Bimodal MDPE for pipe.

What is said to be the first bimodal MDPE produced in North America is newly available for gas distribution pipe requiring long-term hydrostatic strength and crack resistance. Developed with Unipol II process technology by Dow Chemical Co.'s North American Plastics business, Houston, Continuum DGDA-2420 NT is said to outperform unimodal MDPE resins currently used in North America. It reportedly meets and exceeds ASTM PE 2708 and ISO PE 80 requirements. It boasts excellent resistance to slow crack growth, a critical property for long-term service life, with failure times in excess of 15,000 hr in the Pennsylvania Notch Test (PENT). Dow says it also demonstrates excellent resistance to rapid crack propagation, with a critical temperature (Tc) below 0[degrees]C at 5 bar test pressure, as measured by the ISO 13477 Small Scale Steady State (S-4) Test. The resin reportedly also processes well at high output rates, producing pipe with outstanding smoothness and gloss. Butt fusion with itself and other MDPE and HDPE pipes reportedly is easily performed with commercial fusion equipment following the PPI TR-33 Generic Butt Fusion Joining Procedure. Tel: [phone]. * www.dow.com