PROCESSING | PROCESS AIDS AND LUBRICANTS
Right: Everglide PFAS-free processing aids from Mitsui & Co have improved
quality and cut energy in pipe extrusion trials
ing aids have been seeking alternatives and many additive and master- batch suppliers have introduced PFAS-free solutions. Siloxane- free processing aids have also been introduced in response to the European Chemical Agency’s categorisation of the short-chain oligomers in siloxanes as substances of very high concern (SVHC). Proposed restrictions on
PFAS also affect medical compounds, which use fluoropoly- mers as resins as well as internal lubricants. Further discussion around this topic can be found in the Medical Compounds feature on page 15 of this issue.
Driven by brands According to Roberto Nunez, Market Development Director for Special Additives at Baerlocher USA, it is brand-owner companies that are driving replace- ment of PFAS PPAs in packaging. The company’s latest Baerolub Aid family of PPAs is formulated without PFAS or siloxane. The company’s own tests have shown that the new PPAs perform well in blown film, with rapid clearing of melt fracture and reduced die build-up in LLDPE and high molecular weight HDPE. Nunez says that these positive results have been confirmed in multiple trials, including a long-term production environment. He says that four polymer producers have reached production
stage as they introduce their PFAS-free resins to the market. Two product grades are available. Baerolub Aid 2201 is said to offer the fastest time to clear melt fracture in metallocene LLDPE – Figure 1. Another option for certain conditions is Baerolub Aid 2202, which the company says provides very good melt clearing times compared to traditional
PPAs. Both additives have global food contact approvals and Nunez says that Baerlocher is prepared to scale
up quickly and supply the product globally.
The latest introduction from Dover Chemical is the DoverClear line of PPAs, which are offered as masterbatches and do not contain either PFAS or siloxanes. Doverclear 840 is recommended for resins with a melt index greater than one, while Doverclear 841 is recommended for resins with fractional melt indices. Both feature LLDPE carrier resins and have FDA food-contact approval. The PPAs are typically used at additions of 0.5-2.5% in the final product. Other carrier resins are available.
Benefits for films The family of organo-modified siloxane (OMS) processing aids offered by Evonik includes two non-fluorine containing PPA masterbatches for films: Tegomer 6810 for PE films and Tegomer 6850 for PP films. The OMS PPA masterbatches prevent sharkskin and die buildup at a loading level of 0.5-2%, according to Chris Roland, Techni- cal Service Polymer Chemist at Evonik in North America. Advantages of the OMS PPAS compared to fluorinated PPAs are said to include shorter set-up and cleaning time, reduced corrosive wear to the extruder, and high heat-resistance for use in cast film. The masterbatches have US FDA food- contact approval and are under review for food- contact approval review with other agencies globally.
Another recently developed OMS PPA additive
Figure 1: Graph showing impact on melt fracture in metallocene LLDPE of Baerlocher’s latest PFAS/siloxane free AID series products compared to a standard PPA Source: Baerlocher
24 COMPOUNDING WORLD | April 2024
from Evonik, Tego XP 21051, already carries food contact approval globally, including FDA approval for up to 0.2% in the final product. Tego XP 21052, which is both non-silicone and non-PFAS and can be used in PP and PE blown and cast film, also has global food-contact approvals and is now available for sampling. The Everglide PFAS-free processing aid, which in the US is produced for Mitsui& Co Deutschland
www.compoundingworld.com
M
I
A
E G
S :
H
T U
T
R E
T S
O
C
K
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
