Anti Block

Confidential and proprietary information © 2007 EPM, LLC

Diatomaceous Earth Antiblock Agentsfor Polyolefin Films

Distributor Meeting, September 2007


What is an What is an ““AntiblockAntiblock””? ?

AntiblocksAntiblocks (AB) are typically minerals that are (AB) are typically minerals that are used to prevent used to prevent ““blockingblocking”” in plastic film. in plastic film. Blocking is when film sheets adhere to one Blocking is when film sheets adhere to one another, due to static charge and other another, due to static charge and other factors. Antiblock additives reduce the factors. Antiblock additives reduce the tendency for sheets to block by interrupting tendency for sheets to block by interrupting the smooth film surface and reducing the filmthe smooth film surface and reducing the film--toto--film contact surface area.film contact surface area.

1 mil(25 μm)


Primary Polyolefin FilmsPrimary Polyolefin Films

• Linear Low Polyethylene (LLDPE)

• Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

• Polypropylene (PP)


Types of CustomersTypes of Customers

• Plastic resin producers– Exxon – 3,000+ tons (antiblock usage)– Nova – 700 tons– Equistar – 750 tons– Dow – 750 tons– Westlake Polymer – 1,000+ tons– Huntsman – 400 tons

• Compounders– Producers sometimes elect to have companies “compound” or make a

“Masterbatch” concentrate of their resin. The producer provides their resin to the compounder, who blends additives (slip, anti-oxidants, AB) into the resin and makes a “Masterbatch”.


Important ParametersImportant Parameters

• Anti-blocking efficiency (One of 2 most important)– Quantity of additive required to achieve desired result

• Haze (One of 2 most important)– Related to refractive index

• Color – Yellow (Yi) is the worst

• COF – Coefficient of friction

• Clarity – Similar to haze, but not as important


Types of AntiblocksTypes of Antiblocks

• Synthetic (Precipitated) Silica

• Talc

• Nepheline Syenite

• Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

• Talc Blends



• Synthetic (Precipitated) Silica– Expensive: $1,500 - $4,000 per metric ton

– Non-crystalline silica

– Predominantly used in Europe, Asia, and S. America

– High optical quality• Used extensively in PP and high clarity LLDPE and LDPE films

– Common in SE Asia and S. America due to high optical quality

– Grace (Sylobloc), Eneos (Gasil) and Unimin (Sipernat) are major producers


• Talc– Produced by Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI)– Priced comparably to DE antiblocks: $600 - $700– Good Color– Antiblocking properties suspect at high temperatures– Crystalline silica– Trade name:

• Optibloc 10 • Optibloc 25



• Nepheline Syenite– Produced by Silbeco– Good haze– Poor antiblocking efficiency– Only one major domestic customer (Westlake)

• More prevalent in Europe– Trade name:

• Minex• Minbloc



• Diatomaceous Earth (DE)– Chemically inert

– Excellent dimensional stability

– Good dispersion

– Good color, refractive index very similar to LDPE

– EP Competitor: World Minerals (Celite)• Super Floss

• Micro-Ken 801

• SuperFine SuperFloss (SFSF)

• White Mist– SFSF and White Mist are rare due to high price.

• Differentiation of Celite products based on median particle size.

• Kenite is extremely variable in color, ranging from yellow to gray



CelatomCelatom DE DE AntiblocksAntiblocks

• MW-25 median particle size: 11-12 microns– Suitable for medium to thick films

– Excellent color and consistency

– Lower price

• Celabrite median particle size: 9-10 microns– Similar to Super Floss

– Equal to Super Floss for antiblocking, COF and Haze

• CelaBloc median particle size: 6-7 microns– Similar to White Mist or SFSF

– Superior to SuperFloss and Micro-Ken 801 for Yi and Haze• Especially superior in LDPE resin

– Equal or better than some synthetic silicas (Sylobloc) in LLDPE resins

– Not commercially available• Expect to re-launch in 2008 after Vale expansion Phase 2

• All three have better color than SF, SFSF, White Mist, noticeably better than Kenite

• Celabrite and CelaBloc are at least equal to SuperFloss in all parameters


• High Brightness• Low Yi in PE Film• Low Impurities• Consistent Quality• High Performance

CelatomCelatom DE DE AntiblocksAntiblocks


Comparison Test ResultsComparison Test Results


CelabriteCelabrite®® and and CelaBlocCelaBloc®® havehavelower Haze than lower Haze than SuperflossSuperfloss®®

Haze % in 1.5 mil 2 MI LDPE film (2MI)at 4000 ppm

7.7

9.4

8.2

9.9

6.00

6.50

7.00

7.50

8.00

8.50

9.00

9.50

10.00

10.50

1

LDPE Control

Celabrite 4000 ppm

CelaBloc 4000 ppm

Superfloss 4000 ppm

Haz

e %

Ha z

e %


Yellowness Index-LDPE 2 MI Pellets with 4000 ppm Antiblock

0.06

-4.67

-0.75 -0.94

-5.00

-4.00

-3.00

-2.00

-1.00

0.00

1.00

1

13-0 LDPE Control13 Celabrite 4000 ppm14 CelaBloc 4000 ppm15 Superfloss 4000 ppm

MORE YELLOW

Yello

wne

ss In

dex

CelabriteCelabrite®® and and CelaBlocCelaBloc®® have betterhave bettercolor (lower Yi) than Superflosscolor (lower Yi) than Superfloss®®


Induced Blocking at 60 deg C and 1.2 kPa in 1.5 mil LDPE film (2MI) at 4000 ppm

116

52.4 53.545.8

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1

LDPE ControlCelabrite 4000 ppmCelaBloc 4000 ppmSuperfloss 4000 ppm

CelabriteCelabrite®® and and CelaBlocCelaBloc®® have comparablehave comparableantianti--blocking performance vs. Superflossblocking performance vs. Superfloss®®

Blo

ckin

g Fo

rce,

gra

ms


Gloss in 1.5 mil LDPE film (2MI) at 4000 ppm

70.0

70.6

68.3

69.5

67.0

67.5

68.0

68.5

69.0

69.5

70.0

70.5

71.0

1

13-0 LDPE Control13 Celabrite 4000 ppm14 CelaBloc 4000 ppm15 Superfloss 4000 ppm

CelabriteCelabrite®® and and CelaBlocCelaBloc®® havehavesuperior Gloss vs. Superflosssuperior Gloss vs. Superfloss®®

Gloss at 45 deg


Kinetic COF in 1.5 mil LDPE film (2MI)at 4000 ppm

0.52 0.51 0.49

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1.00

13 Celabrite 4000 ppm

14 CelaBloc 4000 ppm

15 Superfloss 4000 ppm

CelabriteCelabrite®® and and CelaBlocCelaBloc®® are comparable are comparable to to SuperflossSuperfloss ®® in slip performancein slip performance

Kinetic COF


CelaBlocCelaBloc®® has better color (lower Yi) has better color (lower Yi) than than SyloblocSylobloc®® or or ImsilImsil®®

Yellowness Index per inch, Octene LLDPE Film

-10.00

-8.00

-6.00

-4.00

-2.00

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000PPM Antiblock

Yello

wne

ss In

dex

CelaBlocSylobloc 47Imsil A10


CelaBlocCelaBloc®® has better haze thanhas better haze thanSyloblocSylobloc®®, equal to , equal to ImsilImsil®®

Haze in Octene LLDPE Film-1.2 mil

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000

PPM Antiblock

Haz

e %

per

mil

thic

knes

s

CelaBlocSylobloc 47Imsil A10


CelaBlocCelaBloc®® has better antihas better anti--blocking blocking effectiveness than effectiveness than ImsilImsil®®, equal to , equal to SyloblocSylobloc®®

1.2 mil film, Induced Blocking at 60 C and 6.8 kPa

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

160.0

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000

PPM Antiblock

Mea

n Lo

ad, g

ram

s

CelaBloc

Sylobloc 47

Imsil A10


Summary of LLDPE PerformanceSummary of LLDPE Performance

Summary of Experimental Study-octene LLDPE

• CelaBloc® exhibits better (lower) film Yellowness (YI) compared to Sylobloc® and Imsil A10®

• CelaBloc® shows better antiblocking than Imsil A10® and equal to Sylobloc®

• CelaBloc® exhibits equivalent haze to Imsil A10®, but much better than Sylobloc®

Anti Block

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