Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) can enhance many film properties such as tensile strength, elongation, stiffness, optics (haze and gloss) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). Although MDO can be used with high molecular weight-high density polyethylene (HMW-HDPE) resins, few or no medium molecular weight-high density polyethylene (MMW-HDPE) films have previously been available due to MDO processing issues, namely stretch resonance, which is a phenomena where the film stretches unevenly. Thus it has not been possible to take advantage of the better barrier properties and improved process capabilities of the MMW resin. This paper describes a new line of machine direction orientable MMW-HDPE films that are now commercially available; these were made possible through the use of a proprietary processing aid (PA) that overcomes the stretching problem previously encountered with MMW-HDPE resins. Physical property data for two MDO MMW-HDPE films are presented.
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