K 2013: Actega DS presents alternatives to PVC compounds

For more than 30 years, TPE materials have represented the success story between the thermoplastic and elastomer material classes. They have established themselves as an independent group and are suitable for a wide variety of applications as they ideally combine the mechanical properties of vulcanized elastomers with the processing features of thermoplastics.

TPE materials are very popular particularly in sensitive and highly-regulated markets – such as for food and beverage packaging, in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical technology – as they are capable of complying with the multifaceted requirements associated with a range of statutory guidelines, regulations and specifications. A focus is attributed to minimizing the migration potential as well as highlighting bio-compatibility and sterilizability, for example.

Actega DS started to focus its attention on PVC-free solutions and sustainable production at an early stage. E.g. PVC-free granulates for crown corks and aluminum closures since the early 1980s or for metal composite closures since the mid-2000s. The Development of PROVALIN?, the first and to date only closure sealing compound, without PVC and plasticizers for all types of metal closures since 2011, marked a success story.

The demanding and sophisticated material recipes are suitable for contact with food in accordance with EU and FDA guidelines; bio-compatibility and harmlessness on contact with the body have been verified in line with ISO 10993 and USP. For decades, specializing in strictly-regulated markets and highly-sensitive areas of application, one key focus at Actega DS lies on high-performance TPE materials whose enormous flexibility, high thermal and media resistance, major advantages in terms of processing and recycling have proven perfect alternatives to vulcanized rubber, PVC and silicone in almost every area.

With the result that TPEs can play their trump cards in the area of food and beverage packaging in particular. Apart from the many regulations specified by the EU Plastics Directive and its positive lists for additives and monomers as well as specified limit values for individual substances, detailed demands are also formulated in terms of sealing materials. All of the individual recipe components of the material have to be examined critically in terms of a possible hazard potential. The raw materials must be firmly incorporated in the sealing matrix so as to prevent them from being rinsed out. Auxiliaries used during processing (e.g. organic solvents, cross-linking chemicals) must not leave any residue in the sealing material. These demands favor TPE granulate as a material which is manipulated as required by means of thermal forming processes. Cross-linkers or other reactive additives are not necessary and there is no danger of any residue.

TPE is therefore the appropriate material for developing recipes for the PROVALIN? portfolio which has meanwhile grown to include ten variants – for hot filling and pasteurization, for cold filling and cold chain, for high temperature resistance and sterilization, for Twist-Off?, Press-Twist, Bandguard? closures and for all types of filling materials.

The ACTEGA group belongs to ALTANA AG. The ACTEGA Coatings & Sealants Product Division deBasketball Shoes