Vietnam’s plastic industry is increasingly attractive to foreign investors, especially investors from Thailand. Prominent is Siam Cement Group (SCG) when this group has ambitions to build a value chain in the plastic industry in Vietnam.
On March 9, the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) will offer to sell all 24.1 million shares of Binh Minh Plastics Joint Stock Company (MCK: BMP) and these shares have been sold by Thai shareholders. Lan – The Nawaplastic Industries – register to buy all.
The Nawaplastic Industries is currently a major shareholder of BMP holding more than 16.7 million BMP shares, equivalent to 20.4%. Thus, if the transaction is successful, Nawaplastic Industries will increase its ownership rate in BMP to 49.91%.
Nawaplastic is a company specializing in the production and distribution of PVC pipes, 100% owned by Thai Plastic and Chemicals PCL (TPC). TPC currently holds 50% market share in the Thai plastic market and owns many other Vietnamese plastic companies such as Chemteck Co (Production of XLPE polyethylene – TPC holds 100% of the equity); Viet-Thai Plastchem (Production of plastic and packaging – TPC holds 72.49% share capital); TPC Vina Plastic and Chemicals (Producing PVC – TPC holds 70% of the share capital).
Behind TPC is the parent company Siam Cement Group (SCG), SCG has the ambition to build a value chain in the plastic industry in Vietnam. Currently, SCG owns a plastic resin manufacturing company (TPC Vietnam) and has long wanted to have another plastic product manufacturing business with a good distribution network in Vietnam.
So what has caused Thai investors to increase M&A deals in the plastic industry in Vietnam?
According to Vietcombank Securities Company (VCBS), the potential of Vietnam’s plastic industry is still very large, the average plastic consumption index in Vietnam is currently 41 kg/person/year (lower than the average level of 48 kg/person/year). /year in Asia and the average level of 70 kg / person / year in the world). According to BMI Research, the food industry will grow by 10.9% in the period 2015-2019, the bottled beverage industry will grow by 17-25%.
In the future, when the Vietnam – Europe Free Trade Agreement (VEFTA) is signed, the export market of plastic products to Europe will be promoted. Mr. Ho Duc Lam, Chairman of the Vietnam Plastics Association, said that the demand for importing plastic products in the EU market is still considered high, and Vietnamese enterprises have good penetration ability, especially the demand for plastic products. Plastic Pipe.
Notably, in this market, Vietnam’s plastic products are not subject to anti-dumping tax like other Asian countries (the average tax rate is from 8-30%).
However, the potential market is like that, but at present, domestic enterprises themselves have not yet mastered the source of input materials. The Ho Chi Minh City Rubber and Plastic Association forecasts that by 2020, raw materials for plastic production will be up to 5 million tons. Having to import 70-80% of plastic materials has significantly reduced competitiveness and it is difficult for exporters to take advantage of tax incentives because of regulations on goods origin.
Returning to Thai investors, SCG recently officially launched a petrochemical project in Long Son with a scale of 5.4 billion USD with the goal of completing its value chain, and thus the end will be products of BMP.
SCG’s investments in recent years have shown quite positive results. Typically, the investment in Tien Phong Plastic through The Nawaplastic Industries. With the divestment of Tien Phong Plastic, The Nawaplastic Industries earned about VND 1,460 billion, 3 times the initial investment value. In addition, according to calculations, in more than 5 years of investment, The Nawaplastic Industries also received about VND 173 billion in cash dividends from Tien Phong Plastic.
Engineering plastics – industrial plastics are high-molecular-weight compounds, used as materials to manufacture a variety of items in daily life to industrial products, associated with modern human life. They are materials that are capable of deforming when subjected to heat and pressure and still retain that deformation when the effect is removed. So what is plastic? Or in other words, what is plastic?
Plastic is also known as plastic, which is produced into a variety of items in daily life such as: raincoats, electrical conduits, baby plastic wardrobes… plastic products derived from crude oil. There are 3 types of plastic materials used in household appliances:
THERMAL DURABLE PLASTIC
It is a type of plastic that, when heated to the melting point, softens, and when the temperature is lowered, it hardens. Mechanical properties are not high when compared to thermoset plastics. Thermoplastics are recyclable many times.
PE plastic: can allow gas and incense to penetrate through, used as bags of all kinds, containers (cans) with a volume of 1 to 20 liters with different thicknesses, but cannot be used to manufacture products kind of plastic baby clothes. PE bottle caps are susceptible to odor absorption, so food bottles with PE caps must be stored in an environment free of odorants.
PP (Polypropylene) plastic: low cost, tearing and tensile strength, quite strong, not as flexible as PE, not stretched and made into fibers. Especially the ability to tear easily when there is a cut or a small puncture. Withstands temperatures higher than 1000 degrees Celsius. Used as single-layer packaging to preserve food.
PS (Polystyrene) plastic: hard transparent, no taste, burns to an unstable flame, colorless and easy to color, foam boxes are mostly made of PS…
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic: is an important food packaging material that can be used to make plastic films or form bottles due to its properties, being able to withstand tearing and impact forces, and abrasion. high, high rigidity, stability, transparency, O2 and CO2 resistance better than other plastics, when heated to 200 degrees Celsius or cooled at 90 degrees Celsius, the chemical structure of PET circuit remains the same, the vapor permeability remains unchanged when the temperature is about 100 degrees Celsius. Due to its very high waterproofing properties, PET is used to make bottles, containers for pure water, other carbonated soft drinks…
THERMAL SOLID PLASTIC
A macromolecular compound that has the ability to change to a 3-dimensional state under the effect of temperature or chemical reaction and then cannot melt or dissolve again.
PC (Polycarbonate) plastic: making car glass, due to its high transparency, gas-proof, slightly higher than PE, PVC but lower than PP, PET. Very high strength, wear resistance and not affected by food ingredients. High heat resistance (over 100 degrees Celsius).
According to a report by the Confederation of South African Roads, potholes cause an estimated $3.4 billion in damage each year in vehicle repairs and medical costs. Plastic milk bottles are being recycled for roads in South Africa, in the hope of helping the country tackle its waste problem and improve road quality.
A road made of plastic milk bottles in South Africa
Shaluanga Construction became the first company in South Africa to build a section of road partially with recycled plastic in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Currently, they have repaired more than 400m of road in Cliffdale, a suburb of Durban, using asphalt made from nearly 40,000 2-liter plastic milk bottles. Shaluanga uses high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a thick plastic commonly used for baby bottles. A local recycling plant turns the plastic into pellets, which are heated to 1900C and mixed with additives. This substance replaces 6% of bitumen binder of asphalt, so each ton of asphalt has about 118 – 128 bottles. Shaluanga says less harmful emissions are produced than traditional processes, and the compound is more durable, more water-resistant than conventional asphalt, withstanding temperatures as high as 70°C and below 0°C. .
Unlike in Europe, where recycled plastic is often collected directly from homes, in South Africa, 70% of recycled plastic comes from landfills. Plastic will only be taken from a landfill if there is somewhere to be consumed, such as a road. Shaluanga says that by turning plastic bottles into sugar, it will create a new market for plastic waste, allowing recycling plants to get more out of the nation’s waste.
TTO – Consumer demand in the domestic market is weak because consumers limit their travel, which greatly affects purchasing power, as well as having a significant impact on workers’ jobs, costs businesses have to bear. suffer if the COVID-19 epidemic lasts. The plastic industry suffers from low purchasing power due to COVID-19.
Plastic beads – Photo: TTO
President of the Vietnam Plastics Association (VPA) Ho Duc Lam has just sent an official dispatch to the ministries of Finance, Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry proposing to support plastic enterprises during the next COVID-19 pandemic. progression is very complicated.
According to Mr. Lam, China is the fourth largest import market of Vietnam’s plastic products, with a turnover of 148.7 million USD, accounting for 4.3% of the total export turnover of plastic products.
Currently, many enterprises in the plastic industry import input materials, chemicals and additives mostly from China.
If the situation lasts until the end of the first quarter, there will be no production materials, affecting the progress of export orders of enterprises. At the same time affecting the jobs of workers, the costs businesses have to bear during the time when there are no orders.
“We ask the inter-ministerial department to propose the Government and the State Bank to consider a mechanism to support businesses before the impact of the epidemic on allowing debt freezing, debt rescheduling, reducing loan interest rates, and structuring loans. , extending the tax payment schedule… to help a number of businesses in production and business activities that are facing difficulties,” said Mr. Lam.
According to VPA’s assessment, the complicated developments of COVID-19 not only affect the production and export activities of enterprises in the plastic industry in the near future, but furthermore, consumer demand in the domestic market. It will also be difficult to recover as quickly as the business expects.
As one of the most cost-effective material solutions, calcium carbonate filler is widely used in various applications, which include non-woven fabric. In this article, let’s discover amazing benefits of calcium carbonate filler in non woven and interesting usage tips to help you make full use of it.
Being first introduced in the early 1930s, non woven fabric was initially considered as a cotton waste-utilizing method. Not until the first commercial production launched in the United States in 1942, the market for non-woven has witnessed tremendous growth.
What is non woven fabric?
Non woven fabric is a sheet or a web structure that is bonded together by entangling fiber or filaments (by perforating films) mechanically, thermally or chemically. Typically, it offers specific functions such as absorbency, liquid repellency, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardancy, washability, cushioning, thermal insulation, acoustic insulation and filtration. These properties are then mixed and matched to create specific fabrics that suit end products’ requirements.
Non woven fabric
Thanks to these outstanding properties, non woven fabric is widely used in several applications. Generally, they are divided into 4 main categories:
Disposable nonwovens: this type of nonwovens are mostly made for single use products or reusable ones (such as dust cloths – which may be laundered and reused a few times).
General applications: include personal hygiene products, such as diapers and sanitary napkins; medical products such as surgical gowns and drapes; surgical and industrial masks, bandages, wipes and towels; bibs and even costumes for special events.
Durable nonwovens: widely used in both household goods and home furnishings, such as for draperies, furniture upholstery, mattress padding, towels, table cloths, blankets and carpet backing and clothing and apparel, such as for caps, linings, interlinings, interfacings and the reinforcement of other fabrics.
Other industrial uses: such as filters, insulation, packing materials, roadbed stabilization sheeting or road-building materials, geo-textiles and roofing products.
Vital role of calcium carbonate filler in non woven
With a view to optimizing the production of non woven, calcium carbonate filler has been taken into use. Being made of calcium carbonate powder (CaCO3), plastic resins and other specific additives, calcium carbonate filler is one of the most effective material solutions to non woven manufacturing. The application of this material offers end-products several benefits:
Calcium carbonate filler is widely used in non woven fabric manufacturing
Cost reduction
Containing CaCO3 powder, which is a reasonable substance compared to virgin resin, calcium carbonate filler helps manufacturers save a significant amount of material expenses. Thus, it lessens the dependence on fossil resin as well as minimizing the negative impacts of the global market on the manufacturers. Besides, the decrease of raw material price definitely gives them a leg up in a competitive market.
Properties enhancement
The introduction of calcium carbonate filler in non woven can improve matte, enhance opacity, increase strength, and provide a cotton-soft feel for comfort. As CaCO3 modifies the fiber, it also helps soften and give a more matte appearance to the fabric surface.
Specifically, the natural whiteness of CaCO3 limits the formation of yellowness on the fabric surface. Plus, by increasing the opacity in fibers, it also enhances the covering power of the web.
Furthermore, this material significantly improves the air filtration and oil absorption ability of the end products. It also disperses well in resins and incorporates easily during extrusion.
The introduction of calcium carbonate filler in non woven can improve several benefits for end products
Productivity improvement
As CaCO3 is a good thermal conductive, it reduces processing temperature and shortens the products cycle, thus saving energy consumption as well as increasing productivity.
Environmental friendliness
Last but not least, an outstanding advantage of calcium carbonate filler is its environmental harmlessness. Compared to fossil resin, which releases a great amount of carbon footprint during its manufacturing process, the production of filler masterbatch is far more environmentally friendly. Also, it is an ideal alternative to non-renewable materials, thus opening up sustainable development for nonwoven manufacturers.
How to apply calcium carbonate filler in non woven effectively?
Normally, polypropylene (PP) calcium carbonate filler is applied in non woven fabric to attain the compatibility to the resin. To achieve the best result, there are certain factors that should be taken into consideration.
The thickness of the fabric
This factor determines the dosage rate of calcium carbonate filler that needs to be added into the combination. In particular, the recommended usage rate for thin fabric is from 5 to 20%, for medium fabric is 20-35% and it reaches up to 60% for thick fabric. In case an extremely good dispersion and stability are required, filler masterbatch is typically applied with a loading rate of 78-80% and melt flow index from 20-40g/10 min.
The thickness of fabric required determines the dosage rate of calcium carbonate filler
The melt flow index (MFI)
The melt flow index (MFI) is a measure of the ease of flow of the melt of a thermoplastic polymer at a certain temperature and loading rate. For non woven fabric, this index varies among different levels of fabric thickness. In which, the thinner fabric requires a higher MFI while a lower MFI is recommended for the thicker ones.
An important note for manufacturers is that any changes in the dosage rate of calcium carbonate filler in non woven products should be made gradually. Also, you need to consider carefully before making any adjustments to machine parameters.
Common problems in non woven manufacturing process: causes and solutions
Fiber drop
This phenomenon is normally caused by the following factors:
Stone powder is stuck in the die head of the extruder, which makes the yarn not run into a stream, thus resulting in uneven yarn output and yarn drop. To solve this problem, an easy way is to clean the extruder die and make sure you prevent its occurrence next time.
Filter mesh is clogged which leads to the uneven yarn pressure and yarn drop. By cleaning the filter net and figuring out what causes the mesh, manufacturers can come up with an appropriate solution.
PP non woven fabric production line
Slow MFI of the calcium carbonate filler leads to the unstable flow. As mentioned above, MFI is a vital index that determines the efficiency of the manufacturing process. To fix this, manufacturers may need to make some adjustments to the extruder’s temperature. However, in the long run, it’s recommended to innovate the filler formulation for better MFI.
Machine parameters are not suitable for production materials. In this situation, the only way is to adjust machine parameters.
Fiber is too soft or too hard
When it comes to the mechanical properties of end products, the main cause lies in the formula of calcium carbonate filler in non woven fabric. A large amount of filler masterbatch may lead to the lack of stiffness of the fabric, while hard surfaces of end-products mainly result from the absence of some groups of additives.
Weak mechanical properties
The main causes of this problem may be the incompatibility between the type of calcium carbonate filler used in non woven or the oversized stone powder particle, which ends up with the poor bonding force of the fabric. Hence, manufacturers should recheck the filler masterbatch formula to ensure that it suits their end products best.
Unsuitable filler masterbatch formula may result in mechanical properties degradation
“What are suitable filler masterbatches for packaging ?” – If you are working in the packaging field, it must be a common question to help you find the suitable material for your end-products. In fact, the application of calcium carbonate filler in the packaging industry depends on many criteria, which makes it more challenging for plastic enterprises to find the right fits. In this article, let’s discover the top 4 most recommended types of filler masterbatches for packaging industry.
Filler masterbatch (also known as calcium carbonate filler) is an effective material solution for the plastic industry since it helps plastic enterprises significantly reduce production cost. As one of the biggest sectors in the plastic industry, packaging field is also one of the largest contributors to filler masterbatch consumption. The types of calcium carbonate fillers consumed vary among end-products because of the differences regarding their properties and technical requirements. This list below will summarize the top 4 most common types of filler masterbatches for packaging industry.
1. How does filler masterbatch benefit the packaging industry?
Filler masterbatch or calcium carbonate filler is one of the most important plastic fillers. It is the combination of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which takes up over 70% of total weight, plastic resins and other specific additives. As CaCO3 is more reasonable than plastic resin, the application of CaCO3 into plastic combination reduces the amount of resins required, thus helping plastic enterprises save production cost. Besides, calcium carbonate also introduces various benefits to end-products such as shortening product’s cycle (thanks to CaCO3’s good thermal conductivity), and improving product’s mechanical properties (impact strength, tear resistance,…). For that reason, filler masterbatch is widely used in many applications in packaging fields such as shopping bags, wrapping films, roll bags, garbage bags,…
Filler masterbatch is widely used in many applications in packaging fields
The thing is, why do we need to figure out appropriate types of calcium carbonate fillers? As each product has different technical requirements, only certain compatible types of filler masterbatch can meet those standards. As such, it is quite risky for plastic enterprises to randomly choose any types of filler masterbatch for packaging because it may result in end-product’s quality degradation.
2. Common types of filler masterbatch for packaging
PE filler masterbatch
PE calcium carbonate filler is made of PE resin, CaCO3 and other additives. It is a familiar type of filler masterbatch for packaging, especially in blown film thanks to its appropriate mechanical properties such as high ductility, impact strength and low friction. Most importantly, the application of PE calcium carbonate filler considerably reduces production cost, which lowers the price of end-products. Some common applications of PE filler masterbatch in blown film include shopping bags, T-shirt bags, garbage bags,… Furthermore, PE calcium carbonate filler is also used in manufacturing PP woven sack, multi-layer films,…
PE filler is a familiar type of filler masterbatch for packaging
PP filler masterbatch
As the name suggests, PP filler masterbatch is composed of polypropylene resin, CaCO3 and other additives. It’s properties are similar to polyethylene, but it is slightly harder and more heat resistant. Hence, PP filler masterbatch is commonly used in PP woven sack and non woven products with a view to decreasing production cost and minimizing environmental effects of the manufacturing process.
PP filler masterbatch is composed of polypropylene resin, CaCO3 and other additives
Transparent filler masterbatch
Another type of filler masterbatch for packaging is transparent filler, which is the combination of BaSO4 (Barium sulfate) or Na2SO4 (Sodium sulfate), plastic resins and other special additives. It can take both Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE) as plastic carriers. Most plastic manufacturers use transparent filler to improve certain end-products’ properties such as stiffness, mechanical properties (bend strength, impact strength), tear resistance and most importantly, the whiteness. Thanks to the two components – barium sulfate/sodium sulfate, end-products are offered a beautiful brightness and transparency. Also, the use of transparent filler shortens the time required for each product cycle, thus facilitating production efficiency.
Most plastic manufacturers use transparent filler to improve the brightness and transparency
Thanks to these advantages, this material is widely used in many applications such as packaging films, containers, bottles, cans,…
Bio filler masterbatch
It would be such a pity if we miss bio filler masterbatch in this list. It is such an effective material solution to the packaging industry. Unlike other types of calcium carbonate fillers which include fossil resins, bio filler is mainly made of CaCO3 and bioplastic. This composition makes it completely environmentally – friendly, thus cutting down on the amount of waste released during plastic manufacturing production. Not only is it safe for the environment, bio filler masterbatch also offers end-products a firm structure and high tear resistance. Unlike other kinds of bioplastic, which easily go soggy in liquids, products made of bio filler masterbatch are tougher and more endurable even in the water. This advantage makes bio filler masterbatch specifically suitable for single-use products (cutleries, glasses, boxes, packaging films,…), which are consumed in bulk annually worldwide.
Bio filler masterbatch is specifically suitable for single-use products
What else? Bio filler can also act as a processing aid when it comes to blown film process. This material can prevent the adhesion among film layers, thus streamlining this process as well as boosting production efficiency.
3. Things to note when choosing filler masterbatch for packaging
To figure out the most appropriate type of filler masterbatches for packaging, plastic enterprises need to consider the following questions:
What is your end-product? Each type of product has different technical requirements that only a certain number of calcium carbonate fillers can meet. Hence, the filler masterbatch added must be compatible with the end-products.
Which type of resin is used? As we all know, the processing temperature varies among different carriers, so it would be a disaster if your embedded material has a lower melting point than your resins.
What is the thickness of your packaging film? It’s extremely important to let your supplier know whether your film is thick or not. If it has to be thick, then the usage rate of filler masterbatch should be greater than that of the thinner one, which is normally around 15-35%. The more amount of calcium carbonate filler is used, the thicker the film gets.
How transparent is your film layer? If the film layer is required to be highly transparent, a larger amount of calcium carbonate filler should come into use and vice versa. As calcium carbonate filler more or less decreases the level of transparency of end-products, plastic enterprises should use it mindfully. In some cases, transparent filler will be an effective alternative to accelerate the level of brightness and transparency.
Most polymers are commonly subject to oxidation, leading to the degradation of end-products. In order for strengthening end-products’ quality, antioxidant plastic additives have been introduced to the plastic manufacturing process. In this article, let’s discover how this powerful substance works and its impacts on our plastic industry.
Plastic products, while durable and flexible, are always put at risk of degradation due to a large number of environmental factors (such as oxygen, UV light, high temperature,…) throughout their lifecycle. That’s why the use of plastic additives plays an indispensable part in plastic manufacturing, in which antioxidant plastic additives may be the most familiar name.
1. Antioxidants and its application in the plastic industry
Antioxidant plastic additives are commonly used to prevent negative impacts of oxidation on plastic products. As we all know, oxidation is a common phenomenon taking place when free radicals react to a material’s molecules, thus activating a chemical chain reaction. This eventually ends up with the degradation of products itself.
In the plastic industry, oxidation is even more harmful as it occurs in both stages of a plastic product: first during the manufacturing process and then throughout its lifecycle.
In the first stage, this phenomenon takes place when oxygen is introduced into the molecular structure of the polymer, resulting in chemical chain reactions and a permanent change within the plastic, most typically in molecular weight reduction. This process speeds up in thermoforming (blown film, film casting, blown molding,…) and injection molding, which leads to severe consequences such as mechanical properties degradation on final products. In order to minimize these negative impacts, antioxidant plastic additives must be added during the manufacturing process and act as a process stabilizer to prevent oxidation from transforming plastic components.
When it comes to the other stage, which is also the longer one, antioxidant plastic additives are introduced to protect end-products from harmful environmental factors as well as enhancing their durability over their lives. Besides, certain products are more vulnerable to oxidation than others, which can be mainly explained by their plastic resins. The resistance ability to oxidation of various resins are illustrated in the table below:
The resistance ability to oxidation of various resins
Normally, plastic products that are likely to contain antioxidant plastic additives include:
Pipes and fittings in the building & construction industry: As most of these are used outdoors, they have to be exposed to external environmental factors within a long period, which tend to lead to the presence of oxidation. Thereby, the application of antioxidants into these is very vital.
Polyethylene (PE) films (for construction or food industry): Though PE films are not the most severely affected by oxidation over their lifecycle, they are the most impacted during manufacturing. Oxidation is the main element causing mechanical degradation for PE films.Polypropylene (PP) products: Similarly, PP products also contain antioxidant plastic additives to protect products from negative effects of oxidation.
2. Common types of antioxidant plastic additives
As mentioned above, oxidation takes place in both stages of a plastic product, which means the use of antioxidant plastic additives is also corresponding to this. Basically, this substance is divided into 3 main categories in order to serve specific function.
Primary: This type is mainly used for end-products during their service lives to protect themself from oxidation and other harmful environmental factors. Normally, antioxidant plastic additives of this group are phenolic-based.
Secondary: Secondary antioxidant plastic additives act as a process stabilizer to protect the polymer from being degraded by oxidation during the manufacturing process, especially when the polymer undergoes multiple thermal methods (blown film, injection molding,…). Typical chemistries employed include phosphites or thioesters.
Without antioxidant plastic additives, plastic surface is easily oxidized
Primary & Secondary combination: Not only are primary and secondary antioxidants used separately, they are also used with each other to optimize the benefits gained. By this way, plastic products are protected both during the processing step and throughout its lifecycle. That means plastic manufacturers can reap lots of benefits as they are provided with high-quality outputs, while end-users are also satisfied with better long-lasting end-products.
Depending on characteristics of end-products and their uses, plastic manufacturers can choose appropriate types of antioxidant plastic additives. For example, packaging products should use antioxidants during the manufacturing process as their oxidation mainly takes place during this process. Whereas, outdoor plastic products should take primary and secondary antioxidants as it occurs in both manufacturing process and service life.
3. How to use antioxidant plastic additives correctly?
As a large number of plastic products go to food-contact applications, the concern regarding customers’ health safety has been arising. According to scientific research, the migration of plastic additives from polymer packaging into food actually happened, which more or less pose a health threat to consumers. Therefore, the determination of additives content in polymers is an important component of the safety assessment of food packaging materials, the quantification and specific migration levels (SMLs) of these additives are also very important for the quality control of food. As such, when it comes to the amount of antioxidant plastic additives used, plastic manufacturers should take it very seriously to ensure the outputs are completely harmless to human beings.
Besides, the technical requirements and uses of end-products should also be taken into consideration to figure out the most suitable components for your products.
As static electricity on plastic surfaces has recently occurred on a large scale, it raises concerns about a fire or explosion of flammable materials, which poses a threat on end-users’ lives. Hence, the use of antistatic additives for plastic have played a vital part not only in improving the quality of plastic products, but also in ensuring our safety.
Static electricity is a phenomenon in which a large amount of electric charges are accumulated on the surface of plastic products, resulting in the formation of spark discharges. In particular conditions, these may cause a fire or explosion, especially for household appliances which are exposed to other electric sources at a high frequency. Besides, the build-up of electric charges also attracts dust (on products’ surface) or accelerates its decomposition, thus shortening products’ lifecycle. Not only does static electricity take place in the products’ service lives, it also arises during the manufacturing process such as injection moulding, blow moulding,…leading to slower processing speed as well as contaminated materials. For that reason, the use of antistatic additives for plastic has never been so important to our plastic industry.
1. What are antistatic additives?
Antistatic additives are substances added to plastic products with a view to eliminating the accumulation of electric charge on their surfaces. Basically, these substances work by balancing the number of electrons between plastic surface and other materials via their ionization. Antistatic agents are composed of two ends – a hydrophobic organic end and a hydrophilic end. When being added to plastic, the hydrophobic end will migrate to cover the surface of plastic products. It subsequently absorbs moisture and conducts the ionization, which helps balance the amount of electric charge on the plastic surface.
Antistatic additives are added to plastic products to eliminate the accumulation of electric charge on their surfaces
2. Common types of antistatic additives for plastic
Based on the applications and the time by which they are applied, antistatic agents can be separated into two different groups: external and internal antistatic agents.
External antistatic additives: The name “external” comes from the way they are used. External antistatic additives for plastic are applied onto the end-products’ surface by techniques such as spraying or dipping. Though it seems to be easy and time-saving to use this type of antistatic additive, it won’t last long. External antistatic additives work effectively for just around 6 weeks. After that, the protective layer they created will be gradually abraded by the influence of other mechanical factors. Hence, the application of external antistatic additives is temporary and most suitable for products with short lifecycle.
Internal antistatic additives: Unlike its counterpart, internal antistatic additives are used during the plastic manufacturing process to prevent the electric charge on the surface of polymer. After being added to the plastic, their hydrophobic end will migrate to the surface of the material and form a water absorbing layer. In which, their ionization takes place to discharge static electricity. By this way, internal antistatic additives are more long-lasting and hence, are more preferable by most plastic manufacturers.
4 steps in which antistatic additives for plastic take action
Generally, regardless of types, applications or mechanism of action, effective antistatic additives for plastic must ensure these 3 main criteria:
Hydrophilic and hygroscopic properties – to make sure they are able to form a hygroscopic
The ability to migrate towards the surface of the material – to create a hygroscopic layer
The ability of ionization in water – the presence of ion helps balance the number of electrons between polymer surface and equipment or other materials’ surface, thus eliminating the electric charge phenomenon.
3. How do antistatic additives benefit our plastic industry?
Thanks to their benefits, antistatic additives are widely used in various applications.
Food packaging films
Among various plastic resins, polyethylene (PE) is the most commonly used material for food packaging film production. Thanks to its outstanding mechanical properties ( tensile strength, smelless, tasteless and a waxy structure with a milky colour), polyethylene is also used in the production of foils, packaging, containers, bottles, as well as drinking water pipes. As it has a surface resistance of around 1015Ω, packaging films made of PE resin are highly prone to static electricity phenomenon. This not only attracts a large amount of dust on the film surface, but also results in the adhesion of film layers, which severely afflicts the quality of the content. Therefore, the use of internal antistatic is the key factor dedicating to the quality of packaging films.
The use of internal antistatic is the key factor dedicating to the quality of packaging films
Household appliances
Let’s imagine your vacuum’s plastic cover is in the lack of antistatic agents, what would happen? First of all, it could be very dusty as the electric charge accumulated on the vacuum’s surface highly attracts the contaminants in the air. The excessive friction between its cover and the air or other materials easily degrades the plastic surface. Furthermore, the electric charge on its surface can spark discharges, which may result in a fire or explosion of flammable materials. This is very risky as most modern families have more than one electric device at home. As such, the use of antistatic additives for plastic can be considered as an indispensable technical standard for household appliances.
The use of antistatic additives for plastic can be considered as an indispensable technical standard for household appliances
Plastic manufacturing process
Static electricity during the plastic manufacturing process can result in numerous consequences such as adhesive film layers (blown films), products’ quality degradation, dusty films, electric shock for workers and even fire/explosion in the presence of flammable materials. As such, the use of antistatic additives for plastic during this process largely contributes to the quality of end-products as well as the safety of the production.
Plastic filler has now become an indispensable part of the plastic industry. Calcium carbonate, talc, barium sulfate, sodium sulfate,…are the most well-known plastic fillers. They are added to plastic due to its various functions such as cutting cost, improving certain properties of end-products.
For a lot of people, it may seem a bit surprised when the fact that a great number of plastic products containing plastic fillers is revealed. And it is true. Up to 70% of plastic products are composed of organic or inorganic fillers. So, what exactly plastic filler is and why it is so essential that many plastic products make use of it?
1. What is plastic filler and why is it added to plastic products?
Plastic fillers are particles added to plastic products with a view to cutting production cost and improving some specific properties of the end products. As such, plastic fillers can enhance the tensile strength and toughness, boost the heat resistance and increase the quality of color together with plastic’s clarity.
In nature, there are two groups of plastic fillers:
The inorganic (also known as mineral) fillers such as calcium carbonate (limestone), magnesium silicates (talc), calcium sulfate (gypsum), mica, calcium silicate, barium sulfate and kaolin (China clay).
The organic plastic fillers such as tree bark flour, nut flours, chicken feathers, and rice hulls.
Chất độn nhựa đóng một vai trò quan trọng trong sản xuất các sản phẩm nhựa
Dựa trên yêu cầu của sản phẩm cuối cùng, chất độn nhựa được sử dụng là khác nhau. Nói chung, các chất vô cơ phổ biến hơn trong sản xuất nhựa do thành phần hóa học đơn giản của chúng, giúp cho việc chế biến và trộn với các thành phần khác dễ dàng hơn và tốn ít thời gian hơn. Trong bài viết này, chúng tôi muốn thảo luận thêm về chất độn nhựa vô cơ, có liên quan trực tiếp đến ngành nhựa của chúng ta.
2. Top 4 chất độn nhựa phổ biến và ứng dụng của chúng
Nhựa là một trong những phân khúc tiêu thụ số lượng vật liệu độn lớn nhất. Trong số rất nhiều loại chất độn nhựa, dưới đây là 4 chất liệu phổ biến nhất được ứng dụng trong ngành nhựa.
Chất độn canxi cacbonat
Loại phụ kiện nhựa này chắc hẳn rất quen thuộc với tất cả các hãng nhựa. Như vậy, chất độn canxi cacbonat là một trong những chất độn nhựa phổ biến nhất. Trong tự nhiên, vật phẩm này là thành phần chính của vỏ động vật sống như vỏ trứng, vỏ sò và ngọc trai. Ngoài ra, nguồn canxi cacbonat được biết đến nhiều nhất là mỏ đá, quặng đá vôi hoặc đá cẩm thạch. Là chất độn nhựa, canxi cacbonat có thể làm giảm sức bền tổng thể nhưng nó làm tăng mô đun kéo và mật độ. Nó cũng cung cấp độ mờ và độ bóng bề mặt, cải thiện độ bền va đập và là chất hỗ trợ xử lý, giúp quá trình sản xuất hiệu quả hơn.
Calcium carbonate is the most common plastic filler worldwide
Một trong những ưu điểm nổi bật nhất của chất độn canxi cacbonat là nó giúp các doanh nghiệp nhựa giảm chi phí sản xuất tổng thể. So với nhựa nguyên sinh, canxi cacbonat ổn định và hợp lý hơn nhiều do không bị ảnh hưởng bởi sự biến động của giá xăng dầu. Bên cạnh đó, sự sẵn có rộng lớn của vật liệu này cũng giúp nó có một vị thế vượt trội so với nhựa truyền thống, vì nó dễ dàng được khai thác và chế biến.
Tất cả những điều được xem xét, chất độn canxi cacbonat được ứng dụng rộng rãi trong nhiều loại nhựa như polyolefin, polypropylene, polyethylene, nhựa sinh học,…
Calcium carbonate with Polyethylene
Calcium carbonate with polypropylene
Calcium carbonate with polystyrene
Calcium carbonate with bioplastic
PE – Base film (roll bags, T-shirt bags, garbage bags)
Talc (tên khoa học là magie silicat ngậm nước) là khoáng chất mềm nhất trên thị trường. Công thức hóa học của nó là Mg3Si4O10 (OH) 2. Ban đầu, talc chủ yếu được thêm vào polypropylene để tăng độ cứng. Tuy nhiên, việc sử dụng bột talc đã được cải thiện đáng kể trong thập kỷ qua. Nó cũng được sử dụng trong polyetylen và polyamit. Nhờ chất liệu này mà sản phẩm nhựa có khả năng chịu nhiệt, ổn định, định hình tốt và bền hơn. Ngoài ra, bột talc cũng tương đối hợp lý so với nhựa nguyên sinh. Bên cạnh đó, nó phù hợp với hầu hết các quy trình sản xuất truyền thống như thổi túi, ép phun, ép đùn, ép nén,… mà không yêu cầu về thiết bị hay công nghệ sản xuất.
Talc filler is widely used in plastic industry
Do đó, nó thường được trộn với polypropylene để thay thế nhiều bộ phận kim loại trong các ứng dụng ô tô như cản va, ống dẫn nhựa nội thất và các tấm lót. Ngoài ra, mặt hàng này còn được sử dụng trong các thiết bị gia dụng và phần cứng bằng nhựa được chế tạo. Phụ gia chống khối cũng là một ứng dụng phổ biến của talc trong màng polyetylen để giúp kéo hai mặt của túi nhựa ra xa nhau dễ dàng hơn.
Chất độn bari sulfat
Bari sunfat là một hợp chất vô cơ không mùi và không tan trong nước. Nó thường được sử dụng làm chất độn nhựa để tăng mật độ của polyme trong các ứng dụng giảm chấn khối lượng dao động. Trong nhựa polypropylene và polystyrene, nó được sử dụng làm chất độn với tỷ lệ lên đến 70%. Nó có tác dụng tăng khả năng chống axit, kiềm và độ mờ đục. Các vật liệu tổng hợp như vậy cũng được sử dụng làm vật liệu che chắn tia X do khả năng bức xạ nâng cao của chúng. Vật liệu tổng hợp có tỷ lệ trọng lượng cao (70-80%) của bari sulfat hoạt động tốt hơn so với các tấm chắn thép thường được sử dụng.
Barium Sulfate is commonly used as filler in plastic industry
Chất độn natri sulfat
Natri sunfat (còn được gọi là natri sunfat hoặc sunfat của sôđa) là một loại hợp chất vô cơ có công thức là Na2SO4. Vật liệu này có màu trắng, không độc, không mùi, không vị và có khả năng hòa tan cao trong nước. Một ưu điểm nổi bật của natri sunfat là độ trong (trong hơn canxi cacbonat) và giá thành hợp lý (rẻ hơn bari sulfat). Vì vậy, natri sunfat được sử dụng rộng rãi như một chất độn nhựa hiệu quả.
Như vậy, natri sunfat cải thiện đáng kể độ trong và bóng của sản phẩm nhựa. Ngoài ra, nó củng cố các đặc tính cơ học của sản phẩm cuối cùng với độ phân tán tuyệt vời, độ bền cao và tính ổn định mạnh mẽ. Hơn nữa, việc sử dụng natri sulfat làm chất độn nhựa rất được khuyến khích nhờ các thành phần thân thiện với môi trường, hầu như không gây ra bất kỳ mối đe dọa nào đối với môi trường của chúng ta.
Chất độn natri sulfat cải thiện đáng kể độ trong suốt và độ bóng của các sản phẩm nhựa
Một số ứng dụng phổ biến của natri sunfat làm chất độn nhựa bao gồm:
Màng nông sản LLDPE, màng phủ (5-30%)
Màng căng LLDPE (5-15%)
Màng mờ HDPE (5-40%)
Màng trong suốt LDPE (5-15%)
Plastic filler talc is undoubtedly one of the most common plastic fillers. Thanks to its outstanding mechanical characteristics, plastic talc filler has been widely used in many fields such as injection molding, extrusion molding, blown film,… as well as providing end-products with multiple advantages.
Plastic filler talc is a well-known plastic filler. It is unexaggerated to say that the application of plastic fillers has revolutionized the plastic industry which once acknowledged the use of primary resins only. In particular, using plastic fillers helps plastic enterprises save a large amount of expense on input materials as most of them are at relatively low price compared with primary plastic. Therefore, plastic filler is an ideal alternative to a part of primary plastic. Besides, changing to plastic filler also minimizes the possibility of being negatively impacted by market fluctuation for plastic enterprises, thus paving the way for their sustainable development.
Among various types of fillers, talc may be one of the most preferable ones. This material can significantly reduce production cost while enhancing many properties of end-products such as thermal resistance, anti-block ability and durability,… thus improving the competitiveness of plastic enterprises. So what is plastic filler talc composed of? and how it is applied? Let’s discover with EuroPlas in this article below.
1. What is plastic filler talc?
Plastic filler talc is the combination of talc powder, plastic resins and necessary additives such as dispersant additives, bonding additives, processing aid additives,… Depending on the end-products’ requirements, manufacturers will choose the additives accordingly. As such, talc powder is nearly the key factor determining the mechanical properties of plastic filler talc. So what’s special about this material?
This material is the combination of talc powder, plastic resins and additives
Talc powder is a metamorphic mineral made of three main components: magie, silic and oxy. In nature, this material exists in large reserves in the form of soapstone (a high-talc rock) and within whiteschist (for example the Franciscan Metamorphic Belt of the Western United States, the Western European Alps, certain areas of the Musgrave Block,…) and blueschist metamorphic terranes.
One special thing about this material is it’s a white soft odourless substance. Besides, it also has no chemical reaction when being directly applied on human’s skin, not to mention oil/moisture/smell absorption ability. Therefore, talc powder is an indispensable component in cosmetics production (skin cream, commonly used in cosmetic and pharmaceuticals production. This characteristic also brings plastic filler talc a high level of safety, thus making it an ideal choice for many food-contact end-products such as food packaging films, cutleries, single-use dishes,…
2. Talc’s special properties
The reason why this material is widely used as plastic filler talc lies in its outstanding properties:
High level of softness: talc is also known with another name – “soft stone” as this material’s rigidity is relatively low compared to that of others. This advantage allows plastic products containing talc to be printed easily on the surface, thus making talc the first priority in many fields such as sculpture, household appliance production,…
Talc powder
Inertness: unlike other substances which might cause allergy for humans when they have skin contact, talc powder is quite safe, making it an indispensable component in cosmetic production. Besides, this characteristic also gives talc filler a plus point when it is mixed with other matters as it hardly afflict their properties.
Processing aid: Seems a bit surprised but talc powder can assist in processing procedure. Thanks to its low hardness, the processing of plastic filler talc remarkably minimizes abrasion on equipment than harder materials, especially in extrusion.
Thermal resistance: Talc particle’s platy shape increases the heat resistance as well as reducing shrinkage, thus it is especially suitable for laboratory tabletop surfaces, sinks and countertops. Also, this material enhances end-products’ rigidity such as polypropylene, vinyl, polyethylene, nylon, and polyester.
3. Common applications of plastic filler talc
According to the United States Geological survey, about 26% of talc produced in America goes to the manufacturing of plastic filler talc, making it the largest contributor to talc consumption. That figure, once again, showed a rising trend in using talc as a vital plastic filler.
Talc filler is the largest contributor to talc powder consumption in the U.S
Talc fillerprovides end-products with various outstanding mechanical properties such as thermal resistance, rigidity, anti block, abrasion and shrinkage decrease,…Specifically, the use of talc filler doesn’t require any changes in equipment and technology as it can easily meet all requirements of traditional technology method. Another reason for the proliferation oftalcfiller roots in its reasonable price compared to primary plastic. Therefore, the use of talc filler more or less helps enterprises save a significant amount of input materials expense, thus giving end-products an advantage.
Thanks to its outstanding mechanical properties, talc filler is widely used in many fields.
Blown films
Plastic filler talc is an indispensable component of packaging films such as shopping bags, food packaging films, single-use food box, waste bags,… Its perfect white color, heat resistance and glossiness have created end-products that perfectly meet all technical requirements. Besides, its components also make it a safe choice for end-users.
Extruded products
Another common application of plastic filler talc is definitely extrusion with various products such as pipes, blinds, clear compounds, fencing, interior profiles, planks and sheets. The use of talc has made them harder, stable and more endurable. Besides, the softness of this material also streamlines the process of end-products as well as minimizing negative effects on equipment.
Injection molding products
Injection molding products such as glass, plates, bowls, knives, folks, spoons,…also use talc filler as an important filler enhancing stiffness, thermal resistance and durability.
Raffia
Woven bags, non-woven cloth, elastic membrane,…are other popular applications of talc filler. Thanks to the use of talc, end products are reinforced with better heat resistance, rigidity and durability.
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