MATERIALS | TECHNOLOGY MASTERBATCH
Graphene masterbatch developed for PE films
Brazilian nanotech firm Gerdau Graphene has launched its Poly-G PE-07GM polyethylene masterbatch, which contains graphene and is designed for production of extruded PE films, sheets and profiles.
Using the masterbatch in PE films can improve mechanical and thermal properties and allow significant downgauging, says the company. It said trials using the additive in a nail packaging applica- tion allowed a 25% film thickness reduction and resulted in less perforation. This was said to reduce film waste by 39% and increase film productivity by 7%.
According to Gerdau, other benefits include improved gas barrier, higher
POLYOLEFINS
Material grades at Interpack
UV resistance, reduction in surface friction, better thermal stability, and improved processing. “Improving the material qualities of polyethylene has a meaningful impact on its sustainability in addition to cutting down on costs,” said Alexandre Corrêa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene. Gerdau has also signed a distribution agreement covering Japan with
SHRINK SLEEVES Shrinking with a thinner version
Innovia Films has extended its RayoFloat APO shrink sleeve film with a thinner version. The new grade, APO45, will give a yield and
material saving over thicker films, while the low-density nature of the polyolefin-based film means that finished sleeves are lighter than a comparable PET sleeve – helping to cut carbon emissions for transport along the supply chain. RayoFloat APO’s main attribute is that it is
floatable, says the company. “Shrink sleeves made from PVC or PET are
problematic and inefficient through PET bottle recycling processes – as they sink, and contami- nate the PET resin produced,” said Alasdair McE-
www.filmandsheet.com
wen, global product manager for labels and graphics at Innovia. “RayoFloat APO floats during the sink/float recycling separation process, resulting in a high yield of high-quality PET flakes.” The thinner the shrink sleeve film is, the more
easily the sorting technology can detect the PET material and sort the bottle into the right fraction, he added. The material science behind the material has
been further developed to ensure that the film has the necessary optical properties for this market. �
www.innoviafilms.com
May 2023 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 41
Sumitomo Chemical. Naoyuki Tokunaga,
general manager of the carbon department at Sumitomo Chemical, added: “In the past there has been a strong drive for sustainability in Japan and we believe graphene additives will be a key material to support our local customers in bringing better products to the local market.” �
www.gerdaugraphene.com
Constantia Flexibles is demonstrating a variety of its materials at the Interpack show. One example is its EcoLam family of laminates, based on its polyethylene (PE) compounds. Oriented PE (OPE), barrier OPE, and metallised high-barrier OPE can be used to replace traditional laminates such as PET/PE, PA/PE, or even PET/Alu/ PE.
In addition, its Ecover is a mono polypropylene (PP) solution in different barrier grades: Ecover, Ecover Plus, and Ecover HighPlus. Usable on VFFS and HFFS lines, its properties allow it to be used in applications such as beverages, snacks, dairy and personal care. �
www.cflex.com
IMAGE: INNOVIA FILMS
IMAGE: GERDAU GRAPHENE
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