Antifogging | Additive Masterbatches

Antifogging Masterbatches

Color, Combi or Additive Masterbatches (including antifogging masterbatches) with solid or liquid carriers aim to color (colored masterbatches) or to confer other properties (additive masterbatches) to plastics.

Masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and / or additives encapsulated during a heating process in a carrier resin that is cooled and cut into a granular form. The Masterbatch allows the transformer to color natural polymer economically during the plastics transformation process.

The alternatives to the use of masterbatches are the purchase of a composite raw material (which may imply an increase in cost and less flexibility, for example, product color variability), or the mixing of raw materials on site (process potentially problematic with regard to the total dispersion of dyes and additives and prone to mandatory acquisition of materials in excess of the necessary ones). Compared to pure pigments, masterbatches require more storage space with longer delivery times.

As masterbatches are already pre-mixed compositions, their use avoids problems of agglomeration of additives or dyes as well as problems of dispersion. The use of masterbatches allows the transformer to acquire a smaller number of degrees of polymer, thus providing conditions for the purchase of raw material in scale.

Masterbatches can be highly concentrated (compared to the final blend), with high “reduction rates”. A 25 kg bag can process a ton of raw material. The relatively diluted nature of materbatches, when compared to raw additives, allows greater precision in the dosing of small quantities of high cost components. The compact nature of the solid masterbatch grains eliminates dust problems, which are inherent in refined solid additives.

Solid masterbatches do not contain solvents and subsequently tend to have a longer service life if they are not evaporated. The masterbatch usually contains 40-65% of additive, but the range can reach values between 15-80% in extreme cases.

The carrier of the masterbatch can be based on a wax (universal vehicle) or on a specific polymer, identical or compatible with the polymer to be transformed to transform. For example, EVA or LDPE can be used as a carrier for polyolefins and nylon, polystyrene can be used as a carrier for ABS, SAN and sometimes polycarbonates.

When a carrier of the masterbatch is incompatible with the raw material, the masterbatch can modify the properties of the transformed material, so whenever necessary, the transformer must specify the characteristics of the raw material.

The percentage of use of masterbatches in relation to the raw material is between 1 and 5%. Several masterbatches (color and additive (s)) can be combined. The transformation equipment is usually fed with raw material and masterbatch. The homogenization of both materials is verified at the end of the machine’s spindle stroke.

Sometimes the system is prone to adverse effects such as the separation of the masterbatch from the raw material in the machine hopper. The masterbatch can also be added directly to the machine’s spindle, as a free-flowing solid or, in the case of a liquid masterbatch via a peristaltic pump. The use of liquid masterbtches allows obtaining highly accurate dosages in addition to rapid color changes between productions.

Masterbatches can be used in most processes, except rotational molding, Plastisol and other liquid resin systems.

Antifogging Masterbatches

The term “fogging” refers to the condensation of water vapor on a plastic film’s surface. This results in the formation of water droplets. In food packaging films the droplets makes the content less visible and may decrease the quality of the packed product.

In agricultural applications as greenhouses, fogging will affect the transmittance of light, causes burns of the crops by the lens effect of the droplets, and a continuous water drip. Typical polyolefins are very hydrophobic. Water on a film surface will cause the formation of droplets (high contact angle: no wetting or spreading of the water over the surface).

The addition of (internal) anti-fogging additive makes the surface more polar. They have a controlled incompatibility with the polymer. This causes a migration to the surface of a plastic film. There it is responsible for a polar layer at the surface. This increases the surface energy. The difference between the surface energy of the plastic surface and the water reduces, thus the contact angle reduces. The water spreads out as a thin film, instead of forming thick drops The optical properties remain less affected.