- 9 May 2007 -
Nucleating agent receives food contact notification

Milliken Chemical’s Hyperform® HPN-20E nucleating agent has received a food contact notification (FCN) for use in polyolefins. The FCN covers Conditions A-H, allowing broad usage across a range of food contact applications.

Hyperform HPN-20E is said to successfully nucleate polyethylene (PE) bringing a variety of benefits such as improved clarity, physical properties, and barrier and seal performance. Target applications for the agent include monolayer and coextruded film for food packaging, agricultural applications and overwrap films. Early focus has been in the area of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins where optical enhancement is important for shelf appeal. It is claimed that by nucleating LLDPE with HPN-20E optics can be enhanced without detriment to tear and impact, which often results when low density PE is blended into LLDPE to create the same effect.

Other benefits of the nucleating agent include: improvement in PE film hot-tack performance that can potentially speed up vertical form, fill and seal lines (VFFS); stiffness enhancement; and reductions in water vapour transmission rates, enhancing the barrier properties of PE film layers (high density PE and LLDPE) used in a range of coextruded structures. Hyperform HPN-20E can also be used as a nucleating agent for polypropylene.  

Milliken Chemical; www.millikenchemical.com