ADDITIVES | PROCESS AIDS


Right: Clariant’s Licocare RBE 560 TP Vita process aid is produced from agricultural by-product rice bran wax


release agent from Denmark-based Palsgaard, which is said to provide a reliable renewable and carbon-neutrally produced alternative to synthetic competitors without compromising demoulding performance or productivity. Beyond good mould release, Einar 201 also provides denesting and slip effects to ease automated downstream stacking and handling of moulded products while maintain- ing anti-dust surface properties throughout processing, assembly and final use. According to the company, typical automotive applications moulded in PP with Einar 201 — such as door trims, dashboards and bumpers — also display benefits such as higher heat resistance and low odour. “Masterbatch manufacturers, polypropylene compounders, and processors are increasingly seeking more sustainable additive solutions to help them eliminate regulatory concerns and meet their targets of reducing the Scope 3 carbon footprint of their operations without compromising perfor- mance or cost efficiency,” says Ulrik Aunskjaer, Global Business Director for Bio-Specialty Polymer Additives at Palsgaard. “Our Einar 201 mould


release additive is produced in completely CO2- neutral factories, which lends it an overall superior sustainability profile across the entire value chain from production and compounding to processing.”


Below: Einar 201 from Palsgaard is claimed to improve mould release and anti-dust surface properties automotive bumper production


Recycling ideas According to Canadian clean-tech company Greenmantra Technologies, one problem facing converters and compounders when they attempt to use high levels of recycled plastics is the inherent variability of the material, specifically due to consistency of supply and variable heat history. This can create processing and performance challenges and, more often than not, requires modifications to operations. “The Ceranovus range are the world’s first


processing aids manufactured from 100% recycled plastic (PE and PP) and act as melt flow modifiers,


delivering a unique combination of operational efficiency, higher output with lower energy inputs, and allowing higher uses of recycled content without impacting the final product,” says Ben Scott, Greenmantra’s Director of Technology. The company has compiled a number of case studies to demonstrate that when added at 4% with up to 50% recycled content, the PE-based Cerano- vus PN15 increases melt flow up to 27% and increases tensile strength up to 6% while maintain- ing elongation. The studies also found that adding Ceranovus PN20 at a 2% loading level in com- pounds of up to 100% recycled HDPE increases melt flow and throughput by 34% and 27% respectively, reduces energy use by 20%, and increases Izod impact and elongation by 12% and 19% respectively. In dual-wall HDPE corrugated pipes, a 3% loading level can increase extruder output by 30% or reduce energy consumption by 25% while exceeding all AASHTO M294R corru- gated pipe performance requirements. According to Clariant, the company’s biobased


Licocare RBW 560 TP Vita can withstand higher processing temperatures than more conventional lubricating and dispersing agents due to its combination of improved thermal stability and low volatility. It also offers very good colour stability, making it particularly attractive to formulators of polyester compounds for use in E&E or transport applications. The company says the additive promotes easier mould release, which improves surface quality and means fewer parts get stuck in the mould. Risk of short shots and rejects is also reduced, and shorter cooling cycles can be exploited to cut cycle times. Licocare RBW 560 TP Vita is the latest extension to Clariant’s Licocare range of performance additives based on renewable non-food-compet- ing feedstock and that boast a renewable content of at least 98% Renewable Carbon Index (RCI). It is


44 COMPOUNDING WORLD | April 2023 www.compoundingworld.com


IMAGE: PALSGAARD


IMAGE: CLARIANT


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