Enabling High Recycled Content in PET Thermoforming
Maintain performance and process stability when using recycled PET in thermoformed packaging.
Reactive Recycling™ masterbatch technology rebuilds polymer chains during processing — enabling higher rPET content without compromising quality.
Challenges with recycled PET in thermoforming
Recycled PET loses intrinsic viscosity (IV) during processing, leading to:
- Brittleness in thermoformed trays
- Limited use of internal regrind
- Constraints on increasing rPET content
- Poor sheet consistency and downgauging limitations
These challenges often force producers to blend in virgin PET — limiting both sustainability performance and cost efficiency.
Restore performance with Reactive Recycling™
Nexam Chemical’s Reactive Recycling™ masterbatch technology enables in-line restoration of PET properties during extrusion.
A reactive masterbatch — an IV enhancer — is added directly to the extrusion process, where it:
- Rebuilds polymer chains
- Increases intrinsic viscosity (IV)
- Improves melt strength and process stability
- Fully reacts and integrates into the polymer
This allows converters to move from compromised recycled material to high-performance rPET processing.
Key benefits for thermoforming
- Fast and cost-effective IV increase with low dosage
- Enables higher rPET content — up to 100%
- Allows higher use of internal regrind
- Improves mechanical strength and reduces brittleness in trays
- Enhances melt strength, flow, and sheet consistency
- Food contact compliant (epoxy-free)
Proven in multiple PET thermoforming applications
Nexam’s IV-enhancer solutions are designed for a wide range of thermoformed PET products:
- aPET trays
- cPET trays
- Foamed PET trays
Suitable for both food packaging and technical sheet and film applications, where consistent processing and mechanical performance are critical.
Recommended solution
NEXAMITE® M021200
IV-enhancing masterbatch for rPET sheets, films, and thermoformed packaging.
- Designed for sheet extrusion and thermoforming
- Low dosage, fast activation
- Compatible with existing processing equipment
- Tailored for high recycled content systems
Figure 1. IV as function of LDR, % of NEXAMITE® M021200. Starting IV before compounding: 0.59.
Product page: IV enhancers for rPET
Increase recycled content without compromising performance
Save cost and increase recycled content from 50% to 80–100% while maintaining sheet stability and forming performance.
Discuss your application
Share your material, process, or requirements — our team will help you find the right solution.