MATERIALS | FILM ADDITIVES
Above: BOPP for candy wrap- pers is one target applica- tion for Dow Performance Silicones’ new silicone-based additive
Right: Tosaf’s AFT380PE anti-fog additive improves clarity of films for prepared food dishes
masterbatch will enable superior printing and metallization. Organic waxes such as erucamide are widely used as slip agents in BOPP film, but their migration can increase haze in clear products. In addition, when the additive transfers from the slip-treated face to the corona- treated face during film winding and storage, printability can suffer. The Dow Corning HMB-6301 Masterbatch is added
only to the outer layer of the BOPP film and, because it is non-migrating, there is no transfer from the silicone-treated face to the corona-treat- ed face. The masterbatch can also be used in cast PP film. “Friction is a recurring problem in packaging
production using BOPP film (for example, form-fill- seal operations) because it can negatively affect the film’s appearance, cause deforma- tions and even rupture, which interrupts throughput,” says Paulo. “This masterbatch not only addresses these issues, but can free customers from storage time and temperature constraints and relieve worries about additive migration, enabling them to maximise quality, consistency and productivity.” Several other companies have also been developing alternatives to erucamides for slip agents. These include Croda, with its Incroslip SL, and Ampacet with its Lamslip 754 product. Croda’s Incroslip SL has been covered previously in Compounding World. It is a food approved product offering good slip, colour, organoleptic
performance and oxidative stability. Ampacet says its Lamslip 754 masterbatch is designed to provide high and consistent slip properties in laminated film structures for conver- sion and packing operations for food and non-food applications. The supplier says that, compared to conventional slip masterbatches, Lamslip 754 maintains a low and consistent COF even after adhesive lamination and avoids transfer of slip additive on the opposite side of the laminate. “Being highly efficient at low addition rate, it limits converting and packing problems typically linked to fluctuating slip properties of the packaging film and prevents efficiency losses during automatic packaging process,” says the supplier.
Tackling film fogging New from Tosaf is AF7380PE anti-fog masterbatch. “Anti-fog additives for plain polyethylene (PE) films are well-known and widely used,” the company says. “However, as film structure becomes more complex and film producers require the same anti-fog masterbatch for a variety of production processes, demand has grown for new solutions and more sophisticated formulations.” It describes AF7380PE as a novel third genera-
PHOTO: TOSAF tion anti-fog that “combines the company’s
broad experience working with the most sophisti- cated anti-fog materials with its profound under- standing of the market’s needs.” According to Tosaf’s Film Additives R&D
Manager, Dr Evgeni Zelikman, the benefits of AF7380PE lie in its “combination of excellent anti-fog activity and superb optical properties.” The new masterbatch is suitable for a wide range of production processes, from laminated polyethyl- ene films, multi-layer co-ex barrier films produced by blown and cast extrusion, and oriented films produced by double- and triple-bubble production technology.
Ampacet also has new antifogs, but the latest
Figure 1: Dynamic coefficient of friction (film/steel) of low-SIT skin layer of BOPP film versus amount of Dow Corning HMB-6301 Masterbatch over time at 60°C Source: Dow Performance Silicones
20 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | March 2018
grades are targeted at agricultural film producers. A typical problem in greenhouses and low tunnels is linked to fogging phenomena, the company claims, so it has broadened its existing Agroclear range to include Agroclear 752 for one-to-two season greenhouses, low tunnels and early harvest crop protection films. Even at very low addition rates, it is said to provide what the supplier describes as “outstanding and consistent” antifog properties. “It maintains an excellent film transpar-
www.filmandsheet.com
PHOTO: DOWCORNING
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
