Oxidised Polyethylene Wax

About This Product

Oxidised polyethylene wax is a low molecular weight high-density polyethylene homopolymer that has been treated with air at elevated temperature so that a controlled number of carboxyl, hydroxyl and carbonyl groups are introduced along the chain. It is supplied as a white powder or as granules. An unmodified polyethylene wax is entirely non-polar, which makes it a good external lubricant and a poor dispersant: it has no affinity for the polar surfaces of pigments, fillers or PVC resin itself. Oxidation fixes that without giving up the wax character. The acid value, typically quoted between about 15 and 30 mg KOH per gram, measures how far the oxidation was taken and is the number that decides behaviour: more polarity means better wetting of titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate and flame retardant fillers, better emulsifiability in water, and greater internal lubrication in PVC; less polarity keeps the release and slip of the parent wax. Because it is high density rather than branched, it also keeps a sharp melting point and high hardness, so it lubricates at processing temperature without softening the finished part. In practice it is used where dispersion and lubrication have to happen at once, which is most highly filled compounds. It is used in PVC cable filling compounds for fibre optic and telecom cable, as a process aid in TPE and highly filled thermoplastics, in pigment and filler masterbatches, in hot melt adhesives, and in wax emulsions for coatings, textiles and polishes. Bio Green Chem supplies oxidised polyethylene wax to specification on acid value, drop melting point, viscosity, density and penetration hardness, in 25 kg bags. State the acid value range your formulation needs.