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Compatibilisers | additives


but says that Ken-React KPR can. “PCR regeneration cannot happen with current compatibilisers that often identify themselves as coupling agents because they can couple two dissimilar addition polymers such as polyole- fins but cannot function when condensation polymers such as PET are in the mix,” he says. Listing the various benefits of KPR technology, Monti says that, as well as compatibilising condensation and addition polymers, it also compatibilises polypropylene and polyethylene. “KPR allows 50/50 blends (PP/HDPE) that are stronger than the original polymers without delamination,” he claims. Furthermore, aged properties of such compositions are improved and flame retard- ance and anti-corrosion characteristics are enhanced due to what he terms “nano-phosphatisation.” He also says that the KPR technology is synergistic with MAH and copolymer technology. Monti sees KPR technology having potential to make a big impact in the PET recycling sector. “The great sustainability story of PET bottles being turned into carpets has a not-so-sustainable ending, because for carpet fibre to be useful it needs around 40% CaCO3


to


add wear and weight characteristics. In the world of recycling, CaCO3


is considered a contaminant – so the


worn-out carpet gets thrown in the dumpster and is hauled off to landfill,” he says. “A good deal of time and energy is spent on machinery to clean and separate contaminants such as fillers, which in their uncoupled state can deteriorate significantly recyclate mechanical properties. Ken-React KPR reduces the need for a high degree of cleaning and separation.” For this application, Kenrich offers two products: Ken-React KPR REZYK-1240 Pellets and Ken-React CAPS KPR 12/LV (only the former can be used in the EU at present due to REACH regulations). Monti says both should be added in the same way as a colour concen- trate at a level of 1.5% by total weight of all PCR polymers, with the extruder profile temperatures lowered by 9.5% to create sufficient shear energy in the melt for a complete reaction. “In my not-so-humble opinion, the best solution to post consumer recycle and post-industrial recycle is titanate catalysis because catalysis is the key to how and what kind of functional polymers and copolymers are made,” says Monti.


Upgrading thermoplastic polyesters Ashok Adur, Global Commercial Development Director for Plastics at Vertellus, says consumption of PET in the US currently stands at around 2.5m tonnes a year, less than a third of which is recycled. Its new range of ZeMac masterbatches, which were launched at K2016, are intended to improve the performance and processability of post-consumer and post-industrial PET. “By incorpo-


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


Figure 1: Recycled PC compounded with Paraloid EXL-2300 Acrylic Impact Modifier shows improved impact strength across a wide temperature range at an addition level of 3 wt% (bright red line), and further improvement at 5 wt% (yellow) compared to recycled PC without the addition of an acrylic impact modifier (dark red). The blue line represents a virgin commercial PC. Source: Dow


rating up to 40% recycled resin with virgin polymer, compounders can cut costs while helping to reduce raw material use and avoid landfilling,” Adur says. Even at low loadings, ZeMac copolymers are said to


raise flexural modulus and strength, tensile strength and elongation, impact resistance and heat deflection temperature (HDT). ZeMac E60-P powder and the new ZeMac Extend P62 masterbatch compatibilise PA and recycled PET. ZeMac Extend L65 masterbatch raises the viscosity of recycled PA to make it suitable for injection moulding. In blow moulding and profile and film extrusion applications, ZeMac Extend L68 masterbatch ensures even distribution of the additive to produce smooth, uniform surfaces with no gels. Clariant also now offers formulations of its CESA-


extend masterbatches that restore key material properties to recycled condensation polymers such as PET, PLA, and polycarbonate. The company says the additives allow even high percentages of regrind to be incorporated with virgin resin without significantly reducing physical properties. They are suitable for use in food-contact and other high-performance packaging applications. CESA-extend additives can be used to control or


enhance a range of material parameters, including melt-flow index (MFI), intrinsic viscosity, hydrolytic stability, mechanical properties and clarity. They can also be custom formulated to provide both linear and branched chain extension. “CESA-extend masterbatches give processors an


affordable, sustainable way to meet growing market demands for higher levels of recycled content in food packaging applications. One of our customers was even able to achieve acceptable results using 100% regrind,” says Peter Prusak, Clariant Head of Marketing for North America.


June 2017 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 47


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