Stabilisers meet critical targets

Stabilisers are undoubtedly indispensable in the production and processing of many plastic products. Market research institute Ceresana forecasts the value of the global market for stabilisers to increase to about $5.3 billion in 2021. At present, the global market for stabilisers is undergoing highly dynamic changes as the market shares of individual product groups are shifting considerably. 

Heat and light stabilisers ensure safe processing and protect products against premature ageing and weathering. Especially in the manufacturing of products made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), stabilisers play a very important role.  

According to the Ceresana report, prime sales market for stabilisers is the plastics industry. Sales volumes of profiles, pipes, cables, films, and floorings is highly dependent on the development of the construction sector. As a result, the development of this industrial sector is of paramount importance to the demand for stabilisers.

Solving key issues in conversion

In 2013 at K in Düsseldorf, Songwon Industrial Group (www.songwon.com) launched the SONGXTEND product line, an innovative stabilisation package for polymers. The product line aims to solve a number of key issues encountered during processing, conversion and the end-use life cycle of polyolefins. SONGXTEND products are commercially available today and the product range is being expanded continuously to meet emerging customer needs. 
SONGXTEND 1101 and SONGXTEND 1102 general purpose stabilisation packages allow polypropylene producers and processors to maintain high temperature manufacturing whilst safeguarding the desired properties of the polymer. At the same time,  this new breed of stabilisers will assist in avoiding degradation and discolouration under severe processing conditions. Stability is assured from reactor to extruder where high heat and shear are often encountered. The stabilisation package continues to be effective during conversion and end-use applications. As such, moulders and converters can maintain efficient processing speeds and elevated temperatures. 
SONGXTEND 2121, SONGXTEND 2122 and SONGXTEND 2123 stabilisation packages are designed for the automotive industry and are tailored to address fogging and odor issues in car interiors. SONGXTEND stabilisers reduce VOC emissions and improve organoleptic properties by either eliminating or reducing undesirable odors that negatively impact car interiors. SONGXTEND 2121 stabiliser reduces sulphur by 60% whilst still maintaining high thermal stability, meeting or exceeding current targets provided by state of the art stabilisation packages

SONGXTEND 2122 stabiliser offers an optimised cost/performance balance by reducing sulphur by 30% as well as maintaining the thermal stability levels of SONGXTEND 2121. SONGXTEND 2123 stabiliser is 100% sulphur-free to reduce possible odor distraction in car interiors to the absolute minimum combined with a heat stability performance that meets the targets of car manufacturers.

Songwon has been present in the Middle East via a joint venture company, Polysys Additive Technologies ME, established by Songwon Additive Technologies AG and Polysys Industries. The manufacturing plant in Kizad (Khalifa Industrial City of Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi, turns out OPS (One Pack Systems) designed to take into consideration increasing demand  in the Middle East. 

OPS products combine several additives into an integrated dust free and robust pellet form reducing the handling of multiple materials to one single flow path. OPS compositions can be tailored to meet customers’ needs from a wide range of additive products. The pellets are homogeneous and highly accurate in their composition, allowing easy processing into a polymer matrix due to their pre-dispersed consistency. OPS bring greater assurance to the compounding process reducing quality control, eliminating over and under-dosing as well as enabling a cleaner and healthier working environment. OPS, due to their consistent accuracy, can be of particular value to a wide range of industries where end-use specifications are critical, removing the risk of human error during processing. They also benefit from the elimination of additional carrier materials often needed in production processes where separate powder additives are combined.

Stabilising PA

Brüggemann Chemical also launched stabiliser BRUGGOLEN H3386, for polyamides (PA 6, PA 6.6) which are specifically tailored to meet requirements of electrical and electronics (EE) applications. One vital criterion in such applications is the material's Comparative Tracking Index, (CTI), which characterises its suitability as an insulating material. Polyamides stabilised with BRUGGOLEN stabilisers achieve a CTI value of 600 V (H3376) or 575 V (H3386).

According to test method IEC 112, the stated values indicate the highest voltage applied to a test specimen at which no tracking occurs. Polyamides for electrical and electronic components should have a CTI value of at least 550 V in order to prevent the short circuiting and component defects caused by tracking. In addition to tracking resistance, the new copper stabilisers offer considerably greater long-term protection against thermal and oxidative degradation of the polyamides stabilised with them than do the antioxidants based on amine, phenol or phosphorus derivatives which are currently used to stabilize the majority of polyamide grades for EE applications. Applications for polyamides in electrical engineering include insulating elements and housings for circuit-breakers, contactors, transformers, electric motors or also printed circuit boards.

BRUGGOLEN is ideal for electrical and electronic applications

BRUGGOLEN stabilisers are colour-stable and, unlike conventional salt-based copper stabilizers, do not discolour after conditioning. They are therefore particularly suitable for products which are natural coloured or in light colour shades. And there's another advantage: the new stabilisers additionally offer UV protection, which means that, depending on the application, it may be possible to completely dispense with the addition of specific UV stabilisers.