PROCESS AIDS AND LUBRICANTS | PROCESSING
Regulatory- compliant
chemistries serve as lubricants and processing aids, reduce wear and friction, and create low-retention surfaces. Jennifer Markarian finds out more
Smoothing the surface
Additives based on a range of chemistries can be used in masterbatches and compounds to modify polymer surfaces for improved processing and performance. Regulatory changes – in particular, increasing restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – are beginning to drive shifts to alternatives. Restrictions on PFAS-based chemistries are having a significant impact in the polyolefin film extrusion industry, where fluorine-containing polymers have been well-established as processing aids, said Michael Weber, Technical Service and R&D at Constab, a member of the Kafrit Group. He pointed to the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which bans food-contact packaging containing PFAS at concen- trations at or above certain limits beginning in August 2026. These limits include 50 ppm for PFAS including polymeric PFAS and 25 ppb for PFAS measured with targeted PFAS analysis (excluding polymeric), among other specific obligations. Weber said that while PE resin manufacturers in
Europe and the US are now offering PFAS-free LLDPE grades to comply with the new regulations, converters still face the challenge of finding effective PFAS-free additive masterbatch solutions. He added that it is challenging to match the efficiency of fluorine-based processing aids,
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especially in metallocene-LLDPE film extrusion for food packaging. “Constab has identified various synergistic
PFAS-free additive solutions to help film producers meet these challenges,” said Weber. The company offers a range of solutions globally, including a low-cost standard option, Constab PA 00892 LD, and a high-temperature resistant masterbatch, Constab PA 00891 LD. Options based on nano-scale particles or siloxane chemistry are available, and conventional PFAS-based formulations also remain available. In 2024, a new generation of EverGlide PA, which is manufactured by US based Polymer Dynamix and is available from Mitsui & Co in Europe and Mitsui Plastics in the US, was introduced into the market. This product is based on a patent-pending technology that chemically emulates fluoroelasto- mers without the use of PFAS, siloxanes, polyethyl- ene glycols, or metallic stearates. Its high thermal stability makes it suitable for various extrusion processes, the company reported. “EverGlide PA provides performance and compliance to food contact standards around the world. It can clear melt fracture similar to other process aids; however, its ability to protect dies from buildup is where the technology really stands out,” said Moritz Winkler, Senior New Business Development Manager at Mitsui & Co. “It has a
Main image: Avient says its Cesa Non-PFAS Process Aid for polyolefin extrusion and film formulations is comparable to traditional fluoropolymer- based process- ing aids
April 2025 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 13
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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