Color Masterbatches - The Color in Plastics

Hi all. MY name is Rahul Kumar. I am an Indian student studying in 12^th slandered in a New Delhi based school. I am also the editor of our school magazine. Previous month I was writing for the article based on plastic manufacturing company. The focus of the article was on the environmental impact of the plastic.

During research for that article I got intrigued by the coloration procedure of the plastic. I then determined to give a new dimension to my article, about the coloration process and technologies concerned. It made sense because harmful or not we can’t wish away the plastic from our lives, it is so damn helpful, but we can make ourselves conscious of the basics of manufacturing process so as to make use of the plastics more cautiously.

With this point in mind I decided to come close to my principal with request to visit a manufacturer of international repute which can give me an idea of best practices in the industry. We decided upon visiting RPindustries www.rpindustries.net the manufacturer and exporter of the additive masterbatches, the basic component to color raw polymer cost-effectively during the plastics manufacturing process for all kinds of polymers.

Due to space crunch we could not squeeze the article in our magazine, but it would have been a terrible waste not to do anything with the research. Therefore through this series of postings I would like to make my work see the light of the day, and may be help some of you curious souls understand the plastic especially colored one.

Let’s start with description of masterbatch and its types.

Masterbatches are used to insert colors and impart special properties to plastic products. Cost of masterbatch is hardly 1-2%in final plastic product but its quality is very important for durability and functional properties of the product. A Masterbatch contains polymers, additives and colorants specifically formulated together to provide either a general or specific function.

Master batch products are separated into two major types.

• The pigment master batch to color the plastic.
• The functional additive master batches make the plastic capable of certain performances like making them heat resistant, weather resistant etc. Some of the functional master batches are UV Masterbatch, antifog agents, antiblock agents, antistatic agents, etc.

Interesting? Well read my next postings for more information on masterbatches, coloration process.