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Clariant presents new masterbatches for carpets and pharmaceutical packaging
MATERIALS
Sachtleben introduces TiO2 pigment with high lacing resistance
G
ermany’s Sachtleben Chemie has developed Sachtleben R630, a new titanium dioxide (TiO2) product with an optimized, tailor-made inorganic coating that makes it possible to greatly reduce the discoloration caused by such factors as build-up and lacing, the company claims. Most high-quality TiO2 pigments are inorganically coated: oxyhydrates of aluminium, silicon or zirconium improve the pigment’s resistance to outdoor exposure, its wetting properties and its flocculation resistance. However, such coatings are not always the best answer, according to Sachtleben. Coated pigments have a tendency to gradually emit water of crystallization into the polymer melt as the temperature rises, causing the oxyhydrates to transform into oxides. At temperatures of around 100°C, the evaporating moisture normally has no adverse effects on polymer quality, since it can be removed in the degassing zone of the extruder, the company explains. In the past, moisture emitted at higher temperatures could be absorbed by the polymer without causing any problems. However, operation of plastics production lines at ever-greater throughput rates has caused processing temperatures to rise, and the emission of water of crystallization at temperatures significantly above 200°C results in lacing, discoloration and degradation of the polymer, it reports. Sachtleben R630, an aluminium-oxide surface-treated hydrophobic TiO2 pigment can be used to combat these undesirable effects, the company asserts. The product assures rapid and excellent dispersibility in virtually all plastics, and at temperatures above 200°C emits much less water than other high-quality rutile pigments customarily used, Sachtleben reports. It also combines ‘extremely good’ optical properties and high resistance to discoloration, it says. The new pigment additionally possesses an intensive bluish hue, good rheology and low dust generation, according to the company. Its easy wettability assures high throughputs in a large range of polymer systems, while its good dispersibility provides optimum conditions for the production of thin plastic films, Sachtleben adds. These properties make Sachtleben R630 especially suitable for use in all applications in which lacing can occur, such as co-extruded multilayer
April 2014
films, single and multilayer bottles, masterbatches, credit and bank cards, and also blister packaging systems. Sachtleben is currently the target of an acquisition bid by Huntsman, alongside four other Rockwood Holdings’ performance additives businesses [ADPO, November 2013]. With the expiration in late December of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, the antitrust review process in the USA is now complete. However, the European Commission has initiated an in-depth investigation into the impact of the acquisition on competition in the European economic area. Contact: Sachtleben Chemie GmbH, Duisburg, Germany. Tel: +49 20 66 22 0, Web: www.sachtleben.de
Clariant presents new masterbatches for carpets and pharmaceutical packaging
S
peciality chemicals company Clariant has introduced black masterbatches that are formulated to reflect heat-generating near-infrared (NIR) rays and are also suitable for use in fine fibres, so that carpeting and other textiles incorporating the new products stay cooler. The company has also extended its Mevopur® range for healthcare applications [ADPO, December 2010] with a number of colorant and additive masterbatches designed for use in pharmaceutical packaging. Remafin® Cool Black tailor-made masterbatches are intended to replace more-conventional products that use carbon black pigments, Clariant says. Colour development is comparable to that of standard pigments, the company reports. Polypropylene (PP) carpet yarns made with the new black masterbatches – which are available worldwide – are ideal for carpeting used outdoors on decking or boats, where the sun’s heat can make dark surfaces uncomfortable to walk on, it says. The same technology can be applied in textile applications such as apparel and upholstery, and in resins other than PP, including polyester and nylon, Clariant reports. Remafin Cool Black was developed in the USA, at the company’s facility in Dalton, Georgia, which specializes
Additives for Polymers
3
MATERIALS
in the production of masterbatches that go into fibrebased end-products such as carpets and various types of textiles. The plant houses an application development lab with a pilot-scale fibre line so yarn samples and new formulations can be tested. In-house tests at the lab showed that yarns made with Cool Black masterbatches remained about 10°C cooler than control samples made with conventional carbon black pigments, the company reports. Acceptable colour saturation was achieved at 7% masterbatch loading, which was comparable to the loading used with the carbon black masterbatch, it says. ‘Carpet fibres are so thin that pigments must be thoroughly dispersed or else agglomerates can create problems in the fibre-spinning process’, explains Peter Prusak, head of Marketing – Clariant Masterbatches North America. While NIR-reflecting black pigments have been used in other applications, Clariant believes this is the first time that cool black technology has been available to producers of carpet fibre, Prusak says. Clariant’s existing Mevopur range uses raw materials that have been pre-tested using the extraction and biological evaluation protocols of US Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 parts 87 and 88 and/or ISO10993. The USP evaluation often forms the base information demanded for packaging materials used for parenteral (injectable), ocular and nasal drugs, and is an indication of potential for leachables, the company explains. However, Clariant reports that initial feedback on the Mevopur range raised the question of whether the substances were also listed in European Pharmacopeia chapter 3.1.3 (EP 3.1.3). In addition, the titanium dioxide (used in white masterbatches for polyolefin bottles) listed in the EP is highpurity anatase for tablets, which is quite different from the coated rutile grades used in plastics, Clariant says. To address both these concerns, the company reports that it has recently commissioned an independent test programme on a range of raw materials and included the extraction testing of EP 3.1.3. The raw materials evaluated included a global platform of polymers, selected grades of titanium dioxide and several substances such as nucleants, clarifiers, lubricants and laser-marking additives. ‘The successful conclusion of this test programme removes a barrier to use new innovations that could improve performance and/or productivity’, states Roland Maartensson, European head of Segment Medical and Pharmaceutical at Clariant Masterbatches. Using the knowledge garnered from this test programme, Clariant has created a new ‘EP’ range of poly-
4
Additives for Polymers
olefin-based white masterbatches, where the raw materials have been tested using the EP 3.1.3 standard. The new white ‘EP range’ consists of four low- and high-density polyethylene grades and one PP grade, and is offered with supporting documentation to EP 3.1.3, USP 23 parts 87 and 88, a Drug Master File (DMF) and a Change Control Agreement. According to Steve Duckworth, global head of the Medical and Pharmaceutical segment, Clariant does not intend to phase out the older grades yet but ‘the regulatory support benefits are very clear, particularly for parenteral, ocular and inhalation applications where risk of leachables is higher’, he comments. Alongside the new white range, a number of other Mevopur products including nucleating agents, clarifiers and laser-marking additives are also now EP certified. In the area of ocular medicine, different coloured caps and closures are being used to provide easy identification of the different types of drugs, according to a uniform colour-coding system developed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2010. This coding, based on ten Pantone colours, helps to protect patients against possible mistakes. However, as they are in contact with the drugs during storage and use, the risk of contamination from ocular drug packaging materials and the colorants in them needs careful assessment; regulators require extraction testing, biological evaluation and leachables studies. To support the move towards standardization, Clariant has therefore created the Mevopur ‘Ocular Closures Standard Colour Range’ using raw materials pre-evaluated to USP 23 parts 87 and 88. The standard colours are currently available with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as the polymer carrier. Coloured masterbatches with PP as the polymer carrier will also be introduced in future, the company says. Clariant has also recently reported new applications for its non-halogenated Exolit® OP and AP ranges of flame retardants. Designed initially for demanding electronic and electrical (E&E) applications, the ‘high thermal stability and excellent property profiles’ at comparably low dosage offered by phosphinate-based Exolit OP products also make them suitable for challenging transport applications, such as railway rolling stock and aeroplanes, the company claims. In addition, the ammonium polyphosphatebased Exolit AP range includes formulations tailor-made for various thermoset resins that are used in fibreglass reinforced composites for construction and transportation, it adds. Elsewhere, research at the University of Lille has found that existing product Exolit AP760 can provide
April 2014
MATERIALS
effective flame retardancy for a ‘green’ PP compound reinforced with renewable oyster shells that is under development by Eurostar Engineering Plastics. Contact: Clariant International Ltd, Muttenz, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 469 6742, Web: www.clariant.com
Croda’s new slip additive offers high stability
U
K company Croda International has expanded its line of processing aids for polyolefins with the launch of slip additive Incroslip™ SL. The new product provides high slip performance comparable with erucamide, combined with the stability of behenamide, the company says. Standard unsaturated slip additives can demonstrate poor oxidative stability under stressed conditions, with the degradation products affecting the feel, taste and odour of the polymer and possibly tainting the contents of the packaging as well, according to Croda. Incroslip SL is described as fully saturated with high oxidative stability, meaning that it will not degrade over time or after exposure to heat and UV light; as a result, there is no loss of slip or impact on taste, the company claims. Oxidative stability is particularly important for applications where taste and smell are critical, such as caps for water bottles. The vegetable-sourced, low-blooming additive is said to show high slip comparable to erucamide in polyolefin films at low addition levels. Its use makes polymer processing and handling easier, for example preventing friction-related problems during winding of film rolls and bag production, according to Croda. Based on proprietary but undisclosed chemistry, Incroslip SL has been approved for food contact by the US FDA, while EU food compliance is in the process of being established, the manufacturer reports. In addition to food contact applications, Croda is targeting the new slip agent at automotive plastics applications, where resistance to high interior temperatures and UV light is important. The company says that compounds containing the additive retain their colour stability, and tackiness is reduced. Also of interest for automotive applications, Incroslip SL can provide scratch and scuff protection, reducing the width, depth and appearance of a scratch in various polymer systems,
April 2014
Croda reports. The additive protects the polymer from damage by migrating to the surface and reducing friction. According to the company, Incroslip SL can greatly reduce scratching in polypropylene (PP) plaques at only 1% loading. Supplied in bead form, the slip agent is recommended for use in high, low and linear low density polyethylenes, in addition to PP. In other news, Croda posted profit before tax of £250.1 million (c. E304 million) on sales of £1.077 billion in 2013, according to its recently published preliminary results. In 2012, the company achieved profit before tax of £238.3 million and sales of £1.052 billion. In 2013, the Performance Technologies sector, which includes Croda Polymer Additives, posted a 1.1% increase in annual sales to £387.1 million and a 5.9% increase in adjusted profit to £63 million, with a record 16.3% return on sales. The sector performed very strongly in Asia but this was eroded by declines in Europe and EEMEA (Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa), the company reports. Contact: Croda International plc, Snaith, UK. Tel: +44 1405 860551, Web: www.croda.com
Silvergate’s Optiblo colour range improves blow moulding processes
U
K-based solid masterbatch producer Silvergate Plastics has launched Optiblo™, a range of colour masterbatches that it claims can ‘revolutionize’ blow moulding processes. The range is designed to significantly reduce cycle times and improve the surface finish of blow moulded parts, the company says. According to Silvergate, the advanced technology on which the Optiblo range is based brings ‘extensive benefits’ to polymer processors working within blow moulding. It can help to eradicate many common processing problems by eliminating die build-up, enhancing pigment dispersion, and improving both wall thickness uniformity and dimensional stability, the company reports. Optiblo can also increase output and lower energy requirements, saving substantial operating costs, Silvergate claims.
Additives for Polymers
5
Sachtleben introduces TiO2 pigment with high lacing resistance
G
ermany’s Sachtleben Chemie has developed Sachtleben R630, a new titanium dioxide (TiO2) product with an optimized, tailor-made inorganic coating that makes it possible to greatly reduce the discoloration caused by such factors as build-up and lacing, the company claims. Most high-quality TiO2 pigments are inorganically coated: oxyhydrates of aluminium, silicon or zirconium improve the pigment’s resistance to outdoor exposure, its wetting properties and its flocculation resistance. However, such coatings are not always the best answer, according to Sachtleben. Coated pigments have a tendency to gradually emit water of crystallization into the polymer melt as the temperature rises, causing the oxyhydrates to transform into oxides. At temperatures of around 100°C, the evaporating moisture normally has no adverse effects on polymer quality, since it can be removed in the degassing zone of the extruder, the company explains. In the past, moisture emitted at higher temperatures could be absorbed by the polymer without causing any problems. However, operation of plastics production lines at ever-greater throughput rates has caused processing temperatures to rise, and the emission of water of crystallization at temperatures significantly above 200°C results in lacing, discoloration and degradation of the polymer, it reports. Sachtleben R630, an aluminium-oxide surface-treated hydrophobic TiO2 pigment can be used to combat these undesirable effects, the company asserts. The product assures rapid and excellent dispersibility in virtually all plastics, and at temperatures above 200°C emits much less water than other high-quality rutile pigments customarily used, Sachtleben reports. It also combines ‘extremely good’ optical properties and high resistance to discoloration, it says. The new pigment additionally possesses an intensive bluish hue, good rheology and low dust generation, according to the company. Its easy wettability assures high throughputs in a large range of polymer systems, while its good dispersibility provides optimum conditions for the production of thin plastic films, Sachtleben adds. These properties make Sachtleben R630 especially suitable for use in all applications in which lacing can occur, such as co-extruded multilayer
April 2014
films, single and multilayer bottles, masterbatches, credit and bank cards, and also blister packaging systems. Sachtleben is currently the target of an acquisition bid by Huntsman, alongside four other Rockwood Holdings’ performance additives businesses [ADPO, November 2013]. With the expiration in late December of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, the antitrust review process in the USA is now complete. However, the European Commission has initiated an in-depth investigation into the impact of the acquisition on competition in the European economic area. Contact: Sachtleben Chemie GmbH, Duisburg, Germany. Tel: +49 20 66 22 0, Web: www.sachtleben.de
Clariant presents new masterbatches for carpets and pharmaceutical packaging
S
peciality chemicals company Clariant has introduced black masterbatches that are formulated to reflect heat-generating near-infrared (NIR) rays and are also suitable for use in fine fibres, so that carpeting and other textiles incorporating the new products stay cooler. The company has also extended its Mevopur® range for healthcare applications [ADPO, December 2010] with a number of colorant and additive masterbatches designed for use in pharmaceutical packaging. Remafin® Cool Black tailor-made masterbatches are intended to replace more-conventional products that use carbon black pigments, Clariant says. Colour development is comparable to that of standard pigments, the company reports. Polypropylene (PP) carpet yarns made with the new black masterbatches – which are available worldwide – are ideal for carpeting used outdoors on decking or boats, where the sun’s heat can make dark surfaces uncomfortable to walk on, it says. The same technology can be applied in textile applications such as apparel and upholstery, and in resins other than PP, including polyester and nylon, Clariant reports. Remafin Cool Black was developed in the USA, at the company’s facility in Dalton, Georgia, which specializes
Additives for Polymers
3
MATERIALS
in the production of masterbatches that go into fibrebased end-products such as carpets and various types of textiles. The plant houses an application development lab with a pilot-scale fibre line so yarn samples and new formulations can be tested. In-house tests at the lab showed that yarns made with Cool Black masterbatches remained about 10°C cooler than control samples made with conventional carbon black pigments, the company reports. Acceptable colour saturation was achieved at 7% masterbatch loading, which was comparable to the loading used with the carbon black masterbatch, it says. ‘Carpet fibres are so thin that pigments must be thoroughly dispersed or else agglomerates can create problems in the fibre-spinning process’, explains Peter Prusak, head of Marketing – Clariant Masterbatches North America. While NIR-reflecting black pigments have been used in other applications, Clariant believes this is the first time that cool black technology has been available to producers of carpet fibre, Prusak says. Clariant’s existing Mevopur range uses raw materials that have been pre-tested using the extraction and biological evaluation protocols of US Pharmacopeia (USP) 23 parts 87 and 88 and/or ISO10993. The USP evaluation often forms the base information demanded for packaging materials used for parenteral (injectable), ocular and nasal drugs, and is an indication of potential for leachables, the company explains. However, Clariant reports that initial feedback on the Mevopur range raised the question of whether the substances were also listed in European Pharmacopeia chapter 3.1.3 (EP 3.1.3). In addition, the titanium dioxide (used in white masterbatches for polyolefin bottles) listed in the EP is highpurity anatase for tablets, which is quite different from the coated rutile grades used in plastics, Clariant says. To address both these concerns, the company reports that it has recently commissioned an independent test programme on a range of raw materials and included the extraction testing of EP 3.1.3. The raw materials evaluated included a global platform of polymers, selected grades of titanium dioxide and several substances such as nucleants, clarifiers, lubricants and laser-marking additives. ‘The successful conclusion of this test programme removes a barrier to use new innovations that could improve performance and/or productivity’, states Roland Maartensson, European head of Segment Medical and Pharmaceutical at Clariant Masterbatches. Using the knowledge garnered from this test programme, Clariant has created a new ‘EP’ range of poly-
4
Additives for Polymers
olefin-based white masterbatches, where the raw materials have been tested using the EP 3.1.3 standard. The new white ‘EP range’ consists of four low- and high-density polyethylene grades and one PP grade, and is offered with supporting documentation to EP 3.1.3, USP 23 parts 87 and 88, a Drug Master File (DMF) and a Change Control Agreement. According to Steve Duckworth, global head of the Medical and Pharmaceutical segment, Clariant does not intend to phase out the older grades yet but ‘the regulatory support benefits are very clear, particularly for parenteral, ocular and inhalation applications where risk of leachables is higher’, he comments. Alongside the new white range, a number of other Mevopur products including nucleating agents, clarifiers and laser-marking additives are also now EP certified. In the area of ocular medicine, different coloured caps and closures are being used to provide easy identification of the different types of drugs, according to a uniform colour-coding system developed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2010. This coding, based on ten Pantone colours, helps to protect patients against possible mistakes. However, as they are in contact with the drugs during storage and use, the risk of contamination from ocular drug packaging materials and the colorants in them needs careful assessment; regulators require extraction testing, biological evaluation and leachables studies. To support the move towards standardization, Clariant has therefore created the Mevopur ‘Ocular Closures Standard Colour Range’ using raw materials pre-evaluated to USP 23 parts 87 and 88. The standard colours are currently available with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as the polymer carrier. Coloured masterbatches with PP as the polymer carrier will also be introduced in future, the company says. Clariant has also recently reported new applications for its non-halogenated Exolit® OP and AP ranges of flame retardants. Designed initially for demanding electronic and electrical (E&E) applications, the ‘high thermal stability and excellent property profiles’ at comparably low dosage offered by phosphinate-based Exolit OP products also make them suitable for challenging transport applications, such as railway rolling stock and aeroplanes, the company claims. In addition, the ammonium polyphosphatebased Exolit AP range includes formulations tailor-made for various thermoset resins that are used in fibreglass reinforced composites for construction and transportation, it adds. Elsewhere, research at the University of Lille has found that existing product Exolit AP760 can provide
April 2014
MATERIALS
effective flame retardancy for a ‘green’ PP compound reinforced with renewable oyster shells that is under development by Eurostar Engineering Plastics. Contact: Clariant International Ltd, Muttenz, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 469 6742, Web: www.clariant.com
Croda’s new slip additive offers high stability
U
K company Croda International has expanded its line of processing aids for polyolefins with the launch of slip additive Incroslip™ SL. The new product provides high slip performance comparable with erucamide, combined with the stability of behenamide, the company says. Standard unsaturated slip additives can demonstrate poor oxidative stability under stressed conditions, with the degradation products affecting the feel, taste and odour of the polymer and possibly tainting the contents of the packaging as well, according to Croda. Incroslip SL is described as fully saturated with high oxidative stability, meaning that it will not degrade over time or after exposure to heat and UV light; as a result, there is no loss of slip or impact on taste, the company claims. Oxidative stability is particularly important for applications where taste and smell are critical, such as caps for water bottles. The vegetable-sourced, low-blooming additive is said to show high slip comparable to erucamide in polyolefin films at low addition levels. Its use makes polymer processing and handling easier, for example preventing friction-related problems during winding of film rolls and bag production, according to Croda. Based on proprietary but undisclosed chemistry, Incroslip SL has been approved for food contact by the US FDA, while EU food compliance is in the process of being established, the manufacturer reports. In addition to food contact applications, Croda is targeting the new slip agent at automotive plastics applications, where resistance to high interior temperatures and UV light is important. The company says that compounds containing the additive retain their colour stability, and tackiness is reduced. Also of interest for automotive applications, Incroslip SL can provide scratch and scuff protection, reducing the width, depth and appearance of a scratch in various polymer systems,
April 2014
Croda reports. The additive protects the polymer from damage by migrating to the surface and reducing friction. According to the company, Incroslip SL can greatly reduce scratching in polypropylene (PP) plaques at only 1% loading. Supplied in bead form, the slip agent is recommended for use in high, low and linear low density polyethylenes, in addition to PP. In other news, Croda posted profit before tax of £250.1 million (c. E304 million) on sales of £1.077 billion in 2013, according to its recently published preliminary results. In 2012, the company achieved profit before tax of £238.3 million and sales of £1.052 billion. In 2013, the Performance Technologies sector, which includes Croda Polymer Additives, posted a 1.1% increase in annual sales to £387.1 million and a 5.9% increase in adjusted profit to £63 million, with a record 16.3% return on sales. The sector performed very strongly in Asia but this was eroded by declines in Europe and EEMEA (Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa), the company reports. Contact: Croda International plc, Snaith, UK. Tel: +44 1405 860551, Web: www.croda.com
Silvergate’s Optiblo colour range improves blow moulding processes
U
K-based solid masterbatch producer Silvergate Plastics has launched Optiblo™, a range of colour masterbatches that it claims can ‘revolutionize’ blow moulding processes. The range is designed to significantly reduce cycle times and improve the surface finish of blow moulded parts, the company says. According to Silvergate, the advanced technology on which the Optiblo range is based brings ‘extensive benefits’ to polymer processors working within blow moulding. It can help to eradicate many common processing problems by eliminating die build-up, enhancing pigment dispersion, and improving both wall thickness uniformity and dimensional stability, the company reports. Optiblo can also increase output and lower energy requirements, saving substantial operating costs, Silvergate claims.
Additives for Polymers
5