MATERIALS | ADDITIVES
Right: Plastix is upcycling fishing net waste into durable products, supported by Techmer PM
Milliken’s DeltaMax Performance Modifiers are
formulated to raise melt flow while optimising impact properties, which can benefit the quality of recycled PP as well as virgin materials. DeltaMax elevates impact and melt flow to levels associated with virgin resins, says the company. “This unique capability allows compounders and converters to incorporate up to 100% recycled PP without sacrificing performance or processing.” At K2019, Milliken introduced the newest
product in its DeltaMax family, DeltaMax 5000a, which will expand usage of the product into food packaging, driving benefits for caps, closures and thin-wall packaging following regulatory approvals. Compound and additive producer Techmer PM
has partnered with Denmark-based recycler Plastix to help it upcycle obsolete and discarded fishing nets, trawls and ropes. Plastix uses a combination of custom-made processing technologies and supplier equipment to mechanically recycle plastic fibres and rigid plastics primarily from the maritime industry. It produces compounded pellets in its OceanIX range of high-quality recycled HDPE and PP materials. Thechmer says its Techsperse additive helps its customers use up to 100% recycled materials, as with OceanIX, while maintaining physical proper- ties and achieving their colour and appearance targets. Techsperse is a colour and dispersion additive which breaks up pigment agglomerates to help avoid fibre breaks. It also contributes to better yield rates and longer die life. “Not only is Techmer providing a solution to give
these materials a second life – which could become bottles, caps, or closures – but they are also design- ing for more durable products such as outdoor furniture and kayaks using their custom-tailored UV stabilisation packages,” said the company. Völpker Spezialprodukte bases its plastics additives on montan waxes and it develops grades to deliver specific solutions for producers of virgin and recycled plastic compounds. The company’s Cevo range of additives have been developed to
Right: Comparison of microscope images of carbon black particles in HDPE foil; right image shows result of using Völpker’s Cevo dispersion additives
Source: Völpker 32 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2020
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
solve processing and application-related issues. It highlights Cevo-process B-3680 and Cevo-process B-3690, which are dispersion additives for the recycling of PCR HDPE/LDPE. Völpker says: “Post-consumer HDPE/LDPE waste in most cases contains unwanted polymer particles and mineral (or other) contaminations that prove to be disruptive in the production of recyclates and that reduce the quality. Their proper dispersion as well as the dispersion of fillers (for example, carbon black) is mandatory in order to produce adequate recycling qualities, for example for injection moulding.” In an example of virgin HDPE containing 2% carbon black, the company says the carbon black is “excellently dispersed” when Cevo-process B-3680 or Cevo-process B-3690 is added at 0.5% loading. Comparison of microscope images of manufac- tured foils – with and without use of the Cevo additive – shows that the number of carbon black agglomerates can be significantly reduced. The image on the right (below) shows the carbon black particles are isolated, demonstrating the dispersing effect within the olefinic matrix. “This result was confirmed by further key figures,” says the company. Völpker conducted a similar trial using recycled HDPE containing 2% carbon black, which again showed “excellent” dispersion by using the same Cevo additives. “This was proven by a classical filter
IMAGE: PLASTIX
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