News Letter Vol. 18, issue October-December, 2012 Hyperdispersants and Coupling Agents for Thermoplastics and Thermosets Solplus, Ircolplus and Solsperse hyperdispersants and coupling agents have been developed to meet the needs of the plastic industry, for both thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, as well as polyurethanes. Ircosperse dispersants can also be used in certain plastics applications, such as plasticizer dispersions. Thermoplastic Masterbatch and Compounding Solplus and Ircolplus hyperdispersants are recommended for the dispersion of pigments and fillers in thermoplastic masterbatch and compound applications. They can be used in a wide variety of thermoplastic polymers including polyethylene, polystyrene, ABS, polypropylene and PVC. Products Solplus DP 310 Solplus DP 320 Solplus DP 330 Ircolplus 111 Application For inorganic/organic pigment & filler dispersion Excellent filter blocking resistance. Fiber and film application For organic color strength development Excellent organic pigment dispersion Dear Reader, Plastic compounding is the major step to create Stage of the Art pieces of plastic article. To meet the physical property and the feature of any plastic work pieces, need the perfect compound, Hyperdispersant and coupling agent will ease of your compounding problem in color strength, tensile strength, melt flow rate, smoothness, electrical conductivity, flame property, etc. Lubrizol has developped Solplus and Ircolplus to serve these needs in the compounding process. You can maximize your profit and ease of the bottle neck problem of your machine with Solplus and Ircolplus. Please call our representative to share you the benefit of these products. Best Regards Ircolplus 113 For carbon black, TiO 2, wood & filler dispersion Cholticha Mahuttanaruk General Manager 1
Product Information Plastics and Polymer Business Plasticizer and Polyol Systems Solplus hyperdispersants improve dispersion of organic and inorganic pigments, fillers, flame retardants, stabilizers, and blowing agents in plasticizer and polyol system. It is depend upon pigment and filler type. Products Solplus K500 Solplus K200 Solplus K210 Application For inorganic pigments and fillers For organic pigment, DOA carrier For organic pigment, DINP carrier Solplus K220 For organic /inorganic pigment, 100% active Solplus R700 Solplus R720 Solplus R730 Solplus R750 For organic pigments, polyether polyols For organic & inorganic pigments in polyether & polyester polyol To reduce viscosity of organic pigment concentration For carbon black dispersion Coupling Agents in Thermoplastic Compounding and Cable Applications Solplus C800 and Solplus C825 hyperdispersants are the recommended agents for coupling with a variety of fillers in thermoplastic compounding and cable production. Thermoset/Composite Applications Engineered specifically for composites fillers and resins and based on proprietary polymer chemistry Solplus additives offer major process advantages to the thermoset industry, including the combination of dispersing/wetting and anti-settling benefits in single additives. From being 100% active and solvent free, Solplus hyperdispersants also help to reduce environmental impact from the styrene content levels that characterize most unsaturated polyester based systems. Solplus dispersants have been developed to improve dispersion of fillers, flame retardants and reinforcements (fibers) in thermoset systems, as well as for organic and inorganic pigments in gel coats. Products Solplus F100 Solplus D580 Solplus D570; D571 Solplus D540; D541; D542 Solplus FW2000 Solplus TX5, Ircogel 900 Solplus ES1000 Application Air release Anti Separation/Compatibilizer Dispersion Ambient Cure Dispersion High Temperature Cure Fiber Wetting Rheology Control Styrene Surpressant The Lubrizol Corporation 29400 Lakeland Boulevard Wickliffe, Ohio 44092, USA Phone: +1 440-943-4200 2
Plastics and Polymer Business Theoretical background of SOLPLUS and IRCOPLUS Hyperdispersant There are two principal mechanisms for the stabilization of pigmented dispersions; electrostatic stabilization and steric stabilization. Both mechanisms require the absorption of stabilizing molecules on the pigmented surface. Electrostatic stabilization Classic colloidal science explains electrostatic stabilisation in terms of an electrical double-layer. A charge is generated on the pigment surface, and a more diffuse cloud of oppositely charged ions develops around it. As two particles approach each other the charge effectively provides a barrier to closer particle interactions. Electrostatic stabilization is effective in media of reasonably high dielectric constant, principally water; although even in water-based systems, steric stabilization, or a combination of steric and charge stabilization will often provide better overall performance. Therefore both mechanisms of stabilization are found in the SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS Hyperdispersants for use in liquid systems. Steric stabilization Charge stabilization will not be effective in media of low dielectric constant (the vast majority of organic solvents and plasticizers), and steric stabilization is required to maintain dispersed particles in a stable non-flocculated state. Steric stabilization relies on the adsorption of a layer of resin or polymer chains on the surface of the pigment. As pigment particles approach each other these adsorbed polymeric chains intermingle and in so doing they lose a degree of freedom which they would otherwise possess. This loss of freedom is expressed, in thermodynamic terms, as a reduction in entropy, which is unfavorable and provides the necessary barrier to prevent further attraction. 3
The design of SOLPLUS and IRCOPLUS Hyperdispersants Before describing the design of SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS Hyperdispersants it is useful to understand their chemistry and mode of action. Hyperdispersants are two-component structures. The anchoring group provides strong adsorption onto the pigment surface. Polymeric chains which are attached to the anchor group provide the stabilization. Polymeric chains The nature of the polymeric chain is critical to the performance of Hyperdispersants. If the chains are not sufficiently solvated, then they will collapse onto the pigment surface allowing the particles to aggregate or flocculate. The molecular weights of the SOLPLUS/IRCOLPLUS Hyperdispersant products are sufficient to provide polymer chains of optimum length to overcome Van der Waals forces of attraction between pigment particles. In order to meet the need for good compatibility, several different polymer chain types are utilized in the SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS Hyperdispersants range, effectively covering the variety of types of solvents and binder resins encountered. There is generally an optimum chain length over and above which the effectiveness of the stabilizing material ceases to increase; indeed in some cases, molecules with longer than optimum chains can be less effective. Ideally the chains should be free to move in the dispersing medium. To achieve this, chains with anchor groups at one end only have shown to be the most effective in providing steric stabilization. 4
Anchor groups It does not matter whether the previously discussed polymer chains are provided by Hyperdispersants containing either single chains or up to many hundreds of chains; indeed both types are available. The essential requirement is that the chains are successfully anchored to the pigment surface, and that the surface of the particles are covered with sufficient density of chains to ensure minimum particle interaction. As the nature of a pigment s surface depends on its chemical type, many different chemical groups are used as anchor groups for Hyperdispersants; indeed the SOLPLUS/IRCOLPLUS Hyperdispersant range contains several different types of anchor groups. These vary in anchoring ability from products only suitable for inorganic pigments, to products suitable for the whole range of pigments in use today. Furthermore, there are types suitable for filler, reinforcement, fiber, etc. With particularly difficult non-polar pigments a very successful anchoring approach is the use of SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS synergists. These synergists are used in combination with a polymeric Hyperdispersant. The synergists are pigment derivatives which have a strong affinity for certain pigment types and thereby furnish the pigment surface with anchoring sites for the conventional polymeric SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS Hyperdispersants. 5
The benefits of SOLPLUS and IRCOPLUS Hyperdispersant SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS offers significant advantages over conventional dispersing/ processing aids: Reduced Pigment Costs SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS give extra color strength, particularly with more difficult to disperse, expensive organic pigment. Less pigment can be used leading to obvious cost saving. Increased Filler Loading SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS give high filler loading without loss of performance. Increase filler loading lead to cost saving. Increased Productivity In conventional formulations any increase in extruder screw speed can lead to reduced dispersion efficiency. However, not only can screw speeds be increased when using SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS but even better dispersion can be obtained. Faster screw speeds mean higher throughput. Improved Product Quality SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS give more effective breakdown of pigment agglomerates, leading to reduced speck levels and increased brightness. Improved Processing/Reduced Filter Blocking SOLPLUS and IRCOLPLUS give reduced filter screen blocking leading to lower pressure in the extruder and more efficient processing. For More Information Please contact : Sarawut Wongkaew Business Development Manager Plastic & Polymer Business Mobile : 081-8357897 e-mail : sarawut@optimal.co.th Supasinee Pipatsantipong Business Development Plastic & Polymer Business Mobile : 081-8084912 e-mail : supasinee@optimal.co.th 6