Chemicals & additives.

Colorants dominated the additives news in Chicago. New entries included liquid colors from a new source, frosted-glass and luminescent special-effects products, laser-markable formulations, specialty carbon blacks, and black thermoset color pastes. There were also new heat and light stabilizers, the most unusual being so-called halogen absorbers for protecting resins and equipment from flame retardants. Also unusual are new filler concentrates that are said to provide faster processing than unfilled polyolefins.

FILLER IMPROVES PROCESSING

Two new filler concentrates from ECC International Performance Minerals, Roswell, Ga., are said to increase molding and extrusion output rates and permit downgauging but cost no more than the resin they displace. For injection and blow molders, new Zytocal pellets contain 90% CaCO3 and a proprietary binder that's said to be compatible with all polyolefins. By increasing thermal conductivity, Zytocal reportedly cuts cycle times by 15-40% in PE and PP. Melt viscosity is said to be reduced, resulting in lower backpressure and easier mold filling. Parison melt strength is also improved and part stiffness is higher, which may permit thinner walls.

For PE blown film, ECC's new FilmLink 400 concentrates reportedly provide higher line speeds and improved properties that permit downgauging (see New Products for details).

LASER MARKABLE COLORANTS

Opaque or transparent polyolefins, styrenics, and engineering thermoplastics can be made laser markable in a range of colors with new custom-formulated concentrates from M.A. Hanna Color, Suwannee, Ga. A unique feature of FastMark products is said to be the ability to create several hues from one background colorant. Shade and contrast can be controlled by varying laser energy level and duration of exposure.

SPECIAL-EFFECTS COLORANTS

FX Frost is a new color concentrate that gives a translucent "frosted-glass" appearance without need for a textured mold or sprayed-on coating. Available from M.A. Hanna Color, it's said to be compatible with all transparent polymers. It comes in uncolored, custom-colored, satin, or sparkle finishes.

Perma-Glow, a luminescent pigment that glows for up to 10 hr after exposure to natural or artificial light, is available in powdered concentrates of green, blue, and violet. Produced in Japan, the aluminum oxide ceramic pigment is being introduced to North America by Hirotec, Inc., Santa Ana, Calif. Unlike promethium-based photostorage pigments, PermaGlow is not radioactive.

MORE COLOR CONCENTRATES

M.A. Hanna Color introduced its first line of liquid colorants at NPE. Formulations are available for polyolefins, polycarbonate sheet, and PET bottles.

Teknor Color Co., Pawtucket, R.I., introduced new additions to its Teklite Color Crystals concentrates, which permit letdown ratios as high as 100:1. New standard colors are metallic silver, ivory, beige, blue-white, and a high-jetness black called Black Max, as well as FDA-sanctioned white and black products. The company also eliminated price premiums for FDA colors.

ReedSpectrum, Holden, Mass., added to its heavy-metal-free ReedLite concentrates. Three new series of a dozen brilliant colors each are for ABS, HIPS, and polyolefins.

NEW CARBON BLACKS

Black Pearls 6100, new from Cabot Corp.'s Special Blacks Div., Billerica, Mass., is said to offer high uv protection and excellent dispersibility in wire and cable, agricultural film, and geomembranes. Cabot says the low moisture absorption permits extrusion at higher temperatures while minimizing surface defects. Reduced screen-pack plugging and ability to achieve higher concentrate loadings (e.g., 3540% in LLDPE) are also claimed.

New Raven 510 and 510 Ultra from Columbian Chemicals Co., Atlanta, are designed for low-color film and pipe. High-purity 510 Ultra has lower residue and ash content. Both blacks are said to permit loadings of up to 55% in polyolefin concentrates and provide higher melt flow than the firm's Raven 520 grade.

New black thermoset color pastes from Ferro Corp.'s Liquid Coatings and Dispersions Div., Edison, N.J., reportedly have dramatically lower viscosity than other pastes with similar carbon-black loadings. One of two new unsaturated polyester pastes is Type #11-88035 with 36.5% loading and a viscosity of 50,000 cp. Type #11-88036 has 40% loading and viscosity of 110,000 cp.

Ferro's new epoxy paste, #2288032, is a fully reactive product with 35% carbon black and a pourable viscosity of 400 cp.

PROTECTION FROM HEAT & LIGHT

Ferro Corp.'s Polymer Additives Div., Walton Hills, Ohio, has reformulated its UV-Chek AM-340 hydroxy benzoate ester light stabilizer to improve color stability and physical-property retention in polyolefin films, fibers, and thick pigmented parts. It is designed to partially replace a HALS in formulations containing organic pigments such as phthalocyanines and azo reds.

Cytec Industries Inc., West Patterson, N.J., introduced Cyasorb CEC3529, a developmental high-molecular-weight HALS that is said to provide improved color yield and chemical resistance in polyolefin films and fibers.

The company also introduced a flake form of its Cyasorb UV-531 benzophenone. It is said to have fewer impurities, better flow, and longer shelf life without yellowing.

Cytec also launched Cyanox 1741, a phenolic antioxidant chemically equivalent to Ciba's Irganox 3114.

STABILIZERS FOR FR RESINS

New halogen absorbers stabilize flame-retardant compounds containing chlorine or bromine. They protect the base resin and pigment and prevent mold and machinery corrosion. UV-Chek PD 299-A from Ferro's Polymer Additives Div. is a powdered metal complex that stabilizes a range of polymers during processing. PD 299-D is heavy-metal-free and provides heat and light stability for FR ABS, PC, and nylon.