Modern Plastics Worldwide - July/August 2009 - dae uptlax

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
MATERIAL THOUGHTS
ADDITIVES/FILLERS
Impact modifi ers help
processors cut costs
The latest development in acrylic impact
modifiers for rigid vinyl window and door
profiles from Arkema, Durastrength 360,
is said to reduce by up to 15% the amount
of acrylic modifiers in formulations. This
range of “composite” impact additives has
a high elastomer content and can reduce
plate-out during extrusion. Less plate-out
Durastrength 360 composite impact modifiers aid
PVC profile extrusion.
means die head and extruder can run
longer between maintenance. Arkema says
the material also improves profile production
speed. The impact additives have
been marketed for several months and are
finding particular demand from Eastern
European countries, says the company.
Arkema, Colombes Cedex, France;
+33 1-4900-8080; www.arkema.com
Permanent antistatic
effect enhances
Entira brand antistat from DuPont is a
resin modifier that is claimed to provide
good permanent antistatic properties
and high moisture permeability in polyolefins.
It can be used for blowmolded
polypropylene and polyethylene containers.
Grade AS MK400, in 2-layer
blowmolded bottles of approximately
1-mm wall thickness, provides immediate
and long-life antistatic effect without
blooming. It prevents dust and dirt pick-
up, has no interaction with printing or
labeling, and is compatible with polyolefins
and ethylene copolymers.
DuPont de Nemours International, Geneva,
Switzerland; +41 22-717-6643;
www.packaging.dupont.com
MASTERBATCHES
Thinner white packaging
is in higher demand today
In response to the demand for more costeffective
coloring of white thin-wall polyester
packaging, masterbatcher Colour
Tone has developed a PET-based white
masterbatch containing 70% titanium
dioxide (TiO 2 ), which the company
says is about 20% more pigment than
conventional products on the market.
Company managing director Tony
Gaulkroger says this product should be
of particular interest to processors in
both bottle and thermoformed packaging
sectors. The lighter packaging is
less costly to transport and creates less
waste to recyc le. However, cutting wall
thickness reduces opacity, which is particularly
critical in white packaging, he
says. The proprietary means of achieving
the 70% TiO 2 content is due to formulation,
processing technology, and pigment
Typical applications for Colour Tone Masterbatch’s
70% TiO 2 content PET-based material are thinwalled
bottles and thermoformable sheet for
beverage and food packaging.
New developments
dispersion techniques coupled with customdesigned
downstream equipment.
Colour Tone Masterbatch Ltd.,
Bedwas, Wales; +44 2920-888-910;
www.colourtone-masterbatch.co.uk
Wire/cable applications
take on new hues
A line of melt-processable fluoropolymer
(MPFP) color masterbatches for the wireand-cable
sector from engineering thermoplastic
compounder RTP promises
ease of processing and good color exactness
in plenum-space jacketing materials.
Available in 10 common wire-and-cable
industry color-coding formulations, they
match Munsell and RAL standards.
RTP’s MPFP product line of color masterbatches
offers 10 common wire-and-cable sector colors.
These color masterbatches are initially
available in fluorinated ethylene propylene
(FEP) and polyvinylidene fluoride
(PVdF). Let-down ratios are about 3%,
says the company, and they provide
good dispersion. They also maintain
the inherent flame retardancy and low
smoke development of the fluoropolymer.
“Historically, fluoropolymers have
been difficult to modify,” says Jean Sirois,
general manager-RTP Color. “Because of
their corrosive nature, RTP has dedicated
manufacturing equipment used solely for
processing MPFP products.”
RTP Company, Winona, MN, U.S.A.;
+1 507-454-6900; www.rtpcompany.com
22 JULY/AUGUST 2009 • MODERN PLASTICS WORLDWIDE mpw.plasticstoday.com