Consumables
Americhem Brings New Product Innovations to the Fibers Industry
Thursday 17. April 2008 - Americhem, a global supplier of color and additive solutions for polymer-based products, is consistently working to deliver breakthrough solutions to the fibers industry.
A focused effort by the company’s fibers team has resulted in a stream of new product offerings — many of which offer performance and cost-savings previously unavailable in the industry.
“As the technology leader in the production of color and additives for synthetic fibers, Americhem has a responsibility to continuously work toward identifying and developing new solutions,” says Rob Clayton, Business Director for NAFTA Fibers at Americhem.
Among the recently introduced products are new yellow, black and red dispersions, along with two UV stabilizers. Each offers new alternatives to traditional products with enhanced performance characteristics. Americhem designed the offerings in response to industry demand or based on gaps in current industry solutions.
Americhem’s new yellow dispersions for polypropylene and nylon offers clients a non-SARA-reportable (Superfund Amends and Reauthorization) alternative. This product can be used as a replacement for heavy-metal colorants and works well with indoor and outdoor fiber applications because of its excellent colorfastness.
“In addition to its environmentally friendly benefits, this yellow colorant delivers equal color value when compared with traditional alternatives. It also offers excellent filtration properties and heat stability,” comments Roger Threadgill, Technology Manager — Fibers and Engineering Resins at Americhem. “This is the answer in the yellow color space for those who wish to eliminate the use of SARA-reportable pigments like lead chromate.”
Red 214 (NT), the newest red colorant in Americhem’s product line, represents a new option in Americhem’s color palette. This red offers a lower cost, high performance option for mass tone. “Red is one of the most expensive color spaces to produce in nylon fiber applications. Americhem stabilization technology allows this non-traditional color to be cost-effective when used in nylon,” says Threadgill.
Americhem’s new X84 Technology offers a carbon black with loadings of up to 30% with minimal pack pressure rise. Threadgill states, “We benchmarked the industry and went about designing a black dispersion that performs better than anything in the industry. That’s what the X84 technology is all about. It offers clients an exceptionally cost-effective, high-yield alternative.”
Continues Threadgill, “Anyone who needs to color nylon and wants a carbon black dispersion would find this useful. This product can be used in nylon fibers, and even molded applications such as automotive components — exterior parts and under the hood applications — wiring harnesses, etc.”
Americhem has also introduced two versions of a UV stabilizer for polypropylene. X3-038 UV Stabilizer is a 50% hindered amine light stabilizer masterbatch. This product offers excellent dispersion quality for use in polypropylene fiber applications. It is also available in a 60% concentration, which makes it an even more cost effective alternative.
X3-038 LC UV Stabilizer is targeted to less-stringent UV applications such as residential carpeting and upholstery. It is a 50% loaded masterbatch with excellent dispersion quality. This particular product is innovative to the industry because it’s geared toward applications that do not require an advanced technology solution.
“With continued expansion of our capabilities and our constant quest for advancement, we are better positioned than ever to benefit our clients,” adds Clayton. “We are dedicated to developing next generation solutions for the markets we serve. Our goal is to deliver innovative products that put our clients on top.”