US-based Cabot Corp. has unveiled new grades of black masterbatch with up to 45% attributed recycled content.
The two new grades - Replasblak reUN5285 45% and Replasblak reUN5290 20% – add to the Replasblak portfolio first launched in November 2023, which already includes three black masterbatch grades with up to 100% attributed recycled content. The grades have received International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) certification.
The two new grades enable the use of a single masterbatch at a low addition rate, resulting in material management efficiency in the product manufacturing process. Furthermore, both grades enable high gloss and high jetness pigmentation, offering superior colour performance and mechanical properties similar to a standard universal black masterbatch, Cabot said in a statement. This makes the solutions suitable for use in various applications in the automotive segment, including interiors, exterior parts and under-the-hood applications.
Replasblak reUN5285 features 45% ISCC PLUS mass balance certified material made from mechanically recycled polymer. The solution is suitable for compounding applications in the automotive industry.
Replasblak reUN5290 features 20% ISCC PLUS mass balance certified material made from mechanically recycled polymer. The solution is suitable for compounding as well as direct injection moulding and sheet extrusion applications in the automotive industry.
“By aligning with third-party certifications like ISCC PLUS, our customers have the validation they need to ensure the integrity and performance of our global supply chain as they progress toward their sustainability targets and ambitions,” said Jeff Zhu, executive vice president and president, Carbon & Silica Technologies, Battery Materials and Asia Pacific Region. “The introduction of our new products underscores our unwavering commitment to advancing sustainable materials innovation and developing novel solutions that pave the way for a more sustainable future.”
A significant issue with virgin black masterbatches and carbon black products is their high environmental impact and the fact that carbon black pigments are not detectable by near-infrared (NIR) optical sorting systems – the most common systems used by plastic recyclers. In a 2019 interview with Sustainable Plastics, a Cabot representative said that there are technologies that can sort carbon black-reinforced black plastics, and that the company was working with a number of sensor-makers and sorting machinery manufacturers. Moreover, it announced plans to launch black masterbatches with 100% recycled content, which it has now fulfilled, as well as to incorporate 100% recycled carbon black, which it is still in the works.