additives feature | Functional fillers GCR says garbage bags
produced using its Granic 1522 masterbatch
have improved dart impact resistance
Nanocor says that its customers use standard process- ing equipment to produce nanocomposites, and their experience shows that shear stress is the key to dispersing and distributing nanoclays. Surface modification of the clays is typically used to improve dispersion, and compati- bilizers or dispersing aids may also be used.
Improving dispersion Good dispersion of minerals is crucial for enabling property improvements, yet is often a challenge, especially for high fill levels. Solutions to this challenge for compounds or masterbatches include coatings on the mineral particles or additives, such as lubricants, that aid dispersion. Another solution for masterbatches is to use a carrier resin designed to improve dispersion. Vistamaxx 6202 metallocene-catalysed propylene- based elastomers from ExxonMobil Chemical can be used to improve dispersion and increase masterbatch loading, due to the polymer’s morphology and high amorphous content, said Marcus Friman, market development manager for Vistamaxx in Compounding, at AMI’s Polyolefin Additives 2014 conference. The propylene-rich copolymer melts at 109˚C, which
allows it to be compounded at lower temperatures to protect heat-sensitive additives. It is compatible with both polyethylene and polypropylene, and has a lower density (0.863 g/cm3 LLDPE (0.926 g/cm3
) than either PP (0.90 g/cm3 ).
ExxonMobil says that using Vistamaxx as a masterbatch carrier improves dispersion and properties
Friman presented results of a study showing that a
carbon black masterbatch had better dispersion in Vistamaxx 6202 than in LLDPE or a crystalline isotactic homopolymer PP (hPP). In applications such as HDPE shopping or garbage bags or PP injection moulded pails, a filler masterbatch (often with high calcium carbonate loadings) must perform a balancing act of reducing cost without degrading properties. Vistamaxx-based master- batches can improve properties compared to PP or PE-based masterbatches, due to both the improved dispersion and the inherent properties of the polymer compared to PP or PE, said Friman. GCR is using Vistamaxx as the carrier material for its new Granic 1522 calcium
carbonate masterbatch. Key advantages cited include the ability to increase mineral filler loadings without sacrificing important mechanical properties, and improved performance, such as higher dart tolerance. End-use applications include HDPE shopping and rubbish bags, PP raffia tape or bags, and
60 COMPOUNDING WORLD | August 2015 ) or
general thermoforming and blow moulding materials. “Using Vistamaxx as a carrier resin in the masterbatch
enables increased productivity, reduced energy consump- tion and improved mechanical properties,” says Victor Oliva, commercial director and R&D manager of GCR. The masterbatch is already in use in some of these fields. One commercial garbage bag film that includes 20% Granic 1522 is said to exhibit twice the dart impact resistance despite being 16% thinner than the original film, as well as more consistent film thickness, leading to smoother processing and lower costs. Earlier this year, Struktol introduced new lubricants
that can aid dispersion and reduce viscosity. TR044W is designed for highly filled polycarbonate compounds, and TR451 is designed for polyolefins that are highly loaded with mineral fillers. “In many cases the need for expensive treated fillers can be eliminated by adding only a small amount of TR 451 to compounds containing untreated grades of filler while improving the perfor- mance of the compound,” says the company. Perfor- mance improvements with 0.5 – 2.0% TR 451 include better compound colour and surface gloss, retained physical properties, and improved aging characteristics, says the company.
More information AMI’s next Polyolefin Additives conference is being held in Cologne, Germany on 20-22 October. The event’s brochure, including the full speaker line-up and booking details can be found at:
http://bit.ly/POadd15.
Click on the links for more information: ❙
www.3M.com ❙
www.alpha-calcit.net ❙
www.exxonmobil.com ❙
www.granic.es (GCR) ❙
www.huber.com ❙
www.lkabminerals.com ❙
www.nanocor.com ❙
www.quarzwerke.com (HPF) ❙
www.struktol.com ❙
www.trinityresources.ca
www.compoundingworld.com
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