In the plastic film manufacturing, PE (Polyethylene) blown films play a vital role in countless packaging applications. However, the process of producing high-quality PE films comes with its own set of challenges, and this is where slip and anti-block agents come into the picture.
The necessity of using slip and anti-block agents in PE blown film processing cannot be overstated. As PE films are produced, they have a natural tendency to stick together due to their smooth and flexible nature. This phenomenon, known as blocking, can cause significant issues during film winding, storage, and subsequent use. Without the addition of anti-block agents, the films would clump together, making it impossible to unwind them smoothly or use them for packaging purposes. Additionally, the surface friction of the films can be relatively high, which may lead to difficulties in high-speed packaging operations. Here, slip agents come to the rescue. They reduce the coefficient of friction on the film surface, allowing for smoother handling and faster processing. For example, in the packaging of food products like snacks or frozen goods, the films need to slide easily over packaging machinery to ensure efficient production lines.
When it comes to the types of slip agents available, there is a diverse range. One common category is fatty acid amides. These are widely used due to their effectiveness in reducing friction. They work by migrating to the film surface and creating a lubricating layer. Another type is silicone-based slip agents, which offer excellent slip properties and are particularly suitable for applications where a very low coefficient of friction is required, such as in the production of medical device packaging. There are also wax-based slip agents that provide a cost-effective solution for some general-purpose packaging applications.
However, while amide-based slip agents are popular, they do pose a potential problem – the issue of blooming or migration. When excessive amounts of amide slip agents are used, over time, they can migrate to the film surface and crystallize. This blooming effect can lead to a hazy or cloudy appearance on the film, which is far from desirable, especially in applications where transparency is crucial, like in the packaging of clear products such as cosmetics or some premium food items. Moreover, the migrated amide can also affect the printability of the film. It may interfere with ink adhesion, resulting in poor printing quality, smudging, or even ink peeling. This can be a major setback for brands that rely on vibrant and clear packaging prints to attract consumers.
SILIKE non-Blooming slip agent, improve the quality of flexible packaging or other film products
In order to solve this problem, SILIKE’s research and development team has successfully developed a film smoothing agent with non-precipitation characteristics through trial and error and improvement. SILIKE super slip and anti-blocking masterbatch is a product particularly researched and developed for plastics films. This product contains a specially modified silicone polymer as the active ingredient to overcome the common problems which traditional smoothing agents have, such as precipitation and high temperature stickiness, etc.
SILIKE non-Blooming slip agent is a modified co-polysiloxane product containing active organic functional groups, and its molecules contain both polysiloxane chain segments and long carbon chain active groups. In the preparation of plastic film, it has the outstanding characteristics of high temperature smooth, low fog, no precipitation, no powder, no impact on heat sealing, no impact on printing, no odor, stable friction coefficient and so on. This product is widely used in the production of BOPP/CPP/PE/TPU/EVA films, suitable for casting, blow molding and drawing processes.
In conclusion, understanding the proper use of slip and anti-block agents in PE blown film processing is essential for manufacturers. By carefully selecting the right type and amount of these additives, they can overcome the challenges of film blocking and high friction, while also mitigating the potential quality issues associated with certain agents.
If you want to improve the quality of flexible packaging or other film products, you can consider changing the smoothing agent, if you want to try a film smoothing agent without precipiting, you can contact SILIEK, we have a wide range of plastic film processing solutions.
Contact us Tel: +86-28-83625089 or via email: amy.wang@silike.cn.
website: www.siliketech.com to learn more.
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