MATERIALS
the new laser-marking compatible masterbatches
can be supplied to order in ‘virtually any colour or
effect’, including metallic and pearlescent.
Developed by Colloids’ R&D team in the UK, the
L-TEC laser-marking masterbatch formulation is designed
to work with YAG (yttrium aluminium garnet), fibre,
DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state), UV and green laser-
marking systems, for both permanent, flat surface marking
or etching of text, numbers, QR (quick response) and bar
codes, as well as images and logos, in either white or a dark
colour, as needed. To ensure the best contrast for ease of
reading, the company’s in-house laser-marking machine is
utilized to test sample plaques and validate the customer-
specific masterbatch, adjusting the pigment and additive
levels in the formulation, Colloids explains. A bespoke
L-TEC masterbatch is first produced depending on the
polymer grade, colour and type of laser mark required. Test
readings are then used to check, adjust and optimize the
speed and sharpness of the laser marking with the custom-
ized L-TEC masterbatch, the company reports.
The ability of laser marking to provide a permanent
product identification system is a key advantage. In addi-
tion, it is ideal for high-volume batch production, offer-
ing the speed, high visual quality and in-line flexibility
currently available with existing print-marking options,
Colloids comments. As a consequence, laser marking is
increasingly being used by plastic product manufacturers,
particularly for automotive, medical devices, pipes and
cabling, and consumer goods where there is a requirement
for permanent, anti-scratch product number/batch identi-
fication and bar code stock labelling, as well as to provide
anti-counterfeiting brand marking and to meet any manda-
tory standards compliance, the company says. Other mar-
ket sectors and applications, such as cosmetics and food &
beverage packaging, also benefit from using a laser-marking
system, not only for permanent product labelling but also
to provide laser-applied aesthetic enhancements as part of
branding and product packaging, according to Colloids.
In automotive applications, the new L-TEC laser-marking
masterbatches enable producers of plastic components
to meet the recently introduced IATF (International
Automotive Task Force) 16949:2016 certification, Colloids
reports. This certification became effective from mid-Sep-
tember 2018 and contains new definitions and requirements
concerning counterfeit parts, product safety, ethical behav-
iour, human factors, data management and obsolescence.
Established in 1967, Colloids produces a wide range of
speciality, performance-enhancing additive masterbatches
January/February 2019 Additives for Polymers
as well as black, white and colour masterbatches. The
company supplies the automotive, agricultural, electrical &
electronics, construction, pipe, geosynthetic and consumer
markets, as well as polymer producers and compounders
worldwide. It currently employs 170 people and gener-
ates an annual turnover of more than £45 million (c. E51
million), operating two factories in the UK and a third in
Changshu, China, opened in 2016. Since 2004, Colloids
has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational
Tosaf Group, with sister companies in Germany, Turkey,
the Netherlands, Israel and the USA.
More information: www.colloids.com
More information: www.tosaf.com
Ampacet extends clarifier
and antistat ranges…
I nternational masterbatch major Ampacet Corp
has broadened its portfolio of additive products
with the addition of a high-performance clarifier
for moulded polypropylene (PP) and an antistatic
masterbatch for polystyrene (PS) cups and sheets.
Clarifier 4000266-E is reported to ‘outperform’
clarified PP while Antistatic Masterbatch 6000025-E
has been designed particularly for PS products
used in dry environments where conventional
antistats can become ineffective.
According to Ampacet, its clarifier range was developed
to optimize the transparency of moulded PP-based plastics
while maintaining their excellent performance character-
istics. These additive masterbatches enhance the look and
appeal of packaging, providing superior transparency for
viewing the contents inside, it says. This is particularly
effective with packaging that contains coloured liquids
or features reverse printing, the company comments.
Clarifier 4000266-E, the latest addition to this range, is
a high-performance product capable of reducing the haze
of moulded PP to below 20%, Ampacet claims. The com-
pany also offers Clarifier 4000061-E for PP, described as
a cost-effective solution that decreases the haze to 30%.
These masterbatch solutions are designed for a wide range
of applications including blow moulding, sheet extrusion/
thermoforming and injection moulding, Ampacet reports.
Antistatic masterbatches provide permanent or long-term
electrostatic dissipative control properties in a polymer, and
can contain migratory chemicals or non-migratory polymers.
3
 MATERIALS
Typical applications for antistats include electronic com-
ponent package films and packaging for food and other
consumer products, where their use prevents dust from
accumulating. They are also utilized in medical drapes and
gowns, and other sensitive products, where the build-up of
static would be problematic or dangerous.
As with most plastic articles, PS thermoformed sheets
are subject to dust pick-up during storage due to the
inherent static nature of PS. Conventional antistatic
solutions for PS sheets, trays and cups generally per-
form well under typical usage conditions (50% relative
humidity) but when the PS products are used in very low
humidity environments they often lose their antistatic
properties, leading to dust build-up and electrostatic dis-
charge, Ampacet explains. However, its new Antistatic
Masterbatch 6000025-E can provide an alternative to
conventional antistatic solutions, being specially formu-
lated for use in dry climatic environments, the company
claims. The new product helps to eliminate dust accumu-
lation and related aesthetic and contamination issues that
may occur when PS products are stored and used in such
conditions, it reports. Antistatic Masterbatch 6000025-E
is targeted for use in PS cups and thermoforming sheets.
The new product joins the company’s existing range of
antistatic solutions alongside products such as Ampacet
102669 and 103453 [ADPO, May 2018].
More information: www.ampacet.com
…and presents lower-cost
alternative to metallization
U S-headquartered colour and additive master-
batch specialist Ampacet Corp has extended
its offering of effects products with the introduc-
tion of FauxFoil™ masterbatches for moulded
thermoplastics. According to the company, the
new products mimic the reflective gloss and shine
of metal ‘in a single step’, providing plastics pro-
cessors with a durable and lower total cost alter-
native to metallization and coating processes.
FauxFoil masterbatches are designed for use with a wide
range of polymers, including polyolefins (HDPE and PP),
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, acryloni-
trile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polystyrene, Ampacet
reports. The ‘uniquely-formulated’ special effects technol-
ogy is compatible with conventional moulding processes
4
Additives for Polymers January/February 2019
such as extrusion, blow moulding, injection moulding
(including injection stretch blow moulding) and thermo-
forming, allowing moulded-in colour to be achieved with-
out requiring machine or mould modifications, the com-
pany says. The masterbatches deliver a ‘rich metallic look’
while eliminating the ‘time and logistical requirements’ of
additional vacuum metallization or coating/painting steps,
as well as avoiding the need for expensive compounds that
occupy valuable warehouse space, according to Ampacet.
Furthermore, FauxFoil masterbatches feature a very low
let-down ratio of c. 1%, and resist scratching and peeling
better than other methods of achieving a metallic look,
such as painted finishes, the company claims.
‘Consumers can’t get enough of metallic colours, as
they provide a touch of elegance and understated luxury’,
observes Doug Brownfield, Ampacet’s global director –
Value Chain. The FauxFoil masterbatches achieve that ‘in-
demand look’ coupled with a simpler, faster and more cost-
effective process, he adds. The new metallic effect products
are well-suited for the manufacture of rigid structures such
as energy drink bottles, caps and closures for bottles and jars,
automotive aftermarket products, dinnerware, cosmetic and
personal care products, consumer electronics, small applianc-
es, and any durable and nondurable goods where a premium
metal-like appearance is desired, the company says.
Ampacet has 25 masterbatch manufacturing sites in 18
countries, as well as technical and colour development
centres throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. The
company employs more than 2000 people worldwide and
has an annual turnover of some US$1.1 billion.
More information: www.ampacet.com
Grafe adds flop effect and
anti-counterfeit solutions to
masterbatch range
G erman masterbatch firm Grafe has introduced
the Mermaid Effect range of iridescent, colour-
shifting effect products for ‘exclusive’ plastic appli-
cations. The company has also expanded its family
of counterfeit-protection marker masterbatches.
Colour specialists at the Grafe-Design-Center have
developed a range of eight different flop effects inspired by
‘the magnificent colours of a mermaid’s fin’, the company
reports. Based on interference effects, the masterbatch