Newly emerging clarifying agents for polypropylene (PP) and blown-film polyethylene (PE) do more than make these polymers more transparent. They also offer other a host of other improvements, including greater strength, fewer taste and odor problems, lower effective usage concentrations, and reduced cycle times in processing. As a result, these multifunctional clarifiers promise to extend the performance range of PP and PE, making them suitable for markets that were previously closed to them.
An example of the new multifunctional clarifiers is a recently launched product for PP. The new entry, Millad NX8000, is said to provide 50% more haze reduction than previous clarifying formulations. It also reportedly offers additional performance benefits, including increased strength and rigidity, and improved thermal and chemical resistance. According to Milliken Chemical, which unveiled the new clarifier at the K2007 Plastics Show in Düsseldorf, Germany, the product is ideal for packaging applications such as blow-molded bottles.