UV Masterbatches- Uses and Benefits

I am a chemical engineering student studying plastics and its color imparting component called masterbatches. Now plastic is everywhere around us but we have never thought how much sophistication and precision is involved in making masterbatches. For a clearer understanding of Ultra Violet masterbatches, my college sent me and a group of

four students to a masterbatch manufacturing company to see how UV masterbatches are made and what are their benefits.

UV masterbatch find their use in food grade applications, agriculture films, auto plastic applications, synthetic fibres like PP, PET and Nylon. They are considered superior in quality for food grade applications as they prevent loss of moisture, taste and color of food when they are exposed to sunlight. Their main advantages are their low volatility, extraction resistance, excellent performance alone as well as in combination with other stabilizers. They provide a longer service life.

The demand for UV masterbatches is high and growing. Companies like RP industries www.RPIndustries.net are in the top race to manufacture highest quality UV masterbatches.

It was really interesting studying plastics. It fetched me the highest grade in entire college. So much so that I am thinking of making a career out of them. If you have any comments or want to share your knowledge, pls do write. I would welcome your feedback.

Food Tasting Bad?..May Be It Is The Packaging

Hi all. I am back with more stuff on masterbatches, the coloring and special function imparting agents in plastics. Thanks for the encouragement and comments, they are really justifying my efforts, which honestly I thought had gone down the drain.

In my last two posts I talked about the types of masterbatches and  the points to consider while manufacturing them. Now I will discuss the role of colorants and additives in food & beverage packaging.

Plastic packaging is boon for food and beverage industry. Not only does it keep the contents fresh for long but also attractive packaging makes them irresistible for the consumers. But is the packaging really beneficial to the consumers? No point arguing that the plastic packaged content is usable for long (let’s not go to the pros and cons of that) but plastic, especially colored plastic does something to the food and all, doesn’t it?

Plastic packaging can alter the taste and odor. More often than not it is subtle, but sometimes the change can be major and irritating. Take a neutral product like bottled water; it is really susceptible to organoleptic influences.

Given the resources that go in creating compelling products, the last thing manufacturer need is to have a plastic package skew the taste and odor of their offerings.

From the knowledge gleaned from interaction with RP Industries functionaries (the guys I approached to research for my doomed school magazine article) I can safely say that understanding the interaction between resins, colorants, and functional additives and product taste and odor is essential to being able to limit the organoleptic interaction between the plastic package and its contents. It is especially necessary for UV Masterbatch suppliers and others involved in compound formulation.

The best approach is to choose an “organoleptic-friendly” colorant and avoid the use of functional additives. Moreover colorants require careful selection because of their certain chemical composition which might be more problematic than others when it comes to taste and odor. Many masterbatch manufacturers avoid or at the very least put strict limits on compounds that contain either chlorine or sulfur due to their potential to cause sensory issues.

Several other factors can effect the organoleptic integrity of a package such as the choice of carrier resins used in masterbatches. These should be neat resins that are free of low-molecular-weight components.

Amazing, isn’t it! Just a little (to be frank hell lot of it!) research and we know why our plastic packaged food tastes bad. Now it is up to the plastic manufacturers and the masterbatch suppliers to ensure that plastic packaging just alter the looks of a product not its taste.

Additive Masterbatches..The Color in Plastics

Hi all. I am an Indian student studying in 12^th standard in a New Delhi based school. I am also the editor of our school magazine. Last month I was writing for the article based on plastic industry. The focus of the article was on the environmental impact of the plastic.

During research for that article I got intrigued by the coloration process of the plastic. I then decided to give a new dimension to my article, about the coloration process and technologies involved. It made sense because harmful or not we can’t wish away the plastic from our lives, it is so damn useful, but we can make ourselves aware of the basics of manufacturing process so as to make use of the plastics more carefully.

With this objective in mind I decided to approach my principal with request to visit a manufacturer of international repute which can give me an idea of best practices in the industry. We decided upon visiting RPindustries R.P Industries the manufacturer and exporter of the additive masterbatches, the basic ingredient to color raw polymer economically during the plastics manufacturing process for all kinds of polymers.

Due to space crunch we could not squeeze the article in our magazine, but it would have been a terrible waste not to do anything with the research. Therefore through this series of postings I would like to make my work see the light of the day, and may be help some of you curious souls understand the plastic especially colored one.

Let’s start with description of masterbatch and its types.

Masterbatches are used to add colors and impart special properties to plastic products. Cost of masterbatch is hardly 1-2%in final plastic product but its quality is very important for durability and functional properties of the product. A Masterbatch contains polymers, additives and colorants specifically formulated together to provide either a general or specific function.

Master batch products are divided into two major types.

• The pigment master batch to color the plastic.
• The functional additive master batches make the plastic capable of certain performances like making them heat resistant, weather resistant etc. Some of the functional master batches are UV light stabilizers, antifog agents, antiblock agents, antistatic agents, etc.Interesting? Well read my next postings for more information on masterbatches, coloration process and UV Masterbatch.