add

dditives
itives
ISSN 0306-3747 August 2008
FOR
POLY
POLYMERS www.additivesforpolymers.com

Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’ Contents

portfolio… MATERIALS
Clariant Masterbatches expands ‘green’
P roduct developers seeking addi-
tive masterbatches that are both
biodegradable and renewable can
obtained by using the natural additive is
close to the values achieved with modern
synthetic waxes, which are based on pet-
portfolio…
…And presents new colours for
1

medical applications 2
now select several different func- rochemicals. The use of CESA-natur slip Croda adds high-stability slip agent for
polyolefins 3
tional ingredients in the new CESA®- appears to have only a marginal influ-
Frilvam launches starch-based
natur product line from Clariant ence on transparency. CESA-natur light masterbatches for biopolymers 3
Masterbatches. According to Clariant, masterbatches provide light stabilization New TiO2 pigment from Sachtleben
CESA-natur additive masterbatches, in both conventional and biopolymers. targets high-quality colour
applications 3
along with the RENOL®-natur colour They can also function as a UV filter to US researchers investigate use of
masterbatches introduced in 2007 protect the contents of packaging made ethanol co-products as fillers
[ADPO, September 2007], are ideal of bioplastics such as PLA, Clariant says. for plastics 4
for use with environmentally friendly Like synthetic additives, they are based Viba’s new masterbatches boost
chemical resistance of greenhouse
biopolymers such as polylactic acid on aromatic molecules, but the CESA- films 4
(PLA), which are becoming popular natur UV masterbatches use naturally Angstron introduces low-cost
in ‘green’ packaging and consumer occurring ingredients, the company nanomaterial, acquires manufacturing
facility 5
goods applications. explains. Carrier resins can include any
Techmer improves polyamide non-
The new masterbatches – including of the common biopolymers. Processing halogenated flame retardant 5
slip/antiblock agents, UV/light stabiliz- characteristics are similar to those associ-
ers, antioxidants and antistatic agents ated with conventional masterbatches,
COMPANY STRATEGIES
– feature not only a biopolymer carrier Clariant claims. Strict product safety
Chemtura to remain independent 6
resin, but also naturally occurring sub- regulations and screening apply, despite Chemson opens new stabilizer plant;
stances that are completely renewable, the natural origin of the materials. In the acquisition by Buy_Out 6
biodegradable and, in most cases, com- past, the natural compounds chosen for ICL Industrial Products establishes
Chinese subsidiary 7
postable, says Clariant. These products UV protection have been coloured and Rockwood forms TiO2 joint venture
have successfully passed strict screen- usually showed low thermal stability at with Kemira 7
ing procedures and are available for processing temperatures above 200°C, Cabot to build masterbatch facility in
immediate use, the company reports. according to Clariant. The newest Dubai, expands fumed silica
output in China 8
The natural masterbatches also can CESA-natur light masterbatches, how- Pricing initiatives continue apace 8
be formulated for use in conventional ever, are formulated from light-coloured
polymers as alternatives to non-renew- substances that are substantially more
able additives, Clariant adds. heat stable and offer UV protection com- FINANCIALS
Rohm and Haas announces actions to
CESA-natur slip additive master- parable to conventional synthetic UV restore profitability following fall in
batches perform well in PLA film appli- absorbers, it says. earnings 10
cations, the company says. The newly Other CESA-natur masterbatches Chemtura posts first quarter loss 11
Ferro reports record first quarter sales 11
developed system is based on pure, natu- currently available include CESA-natur
rally occurring waxes that give very good antioxidants, which use natural anti-
slip properties. According to Clariant, oxidants like vitamin E, and CESA- EVENTS CALENDAR 12
the coefficient of friction in PLA films natur antistatic masterbatches, which

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 sig-
nificantly 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 polyhy-
droxyalkanoate 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 struc-
ture that end users demand. Adding CESA-extend
to the foam, in combination with Hydrocerol, has
been shown to enhance molecular weight and melt-
strength 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 intro-
duced 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 compa-
ny’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-compli-
ant 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 pharmaceuti-
cal and medical packaging, the company says. They
may be evaluated for applications involving skin con-
tact 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 bio-
logical testing protocol outlined under the new
ISO 10993, which supports their use in short-
term 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