Additives for Polymers February 1993

Antistatic Agents MARKETS

us 5,110,122 US 5,110,841 and US 5,110,528

Plastics additives in the 1990s

Antistatic polyolefin foams Dow Chemical Co. Priority Date: 16 September 1991 The antistat is a quaternary ammonium salt and a partial ester of a long-chain fatty acid with a polyol.

The latest report from the Freedonia Group assesses the demand and use of plastics additives in the 1990’s and estimates that US demand for plastic additives will increase 4.1% per year in 1996, based upon these additives’ ability to lower resin costs and improve physical characteristics and processability. The ratio of additives to resins will continue to decline because of more efficient formulations, which require lower additive loadings. Despite the trend toward high-value performance additives, fillers will continue to dominate, based on their significant role in cost reduction. Polyvinyl chloride, polyoletins, polystyrene, and polyester resins will remain the major consumers of plastic additives.

us 5,110,835 Antistatic polystyrene beads for foams BASF Priority Date: 6 August 1990 The beads are coated with finely divided silica and a hydroxyl-containing quaternary ammonium salt.

US 5,116,897 Antistatic agent BASF Corp.

for nylons

Priority Date: 27 June 1990

I/ H,CH,o(C, hzo)yG K&W%

R-CH,- \

where R is a c,.~ alkyl group or hydrogen, Z is a difunctional chain modifier group, R, is a Cl_4 alkyl group or hydrogen, and x and y are between about 10 and about 50.

Curing Agents

US 5,126,421 Curing agent for isocyanate prepolymers W Majewski & Others Priority Date: 27 April 1990 A hydroxyl curing agent and an oxazolidine moisture scavenger/curing agent.

Environmental considerations and regulatory pressures are reshaping the plastic additives industry. Traditional workhorse products are being eliminated in response to, and in anticipation of, crippling legislation. In the colorants segment, for instance, workhorse cadmiums and chromates are being phased out because of the escalating costs of regulatory compliance. In the flame retardants segment, two major types, brominated compounds and antimony oxide, are the topics of heated discussion regarding safety and health concerns.

The US plastics additives market is dominated by large, integrated chemical concerns. For these producers, the manufacture of plastics additives is often seen as a logical extension of existing product lines. In contrast are smaller, usually privately owned firms, for which additives sales usually constitute the majority of revenue.

6 01993 Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd

February 1993 Additives for Polymers

Plastics Additives in the 1990’s (report reference #413), priced $2500, is available from: The Freedonia Group Inc, 20600 Chagrin Boulevard, 10th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44122, USA. Tel: +l-216-921-6800. Fax: i-I-21 6-921-5459.

PRODUCTS

French antimony trioxide

available in UK

Societe Industrielle et Chimique de 1’Aisne (SICA), of Chauny, France, a major producer of antimony trioxide, has appointed Collinda of Ashford, Surrey, UK, as its distributor in the UK and Ireland. Various powder grades are available for use as catalysts for polyester fibres and films and as flame retardants for plastics.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Bronze pigments in packaging: a study

An independent study, completed recently bY the Paper Science Foundation in Germany, has established that the copper and zinc present in bronze pigments in packaging are not a heavy metal hazard. Contact: Paul Fallon, Wolstenholme Bronze Powders Ltd, PO Box 14, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 ORX, UK.

Utilization of paper waste

The conversion of waste paper products into effective fillers and reinforcements for the polymer industry has been under active investigation in the UK and in the USA.

Converting waste pulp residue into fillers for plastics and rubbers in the UK

Over the last few years, Fosse Ltd in the UK has developed and patented a process that provides an alternative solution to the waste disposal problems facing paper mills. The cellulose and clay residue is converted into a reinforcing filler suitable for use in both plastics and rubbers.

The process has been sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry under the Environmental Management Options Scheme. These fillers, trade-named the F-Stend range, provide cost savings to processors by enhancing the properties of reclaimed polymers and maintaining commercially acceptable properties when used at exceptionally high inclusion levels.

The filler is produced in various micronized grades, and is compounded with polymers to produce a range of masterbatches and compounds.

A three-year development programme is underway to: 1) modify the characteristics of the pulp residue to increase the range, expand commercial applications and enhance the properties of finished products; 2) develop the masterbatch range and concept (focus will be given to applications where processors require the flexibility e.g. varying inclusion levels without costly machine down time); 3) extend the range of speciality compounds designed to meet specific users’ requirements e.g. completely natural biodegradable compounds and wood replacers; and 4) expand the use of processed paper pulp residue into natural and synthetic rubbers.

Technical data sheets and case studies are now available.

Ol993 Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd 7