HOW REVERTE WORKS?

The chemical reaction that breaks down (oxidises) polyolefin’s like polyethylene / polypropylene isn’t difficult to start, it’s just difficult to control.

The clever chemistry that surrounds the proprietary Reverte™ oxo-biodegradable additive is all about the controlling package, not the actual oxidation.

The chemical reaction that breaks down the polymer chains needs two main things: energy and oxygen.

The energy can come as heat or light and would normally (in chemistry terms) be described as “free radicals”.

The method used to control the oxidative breakdown generally relies on having a product there that takes away the energy, thus “using it up” before it can be used for the polymer breakdown.

These types of products are called “free radical scavengers” because they do just that – they use up or “scavenge” the energy (free radicals) before they can make the breakdown reaction occur.

Certain types of free radical scavengers are used up. This means that every time they scavenge some energy they change in such a way that they can’t do it again. These types of chemicals are called “fugitive” as they aren’t there once they’ve done their job. This is the basis of the Reverte™ control package in as much as you put in a certain amount of fugitive free radical scavenger which gobbles up the activation energy that would cause the oxidative breakdown to commence, but when all of the free radical scavenger is used up then the reaction starts.

Our products are a little different because we put in a VERY efficient free radical scavenger which breaks down into a less efficient free radical scavenger once it is exposed to a very small amount of natural light (UV).