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Milliken reveals colorants portfolio for high-heat engineering plastics
MATERIALS
...Continued from front page exceeds’ that of the traditional copper iodide/potassium iodide heat stabilizers without making any compromises in terms of material properties, the company claims. As a result, very low concentrations suffice to provide the required thermal protection, it says, which is particularly advantageous in electrical and electronics (E&E) applications such as switch housings and sensors. For long-term protection of fibre-reinforced aliphatic polyamides at even higher temperatures, Brüggemann has developed copper-based high heat stabilizer Bruggolen TP-H1805. The company reports that the new agent offers stabilization for long-term use at elevated temperatures of up to 200°C for PA6 and up to 230°C for PA6.6, without requiring separate activation. According to Brüggemann, this will allow compounders to ‘tailor-make products for applications in borderline areas’ that were previously the preserve of polyphthalamides or other high-performance polymers such as polyphenylene sulfide. For injection-moulded parts such as air ducts and pipes in automotive engines, the incorporation of Bruggolen TP-H1805 offers excellent heat resistance over the entire required temperature range, the company says. In the recycling area, Brüggemann used the K show to highlight the important role of reactive chain modifiers in facilitating the use of polyamide recyclates for high-quality applications. Such modifiers enable molecular weight and viscosity to be precisely adjusted to suit the needs of the targeted application, the company explains. New reactive chain extender Bruggolen M1251 is a modified polyamide that compensates for any decline in molecular weight via linear chain lengthening; it thus improves the recyclate’s mechanical properties such as impact strength and elongation at break to match those of virgin material, Brüggemann says. The same additive is also available as Bruggolen M1253, which features a smaller pellet size for easier dosage during compounding. In contrast, existing chain modifier Bruggolen TP-M1417 [ibid., October 2017, pp. 1–2] provides controlled shortening of excessively long molecular chains of high-viscosity polyamide scrap from fibre production, extrudate or cast polyamides. Low concentrations and a single extrusion step are all that is necessary to upcycle the scrap into high-grade recyclate that is ‘optimally suited’ for injection moulding, and with flow and mechanical properties comparable to those of virgin material, Brüggemann reports. These chain modifiers are particularly effective in enabling secondary polyamide material to attain high-quality specifications, thereby helping to meet the need for increasing recycling quotas, the company comments. Brüggemann offers a broad portfolio of additives for the recycling of polyamides, including long-term heat agents,
2
Additives for Polymers
processing stabilizers, flow enhancers, reactive chain modifiers and nucleating agents. The Heilbronn-based company specializes in the development and production of highperformance additives for engineering thermoplastics, with a focus on polyamides, as well as zinc derivatives and sulfur-based reducing agents. More information: www.brueggemann.com
MATERIALS Milliken reveals colorants portfolio for high-heat engineering plastics
I
nternational colorants and additives producer Milliken has introduced a new family of bright, high-performance colorants specifically designed for use in high-heat engineering plastics such as polyamides. The KeyPlast RESIST™ range, which includes bright orange, yellow, red, blue and green, received its official debut at October’s K 2019 trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany. High-heat engineering resins and alloys are increasingly the materials of choice in demanding electrical, automotive and industrial applications but their coloration presents a ‘unique challenge’ due to their high-temperature processing and requisite performance properties, which make ‘vibrancy of colour difficult to achieve’, according to Milliken. The new KeyPlast RESIST range addresses this challenge, delivering ‘brilliant, consistent colours’ combined with the highend properties that users demand, the company claims. The properties exhibited by the high-purity colorants include improved weather resistance and light fastness, combined with good performance in the high-temperature and chemically reductive conditions typically associated with applications for high-performance polymers, Milliken reports. KeyPlast RESIST colorants are suitable for use with polyamides, polyimides, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polysulfones, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and other high-heat resins and alloys, according to the company. They can be used effectively with unfilled, glass-filled and flame-retardant grades of various polyamides, including polyamides 6, 66 and 46, and other high-temperature engineering polymers, Milliken says. Keyplast RESIST
November 2019
MATERIALS
products also meet the ‘strong requirements’ in the fast-growing application area of electrical vehicles and their charging systems, comments Sami T.K. Palanisami, Milliken global product line manager, plastic colorants. The new high-temperature products extend the company’s existing KeyPlast® range of organic dyes and pigments for the coloration of transparent, amorphous polymers including polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate and polysulfone. Described by Milliken as ‘versatile products’ that provide stable, reproducible colours, they can be used by manufacturers of liquid and solid masterbatches, resin producers and compounders, the company reports. More information: chemical.milliken.com and www.milliken.com
Clariant introduces pigment range for biodegradable and compostable packaging
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witzerland’s Clariant has introduced a family of 25 organic pigments for biodegradable and compostable polymers to expand the colour options available and thus boost the consumer appeal of organically recyclable packaging. The colorants, which are drawn from the company’s PV Fast™ and Graphtol® pigment ranges, comply with the requirements of European Norm (EN) 13432 for packaging recoverable through industrial composting and biodegradation. Food manufacturers and plastic film producers are accelerating the pursuit of alternatives to single-use plastic solutions. According to analysis from IHS Markit cited by Clariant, demand for biodegradable and compostable polymers is expected to surge from US$1.1 billion in 2018 to $1.7 billion by 2023; however, this figure represents only about 1% of all polymers used, the company reports. Clariant’s latest colorant introduction aims to enhance the attractiveness of biodegradable plastics for brand owners and manufacturers of packaging and consumer goods. With its 25 EN 13432-compliant pigments, masterbatch producers can take colour ‘far beyond the earthy natural hue’ typically associated with biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid, polybutylene adipate terephthalate, polyhydroxyalkanoates and polybutylene succinate, the company claims. The new pigments are ‘no obstacle’ to the degradability of the compostable polymers and are suitable
November 2019
for a wide variety of packaging, textile and consumer goods applications, Clariant reports. German company AF-Color – with many years’ experience in producing biodegradable masterbatches [see for example, ADPO, September 2015, p. 5] – and its sister company biodegradable compounds producer Bio-Fed have already used Clariant’s new pigments range to formulate bio-masterbatches under the brand name AF-Eco®. Colour plays a ‘decisive role’ when it comes to certain applications where biodegradable plastics are a viable choice, such as for biodegradable shopping or waste bags, single-use cutlery or coffee capsules, comments Dirk Schöning, sales director at AF-Color. ‘We are excited to challenge perceptions with a palette of bio-masterbatches covering the full spectrum and providing high fastness, so colour is not an issue’, Schöning says. According to Barbara Philipp, Clariant’s global marketing manager plastics, BU Pigments, ‘compostable and colourful can now go hand-in-hand for packaging’, meaning that manufacturers and consumers can obtain sustainable solutions without having to lower their design expectations. ‘By working closely with masterbatch producers such as AF-Color to help them get the most out of our EN 13432-compatible pigments, we can contribute to increasing the appeal of biodegradable and industrial compostable solutions for food and beverage packaging and consumer goods, as innovation continues to improve their properties and new functionalities are introduced’, she adds. Clariant unveiled the new biodegradable pigments range at the K 2019 trade fair where, among other innovations, it also presented a comprehensive new family of colours for automotive interiors developed as the result of a collaboration between Clariant Masterbatches, polymer producer ExxonMobil and automobile interior design specialist Plastivaloire Group. Experts from Plastivaloire and Clariant worked together to develop and select a range of 23 colours split between a warm and a cool colour palette. Clariant Masterbatches then formulated the different hues into colour concentrates optimized for use in ExxonMobil’s new Exxtral™ family of performance polyolefins. These materials have 8% lower density than their predecessors, helping to reduce component weight and therefore CO2 emissions, the partners comment. Exxtral performance polyolefins are also reported to provide better impact strength and flow characteristics than existing counterparts so they can be moulded in thinner sections, and they are non-tacky as well as scratchand UV-resistant. The colour concentrates formulated by Clariant ‘ensure the perfect development of the desired colour in the polymer without adversely affecting the performance or aesthetic properties of the material’, the company reports.
Additives for Polymers
3
...Continued from front page exceeds’ that of the traditional copper iodide/potassium iodide heat stabilizers without making any compromises in terms of material properties, the company claims. As a result, very low concentrations suffice to provide the required thermal protection, it says, which is particularly advantageous in electrical and electronics (E&E) applications such as switch housings and sensors. For long-term protection of fibre-reinforced aliphatic polyamides at even higher temperatures, Brüggemann has developed copper-based high heat stabilizer Bruggolen TP-H1805. The company reports that the new agent offers stabilization for long-term use at elevated temperatures of up to 200°C for PA6 and up to 230°C for PA6.6, without requiring separate activation. According to Brüggemann, this will allow compounders to ‘tailor-make products for applications in borderline areas’ that were previously the preserve of polyphthalamides or other high-performance polymers such as polyphenylene sulfide. For injection-moulded parts such as air ducts and pipes in automotive engines, the incorporation of Bruggolen TP-H1805 offers excellent heat resistance over the entire required temperature range, the company says. In the recycling area, Brüggemann used the K show to highlight the important role of reactive chain modifiers in facilitating the use of polyamide recyclates for high-quality applications. Such modifiers enable molecular weight and viscosity to be precisely adjusted to suit the needs of the targeted application, the company explains. New reactive chain extender Bruggolen M1251 is a modified polyamide that compensates for any decline in molecular weight via linear chain lengthening; it thus improves the recyclate’s mechanical properties such as impact strength and elongation at break to match those of virgin material, Brüggemann says. The same additive is also available as Bruggolen M1253, which features a smaller pellet size for easier dosage during compounding. In contrast, existing chain modifier Bruggolen TP-M1417 [ibid., October 2017, pp. 1–2] provides controlled shortening of excessively long molecular chains of high-viscosity polyamide scrap from fibre production, extrudate or cast polyamides. Low concentrations and a single extrusion step are all that is necessary to upcycle the scrap into high-grade recyclate that is ‘optimally suited’ for injection moulding, and with flow and mechanical properties comparable to those of virgin material, Brüggemann reports. These chain modifiers are particularly effective in enabling secondary polyamide material to attain high-quality specifications, thereby helping to meet the need for increasing recycling quotas, the company comments. Brüggemann offers a broad portfolio of additives for the recycling of polyamides, including long-term heat agents,
2
Additives for Polymers
processing stabilizers, flow enhancers, reactive chain modifiers and nucleating agents. The Heilbronn-based company specializes in the development and production of highperformance additives for engineering thermoplastics, with a focus on polyamides, as well as zinc derivatives and sulfur-based reducing agents. More information: www.brueggemann.com
MATERIALS Milliken reveals colorants portfolio for high-heat engineering plastics
I
nternational colorants and additives producer Milliken has introduced a new family of bright, high-performance colorants specifically designed for use in high-heat engineering plastics such as polyamides. The KeyPlast RESIST™ range, which includes bright orange, yellow, red, blue and green, received its official debut at October’s K 2019 trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany. High-heat engineering resins and alloys are increasingly the materials of choice in demanding electrical, automotive and industrial applications but their coloration presents a ‘unique challenge’ due to their high-temperature processing and requisite performance properties, which make ‘vibrancy of colour difficult to achieve’, according to Milliken. The new KeyPlast RESIST range addresses this challenge, delivering ‘brilliant, consistent colours’ combined with the highend properties that users demand, the company claims. The properties exhibited by the high-purity colorants include improved weather resistance and light fastness, combined with good performance in the high-temperature and chemically reductive conditions typically associated with applications for high-performance polymers, Milliken reports. KeyPlast RESIST colorants are suitable for use with polyamides, polyimides, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polysulfones, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and other high-heat resins and alloys, according to the company. They can be used effectively with unfilled, glass-filled and flame-retardant grades of various polyamides, including polyamides 6, 66 and 46, and other high-temperature engineering polymers, Milliken says. Keyplast RESIST
November 2019
MATERIALS
products also meet the ‘strong requirements’ in the fast-growing application area of electrical vehicles and their charging systems, comments Sami T.K. Palanisami, Milliken global product line manager, plastic colorants. The new high-temperature products extend the company’s existing KeyPlast® range of organic dyes and pigments for the coloration of transparent, amorphous polymers including polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate and polysulfone. Described by Milliken as ‘versatile products’ that provide stable, reproducible colours, they can be used by manufacturers of liquid and solid masterbatches, resin producers and compounders, the company reports. More information: chemical.milliken.com and www.milliken.com
Clariant introduces pigment range for biodegradable and compostable packaging
S
witzerland’s Clariant has introduced a family of 25 organic pigments for biodegradable and compostable polymers to expand the colour options available and thus boost the consumer appeal of organically recyclable packaging. The colorants, which are drawn from the company’s PV Fast™ and Graphtol® pigment ranges, comply with the requirements of European Norm (EN) 13432 for packaging recoverable through industrial composting and biodegradation. Food manufacturers and plastic film producers are accelerating the pursuit of alternatives to single-use plastic solutions. According to analysis from IHS Markit cited by Clariant, demand for biodegradable and compostable polymers is expected to surge from US$1.1 billion in 2018 to $1.7 billion by 2023; however, this figure represents only about 1% of all polymers used, the company reports. Clariant’s latest colorant introduction aims to enhance the attractiveness of biodegradable plastics for brand owners and manufacturers of packaging and consumer goods. With its 25 EN 13432-compliant pigments, masterbatch producers can take colour ‘far beyond the earthy natural hue’ typically associated with biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid, polybutylene adipate terephthalate, polyhydroxyalkanoates and polybutylene succinate, the company claims. The new pigments are ‘no obstacle’ to the degradability of the compostable polymers and are suitable
November 2019
for a wide variety of packaging, textile and consumer goods applications, Clariant reports. German company AF-Color – with many years’ experience in producing biodegradable masterbatches [see for example, ADPO, September 2015, p. 5] – and its sister company biodegradable compounds producer Bio-Fed have already used Clariant’s new pigments range to formulate bio-masterbatches under the brand name AF-Eco®. Colour plays a ‘decisive role’ when it comes to certain applications where biodegradable plastics are a viable choice, such as for biodegradable shopping or waste bags, single-use cutlery or coffee capsules, comments Dirk Schöning, sales director at AF-Color. ‘We are excited to challenge perceptions with a palette of bio-masterbatches covering the full spectrum and providing high fastness, so colour is not an issue’, Schöning says. According to Barbara Philipp, Clariant’s global marketing manager plastics, BU Pigments, ‘compostable and colourful can now go hand-in-hand for packaging’, meaning that manufacturers and consumers can obtain sustainable solutions without having to lower their design expectations. ‘By working closely with masterbatch producers such as AF-Color to help them get the most out of our EN 13432-compatible pigments, we can contribute to increasing the appeal of biodegradable and industrial compostable solutions for food and beverage packaging and consumer goods, as innovation continues to improve their properties and new functionalities are introduced’, she adds. Clariant unveiled the new biodegradable pigments range at the K 2019 trade fair where, among other innovations, it also presented a comprehensive new family of colours for automotive interiors developed as the result of a collaboration between Clariant Masterbatches, polymer producer ExxonMobil and automobile interior design specialist Plastivaloire Group. Experts from Plastivaloire and Clariant worked together to develop and select a range of 23 colours split between a warm and a cool colour palette. Clariant Masterbatches then formulated the different hues into colour concentrates optimized for use in ExxonMobil’s new Exxtral™ family of performance polyolefins. These materials have 8% lower density than their predecessors, helping to reduce component weight and therefore CO2 emissions, the partners comment. Exxtral performance polyolefins are also reported to provide better impact strength and flow characteristics than existing counterparts so they can be moulded in thinner sections, and they are non-tacky as well as scratchand UV-resistant. The colour concentrates formulated by Clariant ‘ensure the perfect development of the desired colour in the polymer without adversely affecting the performance or aesthetic properties of the material’, the company reports.
Additives for Polymers
3