How to improve plastic processing and surface quality?
Silicone is one of the most popular polymer additives used to improve processing performance while modifying the surface properties, like reducing the coefficient of friction, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance, and lubricity of polymers. The additive has been in use in liquid, pellet, and powder forms, depending on the requirement of a plastic processor.
In addition, proven that manufacturers of thermoplastics seek to improve extrusion rates, achieve consistent mold filling, excellent surface quality, lower power consumption, and help reduce energy costs, all without making modifications to conventional processing equipment. They can benefit from silicone masterbatch, help their product efforts toward a more circular economy as well.
SILIKE has taken the lead in researching silicone and plastic (two parallel combinations of interdisciplinarity), and has developed different silicone products for various applications such as footwear, wire and cable, automotive, telecom ducts, film, wood plastic composites, electronic components, etc.
SILIKE's silicone product is widely used in injection molding, extrusion molding, and blow molding. we can according to from customer's own need to customize a new grade which is special for this products.
What is silicone?
Silicone is an inert synthetic compound, The basic structure of silicone is made up of polyorganosiloxanes, where silicon atoms are linked to oxygen to create the «siloxane» bond. The remaining valences of silicon are linked to organic groups, mainly methyl groups (CH3): Phenyl, vinyl, or hydrogen.
Si-O bond has the characteristics of big bone energy, and stable chemical properties and Si-CH3 bone revolve around Si-O bone freely, so usually silicone has good insulating properties, low and high-temperature resistance, stable chemical properties, good physiological inertia, and low surface energy. so that they are widely used in improved processing of plastics and surface quality of finished components for automotive interiors, cable and wire compounds, telecommunication pipes, footwear, film, coating, textile, electric appliances, papermaking, painting, personal-care supply, and other industries. it is honored as “industrial monosodium glutamate”.
What is the silicone masterbatch
Silicone masterbatch is a kind of additive in the rubber and plastic industry. The advanced technology in the field of silicone additives is the use of ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) silicone polymer (PDMS) in various thermoplastic resins, such as LDPE, EVA, TPEE, HDPE, ABS, PP, PA6, PET, TPU, HIPS, POM, LLDPE, PC, SAN, etc. And as pellets so as to allow easy addition of the additive directly to the thermoplastic during processing. combining excellent processing with an affordable cost. The silicone masterbatch is easy to feed, or mix, into plastics during compounding, extrusion, or injection molding. It is better than traditional wax oil and other additives in improving slippage during production. Thus, plastic processors prefer to use them in the output.
Roles of Silicone Masterbatch in Improving Plastic Processing
The silicone masterbatch is one of the most popular choices for processors in plastic processing and surface quality improvements. As a kind of super lubricant. It has the following main functions when used in thermoplastic resin:
A.Improve the flow ability of plastics and processing;
better mold filling and mold release properties
reduce the extruder torque and improve the extrusion rate;
B. Improves final extruded/ injected plastic parts’ surface properties
Improve the plastic surface finish, smoothness, and reduce the skin friction coefficient, Improve the wear resistance and scratch resistance;
And silicone masterbatch has good thermal stability (thermal decomposition temperature is about 430 ℃ in nitrogen ) and non-migration;
Environmental protection; Safety contact with the food
We must point out that all the silicone masterbatches functions are owned to A and B (the above two points we listed) but they are not two independent points but
supplement each other, and are closely related
Effects on final products
Due to the characteristics of the molecular structure of siloxane, the dosage is very small so on the whole almost no affects on the mechanical property of the final products. generally speaking, except elongation and impact strength will increase slightly, with no effects on other mechanical properties. At a large dosage, it has a synergistic effect with flame retardants.
Due to its outstanding performance on high and low-temperature resistance, it will no side effects on the high and low-temperature resistance of the final products. while the flow of resin, processing, and surface properties will be improved obviously and the COF will be reduced.
Action mechanism
Silicone masterbatches are ultra-high molecular weight polysiloxane dispersed in different carrier resins which is a kind of functional masterbatch. When ultra-high molecular weight silicone masterbatches are added into plastics for their nonpolar and with low surface energy, it has a trend to migrate to the plastic surface during the melting process; while, since it has a large molecular weight, it can't move out completely. So we call it harmony and unity between migration and non-migration. due to this property, a dynamic lubrication layer formed between the plastic surface and the screw.
With processing keep going on, this lubrication layer is constantly being taken away and produced. So the flow of resin and processing are getting improved constantly and reducing electric current, equipment torque and improving the output. After the processing of twin-screw, silicone masterbatches will be evenly distributed in plastics and form a 1 to 2-micron oil particle under the microscope, those oil particles will offer the products a better appearance, nice hand feeling, lower COF, and greater abrasion and scratch resistance.
From the picture we can see that silicone will become small particles after scattered in plastics,one thing we need point out that dispersbility is the key index for silicone masterbatyches, the smaller of the particles , the more evenly distribute,the better result we will get.
All About Applications Of Silicone additives
Silicone Masterbatch for low-friction Telecom pipe
SILKE LYSI silicone masterbatch added in the inner layer of HDPE Telecom pipe, it reduces the coefficient of friction thus facilitates the blow of optic fiber cables to a longer distance. Its inner wall silicon core layer is extruded into the inside of the pipe wall by synchronization, distributed uniformly in the whole inner wall, the silicone core layer has the same physical and mechanical performance as the HDPE: no peel, no separation, but with permanent lubrication.
It is suitable for pipeline systems of PLB HDPE telecom duct, silicon core ducts ,outdoor telecommunication optical fiber, optical fiber cable, and Large diameter pipe, etc...
Anti scratch masterbatch for TPO Automotive compounds
The scratch performance of talc-PP and talc-TPO compounds has been of great focus, especially in automotive interior and exterior applications where appearance plays an important role in the customer's approval of automobile quality. While polypropylene or TPO-based automotive parts offer many cost/performance advantages over other materials, the scratch and mar performance of these products typically doesn't fulfill all customer expectations.
SILIKE Anti-scratch masterbatch series product is pelletized formulation with ultra-high molecular weight siloxane polymer dispersed in polypropylene and other thermoplastic resins and has good compatibility with the plastic substrate. these anti-scratch masterbatches enhanced compatibility with the Polypropylene (CO-PP/HO-PP ) matrix -- Resulting in lower phase segregation of the final surface, which means it stays on the surface of the final plastics without any migration or exudation, reducing fogging, VOCs or Odors.
A small addition will impart long-lasting scratch resistance for plastic parts, as well as better surface quality like aging resistance, hand feel, reduce dust accumulation, etc., These products are widely used in all kinds of PP, TPO, TPE, TPV, PC, ABS, PC/ABS modified materials, automotive interiors, household appliance shells, and sheets, such as door panels, dashboards, center consoles, instrument panels, home appliance door panels, sealing strips.
What is Anti scratch masterbatch?
Anti-scratch masterbatch is an efficient scratch resistance additive for auto interior PP/TPO compounds or other plastic systems, it is a pelletized formulation with 50% ultra-high molecular weight siloxane polymer with special functional groups which acts as anchoring effect in Polypropylene (PP ) and other thermoplastic resins. It helps improve long-lasting anti-scratch properties of automotive interiors& other plastic systems, by offering improvements in many aspects like Quality, Aging, Hand feel, Reduced dust buildup... etc.
Compare to conventional lower molecular weight Silicone / Siloxane additives, Amide, or other types of scratch additives, SILIKE Anti-scratch Masterbatch is expected to give a much better scratch resistance and meet PV3952 & GMW14688 standards.
Anti-abrasion Masterbatch for shoe's sole
Silicone masterbatch focus on enlarging its abrasion resistance property except for the general character of silicone additive, Anti-abrasion masterbatch is particularly developed for the footwear industry, mainly applied to EVA/TPR/TR/TPU/Color RUBBER/PVC compounds.
A small addition of them can effectively improve the final EVA, TPR, TR, TPU, rubber, and PVC shoe sole’s abrasion resistance and decrease the abrasion value in the thermoplastics, which is Effective for the DIN abrasion test.
This anti-wear additive can impart good processing performance, the abrasion resistance is the same both inside and outside. at the same time, the flowability of resin, and surface glossiness are improved as well, largely increasing the usage span of shoes. Unify the comfort and reliability of shoes.
What is Anti-abrasion Masterbatch?
SILIKE Anti-abrasion masterbatches series is a pelletized formulation with a UHMW Siloxane polymer dispersed in SBS, EVA, Rubber, TPU, and HIPS resins, It's particularly developed for EVA/TPR/TR/TPU/Color RUBBER/PVC shoe’s sole compounds, helps to improve the final items abrasion resistance and decrease the abrasion value in the thermoplastics. Effective for DIN, ASTM, NBS, AKRON, SATRA, and GB abrasion tests. In order to let footwear clients better understand this product's functionality and application, we can call it silicone abrasion agent, Anti-abrasion additive, Anti-wear masterbatch, anti-wear agent etc...
Processing additives For wire and cables
Some wire and cable makers replace PVC with materials like PE, and LDPE to avoid toxicity issues and support sustainability, but they face some challenges, such as HFFR PE cable compounds having high filler loading of metal hydrates, These fillers and additives negatively affect processability, including reducing screw torque that slows down throughput and using more energy and increasing die build-up which requires frequent interruptions for cleaning. To overcome these issues and optimize throughput, wire and cable insulation extruders incorporate silicone masterbatch as processing additives to optimize productivity and enhance the dispersion of flame retardants such as MDH/ATH.
Silike wire and cable compounding special processing additives series products are specially developed for wire and cable products to improve the processing flow ability, faster extrusion-line speed, better filler dispersion performance, less extrusion die drool, greater abrasion & scratch resistance, and synergetic flame retardant performance, etc.
They are widely used in LSZH/HFFR wire and cable compounds, silane crossing linking XLPE compounds, TPE wire, Low smoke & low COF PVC compounds, TPU wire and cables, charging pile cables and so on.Making wire and cable products eco-friendly, safer, and stronger for better end-use performance.
What is Processing additive?
Processing additive is a general term that refers to several different classes of materials used to improve the processability and handling of high-molecular-weight polymers. The benefits are realized mainly in the melt stage of the host polymer.
Silicone masterbatch is an efficient processing additive, it has good compatibility with the plastic substrate, to reduce melt viscosity, improves processability and compounding productivity, by enhancing the flame retardants dispersion, helps in reducing the COF, gives smooth surface finish properties, which improves the scratch resistance. as well as, benefits in saving energy costs by the lower extruder and die pressure, and avoiding die throughput for compounds in several build-ups on the extruder.
While the influence of this processing additive on the mechanical properties of flame-retardant polyolefin compounds varies from one formulation to another, the optimum content of silicone processing aids depends on the application requirement to obtain the best-integrated properties of the polymer composites.
Silicone wax for thermoplastic and thin-walled parts
How do achieve better tribological properties and greater processing efficiency of thermoplastic and thin-walled parts?
Silicone wax is a silicone product that was modified by a long-chain silicon group containing active functional groups or other thermoplastic resins. The basic properties of silicon and the properties of active functional groups, make silicone wax products have an important position in the thermoplastic and thin-walled parts processing field.
Widely used in PE, PP, PVC, PBT, PET, ABS, PC, and other thermoplastic products and thin-walled parts. which significantly reduced the coefficient of friction and improved wear resistance at lower loadings than PTFE while retaining important mechanical properties. It also additives in processing efficiency and improves material injectability. Besides, helps finished components deliver scratch resistance while enhancing surface quality. It has the characteristics of high lubricating efficiency, good mold release, small addition, good compatibility with plastics, and no precipitation.
What is silicone wax?
Silicone wax is a newly developed modified silicone product, which contains both silicone chain and some active functional groups in its molecular structure. It plays an important role in the processing of plastics and elastomers. Moreover, compared with ultra-high molecular weight silicone masterbatch, silicone wax products have lower molecular weight, easy to migrate without precipitation to the surface in plastics and elastomers, due to the active functional groups in the molecules that can play an anchoring role in the plastic and elastomer. Silicone wax can benefit to improvement of processing and modification surface properties of PE, PP, PET, PC, PE, ABS, PS, PMMA, PC/ABS, TPE, TPU, TPV, etc..which achieve the desired performance with a small dosage.
Silicone Powder for engineering plastics, color masterbatch
Silicone powder ( powder Siloxane ) LYSI series is a powder formulation that contains 55%~70% UHMW Siloxane polymer dispersed in Silica. Suitable for various applications like wire&cable compounds, engineering plastics, color/ filler masterbatches...
Compare to conventional lower molecular weight Silicone / Siloxane additives, like Silicone oil, silicone fluids or other type processing aids, SILIKE Silicone powder is expected to give improved benefits on the processing properties and modify the surface quality of final products, eg, Less screw slippage, improved mold release, reduce die drool, a lower coefficient of friction, fewer paint and printing problems, and a broader range of performance capabilities. What’s more, it has synergistic flame retardancy effects when combined with aluminum phosphinate and other flame retardants. Slightly increases LOI and reduces heat release rate, smog, and carbon monoxide emissions.
What is Silicone Powder?
Silicone powder is a high-performance white powder with excellent silicone properties such as lubricity, shock absorption, light diffusion, heat resistance, and weather resistance, It provides high processing and surface performances to a wide variety of products in synthetic resins, engineering plastics, color masterbatch, filler masterbatch, paints, inks, and coating materials by adding silicone powder.
SILIKE Silicone powder formed by 50%-70% ultra-high molecular weight siloxane polymer without an organic carrier, used in all kinds of resin systems to improve the flow or resin and processing (better mold filling & mold release, less extruder torque,) and modify surface properties( better surface quality, lower COF, greater abrasion & scratch resistance)
Processing Lubricants for WPC Enhanced output and surface quality
These SILIKE Processing Lubricants are made by pure silicone polymers modifed by some special functional groups , especially designed for wood plastic composites, by using special groups in the molecule and lignin interaction, to fix the molecule, and then the polysiloxane chain segment in the molecule achieves lubrication effects and improves the effects of other properties;
A small dosage of it can significantly improve the processing properties and surface quality, It can reduce both internal and external friction of wood-plastic composites, improve the sliding ability between materials and equipment, more effectively reduce the torque of equipment, reduce energy consumption, and improve production capacity, improve hydrophobic properties, reduce water absorption, increased moisture resistance, stain resistance, significantly reduce energy consumption, and enhanced sustainability.No blooming, long-term smoothness. Suitable for HDPE, PP, PVC wood plastic composites.
What is Processing Lubricants for WPC?
Wood–plastic composite is a composite material made of plastic as a matrix and wood as filler, the most critical areas of additive selection for WPCs are coupling agents, lubricants, and colorants, with chemical foaming agents and biocides not far behind.
lubricants increase throughput and improve WPC surface appearance. WPCs can use standard lubricants for polyolefins and PVC, such as ethylene bis-stearamide (EBS)， zinc stearate, paraffin waxes, and oxidized PE.
For HDPE with a typical 50% to 60% wood content, the lubricant level can be 4% to 5%, while a similar wood-PP composite typically uses 1% to 2%, total lubricant level in wood-PVC is 5 to 10 phr.
SILIKE SILIMER Processing lubricant for WPC, a structure that combines special groups with polysiloxane, 2 phr can greatly improve the inner and outer lubricant properties and performance of wood-plastic composites while reducing production costs.
High-temperature Permanent slip solutions for films
SILIKE Super-slip masterbatch has several grades with resin carriers like PE, PP, EVA, TPU..etc, and contains 10%~50% UHMW Polydimethylsiloxane or other functional polyomers. a small dosage can reduce the COF and improve the surface finish in film processing, delivering stable, permanent slip performance, and enabling them to maximize quality and consistency over time and under high-temperature conditions, thus can free customers from storage time and temperature constraints, and relieve worries about additive migration, to preserve film’s ability to be printed and metalized. Almost no influence on transparency. Suitable for BOPP, CPP, BOPET, EVA, TPU film...
What is Super-slip masterbatch?
The function part of super-slip masterbatch normally are Silicone, PPA, amide series, wax types....While SILIKE super-slip masterbatch is specially developed for Plastic film products. Using specially modified silicone polymer as the active ingredient, it overcomes the key defects of general slip agents, including the continuous precipitation of the smooth agent from the surface of the film, the smooth performance decreasing with time going by, and the rise of temperature with unpleasant odors, etc. With SILIKE super-slip masterbatch, no need to worry about migration problems, it can achieve low COF, especially from film to metal at elevated temperatures. And it has both types contains anti-blocking agent or not.
Tackle squeaking in automotive interior applications
Noise reduction is an urgent issue in the automotive industry. The noise, vibration, and sound vibration (NVH) inside the cockpit are more prominent in ultra-quiet electric vehicles. We hope that the cabin becomes a paradise for leisure and entertainment. Self-driving cars need a quiet internal environment.
Many components used in car dashboards, center consoles, and trim strips are made of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) alloy. When two parts move relative to each other (stick-slip effect), friction and vibration will cause these materials to produce noise. Traditional noise solutions include the secondary application of felt, paint or lubricant, and special noise-reducing resins. The first option is multi-process, low efficiency, and anti-noise instability, while the second option is very expensive. To address this issue, Silike has developed an anti-squeaking masterbatch SILIPLAS 2070, that provides excellent permanent anti-squeaking performance for PC / ABS parts at a reasonable cost. Low loading of 4 wt%, achieved an anti-squeak risk priority number (RPN <3 ), indicating that the material is not squeaking and does not present any risk for long-term squeaking issues.
What is anti-squeaking masterbatch?
SILIKE's anti-squaking masterbatch is a special polysiloxane, Since the anti-squeaking particles are incorporated during the mixing or injection molding process, there is no need for post-processing steps that slow down the production speed. It is important that SILIPLAS 2070 masterbatch maintain the mechanical properties of PC/ABS alloy-including its typical impact resistance. In the past, due to post-processing, complex part design became difficult or impossible to achieve complete post-processing coverage. In contrast, This anti-squeaking masterbatch does not need to modify the design to optimize its anti-squeaking performance. By expanding design freedom, this novel special polysiloxane technology can benefit automobile OEMs, transportation, consumer, construction, and home appliances industries and all walks of life.
Silicone Gum Typical Application
Silike silicone gum has the characteristics of high molecular weight, low vinyl content, small compression deformation, excellent resistance to saturated water vapor, etc. This product is suitable to be used as raw material gum for manufacturing silicone additives, color developing agents, vulcanizing agents, and low hardness silicone products raw rubber, masterbatches of pigments, processing additives, silicone elastomers; and reinforcing and diluting fillers for plastics and organic elastomers.
Benefits：
1. The molecular weight of raw gum is higher, and the content of vinyl is reduced so that the silicone gum has fewer crosslinking points, less vulcanizing agent, lower yellowing degree, better surface appearance, and higher grade of the product under the premise of maintaining strength;
2. Volatile matter control within 1%, the product smell is lower, can be used in high VOC requirement applications;
3. With high molecular weight gum and better wear resistance when applicated to plastics;
4. Molecular weight control range is stricter so that the strength of products, hand feeling, and other indicators more uniform.
5. High molecular weight raw gum, keeps non-stick, used for color master raw gum, vulcanizing agent raw gum with better handling.
What is Silicone Gum?
Silicone Gum is a high molecular weight raw gum with low vinyl content. named Silicone Gum, also called Methyl Vinyl Silicone Gum, is insoluble in water, and soluble in toluene, and other organic solvents.
Packing & Delivery
To better ensure the safety of your goods, professional, environmentally friendly, product packing use craft paper bag plus an inner PE bag to ensure the package is insulated from the atmosphere so that the product won’t absorb moisture. We use dedicated line logistics transportation to key markets to ensure the timely dispatch of
goods.
Certificate
Anti-scratch Masterbatch complies with Volkswagen PV3952 and GM GMW14688 standards
Anti-scratch Masterbatch complies with Volkswagen PV1306 (96x5), with no migration or tackiness
Anti-scratch Masterbatch passed Natural weathering exposure test (Hainan), with no stickiness issue after 6 months
VOCs emission testing passed GMW15634-2014
Anti-abrasion Masterbatch meets DIN Standard
Anti-abrasion Masterbatch meets NBS Standard
All silicone additives are in line with RoHS, REACH Standards
All silicone additives are in line with FDA, EU 10/2011, GB 9685 Standards
FAQ
1. who are we?
Head quarter : Chengdu
Sales offices ：Guangdong, Jiangsu ,and Fujian
20+ years experience in silicone and plastics for processing and surface application of plastics and rubber.Our products are well recognized by customers and the industries, and have been exported to more than 50 countries and regions overseas.
2. how can we guarantee quality?
Always final Inspection before shipment; Keep sample storage for 2 years for each batch.
Some of the test Instruments (total more than 60+)
Professional R&D team, Applications testing support ensure no more worries
3.what can you buy from us?
silicone additive,silicone masterbatch,Silicone Powder
Anti-scratch Masterbatch, Anti-abrasion Masterbatch
Anti-squeaking Masterbatch, Additive Masterbatch For WPC
