Next Generation Microlayer Annular Co-Extrusion

Annularly co-extruded products are limited to 5 to 6 layers with current state-of-the-art production methods. Microlayered thermoplastics used in the film and sheet industry yield 10ĺs to 100ĺs of layers, significantly enhancing material properties such as strength, fracture toughness, conductivity, gas-barrier properties, and optical properties. A Next Generation Microlayer Annular Co-Extrusion manufacturing process and toolset is being developed to increase the number of fully annular co-extruded layers of material from 6 layers (current state-of-the-art) to 10ĺs to 100ĺs of microlayers, enabling manufacturers to develop next generation annular extruded products. The Phase I study developed a next generation microlayer annular co-extrusion production process and die assembly using an annular microlayer feedblock. The work resulted in the successful demonstration of the worldĺs first fully annular 21 layer polymer extrudates using polylactic acid, as well as a combination of high density polyethylene and copolymer polypropylene. This result demonstrated a 250 percent increase in fully annular layers over the previous state-of-the-art of 6. Phase II research will develop an annular microlayer extrusion toolset that can create 1, 21, 51, and over 101 layer extrusions and expand the technology to process polymer at a wider range of layer counts, thicknesses, form factors, materials, and higher flow rates. This toolset will be utilized to demonstrate microlayer benefits in annular extruded materials for the first time by extruding and testing for tensile strength and hydrogen-barrier improvements in hoses, and tensile strength improvements in wire jacketing. Annular microlayer co-extrusion will unlock next generation polymer end-products, improving foundational manufacturing technology in the 200 billion dollar extruded plastics market. Shifting industry production to more durable, higher-performance multilayered products will help drive economy-wide decarbonization by significantly reducing the material, oil, and energy used by eliminating up to 8 million tonnes of fossil fuel-based polymers and up to 16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Next generation microlayer annular extruded products include wires, hoses, pipes, tubes, pharmaceuticals, and clean energy products such as hydrogen fuel lines and offshore wind cables. This foundational technology has a widespread range of uses, industries, and applications with the potential to enable clean energy technologies and increase sustainability in extruded end-products.