| HS Code | 631763 |
| Material Type | High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) |
| Density | 0.953 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate 190 C 2 16 Kg | 40 g/10 min |
| Tensile Strength At Yield | 26 MPa |
| Tensile Strength At Break | 30 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 1000% |
| Flexural Modulus | 1100 MPa |
| Notched Izod Impact Strength 23 C | 50 J/m |
| Notched Izod Impact Strength 20 C | 30 J/m |
| Vicat Softening Point | 125°C |
| Heat Deflection Temperature 0 45 Mpa | 70°C |
| Shore D Hardness | 60 |
| Mold Shrinkage | 0.015-0.025 in/in |
| Environmental Stress Crack Resistance 10 Igepal | 10 h |
| Brittleness Temperature | < -70°C |
As an accredited Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK is packed in 25 kg polyethylene bags, with 55 bags per pallet, totaling 1,375 kg net weight. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL container loading of Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK: 25 kg bags, palletized, shrink-wrapped, strapped, and secured for maritime transport. |
| Shipping | Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK is a non-hazardous polyethylene resin, typically shipped in 25 kg bags or 1000 kg bulk bags, palletized and stretch-wrapped. Transport in clean, dry trucks or containers at ambient temperature, protected from moisture, sunlight, and contamination. No special DOT/ADR labeling required. |
| Storage | Store Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, sparks, and open flames. Keep bags or containers tightly closed to prevent moisture, dust, and contamination. Avoid prolonged UV exposure. Stack pallets securely and uniformly to prevent deformation or bursting. Use first-in, first-out stock rotation; observe supplier shelf-life recommendations. Do not store near strong oxidizers. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is 24 months when stored unopened in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight and heat. |
Extrusion blow molding of high-density polyethylene jerrycans for dangerous goods logistics typically employs Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK in a monolayer parison from an accumulator head with a 100-point radial die gap programmer. The grade is processed at melt temperatures from 180 °C to 220 °C; front zone set points of 185 °C, 195 °C, 205 °C and head set point of 205 °C maintain a homogeneous melt without exceeding oxidative degradation thresholds. Extruder barrel zones are set from 170 °C in the feed zone to 205 °C in the metering zone; screw speed is held at 40–70 rpm and die head pressure between 18 MPa and 28 MPa. Residence time above 8 min at 220 °C promotes gel formation above 0.3 mm², so purging is required when production is interrupted. A parison swell of 25–40 % at a converging die land length of 20–30 mm is characteristic for high-molecular-weight HDPE, and the accumulator head should maintain shot capacity above 2.5 kg for 30 L containers. Mold temperature for these thick-wall industrial articles is held between 12 °C and 28 °C, with cycle times of 90–150 s depending on wall thickness from 1.5 mm to 3.0 mm. Blow-up ratio in side-flash tooling is maintained at 2.0:1 to 2.8:1 to avoid excessive thinning at the pinch-off weld, which would reduce hydraulic pressure resistance.
UN certification for these containers requires a hydrostatic pressure test at 100 kPa for 30 min, leaktightness at 30 kPa, stacking load equivalent to 3.0 m of filled-height for 24 h, and drop impact at −18 °C from 1.2 m for Packing Group II. The polymer contributes to drop impact retention when density is above 0.950 g/cm³, flexural modulus by ASTM D790 is above 950 MPa, and the ESCR value by ASTM D1693 condition B exceeds 400 h; however, final package qualification depends on side wall distribution, pinch-off weld integrity, and closure torque retention, not on resin alone. If the grade fails to meet the required ESCR due to excessive regrind or high processing temperature, the container may exhibit microcracking at the bottom corner radius after contact with surfactant-based liquids. Published data for this specific grade under UN certification testing should be verified against the lot-specific certificate, because ESCR is a batch-sensitive property measured on compression-molded plaques rather than blow molded walls.
| Qualification test | Condition | Acceptance criterion | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrostatic pressure | 100 kPa for 30 min | No leakage or permanent deformation | 49 CFR 178.605 |
| Leakproofness | 30 kPa for 5 min | No leakage | 49 CFR 178.604 |
| Drop impact | 1.2 m at −18 °C | No rupture; closure retained | 49 CFR 178.603 |
| Stacking | 3.0 m for 24 h | No deformation affecting containment | 49 CFR 178.606 |
For emulsifiable concentrates and hydrocarbon-based agricultural formulations, monolayer HDPE of the GM5340PRK type is selected because the high molecular weight and low melt index delay crack propagation under contact with non-ionic surfactant systems. The critical processing variable is not melt temperature but wall thickness distribution at the shoulder and bottom radius, where stress concentration coincides with orientation frozen during parison inflation. A radial die gap programmer maps wall thickness in 10° increments, with the shoulder receiving 1.45–1.70 mm and the side wall 0.90–1.20 mm for a 5 L container. The blow mold cooling is set to 14 °C–20 °C, and the part is extracted at a surface temperature below 60 °C to avoid warpage that reduces dimensional stability during capping torque retention at 2.5 N·m. To reduce solvent loss, inline fluorination is applied at 0.5–2.0 vol% fluorine in nitrogen, forming a fluorinated barrier layer of 5–20 nm thickness on the interior surface. Treatment time is 3–12 s depending on container volume; beyond 2.0 vol% fluorine, surface energy increases and cap seal performance may deteriorate.
Permeation is measured by ASTM D2684 with the packaged formulation at 40 °C for 14 d, and the target is typically a weight loss below 0.5 %/year for commercial emulsifiable concentrates. The outer shell must retain an ESCR above 400 h by ASTM D1693 condition B after 21 d of formulation immersion at 40 °C, with tensile elongation retention by ASTM D638 of at least 85 %. Batch-to-batch viscosity variation of ±10 % affects parison sag; therefore the operator should monitor melt pressure at the die head between 20 MPa and 30 MPa. The terminal articles are 250 mL to 10 L narrow-neck bottles for emulsifiable concentrate, suspension concentrate, and solvent-based adjuvant packaging.
Monolayer blow molded bottles for pasteurized milk, pharmaceutical syrups, and clean personal care products use GM5340PRK only after lot-specific compliance verification against FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 and EU No 10/2011. Overall migration under EU No 10/2011 is held below 10 mg/dm² using food simulant contact for 10 d at 40 °C. The resin should be stored below 60 % relative humidity; if condensation occurs, drying at 70 °C for 2 h in a desiccant dryer is sufficient. The extruder should run a barrier screw with 24:1 L/D and a grooved feed section, with barrel temperatures from 180 °C to 210 °C. In dairy bottle applications, the parison is inflated with filtered air at 0.6–0.9 MPa, and the mold is cooled at 12 °C to 18 °C to reduce post-mold shrinkage below 1.5 %. Organoleptic neutrality is assessed by sensory panel per ISO 8586; no taint transfer is accepted after 28 d of contact at 40 °C with the actual food simulant. Regrind in food-contact layers is limited to 30 wt% and must be generated from the same food-grade lot; cross-contamination from non-food lines invalidates the FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 compliance. The terminal article is typically a 500 mL to 5 L bottle with neck finish torque retention of 2.0–3.5 N·m and top load resistance above 250 N.
Across underhood blow molding lines, windshield washer reservoirs and coolant overflow bottles made from HDPE GM5340PRK are evaluated for burst pressure, vacuum collapse, and hot-water aging at 95 °C. The blow molding line typically uses a 90 mm extruder with 24:1 L/D and a barrier screw to maintain melt homogeneity. Clamp force for multi-cavity tooling is set at 80–120 kN per cavity to resist parison flash. Internal pinch-off weld quality is monitored by a burst test at 350–500 kPa for 60 s; vacuum collapse resistance is checked at −30 kPa after conditioning at 80 °C, because the part must withstand radiator return line temperatures. The material's Vicat softening temperature, measured by ASTM D1525 at 10 N/50 °C/h, should be above 125 °C to prevent neck deformation during underhood heat soak. Long-term coolant compatibility is assessed by immersion in ethylene glycol/water 50/50 at 100 °C for 1,000 h, with tensile elongation retention by ASTM D638 of at least 70 %. Published data for this specific grade in automotive coolant reservoirs is limited; qualification is therefore component-specific and should include thermal cycling from −40 °C to 90 °C at 24 h per cycle for 20 cycles. The resulting articles are typically 1.5 L to 5 L reservoirs with wall sections from 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm.
Closed-loop regrind is common in industrial packaging, but high-molecular-weight HDPE grades such as GM5340PRK lose orientation and ESCR if the regrind fraction is not controlled. The feed throat temperature should be reduced by 5–10 °C when regrind at 30 wt% is added to virgin resin, because regrind has a lower apparent viscosity and a broader particle size distribution. Screen packs of 60/100/60 mesh remove degraded particles and gel bodies above 0.15 mm² per 100 cm². At 50 wt% regrind, ESCR by ASTM D1693 condition B may fall below 280 h, which is critical for surfactant-loaded household and industrial chemicals; at 30 wt%, the same lot can maintain above 450 h if regrind is ground below 8 mm and not overheated. The parison hang time should be limited to 3 s with sag below 12 % of the initial length, measured by a laser gauge on the accumulator head. The resulting containers are typically 20 L to 60 L jerrycans with wall thickness from 1.8 mm to 3.5 mm.
| Regrind fraction | ESCR by ASTM D1693-B | Hydrostatic resistance | Parison sag at 3 s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 wt% | >600 h | Pass 100 kPa | 8–10 % |
| 30 wt% | >450 h | Pass 100 kPa | 10–12 % |
| 50 wt% | 280 h | Risk of pinhole failure | 13–15 % |
Published data for this grade in closed-loop regrind configurations is limited; the table represents process response observed on high-molecular-weight HDPE blow molding lines, not a guaranteed specification.
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Braskem HDPE GM5340PRK is a high-molecular-weight high-density polyethylene extrusion grade supplied as pellets for heavy-gauge sheet, thermoforming, industrial profiles, and large-part blow moulding. The commercial designation GM5340PRK identifies a base HDPE with an additive configuration denoted by the PRK suffix. Representative values from supplier technical literature include a density of 0.953 g/cm³ when measured by ASTM D792-20 Method B or ISO 1183-1:2019 Method A, and a melt flow rate of 0.35 g/10 min at 190 °C under 2.16 kg load by ASTM D1238-20 Procedure A or ISO 1133-1:2022 Procedure A. The reported values are typical properties, not batch-release limits; lot-specific data are recorded on the certificate of analysis. Published independent data for the PRK-specific stabilizer and processing package is limited outside the Braskem technical bulletin.
At low shear rates the viscosity of GM5340PRK is sufficiently high that screw selection and temperature profiling have a measurable effect on melt quality. In a single-screw extruder with 25:1 to 30:1 L/D and a barrier or mixing section, feed-zone temperatures are typically held at 170–180 °C, compression temperatures at 180–200 °C, metering temperatures at 190–210 °C, and die-zone temperatures at 190–210 °C. A melt temperature of 195–215 °C at the die entry, measured by an infrared pyrometer, is maintained on production lines. Running below 190 °C raises extruder head pressure and specific energy consumption, while temperatures above 220 °C accelerate oxidative chain scission, increase gel formation, and produce surface roughness. A screen pack of 40/80/100 mesh is commonly inserted to generate 60–120 bar head pressure and to filter unmelted materials from the high-molecular-weight melt before the die.
Because GM5340PRK is a sub-1 g/10 min melt-flow extrusion resin, it has higher melt strength and higher die swell than a general-purpose HDPE at equivalent melt temperature. Capillary rheometry at 190 °C over shear rates from 10 s⁻¹ to 1000 s⁻¹ shows pseudoplastic behaviour typical of high-density polyethylene, with the viscosity curve shifted upward relative to lower-molecular-weight grades, especially below 100 s⁻¹. The result is greater parison sag resistance and sheet draw stability, but tooling requires compensation; the die gap is set narrower than the final sheet thickness, and blow-up ratios are adjusted to prevent excessive thickening at pinch-off areas. Published Rheotens melt-strength data for this PRK configuration is limited, and processors should measure the melt-strength curve on the actual extruder when parison sag length is a critical control variable.
The ratio of high-load melt flow at 21.6 kg to standard melt flow at 2.16 kg is used as a quality-control indicator for molecular weight distribution. A shift in this ratio changes die swell, gloss, and parison sag even when the standard melt flow remains unchanged. For GM5340PRK, the high-load ratio is not routinely published in all public datasheets; the certificate of analysis should be consulted for supplier control limits.
Heavy-gauge sheet produced from GM5340PRK enters the form station with a surface temperature controlled between 170 °C and 185 °C, as measured by an 8–12 µm infrared pyrometer. Below 170 °C, the sheet retains excessive elastic memory; in female tools, corner thinning and incomplete detail reproduction become measurable, and in pressure forming the lower surface may crack if a fast plug is used. Above 185 °C, sag becomes the dominant defect. On a 600 mm unsupported span at 6–10 mm thickness, sag can exceed 20 mm, producing differential orientation and thickness variation after forming. Core-to-surface temperature uniformity is not assured by surface pyrometry alone; contact thermocouple insertion or a multi-wavelength pyrometer is used to verify that the core has reached the forming range. Twin-sheet pressure forming of tanks, pallets, and dunnage often uses plug-assisted cycles with forming air pressures of 2.5–4.0 bar; machine-specific plug force data for this PRK grade is limited in public literature and is normally acquired on the target thermoforming line.
Moisture control before extrusion is less critical for HDPE than for hygroscopic resins, but surface condensation must be avoided. Pellets stored at relative humidity above 60 % or transferred from cold silos to a warm production floor can carry surface moisture that produces splay in the sheet surface. A hopper dryer at 80 °C for 2–4 h is sufficient when surface moisture exceeds 0.05 wt%; the feed throat is maintained at 35–50 °C to prevent further condensation. The low water absorption of HDPE means hydrolytic degradation is not the primary concern; surface volatiles and trapped air are the principal defects.
Accumulator-head extrusion blow moulding of technical parts and containers uses a melt temperature of 200–210 °C at the die, slightly lower than the maximum sheet die temperature because the parison must support its own weight as shot size increases. The high molecular weight of GM5340PRK reduces gravity-driven parison thinning, but die swell is higher than for a 1.0 g/10 min melt-flow HDPE. Tooling is therefore designed with a smaller die gap and a lower blow-up ratio than would be used for a lower-viscosity grade. Mould temperature is controlled with chilled water at 10–25 °C to set surface gloss and minimize post-mould distortion. Shrinkage after demoulding is geometry-dependent; general HDPE practice indicates machine-direction shrinkage of 1.5–2.5 % and transverse-direction shrinkage of 1.0–2.0 % after 48 h at 23 °C, but a part-specific shrinkage study is required because wall thickness and cooling rate dominate the measured value.
Failure modes observed on production lines include melt fracture at the die lip when the melt temperature is too low, shark-skin patterns at high output rates, and dimensional instability when the melt temperature is too high. A stab-in melt thermocouple at the die exit is preferred over a barrel thermocouple for setpoint control because the actual melt temperature can deviate from barrel setpoints by 10–20 °C under high screw speeds. Screw speed is usually limited by melt temperature, not by motor load; a 50 mm single-screw extruder running GM5340PRK may reach the upper temperature limit before maximum screw speed, depending on screw design and backpressure.
| Property | Test standard | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Density | ASTM D792-20 Method B / ISO 1183-1:2019 Method A | 0.953 g/cm³ |
| Melt flow rate | ASTM D1238-20 Procedure A / ISO 1133-1:2022 Procedure A | 0.35 g/10 min at 190 °C/2.16 kg |
| Tensile stress at yield | ASTM D638-14 Type IV / ISO 527-2:2012 Type 1A | 28 MPa |
| Tensile elongation at break | ASTM D638-14 Type IV / ISO 527-2:2012 Type 1A | 700 % |
| Flexural modulus | ASTM D790-17 Method I / ISO 178:2019 | 1,200 MPa |
| Environmental stress crack resistance, F50 | ASTM D1693-15 Condition B, 100 % Igepal CO-630 | >600 h |
| Vicat softening temperature | ASTM D1525-17e1 Method A, 10 N, 50 °C/h | 128 °C |
| Notched Izod impact at 23 °C | ASTM D256-10 Method A | no break |
In comparison with Braskem injection-grade HDPE grades having melt flow rates in the 8–20 g/10 min range, GM5340PRK is not intended for thin-wall injection moulding. The low melt flow rate of 0.35 g/10 min limits spiral-flow length at practical injection pressures; an injection grade can fill a thin-wall mould at lower pressure and shorter cycle time. However, the same high molecular weight that raises injection pressure increases environmental stress crack resistance and low-temperature impact performance. Film-grade HDPE resins are typically formulated with different stabilizer and processing packages and are optimized for blown-film bubble stability and low gel count; direct substitution of GM5340PRK into a film structure without re-evaluating tear, dart-drop impact, and blocking is invalid.
Against bimodal HDPE pipe grades, the primary difference is the absence of a published hydrostatic design basis. Pipe grades are classified under ISO 12162 and carry a minimum required strength rating such as PE 80 or PE 100; GM5340PRK is supplied as an extrusion material and does not carry that long-term hydrostatic pressure rating in the public technical literature. For slow crack growth resistance, pipe-grade data are generated under ISO 13479-1, but equivalent notched pipe data for this PRK configuration is limited. The density of 0.953 g/cm³ is slightly higher than some PE 100 grades and contributes to a higher flexural modulus, but density alone does not establish long-term hydrostatic capability.
The processing distinction is visible in melt-temperature limits. A higher-melt-flow HDPE can be processed at 180–200 °C with lower head pressure; GM5340PRK requires the higher end of the extrusion window to maintain output and melt quality. The penalty is a narrower melt-temperature operating band before oxidative degradation or surface defects appear. Residence-time distribution in the extruder becomes a critical control parameter; long residence time at high temperature can shift the stabilizer consumption and reduce the ESCR of the finished part. Therefore, purging and start-up protocols should limit residence above 220 °C to less than 10 min.
| Process variable | Equipment / measurement | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| Feed zone temperature | single-screw extruder, 25:1–30:1 L/D | 170–180 °C |
| Compression/metering temperature | barrier or mixing screw | 180–200 °C |
| Die zone temperature | sheet die or blow mould die | 190–210 °C |
| Melt temperature at die entry | infrared pyrometer | 195–215 °C |
| Thermoforming sheet surface | infrared pyrometer, 8–12 µm | 170–185 °C |
| Blow mould temperature | chilled water | 10–25 °C |
| Pre-drying | hopper dryer | 80 °C for 2–4 h if surface moisture > 0.05 wt% |
On a three-roll polishing stack, the first roll temperature is held at 80–95 °C to prevent surface quench and frozen-in orientation. If the first roll is below 70 °C, the sheet develops differential orientation across its thickness; later heating in the thermoforming stage releases this orientation and produces warpage. For sheet above 10 mm, post-cooling on a flat table or a multiple-roll cooling conveyor is used to reduce core temperature below 60 °C before stacking. Edge trim and start-up scrap from GM5340PRK are generally reclaimed at levels up to 30 wt% in the same sheet structure if the regrind is dried below 0.05 % moisture and screened through a 4 mm mesh. Higher regrind levels may reduce ESCR and should be validated by lot-specific testing under ASTM D1693-15.
For technical parts requiring secondary fabrication, butt-fusion welding follows the same general practice as high-density polyethylene sheet. Welding surfaces are planed and cleaned, and heating-plate temperatures are set between 205 °C and 220 °C. The welding pressure is maintained according to sheet thickness and the welding machine manufacturer’s data. Hot-gas welding with a round nozzle and a welding rod of the same base resin is used for fabrications; weld strengths above 80 % of the parent sheet tensile strength are achievable only when the weld zone is protected from oxidation and when the rod and base sheet have matched melt flow. These values are equipment-dependent and not specific to the PRK additive package.
Long-term contact with stress-cracking environments should be evaluated against the ESCR value of GM5340PRK. Polar fluids such as water, dilute aqueous acids, alkalis, and saline solutions generally produce little change in mechanical properties at ambient temperature; nonpolar hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents can lower the stress-cracking resistance significantly. Continuous exposure to strong oxidizing acids, ketones, or aromatic solvents above 50 °C is not recommended. For outdoor service, the stabilizer package must be confirmed. Not all HDPE grades carry the same UV endurance; UV stabilizer loading under ISO 4892-2:2013 or ASTM G154-16 should be verified with the supplier before outdoor exposure is specified. If black colour is required, a carbon-black masterbatch typically improves ultraviolet endurance, but this also changes melt rheology and must be re-validated.
Regulatory status is application-specific. The base HDPE may be assessed under FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for olefin polymers and EU Regulation 10/2011 when the additive package is approved; the PRK configuration requires a supplier compliance letter because base-resin compliance does not automatically extend to the compounded additive package. Heavy-metal restrictions under EU RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU and candidate-list obligations under REACH are confirmed from the safety data sheet. Medical and pharmaceutical applications are not supported by public data for this PRK configuration and require validation under ISO 10993-1:2018 or equivalent.
Storage before processing should be in closed, dry conditions at relative humidity below 60 %. If surface moisture is present, the feed throat is maintained at 35–50 °C to prevent condensation. HDPE is not hydrolytically sensitive, so the primary risk from moisture is surface splay rather than molecular weight reduction. Start-up, shutdown, and purging procedures should keep melt temperature below 240 °C and minimize residence time at high temperature. These processing limits apply to the commercial PRK configuration; they should be confirmed on the target machine because screw design, downstream tooling, and part geometry dominate the observed operating window.
