In this article Fournier Polymers presents ExxonMobil Chemical offer for agriculture. Some of the main characteristics that make ExxonMobil Chemical performance PE polymers an exceptional solution for agriculture, are compliance with quality standards, product stewardship and regulatory compliance.
Also, an additional level of eXtreme Performance for agricultural film applications can be provided by films made with the recently introduced Exceed™ XP performance PE polymers platform.
Applications
Crop protection
Agricultural pesticide producers formulate the best crop protection products thanks to ExxonMobil Chemical hydrocarbon fluids and, moreover, meet regulatory and environmental requirements.
| Groups of applications | Applications and benefits | Product solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Crop protection | High solvency power, allowing high active-ingredient concentration and delivery High flash points and low vapor pressure for safe and cost-effective transportation and storage Special grades that are naphthalene-depleted (ND) High density for improved emulsion stability | Dearomatized hydrocarbon solvents Heavy aromatic solvents Branched alcohols |
Greenhouse film
Exceed XP offer a large range of new, cost-effective greenhouse cover film solutions. These products enhance moisture retention, supply temperature management and secure crops from the environmental elements, supporting longer growing seasons. These greenhouse films help to conserve resources while increasing farmers labour efficiency.
| Groups of applications | Applications and benefits | Product solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse film | Extreme toughness and strength Exceptional film aging properties Excellent film optical properties Broad operating window Film formulation simplification | Performance PE polymers LLDPE EVA copolymers |
Mulch film
Performance PE polymers are a great solution to produce mulch films, securing agricultural harvests and showing the high tear strength and toughness required to maintain integrity in all types of weather. Besides, the risk of waste and spoilage is reduced by preventing damage in the field and during handling.
| Groups of applications | Applications and benefits | Product solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch film | Extreme toughness improves the durability and reduces risk of waste and spoilage Outstanding MD tear strength, resulting in enhanced durability of thin films High melt strength, reducing the need for LDPE resin, which is detrimental to MD tear resistance/toughness | Performance PE polymers LLDPE EVA copolymers |
Silage film
ExxonMobil Chemical Performance PE polymers are a great solution for silage films. They help to prevent damage in the field during the handling, while maintaining integrity in every demanding weather conditions.
| Groups of applications | Applications and benefits | Product solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Silage film | Extreme toughness improves durability Outstanding MD tear strength in thin films High melt strength, reducing the need for LDPE resin, which is detrimental to MD tear resistance/toughness | Performance PE polymers LLDPE EVA copolymers |
Oil seed extraction
ExxonMobil Chemical provides reliable products and solution-focused expertise to help oil seed millers meet their most demanding extraction challenges. Some benefits are high purity, very low benzene content, narrow boiling range and GMP compliance (also meets FDA, FAO, WHO, JECFA requirements).
ExxonMobil Chemical star solution for Oil seed extraction is Exxsol™ fluids (Dearomatized hydrocarbon solvents) which refers to both Exxsol hexane SG (Singapore production) and Exxsol™ hexane TH (Thailand production).
| Property | Test Method | Exxsol™ hexane SG (Singapore production) Typical Value | Exxsol™ hexane TH (Thailand production) Typical Value | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distillation Range, °C | ASTM D1078 | 65 – 68 | 65 – 69 | Narrow boiling range for quality consistency of extraction solvent during recovery processes3 |
| Benzene1, wppm | UV analysis/ GC2 | < 1 | < 802 | Very low benzene content for food content applications |
| Nonvolatile Matter1, mg/100ml | ASTM D1353 | 0.4 | Data not available | Low nonvolatile matter – for best quality of extraction products |
| Sulfur content, wppm | ASTM D5453 | < 1 | < 1 | Very low sulfur content – no corrosion effects on equipment and virtually no residue in oil or meal |
Values in above table are typical values and do not constitute specification limits.
Source: Fluids at a Glance (typical properties 2015 – Asia Pacific portfolio), (1) Data from Statistical Quality Control 2015, (2) Maximum sales specification – test method (GC – Gas Chromatography), (3) Valid for Singapore grade (SG) Exxsol hexane only
Containers and tanks
ExxonMobil Chemical polypropylene, polyethylene and Vistamaxx™ performance polymer products are created for high productivity and to be able to be afforded across a large range of industrial container and tank applications.
| Applications | Benefits | Product solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Totes, crates and pallets | Typical “no-break” Izod impact performance High stiffness Exceptional stack strength and heat resistance Good cycle time Low stress whitening Lightweighting without sacrificing performance Added flexibility | ExxonMobil™ PP Vistamaxx™ performance polymers |
| Rotomolded bins, buckets and tanks | Broad operating window Optimal balance of stiffness Low-temperature impact strength and UV stabilization for longer life | LLDPE HDPE |
Product solutions
| Product solutions | Features/Benefits | Groups of applications |
|---|---|---|
| Dearomatized hydrocarbon solvents | Benefits for Exxsol D compared to mineral or white spirits Low to extremely low aromatic content (typically less than 1 wt%) to minimize risks from exposure Lower odor and levels of toxicity for relatively high occupational exposure limits (OEL) Broad evaporative range, from Exxsol™ isopentane to Exxsol™ D140 fluid Narrow boiling range for optimal combination of flash point and drying time Can be tailored with additives Excellent quality reliability for dependable product quality Benefits for Exxsol hexane Narrow boiling range for quality consistency Very low benzene content for food content applications Low non-volatile matter – for best quality of extraction products Very low sulfur content – no corrosion effects on equipment and virtually no residue | Crop protection Oil seed extraction |
| Heavy aromatic solvents | Solvency power High flash point (>62 degrees Celsius) Naphthalene-depleted grades Ultra low naphthalene grades | Crop protection |
| Branched alcohols | Low pour point – prohibits gel and wax formation, facilitates processing of alcohols and derivatives Biodegradability – all of our alcohols and their ethoxylates meet the OECD 301F readily biodegradable threshold for isomeric mixtures Superior wetting power of derived surfactants – excellent candidates for resource extraction and nonylphenol substitution Powerful solvency in coatings and inks, fully soluble in hydrocarbon fluids while enhancing their solvency power Wide viscosity ranges in synlubes | Crop protection |
| Performance PE polymers | Toughness Sealing/bag-drop performance Easy processing Outstanding optics Recyclability Downgauging possibilities | Greenhouse film Mulch film Silage film |
| LLDPE | Versatile and cost effective Lower seal initiation temperature balanced with mechanical properties Can reduce costs in high-performance structures | Greenhouse film Mulch film Silage film Containers and tanks |
| EVA copolymers | Low seal-initiation temperatures, high hot-tack, very good impact strength and excellent optical properties for extrusion film processes High transparency for photovoltaic cell encapsulation | Greenhouse film Mulch film Silage film |
| Vistamaxx™ performance polymers | Toughness Cling Sealability Softness Clarity Dispersion Adhesion Elasticity Flexibility | Containers and tanks |
| HDPE | Good processability Excellent environmental stress crack resistance Toughness High modulus and rigidity Heat resistance | Containers and tanks |
| ExxonMobil™ PP | Fast cycle times and high productivity Low part weight and cost Excellent stiffness and impact balance Outstanding processability Cost reduction through manufacturing efficiencies and raw material savings | Containers and tanks |
