New ETFE Adhesive Chemically Bonds to Engineered Plastics in One Processing Step

EXTON, Pa., March 7, 2016 – AGC Chemicals Americas Inc. has added a resin to its LM-ETFE AH series of adhesive fluoropolymers. Fluon^® ETFE LH-8000 exhibits advanced adhesive properties that allow it to bond to dissimilar materials, such as polyamides, polyethylenes and metals The adhesive functionality of Fluon LH-8000 is ideal for producing multilayer structures in a one-step process without surface treatment and by often eliminating the need for a tie layer.

LH-8000 has chemical resistance and electrical and non-stick properties equivalent to conventional ETFE resins. However, it is an ultra-low-melting resin that is cost-effective for applications such as chemical bags, hot water hoses, rubber hose mandrels, anti-stick conveyor belts, multilayer monofilament, interlayer insulation film for electronic substrates and tubes that convey harsh materials in the chemical, plastics, oil and gas, building and paint industries.

“Processors and molders using Fluon LH-8000 can reduce their initial investment because a fluoropolymer layer can be co-extruded with conventional engineering plastics, like HDPE and PA, without the need for special corrosion-resistant equipment,” said AGC product and development engineer Katie Sprick.

Fluon LH-8000 has an ultra-low melting point of 180 °C to 190 °C, the lowest of all of AGC’s AH series resins. It also offers the widest processing temperature range between melting point and onset of degradation (350 °C) among all of AGC’s Fluon ETFE products. This large processing temperature window minimizes any possible material decomposition. In addition, the corrosive off-gas levels at melt processing of Fluon LH-8000 are very low, minimizing damage to the molding equipment.