PACKAGING APPLICATIONS
XT® POLYMER compounds has been used in food contact and medical applications for over 30 years. The product is transparent, tough and excels in deep draw applications where corner and wall thinning can be a problem for many plastic packaging alternatives.
XT® POLYMER can be thermoformed on the same tooling that polystyrene products use. However, unlike styrenics, XT® POLYMER works well in high fat content foods found in many refrigerated salads like cole slaw and potato salads. XT® POLYMER also has very good cold temperature impact properties so it also works well for frozen desert packages. The product meets the FDA requirements for food contact for all use conditions up to and including hot filled or pasteurized above 150°F ( e.g. condition 21 CFR 176.170 ) for all food types except those containing more than 8 percent alcohol.
XT® POLYMER compound's toughness characteristics are evident in its combination of izod impact and elongation at break characteristics. Both these properties remain stable after EtO exposure and over time, so medical packages remain intact after EtO exposure unlike with PETG. PETG sees an immediate reduction in its elongation property its primary toughness characteristic. The reduction in PETG's elongation property is progressive after its exposure to EtO sterilization. It continues to deteriorate as it ages, until it becomes fairly brittle. XT® POLYMER compound can also be successfully sterilized by radiation techniques.