Customized masterbatches

Masterbatches are the easiest way of adding additives or colour to plastics. Final properties or colours can be achieved by dilution with the host polymer in the injection or extrusion process, but the final requirements are not always met. There are many incompatibilities when masterbatches are diluted such as plastic delamination, poor tinting strength, bad pigment dispersion, masterbatch overdosing and insufficient properties.

Our solutions

To avoid these problems we offer solutions for masterbatch producers and users based on the following guidelines:

• Appropriate polymer selection.
• Correct dispersion of pigments and additives in the polymer matrix.
• Dispersion assessment by optical and SEM microscopy.
• The introduction of new additives/pigments without degradation.
• Thermal studies of all the additives to avoid degradations.

Technical advice and assistance

We have over 15 years’ experience in compounding using a broad range of fillers with different polymer matrices, thanks to our participation in numerous EU-funded research projects. This has given us a unique working methodology and know-how that we apply to create the most appropriate experimental design, including the most important factors affecting filler, pigment and additive dispersion.

We offer our experience and assistance in the following areas:

• To develop new masterbatches from new pigments, fillers or additives.
• To make short-run masterbatches from 0-50 kg.
• Effective mixing in co-rotating TSE.
• Experimental designs to optimise:
  • Screw profile.
  • Processing conditions.
  • Dosing protocols.
• Upscaling production.
• Dilution studies in injection moulding or extrusion to assess the appearance in the end product.