MATERIALS | ADDITIVES
formulations shows that increasing levels of aPHA speed up fusion and strengthen the melt in addition to improving filler dispersion and improv- ing gelation. Proper gelation results in improved mechanical properties, such as strength and toughness, in the final product. “This unique combination of performance and sustainability attributes makes aPHA an innovative and practical solution for improving PVC recyclabil- ity and mechanical attributes,” said Kim. Avient’s new ColorMatrix Amosorb 4020L is an
oxygen scavenging additive for extending the shelf life of PET bottles. The additive is not based on polyamide, which makes it compatible with PET recycling. The company says it can be used for products incorporating higher levels of up to 100% recycled material in packaging. The additive is intended for long-shelf life packaging applications such as condiments, sauces, juices, and beverages, including certain alcoholic drinks. Also new from Avient is Cesa WithStand SX Low
Haze Antimicrobial Additives for clear polycarbon- ate or acrylic applications. The company says this patent-pending, next-generation formula is especially useful for products incorporating recycled resin. “Traditional antimicrobials often cause opacity or hazing in polycarbonate or acrylic. This is especially true in applications using recycled content. Cesa WithStand SX, however, helps maintain clarity and protects against haze,” said Felipe Reichert, Global Marketing Director for Color, Additives, and Inks at Avient. The additives limit microbial growth in plastic
parts to help reduce unwanted odour, staining and discoloration to maintain part appearance and are currently available in the US and Canada.
Measurement project In a new collaborative project, BASF, Endress+Hauser, TechnoCompound and the University of Bayreuth and Friedrich Schiller University Jena will investigate how the mechanical recycling of plastics can be improved using spectroscopic measuring techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) to more precisely identify the composition of plastic waste during the recycling process. Researchers in the SpecReK project want to use this data to determine, in real time, which plastic grades, additives and contaminants are contained in the material. An AI algorithm will then be used to recognise patterns in the measurement data and recommend which additional compo- nents should be added or how the recycling process should be adapted to improve the quality
20 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | March/April 2025
of the recycled plastic output. “We do not currently have the necessary analysis tools to determine during processing exactly which components are contained in the mechanically recycled plastics,” said Bernhard von Vacano, head of the Plastics Circularity research program at BASF. These data are important, because the recycled material can vary, depending on the incoming streams and the degree of sorting. “With the increasing demand for high-quality
recycled materials, and given the current legal framework, it will be crucial to perfectly understand the material properties and composition of mechanically recycled plastic waste and to opti- mise the process. In this way, we will strengthen the circular economy,” said von Vacano. The €2.2m project is two-thirds financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and one-third financed by the project partners. A mechanical recycling system in development
by Finland-based VTT Technical Research Centre also uses real-time measured data – in this case, in-line viscosity measurement – which it uses to control feeding of additives to compensate for viscosity variation. Details about VTT’s Varex advanced pilot line were covered in the Plastics Recycling World November-December 2024 issue.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
https://nexamchemical.com �
https://siigroup.com �
www.cargill.com �
https://blackswangraphene.com �
https://broadwaycolours.com �
https://hydrograph.com �
https://cjbiomaterials.com �
www.avient.com �
www.basf.com �
www.technocompound.com �
www.vttresearch.com
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
Above: The SpecReK project is using spectroscopic measuring
techniques and AI to more precisely identify the composition of plastic waste
IMAGE: BASF
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