additives feature | Mineral modifiers
Trinity Resources’ pyrophyllite products are aluminosili- cates that can be used as alternatives to talc or kaolin
application. The compounds can be used in pipe as well as other rigid extrusion and injection applications. Com- pounds are produced by Imerys in the UK and US with growing sales throughout Europe and North America. Gestora Catalana de Residuos (GCR), which
produces Granic calcium carbonate and talc master- batches at plants in Spain, sees interest in it master- batches for their contribution to sustainability. Granic has a low carbon footprint certification and can be used by GCR’s customers to improve sustainability in their final product and reduce their CO2
emissions, says
Victor Oliva, commercial director of GCR Group. Although in the past, Chinese talc was valued for its
whiteness and brightness, it is no longer a competitor in Europe with locally sourced talc, due to disadvantages in transportation costs, variable quality and sustainability, says Oliva, “The environmental advantages you get when using a mineral masterbatch are lost with Chinese talc. The extraction method of the mineral is less ecological in China and its long transport from there increases the carbon footprint.” GCR’s talc comes from a mine in the Pyrenees Mountains in southern Europe. GCR introduced new grades of Granic last year, including mineral masterbatches for flexible and rigid industrial packaging and food packaging. A new product for blow moulding avoids migration under acidic-pH conditions. New concentrates for hygienic applications have high whiteness, which is desired for its clean appearance and to reduce the need for white pigment in the final formulation.
American alternatives to Chinese talc In the USA, Minerals Technology announced a new line of high-density talcs for polyolefins that will be commercially available in mid-2014 from its Montana facility, which is being expanded. The company says that the new Ultratalc and Microtalc grades will provide improved processing characteristics for polyolefin compounders, including controlled moisture, dusting, materials handling and dispersion. Several grades will be available to optimize the
28 COMPOUNDING WORLD | August 2014
balance of stiffness and impact strength, while maintaining maximum line speeds for the manufacture of products such as lightweight bumpers and dash- boards for the auto industry. The talc grades have been developed in order to provide a North American alternative to imported Chinese talc offerings, says the company. Trinity Resources, with mines and processing
facilities in Canada, is also offering a North American alternative to Chinese talc. The company’s pyrophyllite products are aluminosilicates that offer the same brightness as untreated Chinese talc. Featuring the same monoclinic crystal structure as talc and the same physical properties, they can be used as alternatives to talc or kaolin. The company’s products are finding use in thermo-
plastic olefins, particularly in automotive applications. Altiplus and Altibright products have high brightness, and are fine, micronized products with a uniform particle distribution. Altifil has a lower brightness for parts that are not colour sensitive, such as under-the- hood automotive parts.
More information Chris DeArmitt of LKAB Minerals will give a paper entitled “Five exciting functional fillers that you (prob- ably) haven’t tried before” at this year’s Compounding World Forum, which takes place on 9-10 December in Philadelphia, PA, USA. For a full line-up of the speakers, plus a list of compounders and exhibitors that attended last year’s debut event, visit
http://bit.ly/CWF2014.
Click on the links for more information: ❙
www.granic.es ❙
www.imerys.com ❙
www.imineralsinc.com ❙
www.kmi.at ❙
www.lkabminerals.com ❙
www.mineralstech.com ❙
www.trinityresources.ca ❙
www.usaragonite.com
www.compoundingworld.com
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