- Email: [email protected]
Milliken’s silver-based antimicrobial receives EPA approval for HVAC applications
May 2003
of the plasticizer – by varying the chain length, for example – in 50-litre quantities. The next stage is to scale this up to pilot plant production of 0.5 tonnes by the end of this year. Daan van Es from Ato says that the plasticizers “could become a commercial product within two years”. In terms of costs, van Es believes the raw materials and process technology used should make the plasticizer’s final cost comparable with adipates, and it could even compete with some of the more specialized phthalates.
Milliken’s silver-based antimicrobial receives EPA approval for HVAC applications Milliken Chemical has received EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) registration for its silver-based antimicrobial product, Antimicrobial AlphaSan®, for use in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and related materials. AlphaSan had previously received regulatory approval for use in polymeric food and drinking water contact materials. Antimicrobial AlphaSan, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and mould, now has the necessary regulatory approvals to allow its use in resins, fibres and plastic articles for applications such as air handlers, coils, fins, insulation, rigid or flexible ducts, filters, heat exchangers and air purifiers, Milliken says. It can also be incorporated into articles used in the assembly of HVAC systems, such as gaskets, fixtures, sealants, adhesives, reinforcing materials and parts. Antimicrobial AlphaSan is based on silver, a well-known and efficient antimicrobial agent that has been historically regarded as safe, Milliken says. When incorporated into resins, silver has been shown to control microbial growth and bio-film formation on surfaces without significant migration from the plastic. Therefore, according to the company, the antimicrobial characteristics of Antimicrobial AlphaSan are long-lived and do not result in an observed “zone-of-inhibition” that is characteristic of other migratory organic antimicrobials in typical efficacy tests.
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Additives for Polymers
The silver ions in Antimicrobial AlphaSan are contained within a zirconium phosphate complex that acts as an ion exchange reservoir. The silver ions are released at a controlled rate at the surface, which is important because it avoids the colour formation seen with previous silverbased products. Silver zirconium phosphate has the added advantage of being thermally stable up to 800°C, which makes it appropriate for use in high-temperature resin processing. The antimicrobial agent is already used extensively in a variety of applications, including food contact and drinking water contact applications, textiles and medical devices. Contact: Milliken Chemical, 920 Milliken Road, PO Box 1927, M-400, Spartanburg, SC 29304, USA; tel: +1-864-503-2200; fax: +1-864-5032430; [email protected]; URL: www. millikenchemical.com
Ferro reveals multicolour glitter effect Ferro Corp is gearing up to commercialize a new range of pigments that give a unique ‘holographic’ look, according to a recent report in Modern Plastics. The company currently has samples available for customer testing and expects full commercialization this quarter. The pigments will be supplied worldwide. The glitter effect is achieved by placing microembossed aluminium foil on the surface of pigments sized from 60 to 225 microns, which yields a rainbow of colours simultaneously, explains Mir Ali, Ferro technical manager. The pigments can be used to give a multicolour glitter look with transparent materials like crystal polystyrene and clarified polypropylene that are injection moulded or extruded at temperatures lower than 196°C (385°F). According to Ali, they can even be included in translucent or semi-opaque materials like low-density polyethylene, though with a lessened effect. The effect does not depend upon pigment orientation, and so is claimed not to be susceptible to knit-line and flow-line problems. Contact: Ferro Corp, 1000 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44114-7000, USA; tel: +1-216641-8580; URL: www.ferro.com
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of the plasticizer – by varying the chain length, for example – in 50-litre quantities. The next stage is to scale this up to pilot plant production of 0.5 tonnes by the end of this year. Daan van Es from Ato says that the plasticizers “could become a commercial product within two years”. In terms of costs, van Es believes the raw materials and process technology used should make the plasticizer’s final cost comparable with adipates, and it could even compete with some of the more specialized phthalates.
Milliken’s silver-based antimicrobial receives EPA approval for HVAC applications Milliken Chemical has received EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) registration for its silver-based antimicrobial product, Antimicrobial AlphaSan®, for use in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and related materials. AlphaSan had previously received regulatory approval for use in polymeric food and drinking water contact materials. Antimicrobial AlphaSan, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and mould, now has the necessary regulatory approvals to allow its use in resins, fibres and plastic articles for applications such as air handlers, coils, fins, insulation, rigid or flexible ducts, filters, heat exchangers and air purifiers, Milliken says. It can also be incorporated into articles used in the assembly of HVAC systems, such as gaskets, fixtures, sealants, adhesives, reinforcing materials and parts. Antimicrobial AlphaSan is based on silver, a well-known and efficient antimicrobial agent that has been historically regarded as safe, Milliken says. When incorporated into resins, silver has been shown to control microbial growth and bio-film formation on surfaces without significant migration from the plastic. Therefore, according to the company, the antimicrobial characteristics of Antimicrobial AlphaSan are long-lived and do not result in an observed “zone-of-inhibition” that is characteristic of other migratory organic antimicrobials in typical efficacy tests.
.
Additives for Polymers
The silver ions in Antimicrobial AlphaSan are contained within a zirconium phosphate complex that acts as an ion exchange reservoir. The silver ions are released at a controlled rate at the surface, which is important because it avoids the colour formation seen with previous silverbased products. Silver zirconium phosphate has the added advantage of being thermally stable up to 800°C, which makes it appropriate for use in high-temperature resin processing. The antimicrobial agent is already used extensively in a variety of applications, including food contact and drinking water contact applications, textiles and medical devices. Contact: Milliken Chemical, 920 Milliken Road, PO Box 1927, M-400, Spartanburg, SC 29304, USA; tel: +1-864-503-2200; fax: +1-864-5032430; [email protected]; URL: www. millikenchemical.com
Ferro reveals multicolour glitter effect Ferro Corp is gearing up to commercialize a new range of pigments that give a unique ‘holographic’ look, according to a recent report in Modern Plastics. The company currently has samples available for customer testing and expects full commercialization this quarter. The pigments will be supplied worldwide. The glitter effect is achieved by placing microembossed aluminium foil on the surface of pigments sized from 60 to 225 microns, which yields a rainbow of colours simultaneously, explains Mir Ali, Ferro technical manager. The pigments can be used to give a multicolour glitter look with transparent materials like crystal polystyrene and clarified polypropylene that are injection moulded or extruded at temperatures lower than 196°C (385°F). According to Ali, they can even be included in translucent or semi-opaque materials like low-density polyethylene, though with a lessened effect. The effect does not depend upon pigment orientation, and so is claimed not to be susceptible to knit-line and flow-line problems. Contact: Ferro Corp, 1000 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44114-7000, USA; tel: +1-216641-8580; URL: www.ferro.com
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