Plastics additives nucleating agents

Atmer . [ICI Polymer Additives ICI Surf. Belgium] Antifog agent anti-stat lubricant cling agent for plastics, films nucleating agent plasticizer. 

As reported above, the addition of plasticizers is considered a relatively simple route to modify the thermal and mechanical properties of polymers. Blending polymers with plasticizers may modify the physical properties of polymers and a decrease in processing temperature can be achieved. Thus, PHB is commonly blended with plasticizers and nucleation agents that lead to a lower glass temperature and lower crystallinity due to the formation of numerous, small, and imperfect crystallites. 

Processing additives. Plasticizers, stabilizers, nucleating agents, crosslinking agents, and so on. 

Shanks R A and Tiganis B E (1998) Nucleating agents for thermoplastics, In Plastics additives, an A-Z reference, Pritchard G (Ed), Chapman Hall London, pp 464-472. 

During or at the end of the EPS production, a number of additives can be incorporated to improve process and application properties. Additives can include nucleation agents, flame retardants, fast-cool agents, anti-lump and anti-static agents, stabilizers, plasticizers, pigments, etc. Some of the more important additives and their functions are described in more detail below. 

The topics to be covered in some detaU in this chapter are antistats, blowing agents, catalysts, fire retardants, mold-release agents, nucleating agents, reinforcements, stabilizers, and surfactants. These topics are presently in alphabetical order as a matter of convenience. The reader should be aware that there are a number of additives used in plastic foams that serve dual functions. These will be noted in the following text. 

In plastics, wear depends on adhesion and deformation of soft material. Frictional forces are proportional to velocity rather than load as in the case of metals. A number of additives can improve wear and slip properties. PTFE has lower friction coefficient than any other material. Additionally, its particles form a film on shearing surfaces thus decreasing friction. Its addition is very effective in high-pressure applications. Optimum additions are 20% in crystalline polymers and 15% in amorphous ones. Molybdenum disulfide is primarily used in PA compounds. It works as a nucleating agent, promoting increased crystallinity in PA, thus providing harder, more wear... 

For organizational reasons, not all additives will be discussed in this chapter. Plasticizers, lubricants, and reinforcing fibers will be discussed in Chapter 35, peroxides have been treated in Chapter 20 (and further treated in Chapter 36), textile aids and finishes will be handled in Chapter 38, nucleating agents have been discussed in Chapter 10, and antistatic agents have been described in Chapter 13. 

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