MATERIALS | ADDITIVES FOR FILM
Above: BASF’s Tinuvin NOR 211 AR
additive is a heat and light stabiliser launched to protect films used in intensive horticulture
organised by AMI, Ahmad Arefi, a product devel- opment scientist at Ingenia Polymers, highlighted its PFAS-free processing aids for polymers. These are used in a range of applications such as blown film production, with properties such as improved die-lip build-up performance and food contact compliance. It has carried out film studies such as time to clear sharkskin and die build-up. “Our PFAS-Free PPAs achieve maximum efficien-
cy in reducing sharkskin and DLBU clearance when used independently, without the influence of other PPAs,” he said. The company offers its Superblend masterbatch- es with PFAS-free PPAs. These include Type A (high activity), Type B (melt-blended pastilles or pellets) and Type C (compacted pre-blends). At the same event, Onnicha Rattanopas, poly- mer applications leader at Interface Polymers, told delegates how the company can help to overcome mixed-plastic recycling challenges using its Polarfin diblock copolymer technology. “Unlike other compatibilisers in the market, it
works as a polymer surfactant in polyolefin and polar polymer blends,” she said. This helps to improve film appearance, such as
by removing flowmarks and gels, in samples such as 80/20 PE/PA blends. Loadings of up to 5% can help to improve clarity and tear strength. In a co-development project with Flexipol, a 4% loading of Polarfin helped to increase the tear strength of a seven-layer blended film in both directions. It did not significantly affect haze or clarity, and the film – which used 30% recyclate – had excellent appearance (smooth and no gels or striations), she said. AMI’s next Polyolefin Additives conference runs on 2-3 December 2025 in Cologne, Germany. Contact Louella Osano on +44 (0) 117 314 8111 (
louella.osano@amiplastics.com) for more details.
26 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | March 2025
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). Compatibilisers are finding use for both post- industrial and in-house recycling of barrier film scrap as well as preparing films in the post-con- sumer recycling stream. Meanwhile, additives supplier Nexam Chemical
and packaging company Kullaplast have teamed up to increase the share of recycled plastic in blown film. Combining Nexam’s Nexamite R305 additive – which improves melt strength and process stability – with Kullaplast’s film production expertise means recycled raw materials can be used to a greater extent without a loss in quality or performance. The collaboration shows the practical applica-
tion of research recently published by Politecnico di Torino, confirming how advanced additive technology can ‘upcycle’ recycled polymers, making them suitable for demanding applications such as blown film. “This shows how collaboration and innovation can drive the transition towards more circular material flows,” said Ronnie Törnqvist, CEO of Nexam.
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IMAGE: BASF
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