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Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’ portfolio…
add dditives itives
FOR
POLY POL YMERS
ISSN 0306-3747 August 2008
www.additivesforpolymers.com
Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’ portfolio…
Contents
P
roduct developers seeking additive masterbatches that are both biodegradable and renewable can now select several different functional ingredients in the new CESA®natur product line from Clariant Masterbatches. According to Clariant, CESA-natur additive masterbatches, along with the RENOL®-natur colour masterbatches introduced in 2007 [ADPO, September 2007], are ideal for use with environmentally friendly biopolymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), which are becoming popular in ‘green’ packaging and consumer goods applications.
The new masterbatches – including slip/antiblock agents, UV/light stabilizers, antioxidants and antistatic agents – feature not only a biopolymer carrier resin, but also naturally occurring substances that are completely renewable, biodegradable and, in most cases, compostable, says Clariant. These products have successfully passed strict screening procedures and are available for immediate use, the company reports. The natural masterbatches also can be formulated for use in conventional polymers as alternatives to non-renewable additives, Clariant adds. CESA-natur slip additive masterbatches perform well in PLA film applications, the company says. The newly developed system is based on pure, naturally occurring waxes that give very good slip properties. According to Clariant, the coefficient of friction in PLA films
obtained by using the natural additive is close to the values achieved with modern synthetic waxes, which are based on petrochemicals. The use of CESA-natur slip appears to have only a marginal influence on transparency. CESA-natur light masterbatches provide light stabilization in both conventional and biopolymers. They can also function as a UV filter to protect the contents of packaging made of bioplastics such as PLA, Clariant says. Like synthetic additives, they are based on aromatic molecules, but the CESAnatur UV masterbatches use naturally occurring ingredients, the company explains. Carrier resins can include any of the common biopolymers. Processing characteristics are similar to those associated with conventional masterbatches, Clariant claims. Strict product safety regulations and screening apply, despite the natural origin of the materials. In the past, the natural compounds chosen for UV protection have been coloured and usually showed low thermal stability at processing temperatures above 200°C, according to Clariant. The newest CESA-natur light masterbatches, however, are formulated from light-coloured substances that are substantially more heat stable and offer UV protection comparable to conventional synthetic UV absorbers, it says. Other CESA-natur masterbatches currently available include CESA-natur antioxidants, which use natural antioxidants like vitamin E, and CESAnatur antistatic masterbatches, which
MATERIALS Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’ portfolio… …And presents new colours for medical applications Croda adds high-stability slip agent for polyolefins Frilvam launches starch-based masterbatches for biopolymers New TiO2 pigment from Sachtleben targets high-quality colour applications US researchers investigate use of ethanol co-products as fillers for plastics Viba’s new masterbatches boost chemical resistance of greenhouse films Angstron introduces low-cost nanomaterial, acquires manufacturing facility Techmer improves polyamide nonhalogenated flame retardant
COMPANY STRATEGIES Chemtura to remain independent Chemson opens new stabilizer plant; acquisition by Buy_Out ICL Industrial Products establishes Chinese subsidiary Rockwood forms TiO2 joint venture with Kemira Cabot to build masterbatch facility in Dubai, expands fumed silica output in China Pricing initiatives continue apace
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8 8
FINANCIALS Rohm and Haas announces actions to restore profitability following fall in earnings Chemtura posts first quarter loss Ferro reports record first quarter sales
10 11 11
EVENTS CALENDAR
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ISSN 0306-3747/08 ©2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
MATERIALS
take advantage of some of the same additives that are commonly used in food products. Development and testing is also currently underway on natural impact modifiers and metal deactivators for PLA, and research is continuing with the aim of expanding the CESA-natur range further, the company says. In addition, Clariant Masterbatches reports that it has perfected its existing CESA-extend and Hydrocerol® masterbatches to ‘dramatically improve’ the processing instability and end-use performance of PLA. Originally developed to re-link polymer chains in degraded condensation polymers like recycled PET, CESA-extend has recently been shown to significantly improve the melt strength of PLA, allowing for more reliable sheet extrusion and superior bubble formation and stability in blown-film processing, the company says. CESA-extend can also improve the processing of other biopolymers, including polyhydroxyalkanoate and polyhydroxybutyrate. PLA is also finding application in foamed products like grocery-store meat trays, where the biopolymer replaces styrene. Hydrocerol chemical foaming agent masterbatches are being used in PLA foam extrusion and increasingly as a nucleating agent in direct-gas foaming to produce the uniform, fine-celled structure that end users demand. Adding CESA-extend to the foam, in combination with Hydrocerol, has been shown to enhance molecular weight and meltstrength characteristics, resulting in a more easily controllable process. Companies today are looking at several different approaches to achieving environmental objectives, explains Hendrik Kammler, global marketing head of additive masterbatches at Clariant Masterbatches. ‘Clariant can support them with the CESA-natur masterbatches, or, if they need something the natural additives cannot readily provide, we can formulate conventional ingredients in a biopolymer carrier.’ Both the CESA-extend and Hydrocerol additives are artificially derived, and so do not fit the definition of a natural and renewable feedstock; however, they do make it possible to use renewable biopolymers more readily so the environmental benefits outweigh any negative effect, Kammler notes. Contact: Clariant Masterbatches Division, Muttenz, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 469 6170, Web: www.clariant.masterbatches.com
2
Additives for Polymers
MATERIALS …And presents new colours for medical applications
C
lariant Masterbatches has also recently introduced a range of colour masterbatches that have been specially formulated for use with Purell brand medical-grade polyolefins made by LyondellBasell. The new products extend the company’s existing Remafin® line and were introduced to the North American market at the MD&M-East show held in New York in early June.
The new Remafin MD masterbatches incorporate pigments and carrier resins that have been tested and certified compliant with United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Class VI standards. They are produced in the Clariant plant in Lewiston, ME, on an extrusion line specially designed for manufacturing medical-grade masterbatches and are available through the company’s international network of locations. Purell resins are LyondellBasell’s PE and PP resins developed to deliver high performance, flexibility and stability in applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, medical device, laboratory, syringe and diagnostics industries. The stock Purell-based masterbatches include a wide range of solid, opaque colours, as well as translucent and transparent tints, Clariant says. Class-VI-compliant custom colours are also available. All are produced under the company’s stringent ‘HSMP Guidelines’, which are consistent with the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) good manufacturing practices (GMP). Clariant Remafin MD products can be used in both injection-moulding and extrusion processes used to make medical devices as well as pharmaceutical and medical packaging, the company says. They may be evaluated for applications involving skin contact and short-term drug, body or body-fluid contact where exposure time is less than 30 days in length. ‘Purell resins have already passed the biological testing protocol outlined under the new ISO 10993, which supports their use in shortterm contact devices and other non-permanent implant applications. This data, contained in LyondellBasell’s FDA Drug Masterfile, can assist in the new device approval process,’ explains George Pape, Clariant Masterbatches North American
August 2008
FOR
POLY POL YMERS
ISSN 0306-3747 August 2008
www.additivesforpolymers.com
Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’ portfolio…
Contents
P
roduct developers seeking additive masterbatches that are both biodegradable and renewable can now select several different functional ingredients in the new CESA®natur product line from Clariant Masterbatches. According to Clariant, CESA-natur additive masterbatches, along with the RENOL®-natur colour masterbatches introduced in 2007 [ADPO, September 2007], are ideal for use with environmentally friendly biopolymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), which are becoming popular in ‘green’ packaging and consumer goods applications.
The new masterbatches – including slip/antiblock agents, UV/light stabilizers, antioxidants and antistatic agents – feature not only a biopolymer carrier resin, but also naturally occurring substances that are completely renewable, biodegradable and, in most cases, compostable, says Clariant. These products have successfully passed strict screening procedures and are available for immediate use, the company reports. The natural masterbatches also can be formulated for use in conventional polymers as alternatives to non-renewable additives, Clariant adds. CESA-natur slip additive masterbatches perform well in PLA film applications, the company says. The newly developed system is based on pure, naturally occurring waxes that give very good slip properties. According to Clariant, the coefficient of friction in PLA films
obtained by using the natural additive is close to the values achieved with modern synthetic waxes, which are based on petrochemicals. The use of CESA-natur slip appears to have only a marginal influence on transparency. CESA-natur light masterbatches provide light stabilization in both conventional and biopolymers. They can also function as a UV filter to protect the contents of packaging made of bioplastics such as PLA, Clariant says. Like synthetic additives, they are based on aromatic molecules, but the CESAnatur UV masterbatches use naturally occurring ingredients, the company explains. Carrier resins can include any of the common biopolymers. Processing characteristics are similar to those associated with conventional masterbatches, Clariant claims. Strict product safety regulations and screening apply, despite the natural origin of the materials. In the past, the natural compounds chosen for UV protection have been coloured and usually showed low thermal stability at processing temperatures above 200°C, according to Clariant. The newest CESA-natur light masterbatches, however, are formulated from light-coloured substances that are substantially more heat stable and offer UV protection comparable to conventional synthetic UV absorbers, it says. Other CESA-natur masterbatches currently available include CESA-natur antioxidants, which use natural antioxidants like vitamin E, and CESAnatur antistatic masterbatches, which
MATERIALS Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’ portfolio… …And presents new colours for medical applications Croda adds high-stability slip agent for polyolefins Frilvam launches starch-based masterbatches for biopolymers New TiO2 pigment from Sachtleben targets high-quality colour applications US researchers investigate use of ethanol co-products as fillers for plastics Viba’s new masterbatches boost chemical resistance of greenhouse films Angstron introduces low-cost nanomaterial, acquires manufacturing facility Techmer improves polyamide nonhalogenated flame retardant
COMPANY STRATEGIES Chemtura to remain independent Chemson opens new stabilizer plant; acquisition by Buy_Out ICL Industrial Products establishes Chinese subsidiary Rockwood forms TiO2 joint venture with Kemira Cabot to build masterbatch facility in Dubai, expands fumed silica output in China Pricing initiatives continue apace
1 2 3 3
3
4
4
5 5
6 6 7 7
8 8
FINANCIALS Rohm and Haas announces actions to restore profitability following fall in earnings Chemtura posts first quarter loss Ferro reports record first quarter sales
10 11 11
EVENTS CALENDAR
12
ISSN 0306-3747/08 ©2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
MATERIALS
take advantage of some of the same additives that are commonly used in food products. Development and testing is also currently underway on natural impact modifiers and metal deactivators for PLA, and research is continuing with the aim of expanding the CESA-natur range further, the company says. In addition, Clariant Masterbatches reports that it has perfected its existing CESA-extend and Hydrocerol® masterbatches to ‘dramatically improve’ the processing instability and end-use performance of PLA. Originally developed to re-link polymer chains in degraded condensation polymers like recycled PET, CESA-extend has recently been shown to significantly improve the melt strength of PLA, allowing for more reliable sheet extrusion and superior bubble formation and stability in blown-film processing, the company says. CESA-extend can also improve the processing of other biopolymers, including polyhydroxyalkanoate and polyhydroxybutyrate. PLA is also finding application in foamed products like grocery-store meat trays, where the biopolymer replaces styrene. Hydrocerol chemical foaming agent masterbatches are being used in PLA foam extrusion and increasingly as a nucleating agent in direct-gas foaming to produce the uniform, fine-celled structure that end users demand. Adding CESA-extend to the foam, in combination with Hydrocerol, has been shown to enhance molecular weight and meltstrength characteristics, resulting in a more easily controllable process. Companies today are looking at several different approaches to achieving environmental objectives, explains Hendrik Kammler, global marketing head of additive masterbatches at Clariant Masterbatches. ‘Clariant can support them with the CESA-natur masterbatches, or, if they need something the natural additives cannot readily provide, we can formulate conventional ingredients in a biopolymer carrier.’ Both the CESA-extend and Hydrocerol additives are artificially derived, and so do not fit the definition of a natural and renewable feedstock; however, they do make it possible to use renewable biopolymers more readily so the environmental benefits outweigh any negative effect, Kammler notes. Contact: Clariant Masterbatches Division, Muttenz, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 469 6170, Web: www.clariant.masterbatches.com
2
Additives for Polymers
MATERIALS …And presents new colours for medical applications
C
lariant Masterbatches has also recently introduced a range of colour masterbatches that have been specially formulated for use with Purell brand medical-grade polyolefins made by LyondellBasell. The new products extend the company’s existing Remafin® line and were introduced to the North American market at the MD&M-East show held in New York in early June.
The new Remafin MD masterbatches incorporate pigments and carrier resins that have been tested and certified compliant with United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Class VI standards. They are produced in the Clariant plant in Lewiston, ME, on an extrusion line specially designed for manufacturing medical-grade masterbatches and are available through the company’s international network of locations. Purell resins are LyondellBasell’s PE and PP resins developed to deliver high performance, flexibility and stability in applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, medical device, laboratory, syringe and diagnostics industries. The stock Purell-based masterbatches include a wide range of solid, opaque colours, as well as translucent and transparent tints, Clariant says. Class-VI-compliant custom colours are also available. All are produced under the company’s stringent ‘HSMP Guidelines’, which are consistent with the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) good manufacturing practices (GMP). Clariant Remafin MD products can be used in both injection-moulding and extrusion processes used to make medical devices as well as pharmaceutical and medical packaging, the company says. They may be evaluated for applications involving skin contact and short-term drug, body or body-fluid contact where exposure time is less than 30 days in length. ‘Purell resins have already passed the biological testing protocol outlined under the new ISO 10993, which supports their use in shortterm contact devices and other non-permanent implant applications. This data, contained in LyondellBasell’s FDA Drug Masterfile, can assist in the new device approval process,’ explains George Pape, Clariant Masterbatches North American
August 2008