additives | Film production
antiblocking agents to the test, including various silicas and zeolites and a special talc, in an 8-MFI random copolymer that was compounded and made into a coextruded fi lm at the company’s location at Linz in Austria. They found wide variations in blocking value (Figure 3) and in other properties. For example, while one silica gave a 20-deg gloss level of around 122%, another gave a value of just under 140.
Figure 3: Blocking value of various additives in polypropylene Source: Borealis
fi lm, there is not only a higher level of UV stability in the outer layer [in part because the additive is non-migrato- ry] but the additives in the inner layer prevent sulphur absorption. He said the result is that it may be possible to use a less expensive HALS (Figure 2). CCP is not yet commercial with the formulations
developed during the Greenavoid project, but Tura is hopeful they will be on the market soon. “Our tests were only on small greenhouses, so we need to carry out more studies on a larger scale,” he says. Also speaking at the Agricultural Films conference,
Tosaf’s Agriculture Films Product Manager Meirev Fleischer introduced a new UV masterbatch, UV2817PE, which is the result of the company’s work to develop a product providing resistance to aggressive chemical environments (specifi cally sulphur, chlorine and iron) and high thermal stability. He said that a further key requirement was that the new grade remains cost- effective compared to existing products. Trials have been carried out on various crops, including peppers, roses and strawberries, and these have indicated that fi lms containing the new additive retained more of their mechanical performance than several other types containing commercial products.
Right: Caking test shows non-caking behaviour of AkzoNobel’s
Armostat 2002 pellets, which makes them easier to
handle and to feed to the extruder
Antiblock selection Johannes Wolfschwenger, a researcher at Borealis Polyolefi ne in Austria, provided an interesting insight into the variables at play in various antiblocking agents used for cast polypropylene fi lm at the Applied Market Information Polyolefi ns Additives conference in Cologne in October last year. He said that chemical nature, particle size and shape, pore diameter, pore volume, surface area and refractive index all have important effects on properties of the fi nal product – not only in terms of antiblocking effi ciency but also in opticals, orange peel, coeffi cient of friction, and toughness among others. Wolfschwenger and his colleagues have put various
20 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January 2016
www.compoundingworld.com
One of Sukano’s latest developments is a slip/ anti-block masterbatch for OPET fi lms. “Sukano T dc S616 is a highly concentrated masterbatch developed to support OPET fi lm producers in making the transition from low concentrated polycondensated silica com- pounds to fl exible masterbatch solutions,” says
marketing and communication manager Marie Boutemy. The new masterbatch is said to provide very high performance to fi lms with low haze and high transpar- ency and offers good printability and heat seal proper- ties. It is suitable for food contact applications. Boutemy claims that its superior fi lterability gives converters increased productivity and production speeds, fl exibility and reduced maintenance and downtimes.
Slip without taste Slip additives provide fi lms (mostly polyethylene) with the low coeffi cient of friction (COF) values often required for cost effective converting stages (printing, laminating, coating, etc) and in the fi nal application. Croda Polymer Additives reports that the superior stability of Incroslip SL, the newest addition to its portfolio of high performance slip additives, has now been shown to improve the organoleptic properties of the product. “This was demonstrated by a panel of volunteers when 70% of volunteers rated Incroslip SL the lowest or least offensive odour compared to other slip additives such as standard grade erucamide or behenamide,” says Michelle Downham, marketing coordinator for polymer additives. “Improved organo-
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