Uponor has been granted a patent for a polymeric pipe made from a cross-linked polyolefin formed from extruded polyolefin with a bismaleimido crosslinker. The pipe is made of high-density polyethylene and hexamethylene-1,6-dimaleimide crosslinker in a specific weight percentage. This invention allows for the manufacturing of crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipes and tubing. GlobalData’s report on Uponor gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Uponor, Extrusion-based additive manufacturing was a key innovation area identified from patents. Uponor's grant share as of September 2023 was 63%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11713377B2) describes a polymeric pipe made from a specific mixture of materials and a method for producing the pipe. The pipe is formed from a high molecular weight high-density polyethylene and a bismaleimido crosslinker called hexamethylene-1,6-dimaleimide. The crosslinker is present in the mixture in an amount of about 1.35 to about 2% by weight, with claim 2 specifying that it is about 2% by weight.
In addition to the polyethylene and crosslinker, the pipe may also contain a peroxide initiator in an amount of 0.02 to 2% by weight, as stated in claim 3. The peroxide initiator can be an organic peroxide, such as di-tert-butyl peroxide, 2,5-Dimethyl-2,5-di(tert-butylperoxy)hexyne-3, 3,3,5,7,7-Pentamethyl-1,2,4-trioxepane, 2,5-Dimethyl-2,5-di(tert-butylperoxy)hexane, or 3,6,9-Triethyl-3,6,9,-trimethyl-1,4,7-triperoxonane, as mentioned in claim 5.
The pipe may also include a co-agent in an amount of 0.02-10% by weight, as specified in claim 6. The co-agent should have at least one reactive carbon-carbon double bond or at least two reactive carbon-carbon double bonds. Examples of suitable co-agents listed in claim 7 include acrylate, methacrylate, polybutadiene, allyl ethers, vinyl ethers, and mono or polyunsaturated oils.
Furthermore, the pipe may contain an antioxidant in an amount of 0.1 to 2% by weight, as stated in claim 8. The specific antioxidant is not mentioned in the claims. Additionally, a hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) can be included in an amount of 0.05 to 1% by weight, as mentioned in claim 10. The specific HALS compound is not specified in the claims.
The method for producing the cross-linked polyethylene pipe involves preparing a mixture of the high molecular weight high-density polyethylene and the bismaleimido crosslinker, as described in claim 13. The mixture can be prepared by dry mixing the components, optionally in a blender/mixer, as stated in claim 14. The mixture is then extruded to form a pipe, which is subsequently cross-linked by heating, as mentioned in claim 13. The heating can be performed using an infra-red (IR) oven, optionally directly after extrusion, as specified in claim 15. The IR oven can be in-line with an extruder, which performs the extrusion process, and the extruder can be a twin-screw extruder, as mentioned in claim 16.
Overall, this patent describes a specific composition and method for producing a polymeric pipe with a high degree of crosslinking. The use of the bismaleimido crosslinker and other additives in the mixture contributes to the desired properties of the pipe.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
