Designs for Sustainable NORDEL Hydrocarbon Rubber EPDM Manufacturing Processes and Products

The need for efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes and products continues to be ever more important to the rubber industry to face the challenges of the trends in rising costs
and scarcity of raw ingredients and energy. This requires responsive designs for energy efficiency and value all the way from the raw material manufacturing process to the end use
customer mixing and fabrication. The Dow Chemical Company has developed highly efficient EPDM manufacturing processes based on INSITE™ single-site catalyst process technology. These processes are
continually improved for efficiency, sustainability and quality. This paper highlights the gasphase process to manufacture NORDEL™ MG Hydrocarbon Rubber which is a unique, granular
product for efficient, fast, and reduced energy material handling and mixing. EPDM is the material of choice for applications requiring elastic materials that are long-term
durable and resistant to heat, ozone and weather aging, as well as resistant to polar fluids. Carbon black and mineral filler remain some of the most cost effective reinforcing fillers to
produced highly durable articles for these demanding applications. The gas-phase process to produce NORDEL™ MG, in particular, polymerizes small virgin EPDM polymer particles coated
with carbon black without adding additional energy to produce a unique granular fast mixing form for use in a wide variety of formulations. In addition, high Mooney (high molecular weight)
products are produced that provide the capability to produce cost efficient formulations and final articles to help meet the challenges of value and sustainability. In addition, the granular form
provides further potential routes to efficient automated material handling and continuous compounding.
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