PIGMENTS | BLACK AND WHITE
IMAGE: CHROMA OOLOR
Alcohol, is designed for monolayer PET containers for high alcohol applications, including hand sanitisers and cleaners. The US Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) publishes guidelines for testing how well a pack- age can be sorted by typical MRFs. Chroma Color reports that its NIR Sortable Black concentrates were tested by an independent lab using these guidelines. The alternative black formulations were made into extrusion blow-moulded bottles produced in three formulations in HDPE and one in PP; all passed the test with 100% of bottles able to be sorted. Chroma Color says its NIR Sortable Blacks are
Chroma Color’s NIR sortable black pigments have proved
effective in APR sorting efficiency tests
Expert formulations Compound and masterbatch producers are adding their own formulation expertise to these new black options. US-based Techmer PM, for example, launched its NIR Black in 2021, and the company has since developed a next-generation version with better opacity, which improves coverage of PCR with less colour concentrate, says Steve Smith, Techmer PM’s rigid packaging market manager. The colorant is offered in both compound and masterbatch forms for HDPE, PP, and PET and is suitable for food-contact applications. It can be used in consumer packaging as well as fibres. “We formulate with multiple components to improve upon the offerings from the raw material suppliers, resulting in a blacker black,” says Kimberly William- son, Colour Innovation and Technology Manager at the company. Ampacet recently added to its range of NIR- detectable masterbatches with a black designed for flexible applications. REC-NIR-Black PE 512 is said to provide a high level of opacity in flexible PE packaging. Another product, REC-NIR-Black High
made from a proprietary combination of specialty dyes and organic pigments that allows near-black and other dark colours. The colourants are FDA- compliant and available in commonly used packag- ing resins, including PP, PE, PS, ABS, and PET. Tony Gaukroger, Director of Colour Tone Masterbatch in the UK, says the company has been working with NIR-detectable black master- batches for many years, originally in conjunction with the UK’s Waste and Resources Action Pro- gramme (WRAP). A next-generation product was then developed to provide lower-cost grades that could better compete with carbon black. He says these “sit approximately halfway between the initial development and traditional blacks.” The company’s UK and EU patents cover various blends of materials and colorants that meet food contact criteria, give a good black colour and excellent opacity, and are reasonably cost effective, says Gaukroger. Both the initial product and the newer lower cost products are being used com- mercially. “Over 10,000 tonnes of black plastic [diverted from landfill] can be directly attributed to colorant we have supplied,” he claims. Gaukroger cautions that, even using colourants
that do not contain carbon black, users should evaluate the formulated colour to be sure that it
Straight to the Perfect Compound!
BKG® Underwater Pelletizing Solutions
WWW.NORDSONPOLYMERPROCESSING.COM
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 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
