ADDITIVES | FILM
films was discussed in more detail in the May/June 2024 issue of Compounding World. The additives are finding use for both post-industrial and in-house recycling of barrier film scrap as well as preparing films in the post-consumer recycling stream.
Above: BASF’s Tinuvin NOR 211 AR
additive is a heat and light stabiliser launched to protect films used in intensive horticulture
LGP-12 has also been finding success as a stabiliser in recycle streams, where it has been shown to reduce both the size and overall amount of gels in recycled-polyethylene film applications.
Additives for recycling As recycled content increases, plastic compounds will need to be stabilised to withstand multiple processing cycles without creating gels that can cause holes or breaks in film webs. For example, Clariant’s PKG 196, introduced at the K2022 Show, helps reduce gels and allow higher levels of recycled content in thin films and flexible packaging, the company reports. BASF’s IrgaCycle products, first launched in 2021 and including products such as IrgaCycle PS 031 G for recycled LDPE and LLDPE in films, are additive blends designed specifically for improving the properties of recycled plastics. Nexam Chemical’s Reactive Recycling technology uses reactive chemistry to improve the processing properties of recycled PE and PP. In a study conducted in 2024, the Nexamite additive was able to prevent breakdown when added to PP and to restore the molecular weight when added to a simulated post-consumer recycled PP. Compatibilisers also play a key role in allowing
recycled content in film applications by improving homogeneity in batches with materials of different polarities and flow properties. For example, the new MaxiLoop product family from Gabriel- Chemie includes the MaxiLoop HP7AB4780COM Compatibiliser Masterbatch that can be used to help compatibilise edge trims from film extrusion in the production of multilayer products, which may contain both non-polar polymers (eg, PE or PP) and polar polymers used as barrier layers (eg, PA6, PA66, or EVOH). Use of compatibilisers in recycling of multilayer
22 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January/February 2025
Blockers and stabilisers Ultraviolet (UV) absorbers or light blocking additives may be used in packaging to protect contents from UV degradation. Conventional UV blockers have included those based on benzotriazoles, but since some phenolic benzotriazoles have been added to the European Chemical’s Agency candidate list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), alternatives that are not on the SVHC list are being considered. Ampacet’s UVBlock 1496 is an alternative that offers UV barrier performance in the low UVA and UVB wavelength range, the company says. It is approved for food-contact applications in Europe and the US. Agricultural applications, such as films used in
greenhouses, have stringent stabilisation requirements, because the films must withstand both weathering and the increasing use of inorganic chemicals in agriculture. The latest from BASF is Tinuvin NOR 211 AR, a heat and light stabiliser to protect films used in intensive horticulture under severe UV radiation and the presence of high levels of sulphur and chlorine. These films are being designed for greater durability, which improves sustainability by reducing plastic waste. “The Tinuvin NOR 211 AR additive solution
addresses a broad variety of challenges for agricultural plastics, including sustainability requirements, increased chemical exposure, longer use durations and downgauging trends,” said Bettina Sobotka, Head of Global Marketing and Development for Plastic Additives at BASF. “BASF’s NOR [non-basic aminoether] HALS [hindered amine light stabilisers] solutions improve stabilisation by moving beyond solutions based on secondary and methylated HALS. Through collaboration with agricultural plastic producers as well as farmers, we facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise, creating solutions that will ultimately lead to improved crop yield.” The new stabiliser is part of BASF’s Valeras
portfolio, which the company says is designed to help users meet their sustainability goals. Renewable electricity is used to manufacture the additive, and the product form improves material dosing precision, among other benefits, the company says.
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IMAGE: BASF
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