Page 43 - Plastics News August 2021

Enhancing Transparency of Polypropylene is a Challenge

From a sustainability point of view, life cycle analysis shows that important in thin walled applications such as yoghurt containers
the environmental footprint of polypropylene is very favourable and food containers.
relative to other clear packaging options. PP has higher heat re- The excellent balance between transparency and stiffness of this
sistance than PET and could serve as a resin for hot-fill containers, innovative clarifier, its long-term stability, high thermal stability,
without the need for heat-setting. high efficiency at low dosage and better filling properties demon-
The major limitation of using PP as a packaging material is its lack strate that the additive addresses the current deficiencies of the
of transparency. PP is a semicrystalline material with natural haze polypropylene industry.
and is less transparent than polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polypropylene is already the preferred choice for many packag-
polycarbonate (PC), or glass. Technological developments are im- ing applications, due to the clarity that can be achieved with the
proving the appearance of polypropylene but challenges remain. clarifiers, and certainly because of the cost effectiveness of PP,
New additives called clarifying agents have been introduced to be low density, excellent stiffness/impact balance, and thermal and
incorporated in random copolymers of PP to achieve the desired chemical resistance.
clarity, haze reduction, easy dispersion of clarifying agents. Its excellent taste and odour properties have furthermore ena-
Organoleptics like taste and odour, high degree of clarity in PP bled it to be used in a wide range of food-contact applications.
resins is achieved with Clarizol 3G (DMDBS) offered by Kevichem As compared to existing product range, it offers drastic haze re-
Colour Pvt Ltd.
duction, Along with enhancement in the properties like rigidity,
Clarizol a typical nucleating agent has a surface charge that is op- heat distortion temperature, dimension stability and luster, opti-
posite to the partial charge of the chemical moiety of the poly- cal and physical properties. , and is cost-effective as well.
mer. It accelerates its rate of crystallization and melting point is It is said to be suited to random copolymers for thin-wall injection
greater than the melting point of the melt processible polymer. molding of food containers and stretch-blow molding of bottles.
Which can be offered in powder as well as masterbatch form as It significantly reduces longer cycles.
per client requirement.
Clarizol forms nuclei for the growth of crystals in supercooled pol- Kevichem Colour Pvt Ltd pioneered into producing Clarizol with a
production capacity of 400 MT per year in Gujarat state. We en-
ymer melt. It is typically characterized as an insoluble particulate visage our production capacity to increase to 2400MT by the end
that increases the rate of crystallization. of 2022. Our mission is to provide uncompromising high quality
When semi-crystalline polymers crystalize from the melt (typically products, so we are also working on backward integration of Clar-
during the cooling phase of a process) the lamellae organise from ifier (which is solely provided by Kevichem Colours Pvt Ltd.)
primary nucleus to form complex macro-structure called spheru-
lites. These spherulites continue to grow until they impinge on an KEVICHEM COLOUR PVT LTD
adjacent spherulites of which point the growth ceases. A/2, Anubhav Building, Zaver Road, Near Mumbai Bank,
Clarizol is a sorbitol based clarifier that meets all the requirements Mulund (West), Mumbai – 400 080
of the polypropylene industry: clarity, gloss, stiffness, impact sales@kevichem.com
strength, heat resistance, organoleptics and low warpage. Its in- www.kevichem.com
clusion in homopolymer and random copolymer, including con- 9322222931
trolled rheology grades, shows no signs of chemical degradation
and does not affect the organoleptics of the finished article. As
a clarifier, Clarizol imparts low haze, as well as maintains an ex-
cellent impact stiffness balance. These properties are extremely
42 PLASTICS NEWS AUGUST 2021 43 PLASTICS NEWS AUGUST 2021

The excellent balance between transparency and stiffness of The excellent balance between transparency and stiffness of

this innovative clarifier, its long-term stability, high thermal this innovative clarifier, its long-term stability, high thermal

stability, high efficiency at low dosage and better filling proper- stability, high efficiency at low dosage and better filling proper-

ties demonstrate that the additive addresses the current ties demonstrate that the additive addresses the current

Enhancing Transperancy of deficiencies of the polypropylene industry. deficiencies of the polypropylene industry. Enhancing Transperancy of

Polypropylene is a Challenge Polypropylene is already the preferred choice for many packag- Polypropylene is already the preferred choice for many packag- ing applications, due to the clarity that can be achieved with the Polypropylene is a Challenge

ing applications, due to the clarity that can be achieved with the

clarifiers, and certainly because of the cost effectiveness of PP, clarifiers, and certainly because of the cost effectiveness of PP,

From a sustainability point of view, life cycle analysis low density, excellent stiffness/impact balance, and thermal and low density, excellent stiffness/impact balance, and thermal and From a sustainability point of view, life cycle analysis

shows that the environmental footprint of polypropylene chemical resistance. chemical resistance. shows that the environmental footprint of polypropylene

is very favourable relative to other clear packaging is very favourable relative to other clear packaging

Its excellent taste and odour properties have furthermore Its excellent taste and odour properties have furthermore

options.PP has higher heat resistance than PET and could options.PP has higher heat resistance than PET and could

enabled it to be used in a wide range of food-contact applica- enabled it to be used in a wide range of food-contact applica-

serve as a resin for hot-fill containers, without the need serve as a resin for hot-fill containers, without the need

tions. tions.

for heat-setting. for heat-setting.

The major limitation of using PP as a packaging material The major limitation of using PP as a packaging material

is its lack of transparency.PP is a semicrystalline material is its lack of transparency.PP is a semicrystalline material

with natural haze and is less transparent than polyeth- with natural haze and is less transparent than polyeth-

ylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC), or ylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC), or

glass.Technological developments are improving the glass.Technological developments are improving the

appearance of polypropylene but challenges remain. appearance of polypropylene but challenges remain.

New additives called clarifying agents have been intro- New additives called clarifying agents have been intro-

duced to be incorporated in random copolymers of PP to duced to be incorporated in random copolymers of PP to

achieve the desired clarity, haze reduction, easy disper- achieve the desired clarity, haze reduction, easy disper-

sion of clarifying agents. sion of clarifying agents.

Organoleptics like taste and odour , high degree of Organoleptics like taste and odour , high degree of

clarity in PP resins is achieved with Clarizol 3G ( DMDBS) As compared to existing product range , it offers drastic haze As compared to existing product range , it offers drastic haze clarity in PP resins is achieved with Clarizol 3G ( DMDBS)

reduction, Along with enhancement in the properties like rigidi- reduction, Along with enhancement in the properties like rigidi-

offered by Kevichem Colour Pvt Ltd. offered by Kevichem Colour Pvt Ltd.

ty, heat distortion temperature,dimension stability and luster, ty, heat distortion temperature,dimension stability and luster,

optical and physical properties. , and is cost-effective as well. optical and physical properties. , and is cost-effective as well.

Clarizol a typical nucleating agent has a surface charge Clarizol a typical nucleating agent has a surface charge

that is opposite to the partial charge of the chemical It is said to be suited to random copolymers for thin-wall It is said to be suited to random copolymers for thin-wall that is opposite to the partial charge of the chemical

moiety of the polymer. It accelerates its rate of crystalli- injection molding of food containers and stretch-blow molding injection molding of food containers and stretch-blow molding moiety of the polymer. It accelerates its rate of crystalli-

zation and melting point is greater than the melting point of bottles. It significantly reduces longer cycles. zation and melting point is greater than the melting point of bottles. It significantly reduces longer cycles.

of the melt processible polymer. Which can be offered in of the melt processible polymer. Which can be offered in

powder as well as masterbatch form as per client require- Kevichem Colour Pvt Ltd pioneered into producing Clarizol with Kevichem Colour Pvt Ltd pioneered into producing Clarizol with powder as well as masterbatch form as per client require-

ment. a production capacity of 400 MT per year in Gujarat state. We a production capacity of 400 MT per year in Gujarat state. We ment.

envisage our production capacity to increase to 2400MT by the envisage our production capacity to increase to 2400MT by the

end of 2022. Our mission is to provide uncompromising high end of 2022. Our mission is to provide uncompromising high

Clarizol forms nuclei for the growth of crystals in super- Clarizol forms nuclei for the growth of crystals in super-

quality products, so we are also working on backward integra- quality products, so we are also working on backward integra-

cooled polymer melt. It is typically characterized as an cooled polymer melt. It is typically characterized as an

tion of Clarifier (which is solely provided by Kevichem Colours tion of Clarifier (which is solely provided by Kevichem Colours

insoluble particulate that increases the rate of crystalliza- Pvt Ltd.) Pvt Ltd.) insoluble particulate that increases the rate of crystalliza-

tion. tion.

When semi-crystalline polymers crystalize from the melt When semi-crystalline polymers crystalize from the melt

(typically during the cooling phase of a process) the (typically during the cooling phase of a process) the

lamellae organise from primary nucleus to form complex lamellae organise from primary nucleus to form complex

macro-structure called spherulites. These spherulites macro-structure called spherulites. These spherulites

continue to grow until they impinge on an adjacent continue to grow until they impinge on an adjacent

spherulites of which point the growth ceases. spherulites of which point the growth ceases.

Clarizol is a sorbitol based clarifier that meets all the Clarizol is a sorbitol based clarifier that meets all the

requirements of the polypropylene industry: clarity, requirements of the polypropylene industry: clarity,

gloss, stiffness, impact strength, heat resistance, organo- gloss, stiffness, impact strength, heat resistance, organo-

leptics and low warpage. Its inclusion in homopolymer leptics and low warpage. Its inclusion in homopolymer

and random copolymer, including controlled rheology and random copolymer, including controlled rheology

grades, shows no signs of chemical degradation and grades, shows no signs of chemical degradation and

does not affect the organoleptics of the finished article. does not affect the organoleptics of the finished article.

As a clarifier, Clarizol imparts low haze, as well as main- As a clarifier, Clarizol imparts low haze, as well as main-

tains an excellent impact stiffness balance. These proper- tains an excellent impact stiffness balance. These proper-

ties are extremely important in thin walled applications ties are extremely important in thin walled applications

such as yoghurt containers and food containers. such as yoghurt containers and food containers.