While the official market launch of Palsgaard’s new anti-fouling additive will take place at K 2022 this year in Düsseldorf, journalists were given an early introduction to the new product at the pre-K event organised by EMG earlier this month in Rotterdam.
In a presentation delivered by Laura Juhl, application manager at Palsgaard, it became clear that the new, proprietary additive was a step beyond the products that make up the company’s current portfolio of plant-based, food-grade and surface-active products.
Until now, that portfolio of polymer additives, all developed by Palsgaard and marketed under the Einar name, has been comprised of anti-fog, anti-static and dispersion products. As migratory additives, they can be safely used in all food packaging applications and a range of other uses where caution is required with respect to the migration of additives from the packaging material to packaged goods.
As Laura pointed out: “You don’t notice if they are added. You know if they aren’t.”
With this newest product, the company has shifted focus. Instead of targeting the end product, this anti-fouling additive is introduced during the polypropylene and polyethylene polymerisation process. Called Einar 981, it has been developed to remove severe concerns about the ethoxylated amine chemistry currently used.
Fouling in polymerisation reactors - and associated systems – can occur for several reasons and pose a significant problem in polyolefin production processes. A thin layer of polymer can form on the interior surfaces of the reactor walls, reducing heat transfer and hence the efficiency of the reactor, explained Laura. Also, once a layer has formed, it tends to attract the formation of additional layers.
Einar 981 works by eliminating the static build-up during polymerisation and prevents the build-up of polymer on the reactor wall, thus helping PP and PE producers maintain the cooling efficiency of the reactor. It provides high anti-fouling efficiency at low concentration (100-300 ppm) without any negative effects on catalyst mileage, productivity or final polymer performance.
Its active compound is a polyglycerol ester blend of fatty acids derived from RSPO certified sustainable palm oil and offers a drop-in regulatory-compliant solution to replace incumbent ethoxylated amines. It can also be used as a more efficient alternative to sorbitan monooleates. The product is supplied as a clear and easily pumpable liquid for use in existing dosing systems.
Safe and non-toxic, it is a highly suitable process additive for application in the polymerisation of PP and PE materials for sensitive applications, including e.g. medical devices and baby food containers.
Palsgaard is exhibiting at the K 2022 (Hall 7, Level 1, Booth D20 ) trade fair which takes place in Düsseldorf from 19-26 October.
