ADDITIVES | LUBRICANTS AND PROCESSING AIDS
Right: Emery Oleochemicals developed its Loxiol G 19 is an alternative to castor-based PVC lubricants such as 12-HAS
While compostability is not as big of a concern in the US market, the market is concerned about sustainability, according to Neuber. “Licocare RBW waxes are based on renewable feedstock and are non-food-competing. Solutions carrying the Vita designator have at least a 98% Renewable Carbon Index. So, through smart chemistry they are helping in the drive towards plastics circularity,” he says. Demand for sustainable lubricants, including bio-based additives, could continue to grow as compounders and their customers look for ways to reduce the environmental footprint of plastic materials.
Emery Oleochemicals’ Green Polymer Addi- tives business unit developed a new, bio-based combination lubricant for rigid PVC applications, which the company says is already being used at industry scale. Loxiol G 19 is a functional alterna- tive to castor-based PVC lubricants, 12 hydroxy- stearic acid (12-HSA), which are also bio-based but come with supply concerns.
Supply security “The only large-scale source of 12-HSA is castor oil. However, security of supply can be quite a chal- lenge since approximately 90% of the world’s castor seed is sourced from just one country – India,” says Dr Christian Mueller, Global Technical Market Manager for Green Polymer Additives at Emery Oleochemicals. “To effectively support the PVC industry’s global demand, having adequate alternatives to 12-HSA is necessary, due to the ongoing scarcity of cargo space combined with dramatically increased shipping costs. Uncertain delivery times caused by the issue at the Suez Canal
[in March 2021] further exacerbate the situation.” The new additive has nearly identical processing
Figure 2: Melt processing characteristics for a rigid PVC formulation using Emery Oleochemicals’ Loxiol G 19 additive compared to a castor oil-based 12-HAS alternative Source: Emery Oleochemicals
20 COMPOUNDING WORLD | April 2022
characteristics to 12-HSA in rigid PVC, says Mueller (Figure 2). It is compatible with PVC, reduces stickiness, and provides good anti-plate-out properties, as determined by laboratory tests on a lab kneader and on a conical twin-screw extruder. The figure shows that melt pressure and torque on the twin-screw extruder were comparable for the two types of lubricants. In addition, in extensive trials on an industrial line, Loxiol G 19 did not cause changes in Vicat softening point, mechanical properties, or the colour of the end product. Loxiol G 19 is produced from a raw material supply chain available in any region of the globe and is supplied as fine-grained beads that provide dust-free handling and prevent agglomeration during processing, transport or storage, says Mueller. The additive complies with chemical regulations such as the EU’s REACH and has indirect food contact approval. In the US, 12-HSA is not commonly used, accord- ing to Mueller, but paraffin wax is a key lubricant for tin-stabilised, rigid PVC formulations. However, he sees a drive to replace paraffin waxes with bio- based alternatives. “Loxiol G 24 is a 100% bio-based alternative with very similar characteristics to paraffin wax,” says Mueller. He adds that it displays comparable lubrication characteristics and also helps to reduce or eliminate plate-out challenges. Canada’s GreenMantra Technologies uses chemical recycling technology to manufacture specialty polymers and synthetic waxes from discarded plastics for a range of applications, including polymer lubricants. The company expanded into the European market in mid-2021. It also recently announced a partnership with Omani-based Western Technologies and Innova- tion (Westec) and Romanian consultancy Rethink
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: EMERY OLEOCHEMICALS
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