1. Properties and performance of EVOH in geosynthetic applications
Presented by: Robert Armstrong
Kuraray America Inc.
phone (281)

2. Kuraray Company. Ltd. Established in Kurashiki
Japan in 1926 to pursue the
manufacture of synthetic
materials.
First product was rayon fiber
Changed name to Kurashiki
Rayon Company in 1949.
Grew organically in diversified
synthetic chemistry while
expanding globally.
Kurashiki

3. World-leading businesses
Poval
Optical-use Poval film
EVAL (EVOH resin)
KURALON
KURALON K-Ⅱ PVA fiber
Isoprene chemicals
One-of-a-kind products derived from synthetic isoprene (MMB, MPD, etc…)
Methacrylic resin
(Molding materials for light-guide plates)
CLARINO
Man-made leather
VECTRAN
High-strength polyarylate fiber
GENESTAR
Heat-resistant polyamide resin

4. Personal and Environmental Protection
Personal & Environmental Protection
Radon barrier
Secondary containment liners
Landfill liners
Oil sand tailings
Heap leach mining
Steel pipe coatings
Focus on Federal and State Regulations including the Clean Air & Water Act 4

5. EVOH can reduce VOC and CO2e emissions to air, soil and ground water
E V O H E V O H E V O H E V O H E V O H
Air
CO2, CH4, H2S
BTEX, TCE, PCE
Soil
E V O H E V O H E V O H E V O H E V O H
Ground Water 5

6. What is EVOH?
Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH) is one of many semi-crystalline thermoplastic copolymers – first produced in the US in 1986
Polymers
(Plastics)
Thermosets
Thermoplastics
Amorphous polymers
Semi-crystalline
polymers
Homopolymers
Low & High Density
polyethylene
Copolymers
Ethylene Vinyl-Acetate
Ethylene Vinyl-Alcohol
(EVOH)
Linear Low Density
Polyethylene
Nylons

7. Key properties of EVOH EVOH PROPERTIES Gas Barrier (O2, CO2, etc)
Abuse resistance
Oil resistance
Extrudable
Solvent Barrier
Recyclability
Hydrocarbon Barrier
Odor Barrier
EVOH PROPERTIES

8. 27 32 35 38 44 48 Effect of mol% on properties of EVOH
Better gas & solvent barrier
Higher Melt temperature
Better:
thermal stability
water vapour barrier
flexibility
Thermoform-ability, orient-ability 27
Ethylene Molar Percent 32 35 38
EVOH is a random copolymer of
Ethylene and Vinyl ALcohol 44 48
(CH2-CH2)m
(CH2-CH)n OH

9. EVOH vs. HDPE Gas Barrier Properties
Nitrogen
0.019
190
Oxygen
0.25
2300
Carbon Dioxide
0.6
17526
Sulfur Dioxide
0.3
21844
Methane
0.4
2845
Volumetric permeation rate in (cc.20µ/m2.day.atm)
Conditions: 23°C – 0% RH (ASTM D1434T)
* ASTM D1434 at Kuraray lab – 32mol% EVOH
**Permeability Properties of Plastics and Elastomers, Massey, 2nd Edition

10. EVOH vs HDPE – solvent resistance
Diffusion coefficient Dg of solvents in EVOH and HDPE
Solvent
EVOH *
HDPE**
trichloroethyelene
3.1x10-17
4.0x10-13
toluene
3.0x10-13
Diffusion coefficient Dg in m2/s
*Kiwa NV report April 2008 for EVAL Europe N.V
** Sangam and Rowe, Migration of dilute aqueous organic pollutants through a HDPE
geomembrane, Geotextiles and Geomembranes 19 (2001)
Wide ranging studies of solvent resistance (weight gain, retention of physical properties etc) established excellent performance of EVOH for automotive and ag-chemical applications

11. Example of EVOH solvent barrier…
Reference Fuel C 50% toluene
50% isooctane

12. Geomembranes in landfill liners
New Application Development
Geomembranes in landfill liners
CCL
Compacted
Clay Liner
GCL
Geosynthetic Clay Liner
Polymer Geomembrane
Addition of EVOH to geomembrane liner would improve VOC and hydrocarbon barrier of primary or secondary liner
Diffusion Leakage

13. Concepts for landfill liners Subtitle D
60mil Primary liner HDPE + EVOH
Polyethylene or other polyolefin
EVOH
Adhesive
Primary liner
Polyethylene or other polyolefin
60 mil Primary liner
Structure of barrier B&C membrane is cox-PO/Tie/EVOH/Tie/PO sheet.
Secondary liner or GCL with EVOH
EVOH
EVOH could be incorporated into primary liner or into secondary liners or GCL below primary liner to improve VOC barrier

14. Concept for double liner systems
Primary liner 60mil HDPE
Primary liner 40 mil LLDPE + EVOH
EVOH
Leachate collection system
Leachate collection system
Structure of barrier B&C membrane is cox-PO/Tie/EVOH/Tie/PO sheet.
Secondary liner 60 mil HDPE
Secondary liner 60mil HDPE
EVOH could be incorporated into 40mil primary liner to improve VOC barrier and reduce system cost

15. Potential for performance improvement
60mil HDPE versus 40~60 mil liner with 5% EVOH
Reduction in total flux of toluene by using EVOH in a 40~60 mil geomembrane vs 60mil HDPE
Toluene concentration 25mg/L (25ppm). Service temperature 24°C

16. Evaluation of model geomembranes
Samples
Monolayer samples from Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP. Marlex® K306 medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and LyondellBasell Industries Hifax® CA10A thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or flexible polypropylene (fPP).
Coex samples – see figure
Physical Testing
Samples submitted to Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP. For physical properties testing
Barrier Testing
Permeation reported is the rate of mass transport of a solvent through each model geomembrane sample in grams/m2.day.
The permeation experiments were conducted as an isostatic permeation test by MOCON Inc.
60mil coex samples
HDPE 687µm
Tie 50µm
EVOH 50µm

17. Barrier of 60mil model GM to toluene
MOCON isostatic solvent permeation test equipment
Permeation of toluene vapor through model 60 mil geomembrane
EVOH reduces permeation from 100 grams/sq.m.day to <0.005 grams/sq.m.day at 40°C (104°F)

18. Physical properties of a 60 mil HDPE monolayer vs
Physical properties of a 60 mil HDPE monolayer vs. coex model geomembrane
Properties
Units
HDPE
HDPE + EVOH
Tensile Stress at Yield MD
MPa
18.9
20.4
Tensile Stress at Break MD
34.3
24.5
Tensile Elongation at Yield MD % 12
9.2
Tensile Elongation at Break MD
657
556
Tensile Modulus
651.0
827.9
Total Energy for Puncture N
667
730

19. Field trials for landfill liners
Lab scale at GSI (Aug 5 ’10)
Background at site = 6 ppm
LLDPE pouch vs LLDPE+EVOH coex
Provided by Raven Industries
1 gal SUNOCO gasoline each pouch
Landfill trial
WM site in Pennsylvania
GSI Field Trials: George R. Koerner Ph.D., P.E. & CQA
Geosynthetic Institute, 475 Kedron Ave. Folsom PA USA
(610) 19

20. GSI Trial Results
GSI Field Trials: George R. Koerner Ph.D., P.E. & CQA
Geosynthetic Institute, 475 Kedron Ave. Folsom PA USA

21. Concepts for landfill covers
EVOH could be incorporated into intermediate covers to improve VOC, CH4, H2S and CO2e vapor barrier
Intermediate cover with EVOH
Monolithic intermediate cover
Polyethylene or other polyolefin
EVOH
Structure of barrier B&C membrane is cox-PO/Tie/EVOH/Tie/PO sheet.
Potential for improvement in performance is significant…
Improve efficiency of LFG collection
Reduce emissions of CO2e – Title V permits

22. Title V – Green House Gas (GHG) Tailoring Rule
Title V Clean Air regulation will cover a facility which has a potential to emit (PTE) 100,000 tpy or more green house gases on a CO2e basis.
Phased-in approach.
Regulated pollutant is GHGs – combination of 6 gases.
Threshold is potential-to-emit (PTE) in units of short tons carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
Many LFG models assume only 75% of LFG can be collected using best available technology
Reference Iowa Dept Natural Resources – Greenhouse Gas Regulations & Landfills – Sept 27, 2010

23. Example Title V Calculation
Facility has potential emissions of 5,000 tons/year CO2; 5,000 tons/year CH4; 0.5 tons year N2O CO2e = (5000*1)+(5000*21)+(0.5* 310) = 110,155 tpy
Pollutant
tons/year
GWP
tons/year CO2e
CO2
5,000 1
CH4 21
105,000
N2O
0.5
310
155
Total
110,155
Global Warming Potential (GWP) – An index that allows for comparison of various greenhouse gases. It is the radioactive forcing that results from the addition of 1 kilogram of a gas to the atmosphere, compared to an equal mass of carbon dioxide.
Reference Iowa Dept Natural Resources – Greenhouse Gas Regulations & Landfills – Sept 27, 2010

24. Potential reduction in methane emissions using landfill covers
Fugitive emissions reported from landfills with soil cover is 100 to 200 kg/acre.day
EVOH barrier is only 1mil thick – could incorporated into thin films for daily covers

25. Conclusion
Existing geomembranes comprised of polypropylene, polyethylene and polyvinylchloride are excellent hydraulic and heavy metal barriers.
However these materials are NOT good barriers for volatile organic compounds migrating by diffusion
Inclusion of EVOH by coextrusion into select geomembrane designs would minimize diffusive migration of VOC’s and radon
Significantly improved protection of air, soil and water quality.
EVOH offers the potential of improved VOC barrier and lower system cost without significant effects on form and function of geomembranes

26. Value of EVOH in personal and environmental protection
BTEX, TCE
Landfill
CO2, CH4, H2S
Bioreactor
Radon &
Vapor Intrusion
EVOH liner
Protection of health and the environment
(air, soil and water quality)
Reducing remediation costs and potential liability

27. Questions are welcome. Robert B. Armstrong phone (281) 474-1576
Presented by:
Robert B. Armstrong
phone (281)
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