PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2015

PRODUCTS 39 PET planet insider Vol. 16 No. 01+02/15 www.petpla.net Milliken & W R Grace launch next-generation catalyst and additive technologies W. R. Grace & Co. and Milliken & Company say that their latest generation advanced technologies offer polypropylene (PP) with the ability to develop new and differentiated resin portfolios featuring enhanced clarity, cleanliness, processabil- ity and mechanical performance. Grace’s Consista C601 PP catalyst is the first sixth-gen- eration non-phthalate-based catalyst and a drop-in solu- tion for the Unipol PP process. Grace says that it enhances the performance and processing of homopolymers, random copolymers and impact copolymers. The company claims that random copolymers made from Consista catalysts, combined with Milliken’s next-generation Millad NX 8000 clarifier, offer glass-like transparency and faster cycle times. Ella Chen, Unipol PP licensing global marketing direc- tor asserted that the companies’ solutions together address a broad spectrum of resin manu- facturers’ requirements, ranging from higher melt flow to lower- temperature processing for cycle time reduction. Consista C601 catalyst imparts a balance of impact and stiffness that facilitate lightweight, thin-wall designs. The technology is claimed to enable the produc- tion of random copolymers with improved taste and odor perfor- mance for food contact applica- tions. It is further maintained that the Consista catalyst enables faster cycle times by increas- ing melt flow rates and that its broader molecular weight distri- bution improves mechanical and processing attributes for a variety of applications. When Millad NX 8000 clarifier and Consista catalyst are combined in random copolymers with a high melt flow rate (MFR), up to 36% reduction in haze over previous genera- tions is claimed, which enables high transparency, bright appear- ance and high gloss in moulded parts. The Milliken additive also allows PP to be processed at temperatures of 190°C to 200°C, a reduction of up to 40 degrees compared to other clarifiers. Cooler temperatures shorten cooling times and can increase productivity by facilitating mould release. www.milliken.com www.grace.com