MATERIALS | MINERAL FILLERS
what the company says is an exceptionally pure limestone source. The company’s production process creates a narrow particle-size distribution with a low top-cut and minimal specific surface area. The modifiers are used to enhance
processing and improve mechanical perfor- mance in a wide range of polymers, includ- ing PVC and polyolefins. The modifiers do not contain iron, which is a benefit particu- larly in PVC for preventing yellowing and ensuring stability. Recently Incoa has introduced an InCal version tailored for breathable films and another grade designed for biopolymers. Incoa says that its modifiers help
reduce the carbon footprint of plastic products in several ways, including
Above: Potato chips packaged in mono- material multi-layer barrier film Made From Stone with scannable QR code technology for consumer transparency in sustainability
lowering energy consumption during processing and replacing a portion of petrochemical-based polymer with the mineral. The company plans to expand production capacity this year or next in response to growing demand.
Calcium carbonate Omya’s latest product is a version of its Omya Smartfill functionalised calcium carbonate with a surface modification designed for compatibility with engineering polymers, including polyamides (PA) and polycarbonates (PC). When used in PA it increases ductility, and in glass-filled PA com- pounds, the functional filler increases the modulus and does not have a detrimental effect on impact, explains Karsten Schulz, business development director for polymers at Omya. Omya found that approximately 5% of glass
fibre could be replaced with 10-20% Omya Smartfill to reduce carbon footprint and cost without harming properties. In Europe, the product is produced in Italy using a 100% certified recycled mineral source, which is of interest to users who are seeking materials to increase recycled content. Omya Smartfill can also be used to replace a portion of the titanium dioxide used as a white pigment in PC, to reduce carbon footprint while maintaining colour and properties. At NPE 2024, ingredient technology company
Okeanos highlighted its Made From Stone (MFS) materials, which are compounds based on calcium carbonate with a proprietary coating. The company currently has eight compounds designed for different applications, with the goal of making the materials affordable and accessible for converters to immediately reduce carbon emissions of packaging and single-use products using 30-70%
42 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | October 2024
calcium carbonate in place of the polymer in the end products. Part of Okeanos’ technology includes supply-
chain tracking to provide a product carbon footprint, which can be accessed via a QR code that brands can use on their products to communi- cate carbon footprint savings to consumers. The company has partnerships with compounders on five continents, with the goal of sourcing the raw materials locally and producing in-country, for- country. This approach also allows manufacturers and brands to create end-of-life solutions that match their country’s infrastructure and regulatory environment. In the US, for example, Okeanos has designed its products to be compliant with Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) guidelines and is working towards APR recognition.
Talc applications Engineered grades of talc find extensive use as functional fillers to improve the mechanical perfor- mance of plastic parts in automotive applications in the quest for light-weighting. Talc-producer Imerys, for example, supplies high-aspect ratio (HAR) talc, ultrafine talc, and microlamellar talcs for automotive parts. In late 2023, Imerys inaugurated a talc processing plant in Wuhu, China that is intended to supply China’s growing automotive industry, particularly in electric vehicles. The plant was built in two years and is expected to reach full production capacity of 35,000 tonnes/yr by 2025. Imerys has 10 other plants in China, including a calcium carbonate processing plant adjacent to the new facility. “With booming EV production in China, Imerys’ capacity to provide a local source of critical minerals is crucial to local automotive part manu- facturers,” said Guillaume Delacroix, Imerys performance minerals, EMEA & APAC senior vice-president. “The new plant will be able to provide Chinese polymer producers with the same state-of-the-art talc products we currently supply to global automotive polymer leaders from our European production sites.” Talc supplier IMI Fabi reports demand for highly
engineered talcs in automotive applications, such as those with high lamellarity, to provide high rigidity. Ultrafine talc grades are also in demand for high resilience combined with dimensional stability and high rigidity, says Piergiovanni Ercoli Malacari, product and application development at IMI Fabi. IMI Fabi’s latest development in mineral fillers is
NatFeel, a high-purity, talc-based functional mineral for compostable biopolymers, such as polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), and
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: OKEANOS
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