Silicone Gum Pellets
by Dr. Michael Geck, Senior Technical Manager Plastic Additives – WACKER SILICONES
As competition becomes increasingly tougher, compounders are looking for ways to differentiate themselves in the market and to save on costs. They are turning in large numbers to GENIOPLAST® Pellet S, a highly efficient and easy-to-process silicone additive from Wacker for compounding all common thermoplastics.
The market for thermoplastic polymers is highly competitive and continues to pile on the competitive pressure. This is creating a difficult economic climate for compounders and plastics processors whose only chance of holding their ground is to take the route of specialization, superior quality and cost savings. One way they can get there is to use additives that can improve the properties of a polymer or render production and processing of thermoplastic compounds more efficient.
The plastics industry has long used silicone additives in thermoplastics. On one hand, these silicones act as a processing aid by lowering friction effects and improving the flow properties of the polymer melt. On the other, they influence the quality of the finished plastic articles by lowering their surface friction. One advantage they have over organic additives is a very low surface energy, which confers a high level of activity at phase boundaries, thermal resistance and low-temperature flexibility.