Additive | Nucleating Agent

Nucleating Agent Masterbatch

Nucleating Agent Masterbatch consists of a concentrated mixture of pigments and/or encapsulated additives manufactured by heating a carrier resin and then cooling it and cutting it into granules. The masterbatch thus allows the transformer to colour and give characteristics to the natural polymer economically in the plastics transformation process.

Technical Advantages | Shelf Life

• Prevents problems of agglomeration of additives or colourants as well as dispersion problems.
• Does not contain solvents and therefore has a longer shelf life.
• Contains an average of 40-65% additive, but the range can reach 15-80% in extreme cases.
• A 25kg bag processes up to one tonne of raw material. Thus, the relatively dilute nature of the materbatches allows for greater precision when dosing small quantities.

Carrier and Dosage

The masterbatch carrier must be identical/compatible with the polymer. For example, EVA or LDPE is a compatible carrier with polyolefins and nylon, as is polystyrene with ABS, SAN and sometimes polycarbonates.

In this sense, when the masterbatch carrier is incompatible with the raw material, changes may occur in the properties of the processed material. The processor 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 %. Colour and additive masterbatches can be combined.

Adverse effects

• Adverse effects sometimes occur, such as the masterbatch separating from the raw material in the machine hopper.
• The masterbatch, solid or liquid, is added directly to the machine spindle via a peristaltic pump.
• The use of liquid masterbatches also makes it possible to obtain highly precise dosages and rapid colour changes between production runs.

Nucleating Agent Masterbatch | Transformation processes

Masterbatches are compatible with most processes, with the exception of rotational moulding, plastisol and other liquid resin systems.

Nucleating agents are widely used to modify the properties of various polymers. The rate of crystallization and the size of the crystals have a strong impact on the mechanical and optical properties after conversion of the plastic, especially (but not exclusive) in polypropylene.

The addition of nucleating agents to the semi-crystalline polymers provides a surface on which the crystal growth can start. As a consequence, fast crystal formation will result in many small crystal domains. Cycle times in injection molding are reduced. Mechanical properties like flexural modulus, strength, heat distortion temperature and hardness will increase. The clarity and transmittance will improve.

Nucleating agents used for optimizing the optical properties are called clarifying agents.

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