Plastics Additives

Additives are materials that are added to the primary resin during either compounding or processing to improve the polymer’s processability, performance or appearance. Additives include colorants; heat stabilizers; process aids; fillers; compatibilizers; blowing agents; lubricants; slip agents.

Additives

Lanxess Plasticizing Flame Retardants Platform Reduces TPP Content

Lanxess launches Disflamoll Advance, a next-generation platform for plasticizing flame retardants featuring extremely low triphenyl phosphate (TPP) content, with the first product targeting polar polymer systems.

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Extrusion 22 Oct 2022

Understanding the ‘Science’ of Color

And as with all sciences, there are fundamentals that must be considered to do color right. Here’s a helpful start.

best practices 1 Feb 2019

What’s With All the Static?

Static buildup on polymers can cause a variety of problems, some rather unpleasant. Yet there’s an inexpensive way to eliminate it, and we have data as proof.

Additives 30 Nov 2018

Part 11: A Processor's Most Important Job

It’s the processor’s job to ensure molded parts contain enough stabilizer to perform to the expectations of the end use.

polyolefins 25 Sep 2017

How to Prevent Stress Whitening in PP Copolymers

A look at causes, detection, and prevention.

processing tips 25 Feb 2017

Extruding with Fillers

You can use the reference point from processing unfilled polymer to determine whether you can run filled resin on your current system.

best practices 31 Mar 2015

Materials: Analyzing Filler Content

The process is considered simple. But things aren’t always as they seem.

Latest Additives News And Updates

Additives 3 Feb 2026

Avient Expands Range of Nonhalogen Flame-Retardant TPEs

New OnFlex thermoplastics elastomers developed for enhanced flame retardance, mechanical performance and cost efficiency.

Additives 31 Dec 2025

Badger Color Makes Injection Molding Machine Investment

Wisconsin-based colorant supplier is in the process of installing 12 identical presses from Boy Machines to support color development and material testing.

Additives 25 Oct 2025

Clarifying Additive for Polypropylene

Transparex from Adeka offers high stiffness at low loading.

Additives 22 Oct 2025

Antimicrobial Coatings Extend Product Life

Microban offers metal-free additives to reduce environmental impact.

Additives 18 Oct 2025

Next-Generation PP Clarifier Reduces Loading, Migration

Milliken's Millad ClearX 9000 offers better compatibility with other additives along with reduced loading and migration.

Additives 24 Sep 2025

Dow Announces Alternative to Fluoropolymer Polymer Processing Aids

Dowsil 5-1050 PPA for film packaging.

Smartflow SWAP Valve clears cooling water quickly.

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Additives 30 Mar 2026

Solving Plastics Recycling Challenges

Innovative additives enable the circular economy.

Additives 16 Mar 2026

Fighting Fire With Chemistry

Trade strategies, regulatory pressure and fire safety performance expectations are changing approaches to fire safety in plastics.

Additives 4 Mar 2026

Plastic Additives and Fillers for Wear and Friction Applications: Part 2

How can additives and fillers be deployed to augment the wear and friction capabilities of the base polymer, and what are the potential pitfalls for each?

close up on technology 13 Feb 2026

Recycling Delivers Low Footprint Carbon Fiber Fill

Vartega's process reduces cost and as much as 99% of energy typically required to produce virgin carbon fiber.

Extrusion 24 Nov 2025

Cargill Polymer Processing Aid Offers an Alternative to Fluoropolymers

Incroflo uses biobased feedstocks and improves extrusion outcomes.

Additives 28 Oct 2025

Q&A: Antimony-Free Alternatives for Flame-Retardant ABS

Price shocks, volatility, regulation and trade uncertainty are affecting ATO and, by extension, workhorse resin ABS. What alternatives exist for processors?

FAQ: Additives

What to consider when adding color?

There are several key items that are essential in developing a colorant package for any polymer. The first of these is the avoidance of any chemical incompatibility between the chemistry of the polymer and the chemistry of the colorant system. Chemical reactions proceed more rapidly at higher temperatures, and melt processing involves significantly elevated temperatures and large inputs of mechanical energy. Therefore, any chemical interactions that may occur between a polymer and a colorant system will happen very rapidly during the injection molding process.

How much stabilizer should processors use?

The material supplier will incorporate a certain amount of the stabilization package in the material, making this the starting point for that material. It is now the processor’s job to handle the material during processing so that the molded part contains enough stabilizer to perform to the expectations of the end user. The molding process will always consume some amount of the antioxidant in the material. This is expected. But the amount of stabilizer that is consumed will depend upon the process conditions, most notably the melt temperature and the time the material spends in the molten state. Lower melt temperatures and shorter residence times will produce parts that retain a higher level of stabilization, and these parts will be more capable of handling the application environment. If melt temperatures become elevated or residence times become extended, the molded part will be less capable of managing the application demands.

Plastics Additives

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Latest Additives News And Updates

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FAQ: Additives

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