Foaming agents | additives feature
Jennifer Markarian reports on recent developments in chemical foaming additives and masterbatches for polymers
Expanding opportunities: the latest foaming agents
Chemical foaming agents (CFAs) play a key role in foamed plastics as both primary foaming agents and as nucleators. A goal of development is producing smaller cells for improved properties along with light-weighting. As in many polymer additive markets, regulatory
moves are also having an impact on materials selection and development of new technologies. For example, azodicarbonamide (ADCA or AZO) has been on the European Union’s Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list due to its respiratory sensitizing potential and was recommended for prioritization by ECHA in December 2013, but a decision on whether to require authorisation has not yet been made by the EU Commission. AZO is widely imported and used in the EU, however
no cases of respiratory sensitization have been reported over the past 20 years, noted Tramaco’s Dr Carsten Mennerich at AMI’s Polymer Foam 2014 conference held in Cologne, Germany in November 2014. Even if ADCA were to be included in the EU’s Annex XIV, any user or a consortia of users can apply for an authorisa- tion for use due to a lack of viable alternatives. Tramaco is helping its customers to substitute with
other CFAs wherever possible, noted Mennerich, adding: “However, experience shows that in many appli-
www.compoundingworld.com
cations it cannot be replaced by any other foaming technology without sacrifi cing foam performance or end product properties. Meanwhile, users should make sure that ADCA is handled safely, get involved in support of ADCA, and evaluate if alternative CFAs might be an option for their particular application.” Tramaco is part of the Rowa Group and its US
operation is seeing increased interest in its endothermic foaming agent products as a result of the EU concerns. Rowa also sees growing interest in highly loaded masterbatches, and the company offers microgranular and liquid masterbatches with loadings up to around 70%. “The applications, processing equipment, usage requirements and regulatory requirement will dictate the chemistry, type and loading option,” notes Dave Baglia, president of Rowa in the US. “Not one solution works for all, but different companies prefer powders, pellets, liquids, or highly loaded concentrates.” There has been much development of alternatives to
AZO foams and, for some markets, alternatives have long been available, notes Peter Schroeck, president and CEO of Reedy Chemical Foam & Specialty Addi- tives. “Endothermic/carbonate CFAs have been used for years as pellet additives for high-to- medium density rigid and semi-rigid profi le extrusions of polymers such
January 2015 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 53
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88