Grades Suitable for Polypropylene (PP) Modification

Asahi Kasei's TUFTEC™ is widely used for various PP modification applications, including “flexibility,” “transparency,” “impact resistance improvement,” and “heat sealability.”

Grades Suitable for Polypropylene (PP) Modification

TUFTEC™ - Ideal for PP Modification

Asahi Kasei's TUFTEC™ can be used as a modifier for polypropylene (PP). This page provides information on the optimal grades for three PP modification applications: “flexibility and transparency,” “impact resistance improvement,” and “heat sealability.”

Functions for Polypropylene (PP) Modification with TUFTEC™

Grades Suitable for PP Flexibility and Transparency Enhancement

TUFTEC™ offers three recommended grades for flexibility and transparency enhancement, depending on the desired degree of flexibility, transparency, and other properties.


Mechanism of Flexibility and Transparency Enhancement with TUFTEC™

Polypropylene (PP) has a glass transition point near 0°C, leading to challenges such as embrittlement at low temperatures and reduced transparency due to light scattering caused by crystalline particles.

TUFTEC™ addresses these issues. Adding TUFTEC™ TUFTEC™ reduces the flexural modulus of PP, enabling great flexibility. Compared to olefinic elastomers (POE) and general-purpose SEBS, the effect of TUFTEC™ is particularly remarkable (see figure below).

Furthermore, TUFTEC™ enhances transparency of PP products. TUFTEC™ designed for PP modification exhibits exceptional compatibility with PP, effectively inhibiting crystallization through uniform dispersion. This significantly improves the transparency of PP products (see figure below).

Left: Adding TUFTEC to polypropylene results in a greater change in flexural modulus compared to POE, etc.
Right: Polypropylene with TUFTEC (center) exhibits higher transparency compared to unmodified or general-purpose elastomers.

Change in flexural modulus by adding TUFTEC. Transparency enhancement by TUFTEC

Grades Suitable for PP Impact Resistance Improvement


Reason for PP Impact Resistance Improvement with TUFTEC™

Polypropylene (PP) has a glass transition point around 0°C, making it susceptible to embrittlement at low temperatures.

  • TUFTEC™ H1062:
    With tanδ peak around -50℃ (glass transition point is -50℃) enables to impart excellent low-temperature impact resistance in polypropylene. Moreover, the butadiene-derived soft block is fully hydrogenated, ensuring excellent weatherability and heat aging resistance.

Left: TUFTEC™ H1062 imparts excellent low-temperature impact resistance.
Right: PP with TUFTEC™ H1062 exhibits significantly improved impact resistance compared to when general-purpose SEBS is added.

Dynamic viscoelasticity of TUFTEC™ H1062. Impact resistance improvement by TUFTEC™ H1062

Grades Suitable for Imparting Heat Sealability to PP

TUFTEC™ offers three recommended grades for heat sealability enhancement, based on the desired heat seal strength.


Why TUFTEC™ Enables Heat Sealability Enhancement for PP

Blending TUFTEC™ with polypropylene (PP) imparts heat sealability. The heat sealability of TUFTEC™ varies depending on the grade and blend ratio. It can be classified into Type A and Type B, imparting different seal strengths. By combining Type A and Type B TUFTEC™ in the sealant layer and adjusting the blend ratio, heat seal strength can be customized.

  • Type A (H1221)
    Exhibits high heat seal strength at 150℃. The seal curve rises sharply, resulting in films with high sealability.
  • Type B (H1062)
    Exhibits weak seal strength around 150℃. The seal curve rises gradually, allowing for easy control of seal strength by adjusting the heat seal temperature.

Polypropylene with Type A (H1221) TUFTEC™ exhibits high strength at any temperature above 150°C. On the other hand, Type B (H1062) TUFTEC™ shows gradual changes in seal strength depending on the temperature, making it a grade that is easy to adjust the heat seal temperature.

Heat sealability enhancement for PP film by TUFTEC™

Related Applications