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One of the most evolutionary changes of humankind has been the wide adoption of plastics for daily applications that relied mostly on metal, glass, and cotton in the past. Plastics have benefited and enhanced the way many industries work. Plastics are generally safe and economical for daily use, they are widely available and are suitable for many different applications.

The history of plastics

After World War II, the rise in plastics consumption rate has gone through several phases. In the past, polymer materials were used as a cheap alternative to traditional materials, and the result was very positive and promising to the industry. The technical service departments of major plastics manufacturers have put a lot of time and effort into developing and testing that the use of plastics guarantees product quality and minimize cost-effectively. Even at present, many people do not fully appreciate the essential role of plastics in raising the living standard and quality of life and have a misunderstanding about plastics.

How polymer applications make the world greater?

Photographic industry

One of the earliest adopters of plastics was the photographic industry that applied plastics technology for photographic film. It was also popular for using plastics in darkroom equipment. There has also been widespread use of plastics in expensive and inexpensive cameras because well-designed bodies made from plastics materials showed the advantage of roughness and resistance over metal camera bodies. Besides, in the audio field, the increasing use of plastics as a standard material for the housings of reproduction equipment has changed people’s view about plastics remarkably.

Electrical industry

Plastics materials have played an important role in some areas of applications for a long time before confidence was regained in the use of plastics. For example, the electrical industry has early taken advantage of plastics properties such as toughness, flame-retardation, durability and insulation characteristics to manufacture plugs, wire, cable insulation, and sockets…

This trend has led to the booming use of general-purpose polymers. However, they are found useful in complex techniques. A well-known example is a poly(vinyl carbazole) photoconductive behavior is used in photocopying equipment and in holograph preparation, while the notable piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of poly(vinyl fluoride) are used in transducers, loudspeakers, and detectors.

Building and construction industry

Since plastics have gained more trust from the public, and the plastics industry has become matured, manufacturers found that plastics create a favorable condition for some applications against traditional materials and investing in plastics technology should be the right choice. In the building industry, this idea has resulted in numerous uses of plastics including flooring, damp course layers, piping… Otherwise, armchair body shells, cupboard drawers, stacking chairs, and other products in the commercial furniture industry are formed from plastics.

To achieve ambitious goals on reducing the energy consumption of buildings would be nearly impossible without the contribution of plastics. Plastics have shown the advantages of energy efficiency, cost efficiency, and quality improvement over traditional materials. The two most important things is that the use of plastics in building and construction helps to protect the environment, and plastics applications are likely to be easy to install and require less time for maintenance. Materials like plastics use such limited additional energy and resources consumption should be ensured their development.

Automotive industry

The key uses of plastics in the automotive industry have been associated for many years with automotive electrical equipment such as batteries, connectors, switches, flex, and distributor caps, as well as interior body trim including light fittings and seating upholstery. Subsequently, the use of under-the-bonnet (under-the-hood) applications was increased. The need for lightweight vehicles for better fuel economy and the focus on improved passenger protection have resulted in a significantly increased use of plastics materials for bumpers, radiator grills, and fascia assemblies in recent years. As a result, the automotive industry is now a big consumer of plastics, increasing the weight of plastics used per vehicle each year.

Medical industry

In a variety of medical applications, plastics play a number of critical functions. While some of these are throw-away, low-tech products, many of the applications place essential requirements regarding mechanical efficiency, chemical resistance, biocompatibility, ability to sterilize and stay sterile. Simple products like bandages to complex nontoxic sterilizable items such as catheters and tubing to spare-part surgery are benefited from plastics. Medical grades of polystyrene and PVC are the most commonly used in these applications.

The unpredictability of oil prices across global

What have people thought when US president Trump announced to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal? Politicians worried about Iran’s regional wars, human right activists concerned about terrorism, citizen safety and economists held their breath watching the oil price chart spike up.

For industry specialist, the fluctuated movement of crude prices is nature to them, a nature that is normal and still terrifying. A rise or slump in oil price can be a consequence of several international events and can lead to price change in myriad oil-related sector. As in March, 2019, the oil price flow in on the increase, and it can be accounted for three indicator:

Decrease crude supply from the Middle East.

Global economic growth leading to more consumption of electricity and transportation, hence the rising demand for oil.

Tension between major oil-producing countries. If there is conflict between regions as occur quite frequently now in the Middle East, crude inventories will fluctuate.

Oil price and plastic cost

The relationship between oil price and plastic cost is simple: most polymers are refined from crude. In an oil refinery, manufacturer distill heavy crude oil into groups of lighter fractions. Each of these fraction is a fusion of hydrocarbon chains. One of them, naphtha, is the vital compound for plastic production.

As a result, raw plastic price fluctuates along the price flow of oil price. An increase on the price of crude oil will lead to the rise of plastic production cost and vice versa.

Relationship between oil price and plastic price.

The key role of filler in the market

As oil price rockets, CaC03 filler masterbatch has become the rule for survivor. Filler Masterbatch (or Calcium carbonate CaCO3 Filler Masterbatch) is the combination of calcium carbonate powder and other additives, based on polymer carrier resin. This material is used for filling in plastics to replace a part of expensive virgin polymer. Several types of plastic products today, PE bottle cap, PP flip-top bottle, PVC pipe, HDPE for 3D printing, contain CaCO3 filler in their material.

Climbing resin prices, heavy tariff and strict competition, firms are turning to increase their stock of mineral filler. “More Filler, Less Resin” has become the solution for plastic bag producers or other plastic sectors prioritize cost value.

Masterbatch (Viet Nam) Pty. Ltd has nearly 16 years experience as a key supplier of custom-made masterbatch and additive to the plastic industry following to customers’ requirement.

Masterbatch (Viet Nam) Pty. Ltd bases on Long Thanh IP has been operating since 2010, specilaizing in producing Masterbatch and Additive with the diverse assortment on PP, PE, PET, ABS, GPPS, POM, TOE, TPU…applied on different processing methods such as Blow Moulding, Injection Mouding, Rotate Mouding, Weaving, Extruder…

Filler masterbatch, especially calcium carbonate (calcium carbonate) masterbatch is considered as one of the most excellent objects in the plastics industry. Calcium carbonate filler masterbatch has a multitude of applications with the large number of products made from them. Here are the salient features and 4 most popular applications of this mastebatch.

What is a filler masterbatch made of calcium carbonate?

Calcium carbonate filler masterbatch is a mixture containing a large amount of fine calcium carbonate (CaCO3) powder mixed with a part of virgin plastic and some suitable plastic additives. The mixture is heated to high temperatures until it melts into a liquid form. After the ingredients in the mixture are mixed together, the mixture will be left to stand until it coagulates and passes through an extruder and finally chopped into small plastic particles. These plastic particles are the filler master batch. CaCO3 masterbatch is widely applied as a filler used in manufacturing and manufacturing plastic products. They function to replace a part of input materials, help manufacturers save costs and reinforce many features of the products made at the same time.

Calcium carbonate filler masterbatch is naturally white, but they cannot be used as coloring agents for resins (because whiteness is not enough). However, when combined with white masterbatch containing titanium dioxide (TiO2), they play an active role in increasing whiteness and enabling white pigments to be evenly dispersed in the plastic mixture. As a result, the finished product will achieve higher opacity than usual.

What are the superior features of calcium carbonate filler masterbatch?

Calcium carbonate powder makes up the majority of the masterbatch mixture, usually ranging from 60% to a maximum of 90%. They are most compatible with polyolefin (PP, PE) resins but can still be mixed with some other common resins such as PS, ABS, PVC, EPS, etc. This masterbatch filer was originally designed to be used as a filler providing economical and economical solutions for the entire plastic industry around the world. However, over time, as the demand for multi-purpose materials is increasing, these days they not only play a simple role as a filler but also become special plastic additives. Has the function of improving the physical and chemical properties of the base resin. In general, thanks to the appearance of masterbatch, the quality of plastic products has improved significantly.

Overview of the application of calcium carbonate filler masterbatch

In general, the variety of calcium carbonate masterbatch applications is immeasurable and it is difficult to list them all. Some of the most outstanding applications are HDPE blowing, raffia tape, tarpaulin production, High Density (HD) and Low Density (LD) fabrics from PP / PE based resins, LDPE / LLDPE / HDPE films , plastic interior / exterior, etc. However, these applications can be divided into several major groups based on the method of manufacture or the origin of the resin. In this article we divide them by production method criteria.

Use CaCO3 filler masterbatch in the production of non-woven fabric

The range of fields with products made from calcium carbonate nonwoven fabric is very large, ranging from medical care, personal care to hygiene, geotextile (fabrics capable of absorbing, separating). , filtration, protection, reinforcement and drainage are used in engineering industries such as irrigation, transportation, environment). Benefits of using calcium carbonate filler masterbatch additive in nonwoven production include:

• Improve product surface by
• Reduced luster effect makes the surface more matte, more opaque, leading to increased coverage of the fabric structure
• Natural white product not yellowing
• Improve material texture by
• Create a soft and soothing feel like cotton fabric, avoiding fingerprints when touched
• Create microscopic air vents to filter the air and absorb oil
• Enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical strength
• Contributing to lower processing temperatures, from which manufacturers can achieve higher productivity as well as save energy and production costs at the same time.
• Easily combined with many different types of plastic base (thanks to good dispersion ability) and can be processed, shaped by many methods

Treatment of calcium carbonate filler masterbatch by injection molding method

Calcium carbonate masterbatch mixed with PP base resin is the perfect solution for the production of household items such as furniture, containers, containers, bottles, jars, baskets, etc. through injection molding. The rate of CaCO3 in a PP resin mixture can be up to 50%. However, the exact formula for each production line should be carefully thought out and largely depends on specific requirements.

Besides calcium carbonate filler masterbatch with PP resin, other options for primary plastic sources are PS (polystyrene) and ABS. These are used in cases where surface scratches are acceptable. Products made from a mixture of PP and CaCO3 plastics through injection molding achieve thermal conductivity, better impact resistance, more flexible stiffness with less shrinkage.

Apply CaCO3 filler mastebatch to extruded sheet and plastic film

With some special artificial materials such as LDPE, LLDPE or HDPE, calcium carbonate filler masterbatch can be added directly to the virgin plastic and these blends will work simultaneously as plastic fillers and plastic additives. Producing films and plastic sheets Basically, they provide higher non-stick, non-slip properties. The surface of the finished product will achieve an opacity suitable for printing. The tensile strength of the finished product is also improved, allowing their shape and structure to be fully protected even when they are stretched. Moreover, this material is safe to contact with food because it does not contain any harmful ingredients.

Calcium carbonate masterbatch is also found in spun yarns

CaCO3 filler masterbatch is said to be the perfect solution to help manufacturers partially or completely avoid the problem of fibers and fibers. Fiber yarn is one of the most common problems that manufacturers face in plastic and tape production processes. It causes the phenomenon of uncontrolled plastic structure separation when the PP / PE yarn is stretched. By adding only a small amount (3-4% of the total raw material content), the additive of calcium carbonate resin additive into the production of flat PP / PE fibers, not only is the problem of fibers and fibers solved, but also brings Some other benefits to this material include:

• Improving tensile strength and resistance to tearing, splitting of yarns, yarn twisted and woven fabrics after being stretched
• Provides anti-slip and non-sticking effect, facilitating the next winding step
• Improve weaving ability, welding ability and printing ability of materials
• Improving the rigidity of products makes them harder and more stable
• Less damage to machinery, especially the blade (by replacing the amount of titanium dioxide, nonstick and anti-slip agents used, which can cause abrasive effects on the blade). Generally, the service life of machinery is extended.
• Increase productivity
• Partially replacing the need to use a white masterbatch, thus helping manufacturers save costs
• Reduce input costs because calcium carbon masterbatch filler is much cheaper than other primary resins
• Easier handling
• Provides self-cleaning effect on other materials (like dyes) and machines (like extruders)

Color concentrates for plastics play an important role in contributing the value of a plastic product by bringing the diversity of choice to end users. However, in some cases, these color concentrates for plastics are easily faded, especially under the pressure of harsh conditions. But what was the exact causes of fading phenomenon happened in colored plastic products?

The impact of light causes discoloration of color concentrates for plastics

The stability under direct sunlight (to be more specific, to the UV radiation) is vital properties of plastic products, especially the ones that function as outdoor furniture. Masterbatch manufacturers have been trying their best to continuously improve this characteristic with the purpose of which adding more value to the final products. For outdoor plastic-based products subjecting to strong light exposure for a long period of time (sometimes it’s nearly the whole usage lifespan of the products), the light resistance (also called as sunproofing ability) level is an irreplaceable index that needs to be seriously considered when examined the color concentrates for plastics.

How did experts examine the light resistance of color concentrates for plastics?

The light resistance is divided into 8 levels with VIII levels indicates the best performance. For products required weather resistance, experts suggest that this level should not be lower than level VI while for other products (indoor objects for example), this level should be maintained at level IV or V. In general, light resistance does not only come from the color concentrates for plastics but also impacted by the carrier resin. This can be explained as the ultraviolet light exposure makes the molecular structure of the resins to be changed, causing color fading. The light resistance and color retention can be improved by adding light stabilizer (such as ultraviolet light absorber) in the masterbatch.

Color concentrates for plastics and the heat stability

The heat stability/resistance is usually considered as the maximum temperature at which there is no change in the molecular structure of the masterbatch, thus there is no fading or discoloration happens under the manufacturing process. Different types of color concentrates for plastics examined different level of heat resistant. For inorganic colorants, which composition is metallic oxide and salt, it has better heat stability than organic pigments, which building molecules are easily decomposed into small fragments under certain temperature. Generally, heat resistance lasts for approximately 4 to 10 minutes. If the processing temperature is higher than 280^oC, serious consideration and selection should be conducted in order to find the most suitable color concentrates for plastics with excellent heat resistance.

The antioxidant activity and its relation to color concentrates for plastics

The oxidation of organic pigments had led to the macromolecule degradation in products containing color concentrates for plastics. As a result, colored resins gradually lost its original colors. For example, red color will be faded after mixing with color flakes, azo pigments and chrome color. In some other cases, as the pigments were oxidized, it experienced darker color (such as chromate in chrome yellow tends to darken since the pigment compound also contains lead – a heavy toxic metal). The oxidation process usually causes by high-temperature or by strong oxidant or just simply after a long time exposure to the air.

The acid and alkali resistance also affects color concentrates for plastics

The fading of color concentrates for plastics is also related to the chemical properties of colorants in which the chemical resistance plays an importance role in determine how long the plastic products can keep it colors. Chemical resistance includes acid resistance, alkali resistance and oxido-reduction resistance. For example, while the cadmium yellow is not resistant to acid meanwhile the molubdate red resists to diluted acid (solution with low concentrate of acid). However, this red pigment is quite sensitive to alkali solutions.

Natural properties of the resins and color concentrates for plastics itself

The molubdate read, the cadmium yellow and resins belonging to the phenolic group have strong reduction reaction when interacting with some color concentrates for plastics. Color retention also depends on the natural basis of all components existing in the masterbatch mixture such as the carrier resins, the pigment/dye, surface active agent, fillers compound, dispersing agent, anti-aging agents, etc.

Plastic masterbatch are also used in packaging in addition to materials such as paper, glass and metal. Plastic masterbatch are not naturally available, but must undergo various processing from the crude oil. There are many types of plastic packaging on the market today and are used by us every day. Plastic packaging can be nylon bags, bran bags, non-woven bags, shrink film, etc. And each type of plastic packaging like that has a different manufacturing process such as blowing bags, spinning, etc. In this article, we mentioned 5 types of masterbatch that are commonly used in packaging production.

Plastic masterbatch – common ingredient for manufacturing various types of packaging

Primary plastic are usually white or transparent. In order to produce plastic packaging, in addition of using primary plastic, manufacturers can combine the original material (primary or recycled plastic) with calcium carbonate masterbatch, color masterbatch and other additives. In the masterbatch world, there are many types with different properties. Depending on the purpose of which the product is used for, the manufacturer will use different types of plastic masterbatch. For example, producers add color masterbatch to the packaging to make it more eye-catching, more vivid and more durable in harsh weather conditions. In other cases, manufacturers will mix primary plastic with sliding additives masterbatch to reduce friction between blow films in the same stack or between films and other surfaces it contacts to make it easier to move.

Classification of plastic packaging based on groups of used plastic masterbatch

Plastic packaging manufactured from PE plastic masterbatch

Plastic packaging made from PE plastic masterbatch and functional additives is used a lot in every aspect of daily life, from markets, grocery stores, supermarkets and is often called plastic bags.

Here are the characteristics of packaging made by PE masterbatch:

• Transparent, glossy surface, soft, flexible, waterproof and good steam resistance
• The resistances of PE packages against O₂, CO₂, N₂ and grease are all poor
• By combining PE calcium carbonate masterbatch and functional masterbatches, common PE packaging such as clear PE bags, glued PE bags, antistatic PE bags, vacuum PE bags can be created

What is the difference between packaging made by PE and PP plastic masterbatch?

PP masterbatch with outstanding features at reasonable prices can be applied in many agricultural and chemical industries. For example, it can function as fertilizer packaging, seed packaging, chemical packaging, food packaging and animal feeding packaging, etc.

Here are the characteristics of packaging made by PP plastic masterbatch:

• PP plastic packaging is durable, tough and does not stretch so it can be made into fibers, but the disadvantage is that it is easy to tear, so manufacturers need to be careful during the packaging or transportation processes
• PP plastic bags are opaque white or transparent white
• It experienced good printability
• PP plastic packaging is waterproof and non-greasy

What are the advantages of manufacturing packaging from PC plastic masterbatch?

PC plastic masterbatch is resistant to high temperatures, so PC plastic packaging is used to make food containers (bottles and jars) but these products need to be sterilized.

PC plastic packaging has these following properties:

• Plastic PC has better air-tightness than PVC and PE but worse than PET and PP calcium carbonate masterbatch
• PC plastic has a high degree of transparency and durability, but it is 3 times more expensive than PP and PET plastic so it is rarely used on the market.
• PC plastic packaging is able to withstand high temperatures above 100^oC

Is using PVC plastic masterbatch still popular in manufacturing?

From PVC plastic masterbatch, manufacturers can manufacture a wide range of products from plastic bottles, food wrap films or electrical cables to water pipes, raincoats, etc. Previously, PVC plastic is widely used but later on, PE became more popular because of its many advantages:

• The proportion of PVC is higher than that of PE and PP, so it consumes more fuel when making the same plastic products, thereby costing more.
• PVC does not have the flexibility, so it is necessary to use additives such as calcium carbonate masterbatch, color masterbatch, technical resins compound for packaging products.
• PVC packaging contains VCM (vinylchoride) which causes cancer, so in Europe it has been banned to use this material for making food packaging.

The packaging is manufactured from PET plastic masterbatch and its advanatges

High-durable PET resins should be used as water bottles and water containers. In addition, PET plastic packaging can also be a plastic container for food thanks to the combination of functional additives such as filler masterbatch, color masterbatch or compound to improve the air-tightness and ensure its safety when being exposure to high temperature.

Packaging manufactured from PET plastic masterbatch is widely used due to these properties:

• High durability and be able to withstand the impact of high pressure
• Best gas-proof ability in all types of the plastic packaging
• Soft, glossy surface, easy to print logos and labels
• Does not cause chemical reactions when in contact with other substances, especially safe for containing foods
• However, PET packaging is difficult to recycle and is often not recycled. PET packaging is usually single use only.

Color masterbatch is properly one of the most vital and widely-used material in manufacturing high-quality plastic products. Color masterbatch is mainly used with the purpose of creating colorful and eye-catching appearance for the final products, helping them cover the aesthetic requirements. The category of color masterbatches in Nuplex consists of a wide range of products, from simple and basic products such as white masterbatch and black masterbatch to other products complex colors and effects.

Color masterbatch with titanium dioxide accounted for the vast majority of composition

White masterbatch consists of high concentration (80%) of titanium dioxide, which helps the color masterbatch to achieve excellent dispersion, good heat resistance and thermal stability. TiO₂ is considered to perform effectively in scattering light, contributing high opacity and improving lightness and brightness of the material it is mixed with. Moreover, titanium dioxide is also able to absorb UV light. This ability significantly affects the final product in the way which their durability, especially during weather conditions, is highly improved. Excellent mechanical properties (be able to withstand impacts and tear resistance) is another benefits of using this product. White masterbatch in the current markets is diverse in a wide range of types categorized based on the specific base resin it consists of, including PP, PE, PS, ABS and polyester. Thus it is widely applied in many fields such as blow molding, injection molding and high-end rotational molding.

Black masterbatch – a common and widely used color masterbatch

On the other hand, black masterbatch consists high amount of black carbon powder, which brought the black color to the masterbatch, base resins, functional additives and with or without fillers (such as talc, calcium carbonate powder). Black masterbatch is famous for its UV resistance and high endurance to harsh weather conditions. This color masterbatch also has homogenous dispersion which is suitable for applications in electronic and electrical devices (such as wires, cables, washing machine, vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, mixers, blenders, DVDs, TVs), automotive accessories, argicuture, construction industry (geomembranes, water tanks, water pipes) and packaging industries (especially safe for making packaging used in food and beverage industry).

In comparison to color master batch does not contain fillers, the calcium carbonate in those including them helps manufacturers save more production costs and gain more productivity, helps the products achieve better performance without causing negative impacts to the environment.

Custom-made color masterbatch depending on your requirements at Nuplex

At Nuplex, we can produce any type of color masterbatch that you require. Our research team is willing to try our best to find out the best solution with high-quality products that cater multitude of your requirements. So whether you want white masterbatch, black masterbatch or any kind of masterbatch, we are sure that you can find it at Nuplex. We guarantee that all products with brand-name Nuplex Masterbatch produced by Nuplex achieve excellent color dispersion, stable performance and fine-smoothness.

Masterbatch (MB) is a solid or liquid additive for plastic used for coloring plastics (color masterbatch) or imparting other properties to plastics (additive masterbatch). Masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and/or additives encapsulated during a heat process into a carrier resin which is then cooled and cut into a granular shape. Masterbatch allows the processor to colour raw polymer economically during the plastics manufacturing process.

The alternatives to using masterbatches are buying a fully compounded material (which may be more expensive and less open to e.g. color variability of the product), or compounding from raw materials on site (which is prone to issues with achieving full dispersion of the colorants and additives, and prone to preparing more material than what is used for the production run). In comparison with pure pigments, masterbatches require more storage space and their lead times are longer. Another disadvantage is additional exposure of heat (“heat history”) to both the carrier and the additive; this may be important e.g. for marginally thermally stable pigments.^[1]

As masterbatches are already premixed compositions, their use alleviates the issues with the additive or colorant clumping or insufficient dispersion. The concentration of the additive in the masterbatch is much higher than in the end-use polymer, but the additive is already properly dispersed in the host resin. In a way their use is similar to uses of ferroalloys for adding alloying elements to steels.

The use of masterbatches allows the factory to keep stock of fewer grades of the polymer, and to buy cheaper natural polymer in bulk.

The masterbatches can be fairly highly concentrated (in comparison with the target composition), with high “let-down ratios”; e.g. one 25 kg bag can be used for a tonne of natural polymer. The relatively dilute nature of masterbatches (in comparison with the raw additives) allows higher accuracy in dosing small amounts of expensive components. The compact nature of the grains of solid masterbatches eliminates problems with dust, otherwise inherent for fine-grained solid additives. Solid masterbatches are also solvent-free, therefore they tend to have longer shelf life as the solvent won’t evaporate over time. The masterbatch usually contains 40-65% of the additive, but the range can be as wide as 15-80% in extreme cases.

The carrier material of the masterbatch can be based on a wax (universal carrier) or on a specific polymer, identical or compatible with the natural polymer used (polymer-specific). E.g. EVA or LDPE can be used as carriers for polyolefins and nylon, polystyrene can be used for ABS, SAN, and sometimes polycarbonates. When a carrier different than the base plastic is used, the carrier material may modify the resulting plastic’s properties; where this could be important, the carrier resin has to be specified. The usual ratio of masterbatch to the base resin is 1 to 5 percent. Several masterbatches (color and various additives) can be used together.^[1] The carrier can also double as a plasticizer (common for liquid masterbatches) or a processing aid.

The machines are usually fed with premixed granules of the host polymer and the masterbatch. The final mixing then gets done in the screw and extrusion part of the machine. This is sometimes prone to adverse effects, e.g. separation of the masterbatch and the base material in the machine’s hopper. The masterbatch can be also added directly to the machine’s screw, as a free-flowing solid or in case of a liquid masterbatch by e.g. a peristaltic pump. Such use of liquid masterbatches allows highly accurate dosing and quick change of color between machine runs.

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

Masterbatch has covered the vast majority of our modern world. It’s easy to find a random stuff around you that was made of masterbatch. We all know that plastic have outstanding features over other traditional materials such as wood or glass. But why primary plastic has been replaced with master batch? Here are 10 reasons why this material is considered as being even more advanced than the raw plastic!

What is masterbatch? Definition, function and classification of this advanced material

Masterbatch is the concentrated compound, usually appears in solid form as pellets but sometimes they are produced in liquid solution. This type of material consists of primary plastic, compound CaCO3 (or other similar plastic fillers, most of them are in powder form), colorant for plastic and other additives. All these ingredients are heated until melting to form a unique and even solution, then this solution is cooled and cut into granular shape. This material is considered as a plastic additive with 3 main purposes: to reduce the amount of required primary plastic, to color and to impart functional properties to plastic products. Also based on these functions, the masterbatches is divided in to 3 major categories: calcium carbonate filler, color masterbatch and additive master batch.

Masterbatch is the perfect solution to creat colorful plastic products

As mentioned above, one of the most important purposes of using masterbatch is due to the economic benefit it brought to the manufacturers. Back to the beginning of plastic industry, nearly all plastic products were made by primary resin, which is produced directly from the petroleum and does not contain other ingredients. However, as the amount of petroleum in natural is dramatically decreased due to the over-exploitation, thus leading to the consequence in which the prices or crude oil keep rising in recent years. By replacing partly the primary plastic in plastic-base products production without affecting the original properties of the pure plastic, masterbatch is highly recommended as an effective solution for a wide range of application.

Pellet form makes masterbatch more convenient to be stored and manipulated

Compared to powdered pigments, if manufacturers use color masterbatch as a colorant for plastic, it will be a lot easier to store them near the production systems without causing a messy working space. Staffs working in these factories can also easily control the amount of used master batch and manipulate the whole manufacturing process, minimizing the chance of using too much amount of materials needed.

Using masterbatch releases less dust to the surrounding environment

Masterbatch, due to its dense and compacted structure of each solid pellet, cause less dust during the production processes, thus help the manufacturers control and eliminate the contamination problems inside the factory. Meanwhile pigments can well disperse into the air during manufacturing stages, this situation potentially causing contamination the adjacent producing lines.

Not only keep working space in factories clean, these dust-free masterbatch is also safer and less likely to cause health risks for workers and consumers compared to the traditional undispersed pigments powder.

Masterbatch manufacturers can more easily control the appearance of products

Masterbatch is believed to enhance the dispersion of colorant for plastic and plastic additives in general up to the optimal level. It offers better color consistency, thus allows manufacturers to easily control and manage the opacity and transparency of the final products. Master batch can have these advanced properties over the pigments because it is specially designed and engineered for the optimal dispersion in a plastic matrix. Thus, less colorant for plastic are required during the processing, helping producers to gain more profits. Moreover, plastic product manufacturers is able to reduce their works since the tasks of research, trial and fixing the errors are now eliminated. Why can these happen? It’s because the masterbatch manufacturers have taken the responsibilities in developing products with standard on color, properties and appearance.

Masterbatch is preferred since it gives final products with superior properties

Last but not least, we cannot deny that fact that masterbatch seems to be able in giving various additional values to the final products over the primary plastic since it contains functional additives concentrates that deliver advantageous characteristics such as anti-UV, anti-blocking, flame retardant, antioxidants, optical brightening, smoother surface, etc. Thanks to this added properites, quality of final products is elevated while their prices is reduced and more attractive to the customers.

Masterbatch is an additive used as colorants for plastics. It is available in solid or liquid form. It is used in manufacturing colored plastics with enhanced antilocking, antistatic, UV stabilizing, and flame retarding properties. It is a highly concentrated mixture of pigment and additives that undergo several heating processes and then is cooled and shaped in granular pellets. It has become a crucial product with diverse applications in plastic processing such as extrusion, blow molding, injection molding, among others.

According to MRFR analysis, the global masterbatch market is expected to reach USD 11,903.45 million with a robust CAGR of 5.54% in the coming years. Rising demand for plastics in automotive industry due to stringent emission regulations and growing demand from the rapidly growing packaging industry are likely to drive the market growth during the forecast period. By type, the color segment accounted for the largest market share of 33.24% in 2017 and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 6.60% during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

Geographically, the global masterbatch market has been studied across five key regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

The Asia-Pacific dominated the global market with a notable market share of 38.85% in 2017 and is expected to grow at a robust CAGR of 6.13% during the forecast period owing to the rising applicability of masterbatch in the packaging application. China is the leading country with a market share of 46.78% in 2017 and is likely to reach USD 2,277.3 by the end of 2023 due to rapid industrialization and improved living standards. The European market was the second-largest in 2017 and was valued at USD 2,104.9 million in 2017 owing to the diverse application of the product in building & construction, automotive, packaging, and consumer goods industries. Germany was the major contributor in the region and is expected to reach USD 854.2 million during the review period owing to growing R&D facilities and innovation capabilities.

Key Players

Some of the key players operating in the global masterbatch market are A. Schulman, Inc. (US), Cabot Corporation (US), Clariant (Switzerland), PolyOne (US), Plastika Kritis S.A. (Greece), Ampacet Corporation (US), AMERICHEM (US), Astra Polymers (Saudi Arabia), ALOK MASTERBATCHES PVT. LTD. (India), Hubron International (UK), GABRIEL-CHEMIE Group (Austria), Prayag Polytech (India), DongGuan HengCai Plastic Pigment Ltd (China), Plastiblends (India), POLYPLAST (Germany), GCR Group (Spain), Tosaf (Israel), and RTP Company (US).

Geographic Analysis

The report covers brief analysis of geographical region such as: North America, US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Germany, Italy, France, UK, Russia, Rest of Europe, Asia-Pacific, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific, South America, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Rest of South America, Middle East & Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Key Findings

As per MRFR analysis, global masterbatch market is projected to reach USD 11,903.45 million by the end of the forecast period at a CAGR of 5.54% during the assessment period.

By type, the color segment held the largest market share of 33.24% in 2017 and is expected to reach USD 4,202.4 million in the coming years.

Based on application, the packaging segment dominated the market with a market share of 38.12% in 2017 and is likely to register a significant CAGR of 5.90% during the forecast period.