MUTTENZ, October 26, 2022 - K 2022 visitors can look forward to new Clariant additive solutions to progress more sustainable plastics and reduce resource use. New developments give applications greater resilience to support longer use and reuse on the path to circularity. Plus, solve production challenges while achieving better efficiency and lower carbon footprint during compounding and processing (Hall 8a Booth J11).

“By extending a product’s service life and by boosting reuse potential, the plastics industry can contribute positively towards reducing wasteful consumption, and increase circularity in key segments. Adopting ways to reduce material waste and energy use in production brings further sustainability advantages and improves product carbon footprint. With these new additives, including renewable-based solutions, in our portfolios, we’re excited to offer plastic processors and value chains more support to collaborate and further innovate together,” comments Martin John, Head of Advanced Surface Solutions at Clariant.

New anti-scratch additive to extend the service life of consumer goods
Surface aesthetics play a crucial role in the perceived quality of consumer goods. Clariant’s new renewable raw material-based anti-scratch additive for polypropylene (PP) and thermoplastic olefins (TPO) formulations – Licowax® AS 100 TP - enables molded plastic goods across a wide range of consumer applications to maintain their original look and feel for longer. This offers significant potential to extend service life and improve properties’ retention and parts’ reuse.

The new additive helps to prevent scratches and mars on the surface of goods during handling, transportation, and end-use. This is particularly beneficial for otherwise scuff-prone applications such as interior automotive parts like dashboards and door panels, household appliance casings, cosmetics packaging, and lightweight luggage.

New light stabilizer supports more sustainable agricultural films
Mulch films perform an important role in optimizing crop growing conditions, by protecting both crops and soil from contamination and from the loss of moisture and nutrients that could jeopardize yields. New AddWorks® AGC 970, Clariant’s latest light stabilizer solution for polyethylene agricultural films, offers the mulch segment a step up in product durability. Addition of the additive enables converters to extend the service life of their products, in particular by increasing UV resistance and resistance to high levels of agrochemicals. The granular additive can be dosed directly during conversion which supports more tailored use.

New bio-based wax for reduced cycle times & easier processing of injection molded polyester compounds
Benefit from a unique combination of lubrication and nucleation in engineering plastics for greater efficiency in compounding and processing. Compared to more conventional products, new bio-based Licocare® RBW 560 TP Vita is able to withstand higher processing temperatures thanks to excellent thermal stability and low volatility, and works more effectively at low dosage. It also has outstanding color stability. The combined benefits make it particularly attractive to formulators of polyester compounds for use in the E&E or transportation industries.

The new additive promotes easier mold release which improves the surface quality. Productivity-wise, it also means fewer polyester parts get stuck in the mold and therefore less injection molding downtime. The risk of short shots and rejects is reduced too. It is possible to produce more parts per machine hour due to faster cycle times driven by shorter cooling cycles. As a result, energy consumption is reduced.

Licocare RBW 560 TP Vita is the latest extension to Clariant’s Licocare range of high-performing additives based on renewable, non-food-competing feedstock. They are derived from crude rice bran wax, a by-product from the production of rice bran oil. Vita designated products use real renewable content of at least 98% Renewable Carbon Index (RCI), thus offering the advantage of a lower carbon footprint compared to state-of-the-art alternatives.

Clariant has submitted an application for FDA food contact approval for its entire range of Licocare RBW additives. This will open up their use by plastics compounders and masterbatch producers in an even wider range of plastics applications.

Clariant’s additive products and solutions offer exciting opportunities for the plastics industry to strengthen the links between efficiency and sustainability, safety and performance, value and low carbon footprint. For more information on these featured new additives, as well as Clariant’s wider support to meet sustainability and circular economy challenges, meet the team at K 2022 Hall 8a Booth J11 or visit www.clariant.com/K-2022.