Additives are the key to deliver the required performance in more demanding applications. Polymer additives are therefore a very exciting R&D area leading to development of new applications of plastics.

• Norner is specialist in development and testing of differenct additive recipes for different thermoplastic materials. 
• Norner runs a portfolio of customer projects in this field and is a key resource in several R&D programs.
• A success factor is our extensive contacts with additive suppliers, polymer producers and end users.

Our methods and equipment:

• Accurate sample preparation e.g. extraction
• HPLC with following detectors:
  • UV–VIS / DAD (Diode Array Detector)
  • RI-Dector (Refractive Dectector)
• GC with following detectors:
  • FID (Flame Ionization Detector)
  • MS (Mass Spectrometry)
  • Thermal desorber and headspace and SPME

Additive performance testing

• New equipment for antistatic measurements
• New methods for Gas Fading, Filter testing and Friability 

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Norner additive team analyse the purity of several commercially available antioxidants. The results of AO1010 and P168 are described below.

PURITY of AO1010

• AO1010 (CAS no. 6683-19-8) is produced in a 2-stage process. The main product is a tetra-ester, but AO1010 contains several substances as by-products. There is a high focus on polymer purity, both from polyolefin producers and within legislation.
• EU’s food contact regulation, Regulation (EC) No 10/2011, refers to NIAS (non-intentionally added substances) and states that the main impurities of a substance should be considered and if necessary to be included in the specifications of a substance.
• Norner has checked AO1010 from the global key suppliers.
• We are able to give a “finger print” of AO1010 from the different suppliers. The benefit with Norner’s study is that all analysis has been done with the same instruments and the same operator per analytic method.
• Norner’s study has shown that the main impurity substance "Metilox" varies from ca. 500 ppm to ca. 6.000 ppm. 

PURITY of P168

• P168 (CAS no. 31570-04-4) is produced in a 1-stage process. The main by-product is 2,4-DTBP (2,4-di-tert. butyl phenol), the starting phenol to make P168 and the resulting phenol from a hydrolytic reaction of P168.  
• Norner has checked P168 from the global key suppliers. Norner’s study has shown that the level of 2,4-DTBP varies from ca. 100 ppm to ca. 1.300 ppm. 

The main purpose with antioxidants is to protect polymers during processing and end use. 

Typical process-stabilisers are vitamin E, phosphites (phosphonites), hydroxyl amines, amine oxides and lactones and the typical performance test is multiple extrusions in a PP homopolymer. Unstabilised PP is preblended with additives, compounded under inert conditions followed by multiple extrusions under air atmosphere. MFI and yellowness index are measured after 0, 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th extrusion.  

Typical AO for end use is sterically hindered phenols, aromatic amines and sulfur based synergists (e.g. DSTDP). After compounding of agreed recipes, the PP based samples are injection moulded (1 mm test specimens) followed by oven ageing at 135 and 150 °C and time to degradation is measured. 

We provide specialised methods for measuring of antistatic conditions.

Static decay meter

• Electro-tech systems, inc.
• Model 406D
• Measures the ability of charged material to dissipate when grounded
• Meets requirements of Method 4046, MIL-PRF-81705D, EIA-541, NFPA 99, INDA, ESD Association and other electrostatic decay test methods
• Adjustable 0 to 5kV high voltage power supply
• Cutoff levels of 50%,10% & 1% 

Anti-fog equipment

• Cold fog test
• Visual evaluation of the anti-fog appearance
• 250ml beaker, cover the top of the beaker with a sample of the test film
• Place the beaker with samples in cold chamber
• Observe the fog formation after specified time, e.g. 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, +++
• Rating according to table

Certain additives (and pigments) may contain particles that can block screens used in production equipment. Especially within PP fibre production very fine screen packs are used to prevent blocking the hundreds of dies in a spinning machine. 

Calcium stearate is the key acid scavenger used within polyolefins. In some grades the size and content of by-products such as calcium hydroxide and calcium carbonate may lead to blocking the screen pack and extra work for the fibre producer.

 Norner offers a test where 2.0% calcium stearate is mixed with 0.1% antioxidant and 97.9% PP powder. The PP powder is a very pure PP specially selected for filter test. 

The normal test is using a screen pack with 1400 mesh (ca. 10-11 microns) as the finest screen. The filter test result is a measure of the pressure difference divided by kg of PP tested.

Some customers prefer a tougher test with 5 microns as the finest screen. Such test is also offered by Norner.

Additive qualification centre presents new methods for gas fading and friability.

 With additives we can:

• Control the life time cycle
• Improve properties
• Change appearance
• Change behaviour 

To be able to do this, we need tools, such as:

Friability analysis

Some additive products have a tendency to break and crumble during transport.

• Friability test. Measuring the ability to resist particle fracture
• Method A: Robustness of One Pack additives
• Method B: Robustness of FF additives

Gas fading

Some polymers have a tendency to have discolouration due to reaction with NOxSources of NOx.

• Air pollution in general
• Combustion engines (e. g. fork lift)
• Mold heating by flames (e. g. rotomolding)
• Surface treatment of films (flame)
• Method according ISO 105-G02

Nucleating agents are mostly used within PP and they offer many benefits such as reduced cycle time during injection moulding, improved mechanical properties, improved dimensional stability, increased heat deflection temperature (HDT) and in some cases improved optical properties. 

Norner offers several tests, the tests are performed in PP random copolymer and/or PP homopolymer.

We offer:

1. Melting point and freezing point by DSC
2. Crystallisation speed by DSC (isothermal crystallisation half time)
3. Mechanical properties of injection moulded test specimens (E-modulus, charpy impact, HDT)
4. Haze on injection moulded samples (1- and 2-mm thickness)

The combination of slip- and antiblocking agents is mainly used within films. The slip agent secures smooth sliding of the film against metal rollers during production and also film against film. The antiblocking agent secures that is possible to open a bag that is squeezed flat. 

Typical slip agents are unsaturated primary fatty acid amides like erucamide and oleamide. They will have a controlled migration to the surface of polyolefin films. Coefficient of Friction (CoF) is measured as function of time after film production. 

Typical antiblocking agents (AB) are inorganic substances such as talc and silica. Specific particle size of such additives is selected to give a topography at the film surface; if the particles are too big, they puncture the film and if too fine they will not give the desired surface effect. Blocking force is measured after contact of 2 films at elevated temperature for a given time.

Aniblocking agents will contribute to haze and haze measurements are important to find the optimum AB candidate.

Norner compounding experts can determine the effect of processing and degradation of polymers on their final performance.

• Degradation of plastic material is an important issue when it comes to the practical use of plastic materials.
• By multiple extrusions we are able to determine how well plastic materials, recipes or blends are stabilised with regards to process conditions and further use.
• Small scale laboratory extruders allow us to carry out tests with minimum quantity of material to simulate processing degradation.

Polymer degradation can be studied by different methods

• Melt flow rate and colour deviations
• Molecular weight distribution
• Spectroscopy
• Chromatography
• Differential Scanning Calorimeter
• Morphology by light microscopy

The project plan and specifications will be designed together with our customer in order to ensure appropriate results.

The main purpose with UV stabilisers (UV absorbers and HALS) is to protect a polymer for outdoor use.

• After compounding of agreed recipes, the PP based samples are injection moulded (2 mm test specimens) followed by weathering in WOM (weather-o-meter). We offer both non-destructive and destructive testing.
• In non-destructive testing, samples are taken out of WOM after agreed time and tested for e.g. gloss and carbonyl index by FTIR. After testing, the samples are tested further in WOM until next test period.
• Another way to test is to check e.g. tensile properties at agreed intervals and continue the testing until lifetime which is time to reach 50% of the original test value, e.g. elongation at break.
• We provice testing of agricultural films where we treat samples with artificial pesticides (sulphur- and/or chlorine based) at agreed intervals. Such films can be compared with non-treated films in WOM testing.
• We offer natural testing in addition to artificial weathering.