TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10
- Product Name: TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10
- Factroy Site: Yudu County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
- Price Inquiry: sales8@ascent-chem.com
- Manufacturer: Ascent Petrochem Holdings Co., Limited
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- TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 is typically used in formulations when high dart impact strength, tear resistance, and low seal initiation temperature and extrusion melt temperature, die pressure, and blow-up ratio must be controlled within specific ranges.
| HS Code | 758612 |
| Chemical Family | Metallocene Linear Low Density Polyethylene (mLLDPE) |
| Comonomer | Hexene-1 |
| Catalyst | Metallocene |
| Density | 0.918 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Index 190 C 2 16 Kg | 1.0 g/10 min |
| Melting Point | 118 °C |
| Vicat Softening Point | 95 °C |
| Tensile Strength At Yield | 10 MPa |
| Tensile Strength At Break | 35 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 700 % |
| Tensile Modulus | 200 MPa |
| Dart Drop Impact | 1000 g |
| Elmendorf Tear Strength Md | 150 g |
| Elmendorf Tear Strength Td | 300 g |
| Haze | 6 % |
| Gloss 45 | 80 |
| Seal Initiation Temperature | 95 °C |
| Coefficient Of Friction | 0.8 |
| Antiblock | None |
| Slip | None |
As an accredited TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 is supplied in 25 kg moisture-resistant polyethylene bags, palletized and stretch-wrapped for transport. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL loaded with palletized 25 kg bags of TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10; cargo wrapped, secured, and evenly distributed. |
| Shipping | TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 is supplied as polyethylene pellets in sealed 25 kg bags or octabins on pallets. Ship in clean, dry containers at ambient temperature, protecting from moisture, direct sunlight, heat, and contamination. Not regulated as dangerous goods. |
| Storage | Store TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, heat, flames, and ignition sources. Keep material in original sealed bags/packaging, on pallets, off the ground, and protected from moisture, dust, and contamination. Avoid prolonged high temperatures and UV light; use first-in, first-out rotation and follow SDS/local regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically two years from manufacture when stored dry, cool, and in original unopened packaging. |
What Governs the Pre-Stretch Ceiling in Pallet-Wrap Cast Film?
On cast film lines used for pallet wrap, the attainable pre-stretch ratio is governed by the tensile strain-hardening behaviour of the resin, the degree of lateral contraction at the pre-stretch roll, and the stability of the film against draw resonance. 18ST10 is a narrow-molecular-weight-distribution metallocene grade; narrow distribution reduces the shear-thinning index but improves the uniformity of short-chain branching. In practice, lines with short draw distances between the chill roll and the first pre-stretch roller may show edge flutter if the draw ratio exceeds 250%, because the film loses lateral stiffness with decreasing thickness and increasing orientation. The use of a die gap of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm, combined with a die-to-chill-roll air gap of 20 mm to 35 mm, is common to minimise neck-in and to maintain edge bead uniformity. The pre-stretch ceiling is not a single intrinsic property but a combination of machine-direction stress retention under ASTM D5459 and the ultimate transverse tear resistance under ISO 6383-2. Converters that downgauge to 8 µm often reduce pre-stretch from 280% to 220% and increase the number of wrap circuits because the thinner film cannot tolerate the same cumulative stretch work.
Melt fracture and draw resonance on high-speed cast lines are managed by adjusting the die gap and by maintaining the melt temperature above 240 °C; lower temperatures increase extensional viscosity and cause periodic thickness bands that appear as roll ridges during slitting. In coextruded structures, the 18ST10 core is often combined with an EVA or tackified polyolefin skin, but the pre-stretch performance is still limited by the mechanical response of the core layer after 200% elongation. Operators running the resin at output rates above 350 kg/h on 90 mm cast lines report that screen-pack pressure increases by 15 bar to 25 bar over a 24 h shift when the additive masterbatch contains excessive calcium stearate; this pressure drift is used as a practical signal for filter screen replacement before gel defects enter the roll.
Microporous breathable backsheets on high-speed hygiene lines use calcium carbonate-filled compounds in which the carrier resin is required to survive mineral loadings from 45 wt% to 55 wt% while retaining enough melt strength to form a stable bubble at blow-up ratios of 2.0:1 to 3.0:1. TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 is added as the polyolefin carrier or as a let-down modifier in such formulations because its hexene-1 comonomer distribution permits interlamellar separation during the post-film stretching step. The film is extruded on a blown-film line with a die diameter of 250 mm and a die gap of 1.8 mm to 2.4 mm; melt temperature is maintained between 190 °C and 210 °C to avoid volatilisation of the stearate-coated calcium carbonate. After primary film formation at thicknesses of 20 µm to 40 µm, an incremental orientation step between intermeshing grooved rollers operates at draw ratios of 1.5:1 to 3.0:1; the resulting microporous structure creates moisture vapour transmission rates measured by ASTM E96/E96M-22 in the range of 2000 g/m²·24 h to 5000 g/m²·24 h at 38 °C and 90% relative humidity depending on filler loading and draw ratio. The resin must not contain gel particles above 200 µm because gel defects become visible pores after orientation and can lead to pinhole leaks. Line operators therefore use fine-mesh screen packs of 100/120 mesh and monitor melt pressure upstream of the screen changer; an increase above 0.5 bar/h at constant throughput indicates micro-dispersion failure or calcium carbonate agglomeration.Mineral masterbatch moisture content must be kept below 0.1% before dry blending; when warehouse relative humidity exceeds 60%, the calcium carbonate masterbatch is pre-dried at 80 °C for 4 h to reduce hydrolytic defects and bubble instability. The breathable film is then evaluated for water column resistance according to ISO 811 or hydrohead test methods, and the required hydrohead value is usually above 1500 mm H₂O for hygiene backsheet applications. Excessive filler loading beyond 60 wt% reduces melt strength, narrows the bubble stability window, and produces film that fails at the intermeshing grooved roller stage because the oriented polymer matrix cannot sustain the required pore elongation.| Component | Loading range | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 18ST10 carrier | 40 wt% – 55 wt% | Matrix resin and orientation carrier |
| Calcium carbonate masterbatch | 45 wt% – 55 wt% | Pore initiation and breathability |
| Processing aid masterbatch | 0.5 wt% – 1.5 wt% | Die lip deposit control and bubble stability |
| Antioxidant masterbatch | 0.5 wt% – 1.0 wt% | Thermo-oxidative stabilisation during orientation |
Sealant Web Placement and Hot Tack in Form-Fill-Seal Laminates
In a three-layer coextruded film where 18ST10 is placed as the sealant skin on a core of HDPE or polypropylene, the thermal sealing behaviour is evaluated by ASTM F1921-12 for hot tack and ASTM F88/F88M-21 for seal strength after cooling. The low seal initiation temperature of metallocene LLDPE, typically observed between 90 °C and 110 °C at 25 µm thickness with 0.5 s dwell and 0.3 MPa jaw pressure, allows the outer heat-seal bars to run at lower set points on horizontal form-fill-seal lines; this reduces thermal distortion of the reverse-printed PET or BOPP layer. In practice, the limiting factor is the hot-tack window, which must remain above 2.0 N/25 mm through the sealing bar release phase at output speeds above 60 cycles/min. The grade's higher molecular weight relative to MFR 2.0 sealant grades means that extrusion back-pressure is higher; on a 75 mm coextruder with a 30:1 L/D screw, barrel temperatures in the final zones are set at 210 °C to 230 °C to maintain throughput while avoiding shear overheating. Because mLLDPE can be blended with LDPE up to 20 wt% to reduce melt pressure without losing seal integrity; beyond 25 wt% LDPE, the seal initiation temperature rises and the hot-tack force drops below acceptable levels for high-speed operation.
For food-contact use, the final laminate is assessed under EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 and FDA 21 CFR 177.1520, with overall migration testing performed in the appropriate food simulants; the resin is not a ready-to-use food-contact article by itself. In applications involving fatty foods, migration testing is performed with simulant D2 or 95% ethanol under time-temperature conditions representative of the intended shelf life. Converters should avoid direct combination with high levels of amine-based antistatic additives in the sealant layer because such additives can interfere with the metallocene seal response and may require reformulation of the seal-bar temperature profile.
| Standard | Designation | Measured parameter | Boundary condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 | Olefin polymers | Extractives and density class | Final article clearance required; resin class applies |
| EU Regulation 10/2011 | Plastic materials in food contact | Overall migration | 10 mg/dm² |
| REACH Appendix XVII | Chemical safety | Restricted substances | No SVHC above 0.1 wt% |
| ASTM F1921-12 | Hot tack | Seal force at temperature | Measured on final film structure |
When Frozen Food Packaging Must Survive Flexing at −20 °C
Frozen vegetable and seafood films are subjected to repeated flexing after the package has been stack-frozen and transported; the relevant failure is not tensile yield but crack initiation at crease lines and seal outer edges. The low-temperature impact resistance of mLLDPE is evaluated by ASTM D1709-16ae1 Method A at ambient temperature, but the cold-chain evaluation requires preconditioning of the film at −20 °C for 24 h followed by the Gelbo flex test according to ASTM F392/F392M-21. Ethylene copolymers with low glass transition temperatures and a high proportion of tie molecules between lamellae resist the microcrack propagation that causes pinholes in conventional LDPE/LLDPE blends. In a 60 µm frozen-food bag made from a three-layer blown film with 18ST10 in the core and sealant skins, the downgauging limit is usually determined by the pinhole count after 500 flex cycles rather than by initial seal strength. Converters on vertical form-fill-seal lines report that seal-bar temperatures must be reduced by 10 °C to 15 °C when this grade replaces an LDPE-rich formulation because the mLLDPE sealant layer reaches the required seal strength at a lower temperature; if the bars are not adjusted, film puckering and seal thinning occur.
The package is then tested for puncture under ISO 14477:2006 or a similar probe test at −20 °C, with the probe simulating a frozen pea or shrimp tail. Published data for this specific configuration is limited, so packaging engineers weigh the benefit of lower gauge against the need for post-transport flex-crack inspection. In low-temperature storage, the film must retain a transverse tear resistance sufficient to prevent crack propagation from the pull tab; this is measured by ISO 6383-2 after conditioning at −20 °C. The operational boundary for 18ST10 in frozen packaging is usually the trade-off between seal-bar temperature reduction and the higher extruder back-pressure caused by the 1.0 g/10 min melt flow rate; lines with undersized drives may not maintain output at the required temperature profile.
Heavy-Duty Sack Extrusion Finds the Same Molecular Design Useful.
The MFR 1.0 g/10 min of 18ST10 at 190 °C/2.16 kg gives the resin sufficient melt strength for large-diameter blown-film operations used in heavy-duty sacks and form-fill-seal packaging; such operations run die diameters from 350 mm to 600 mm and die gaps from 2.0 mm to 2.8 mm. Blending the grade with 20 wt% to 30 wt% LDPE or HDPE adjusts the bubble stability and moisture barrier, but the impact strength of the sack is retained only when the mLLDPE fraction remains above 50 wt%. Heavy-duty sack performance is assessed by drop testing according to ISO 7965-1:2013 and by tear propagation under ISO 6383-2; the sack wall is typically 80 µm to 120 µm thick, and the main conversion bottleneck is extruder back-pressure rather than mechanical film properties. On a 90 mm grooved-feed extruder with a 30:1 L/D screw, the specific energy consumption rises when 18ST10 exceeds 70 wt% in the blend, and the melt pressure upstream of the screen pack may exceed 400 bar at output above 300 kg/h. Operators compensate by raising barrel temperature in the metering zone to 230 °C and by using a wider die gap; these changes reduce melt fracture and maintain bubble symmetry.
Because the base grade contains no slip or antiblock additives, sack converters add erucamide or silica masterbatch separately at 0.5 wt% to 2.0 wt% to control coefficient of friction during bag filling, but the total additive package must not exceed 3.0 wt% because excessive migration reduces interlayer adhesion in coextruded structures. In woven sack lamination or extrusion coating, the 0.918 g/cm³ density is generally too low to provide adequate heat resistance for high-speed coating lines; such applications are not recommended without blending with higher-density polyethylene. The practical boundary for 18ST10 in heavy-duty films is the balance between impact resistance and head pressure: lines with shallow-grooved feed sections may require a reduction in output of 10% to 15% compared with conventional butene LLDPE to avoid screw and gearbox overloads.
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- TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 is manufactured under an ISO 9001 quality system and complies with relevant regulatory requirements.
- COA, SDS/MSDS, and related certificates are available upon request. For certificate requests or inquiries, contact: sales8@ascent-chem.com.
TotalEnergies Lumicene Supertouch mLLDPE 18ST10 is a metallocene-catalyzed linear low-density polyethylene resin developed for thin-gauge cast film, sealant web, stretch film, and high-clarity flexible packaging structures. The grade is defined by a nominal density of 0.918 g/cm³ measured according to ISO 1183-1 and a melt flow rate of 1.0 g/10 min determined at 190 °C under a 2.16 kg piston load according to ISO 1133-1. The polymer belongs to the single-site catalyst family, meaning that the short-chain branching distribution and molecular weight distribution are narrower than those of conventional Ziegler-Natta LLDPE. The practical consequence is a combination of low haze, elevated dart drop impact at reduced film gauge, lower seal initiation temperature, and controlled extractables. The resin is supplied as free-flowing lenticular pellets and is processed primarily on cast film extrusion lines as well as on blown film lines where low gel count and optical quality are critical.
| Property | Test method | Published typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Melt flow rate | ISO 1133-1 | 1.0 g/10 min |
| Density | ISO 1183-1 | 0.918 g/cm³ |
| Melting peak | ISO 11357-3 | 112–118 °C |
The values in the table are typical lot-release data rather than absolute specification limits. Batch-to-batch variation is controlled within the manufacturer’s published tolerances. Film properties depend on conversion parameters, including die gap, melt temperature, draw ratio, chill roll temperature, and line speed.
How does single-site architecture in 18ST10 alter crystallization and optical performance?
Single-site catalysis in 18ST10 produces a more uniform comonomer placement than heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysis. The resulting crystal thickness distribution is narrower, which reduces long-range refractive-index discontinuities and lowers film haze. In cast film produced at 25 µm, haze measured under ASTM D1003 is typically reported below 3%, while 45° gloss measured under ASTM D2457 is generally above 80 in optimized cast-film conditions. These optical values are not specification limits; they vary with chill roll temperature, melt temperature, die gap, and film draw ratio. The melting peak observed by differential scanning calorimetry at 10 K/min under ISO 11357-3 is normally within 112–118 °C, consistent with a linear low-density polyethylene of 0.918 g/cm³ density. The narrower melting range relative to Ziegler-Natta grades contributes to a lower heat seal initiation threshold and a more uniform seal strength response across the sealing jaw temperature range.
On cast film lines equipped with 30:1 to 33:1 L/D smooth-bore extruders, 18ST10 is processed without predrying in normal plant conditions. If ambient relative humidity exceeds 60%, surface condensation on cold pellets can introduce micro-voids and surface defects; in that case a hopper dryer at 45–55 °C is used. Typical barrel temperatures range from 190 °C in the feed zone to 240 °C at the metering section, with melt temperature maintained between 230 °C and 250 °C. The die gap is set from 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm depending on final gauge and draw ratio. Chill roll temperatures between 18 °C and 30 °C are used to fix surface gloss and reduce blocking; lower chill roll temperatures improve film clarity but may increase curling and edge trim variability.
The narrow molecular weight distribution of 18ST10 reduces shear thinning compared with broad-MWD Ziegler-Natta LLDPE. As a result, specific energy input in single-screw cast extrusion can increase, and screen pack pressure may rise at high throughput. Screw designs with dispersive mixing sections reduce melt temperature heterogeneity and lower gel-related defects. Melt strength is lower than that of LDPE, which influences neck-in and draw resonance behavior. In cast film, a short air gap of 20–50 mm and an adequate vacuum-box or air-knife assist stabilize the melt curtain and minimize edge trim. In blown film, internal bubble cooling and reduced stalk height are commonly applied to maintain bubble stability.
When thin-gauge cast stretch film must retain puncture resistance at high line speed
In cast stretch film lines running above 600 m/min, the lower melt strength of 18ST10 can produce draw resonance if the melt curtain is not stabilized by a vacuum box or air knife. The resin’s narrow short-chain branching distribution nevertheless supports downgauging because it resists brittle failure propagation. Dart drop impact measured under ASTM D1709 or ISO 7765-1 is generally higher than that of Ziegler-Natta LLDPE of equivalent density; exact values depend on film gauge and chill roll conditions. Puncture resistance tested under ASTM D5748 is maintained after downgauging in many cast-film structures, but published data for this specific configuration is limited and converter trials are required for line-specific optimization. Cling force is not inherent to 18ST10; it is obtained through tackifier masterbatches or a separate cling layer in coextruded structures.
For food-contact use, the relevant compliance framework is European Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, together with FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for olefin polymers. 18ST10 is also evaluated under REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and under RoHS Recast 2011/65/EU where compounded articles fall within electrical and electronic equipment scope. TotalEnergies supplies lot-level certificates of analysis reporting melt flow rate, density, and relevant additive content. End users must verify overall migration limits under EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 and dual-use additive compliance for specific food simulants.
| Regulatory area | Standard or regulation | Relevant status |
|---|---|---|
| EU food contact | Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 | Compliance statement required for finished article |
| US food contact | FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 | Olefin polymer class subject to conditions of use |
| REACH | Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 | SVHC declaration supplied on request |
Comparison with Ziegler-Natta butene LLDPE and C8 mLLDPE in cast film downgauging
Conventional butene Ziegler-Natta LLDPE at 0.918 g/cm³ has a broader short-chain branching distribution and higher haze, typically in the 6–12% range at 25 µm, whereas 18ST10 is positioned below 3% haze in optimized cast film. The improvement in optical clarity arises from smaller and more uniform crystallite size, not from density reduction. Against C8 mLLDPE, 18ST10 may show lower dart drop and puncture resistance at equivalent gauge, but it typically offers lower seal initiation temperature and better cast edge curl control. The selection between 18ST10 and a C8 mLLDPE is usually dictated by the required oxygen transmission rate, tear balance, and optical clarity. Published data for the exact comparative performance of 18ST10 against C8 mLLDPE in all film configurations is limited; converter trials with the actual layer structure, die geometry, and downstream converting equipment remain necessary.
Seal initiation temperature in 18ST10 is lower than in butene Ziegler-Natta LLDPE because the single-site architecture minimizes highly branched low-melting fractions and produces a sharper melting endotherm. The seal initiation threshold is commonly reported at 90–100 °C for a 0.918 g/cm³ metallocene LLDPE when measured at 1 N/25 mm seal force, but the exact value for 18ST10 should be taken from the current TotalEnergies technical data sheet and verified on the target packaging line. Hot tack strength measured under ASTM F1921 or ISO 23559 is retained over a wider temperature interval than with conventional LLDPE, which supports faster jaw cycling on horizontal form-fill-seal equipment.
Thermal and mechanical boundaries in 18ST10 extrusion
Processing above 280 °C should be avoided because thermal-oxidative degradation of metallocene LLDPE can generate gel defects and increase extractables. The stabilization package is designed for continuous cast film extrusion, but prolonged residence time at high melt temperature can consume antioxidants and shift the oxidation induction time measured under ISO 11357-6. The resin is not recommended for continuous service above 70 °C under load, consistent with the general mechanical performance of polyethylene. Short-term contact with hot filling media should remain below the melting onset to avoid deformation of the film surface. In coextrusion with barrier polymers, the melt temperature of 18ST10 should be matched to avoid viscosity mismatch at the layer interface; interfacial instabilities can reduce seal integrity and optical clarity.
In extrusion lamination and coating, 18ST10 is used as a low-melting sealant component where adhesion to aluminum foil, oriented polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate is required. The narrow molecular weight distribution supports a uniform coating weight and reduces edge beading. Neck-in is controlled by die gap adjustment and the use of a vacuum box. For this configuration, the melt temperature is generally maintained between 240 °C and 260 °C, and the chill roll is kept below 25 °C to minimize blocking. The primary operational boundary is moisture condensation on the substrate or pellet feed; the resin itself is not hygroscopic, but water on the substrate can disrupt adhesion and produce pinholing in the coating.
