Issue 03 – October 2012 New Granic® grade for


blow moulding and film applications


Gestora Catalana de Residuos, producers of the Granic®


range


of calcium carbonate and talc filled plastic masterbatches, has introduced a new grade recommended for blow moulding applications using high density polyethylene (HDPE).


In contrast to the previously recommend grade, new Granic® 762 uses a very low melt flow special copolymer HDPE base carrier resin with a calcium carbonate content of 80%, as Chris Green, Business Development Manager at Plastribution, explains: “The use of the previous linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) based grades at higher addition rates was found to reduce modulus and tensile properties in some cases and to cause some issues in processing, particularly with very large blow mouldings.


The new grade addresses these issues by utilising a low melt flow HDPE carrier that will have no adverse effect at higher loadings over 15 percent or more.”


The base carrier resin used in Granic® 762 is a high molecular weight


HDPE copolymer that provides the finished article with a higher e-modulus than was previously achievable with a LLDPE carrier.


At the same time, the use of the ultrafine calcium carbonate granules in the polymer matrix permits the down-gauging of wall thickness in blow moulded articles such as bottles and containers without sacrificing mechanical, flexural and drop impact properties.


Further benefits of the new grade include the use of a particularly white form of calcium carbonate that facilitates a reduction in the amount of titanium dioxide required to produce blow-moulded white bottles and white films.


Moreover, as calcium carbonate is not a pigment, Granic®


762 is also


suitable for use in the production of coloured bottles. Finally, as HDPE is not transparent, a loading of Granic®


762 of up to 10 percent is possible (depending on wall thickness) in natural HDPE bottles and films without any discernible change in visual appearance.


“Our full commercial introduction of Granic®


762 was in April this year,


and already several big customers are placing regular orders that can be measured in truck loads,” reports


Victor Oliva, Commercial Director at Gestora Catalana de Residuos. “We see a huge potential in this material, with a major producer of “probiotic” yogurt-type drinks already trialing its use in Europe and Latin-America.”


The Granic® range is characterised


by the high purity preparation and treatment of the calcium carbonate used in the masterbatch. The additive can be added to almost all types of polymers, including polyethylene, polypropylene or polystyrene derivatives, at dosages of up to 60 percent depending on application.


Benefits of Granic® in moulded


parts include significant efficiencies in terms of output and energy costs. In film applications the use of Granic®


can lead to improvements


in mechanical performance and production efficiency.


Plastribution has been the sole distributor in the United Kingdom of the Granic®


range of highly filled calcium carbonate compounds since 2011.


Further information on Granic® can be found at www.granic.es.


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