Page 62 - Plastics News Issue September2025

PRODUCT NEWS

Plastic Opacity and Its Relevance in Product face reflectivity on their parts made of plastic,
Design and their final appearance will be like a mirror.

Plastic in that one does not mean to make some- More to the point, the white masterbatch can
thing opaque or white. The practical conse- be manufactured with special injection mould-
quences include protection of contents against ing additives incorporated to further optimise
light, enhancement of the coverage of the sur- the surface structure and gloss of the injection
face, and uniformity of look. moulded components without compromising
the mechanical properties. All of these additives
Higher opacity of plastics obtained by using a are aids in controlling shrinkage and making the
high-performance masterbatch can in packaging whole run smoother and with fewer surface de-
applications guard against UV-sensitive prod- fects, such as streaks or flow lines that normally
ucts like milk, pharmaceuticals or cosmetic prod- tarnish the gloss level.
ucts.
Comparing Masterbatch Types Based on Key
Moreover, opacity of the plastic is high thus, Properties
minimizing the total master batch loading since
only a small amount of material is required to Now the properties of the masterbatch that
produce the same visualization. This has a direct govern the performance of various white formu-
impact on efficiency in production and prices lations can be discussed:
of produce. It is important that the appropriate
white masterbatch with the most favourable TiO Property Standard High-Opac- Gloss-
Enhanced
ity TiO -
White
2
2 loading is chosen to deliver the most effica- Master- Based Mas- White Mas-
cious performance versus cost saving. batch terbatch terbatch
TiO Con- 20–40% 40–70% 40–60%
2
The Importance of Gloss and How to Enhance centration
It (%)
Plastic Moderate High High
One very strong trend in the consumer packag- Opacity
ing, electronics casework and car interiors are Surface Moderate Moderate Very High
Gloss
high gloss plastics. Gloss can make it attractive Compat- PE, PP, PS PE, PP, PET, PE, PP, ABS
and the presentation of being of quality, and ac- ibility with PS
curacy. As such, how can gloss be improved with Polymers
masterbatch? Best Use General Pharmaceu- Electronics,
Cases Packaging tical & Food Cosmetics
Packaging Packaging
First, the gloss is influenced by the surface fin-
ish of mold, crystallinity of polymer, and the dif- The table above may be taken as a crude guide
ference in refractive between the base polymer when choosing the appropriate white master-
and the white masterbatch. Selecting a master- batch during the selection of one according to
batch based on TiO 2 with a particle distribution various applications.
and high refractive index will produce a high sur-

62 PLASTICS NEWS September 2025