrophobicity and hydrolytic resistance

Polymer modifications

The two long hydrocarbon side chains provide an excellent intrinsic hydrophobicity to any material, and they protect from water aggression from any further chemical link bult on the two ends.

The many modifications we have developed make it possible for you to use this dimer group in any application where you need high hydrolytic resistance, and in many different chemistries such as:

• Polyamide
• Polyesters
• Copolymers
• Polyimide
• Polyurethane
• Epoxy

Polyester engineering plastics can be modified by copolymerising with our Pripol dimer acid which is a branched C36 di-carboxylic acid. When incorporated into a resin, its large hydrocarbon nature brings excellent hydrophobicity. The same dimer-based technology is also available in a diol version. Pripol dimer acid and dimer diol are made from natural fatty acids, resulting in a 100% renewable carbon content. Modification with Pripol dimer acid and dimer diol brings the following benefits to polyesters:

• Enhanced hydrophobicity
• Improved melt flow properties and substrate wetting
• Improved hydrolytic stability and chemical resistance
• Renewable content
• (Low temperature) flexibility
• Reduced stress and strain after moulding or casting

Priplast dimer based polyester polyols are ideal as larger soft segments to modify polyester plastics such as PET or PBT. Like the Pripol dimer acid and dimer diol, Priplast bio-based building blocks bring excellent hydrophobicity.
Provided some care is taken in the manufacturing process to prevent trans-esterification, and hence randomisation, the low polarity Priplast can be built in as an elongated soft segment. This results in a two-phase structure with soft, rubbery Priplast segments distributed in the hard polyester matrix. 

The excellent hydrophobicity of these products results in:

• Reduced drying efforts which brings cost savings and improves production rate
• Improvements in the preparation of laminates of polyesters with dissimilar polymers
• Enhanced barrier properties in food packaging films

In addition to these benefits, Priplast bio-based building blocks result in hydrophobic elastomers that allows for sealing or protecting from moisture and for the blending of polyurethane with low polarity resins.