PROCESS AIDS AND LUBRICANTS | PROCESSING
Balancing additives with PFAS pressures
Processing aid and lubricant additives ease processing and enhance surface properties for various applications. Now suppliers have had to develop PFAS-free alternatives. Jennifer Markarian finds out more
Lubricating additives of various chemistries are used to improve process flow during film extrusion or moulding, as well as to enhance surface proper- ties for end-use applications. A significant regula- tory shift in this area is the upcoming restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which in some cases includes fluoropolymer-based processing aids. A key driver for change is the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWR), which bans food-contact packaging containing PFAS in concentrations at or above certain limits beginning in August 2026. In the US, there is discussion around state-level restrictions and what that will mean for the plastics industry. Fluoropolymer-based polymer processing aids
(PPAs) are effective in reducing melt fracture and preventing die build up in extrusion processing. In the past several years, additive suppliers have developed alternative PPAs based on other chemistries that do not contain fluorine and can thus be considered PFAS-free, to comply with upcoming and potential PFAS regulatory limita- tions. One of the challenges in choosing alterna- tives is that fluoropolymer PPAs, in use for more than 30 years, have raised the bar for what is
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accepted, because they work well at current output rates to prevent surface defects and minimise line stops due to die buildup. Key properties to consider when evaluating
processing aids in film extrusion include the amount of additive needed to eliminate melt fracture and the time to achieve it, as well as end-use properties, such as haze, gloss, and clarity. Different polymer grades, other additives in a formulation, and extrusion conditions will also affect the results.
Choosing the best chemistry for a given use is a challenge that requires formulation expertise, which masterbatch producers can provide. Access to a range of ingredient options is helpful, said Jim Norris, Market Manager of Engineered Materials for Palmer Holland, a distributor which represents several PPA suppliers of different chemistry types. “We understand the difficult task our industry has replacing fluorochemistry for PPA. The transition away from fluorochemistry-based PPA requires a nuanced formulation approach rather than a single drop-in replacement,” said Norris. Henrik Eriksson, Technical Product Manager at Baerlocher, said that in general, alternative PPAs
Main image: Cargill has introduced Incroflo P50, a PPA fluoropoly- mer alternative composed of 86% bio-based material with no halogens, silicone
polymers or PEG
April 2026 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 23
IMAGE: CARGILL
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