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flex modulus, 329 kpsi versus 340 kpsi; and for Notched Izod Impact 0.73 ft-lb/ in versus 0.63 ft-lb/in. The Dragonite line will consist of different grades of halloysite clay products tailored to enhance the property performance of each target application, in a cost-competitive manner. The first offering in this family is Dragonite-XR, a drop-in additive specifically engineered for polymer reinforcement. Applied Minerals says that composites formed with Dragonite-XR exhibit not only high stiffness but also high tensile and flex strength, all with a low density and retained toughness. And these property improvements are achieved with minimal changes in impact strength, weld line strength and viscosity, it reports. With a lower density than conventional fillers, the use of Dragonite-XR can reduce the weight of the finished composite products. It also improves fatigue resistance and drop impact resistance compared to chopped glass fibres, the company says. In addition, its naturally exfoliated morphology provides ease of dispersion at loadings up to 40% without a need for organo-treatment, resulting in lower raw material, mixing and quality control costs compared to organo clays. Other reported advantages of the use of Dragonite-XR include improved thermal stability (20C increase in the decomposition temperature in thermogravimetric analysis), lower shrinkage Continued on page 2...

ISSN 0306-3747 May 2010

POLYMERS
MATERIALS Applied Minerals introduces halloysite products for polymer reinforcement Oxea launches new mellitate plasticizer product Chroma masterbatch provides frosted glass look in moulded PET bottles Eliokem extends Sunigum range of elastomeric modiers PolyOne expands solutions for woodplastic composites Plasticizers achieve food contact approvals, REACH registrations Nanocyl collaborates with 3B-Fibreglass on CNT-sized glass bres; launches PEEK masterbatch Bac2 unveils blendable latent acid catalysts for heat-activated polymerizations COMPANY STRATEGIES Eastman targets top spot in non-phthalate plasticizers with Genovique acquisition Lanxess starts up Indian rubber chemicals plant, reports strong nal quarter in 2009 Adeka subsidiary building intumescent ame retardants production plant Operating costs continue to impact additive pricing Americhem expands product development lab capabilities to aid customers Schulman purchases masterbatch manufacturer McCann Color, consolidates production FINANCIALS Ferro reports 26% fall in 2009 annual sales but fourth quarter shows continuing improvement PolyOne posts 4Q 2009 gains, announces new global organization BASF returns to prot in fourth quarter 2009 EVENTS CALENDAR 1 2 2 3 3 4

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Applied Minerals introduces halloysite products for polymer reinforcement

ew York-based Applied Minerals Inc reports that it has completed trials incorporating its non-toxic, biodegradable halloysite clay as a drop-in additive for reinforcement in polymer composites. The company intends to market a line of halloysite products under its Dragonite brand named for its wholly owned Dragon Mine in Utah, which is the source of these naturally occurring aluminosilicate clay nanotubes. As a result of the above-mentioned trials, Applied Minerals has filed a provisional patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The application concerns a novel method of producing a halloysitepolymer composition that not only eliminates two costly steps typically used in the compounding process but also produces improved properties compared to other polymer composites reinforced with (a) halloysite nanotubes utilizing other composition methods, (b) chemically treated montmorillonite (MMT) organo/nanoclay and (c) certain traditional fillers. Taking the example of a polypropylene homopolymer reinforced with a 10% filler loading, Applied Minerals reports a tensile strength of 6400 psi using its proprietary halloysite product compared with 5615 psi for the same level of a typical MMT nanoclay. For the same compositions, flex strength was measured at 8429 psi with the halloysite filler and 7429 psi with MMT; for

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ISSN 0306-3747/10 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.

MATERIALS

...Continued from front page than organo clays and lower warpage than chopped glass fibre and mica. It also acts as a nucleating agent with an 8C increase in crystallization temperature reported even at 13 wt% levels, resulting in faster cooling and cycle time. Used at 510 wt% levels in conjunction with other conventional flame retardants, Dragonite-XR increases ignition time, reduces peak heat release rate and improves char density, Applied Minerals claims. It also increases the stiffness and toughness of thermoset compounds, while its tubular morphology enables the entrapment of active agents followed by their controlled release at predetermined rates. Andre Zeitoun, CEO of Applied Minerals, believes that the Dragonite XR Halloysite Clay product, combined with the companys patent pending method of compounding, provides the polymer composite industry with a large-volume production of high-performance, eco-friendly material with a costperformance ratio that enables the manufacturer to compete favourably with traditional fillers. The company says it is currently exploring joint development opportunities with compounders interested in producing a line of polymer composites incorporating Dragonite-XR. In addition to the polymer industry and traditional halloysite markets in technical ceramics and catalysts, Zeitoun reports that the company is making great progress in demonstrating the benefits of Dragonite products for various other targeted end-market applications, including as carriers of active ingredients in paints, coatings and building materials, and in agricultural applications.
Contact: Applied Minerals Inc, 110 Greene Street, Suite 1101, New York, NY 10012, USA. Tel: + 1 800 356 6463, Email: info@appliedminerals.com, Web: www.appliedminerals.com

According to Oxea, TOTM is a well-known and wellresearched plasticizer with good availability. It is said to offer superior migration resistance and is increasingly being used in multiple applications, with the main areas being wires, cables and medical devices. The company claims that its high production standards make it possible to market TOTM for use in more-sensitive applications. Oxea has successfully commenced industrial production at the esters plant in Amsterdam that it acquired from ExxonMobil Chemical Holland in August 2009, and the TOTM product is therefore immediately available. The company also recently introduced a di-octyladipate (DOA) plasticizer manufactured at the same plant [ADPO, November 2009]. Oxea is a global supplier of solvents, polyols and oxo derivatives, and an international market leader in the production of a variety of acetates, alcohols, amines, carboxylic acids and butyraldehydes. It has annual sales of about E1.2 billion and employs approximately 1350 people in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Contact: Oxea GmbH, Oberhausen, Germany. Tel. +49 208 693 3100, Web: www.oxea-chemicals.com

Chroma masterbatch provides frosted glass look in moulded PET bottles

MATERIALS
Oxea launches new mellitate plasticizer product

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berhausen-based chemical company Oxea GmbH has launched a new mellitate-based plasticizer product. Tri-octyl trimellitate (which is alternatively designated tri-2-ethylhexyl trimellitate) is generally known in the marketplace as TOTM.

new masterbatch from Chroma Corp eliminates the spray-painting step normally required to achieve a frosted-glass look in PET bottles used for the packaging of high-end cosmetics, personal care products, alcohol and the like. By using the new concentrate at the moulding machine to produce this premium colour effect, processors can also reduce time to market and cost, Chroma explains. The moulded frosted plastic bottles are estimated to cost at least 90% less than those that are painted, and are more durable because the colour is moulded into the plastic, while the added time and costs associated with the painting process are eliminated, says Stuart Swain, Chromas director of sales and marketing. In terms of processing, the masterbatch works well in sheet extrusion and allows for frosted thermoformed containers. This product can also be formulated with Chromas new, proprietary PET binder

Additives for Polymers

May 2010