Bergchem

Antistats, Antifogs & Slip Agents

Antistatic agents are additives used in plastics to prevent or eliminate the buildup of static charge on the surface of finished products. When certain types of plastics are used, they tend to build up a static charge due to the separation of positively and negatively charged particles, which can lead to a range of problems. Antistatic agents can help to mitigate these issues by either being incorporated directly into the plastic during the manufacturing process or applied externally after production. The use of antistatic agents in plastics offers several advantages, such as minimized risk of electrical discharge that may cause fire or explosion, avoidance of electrical shock risk to employees or consumers, reduced dust accumulation that affects the performance and appearance of plastic products, and improved handling during transportation, packaging, and storage.

Antifog agents are used in plastics to prevent fogging on surfaces caused by the condensation of water vapor. This is especially important in applications such as packaging for food or medical products, where clarity is essential for product visibility and safety. The antifog agent works by reducing the surface tension of the water droplets, causing them to spread out into a thin film rather than form into larger droplets that cause fogging. This results in improved clarity and product visibility.

Slip agents are used to reduce friction between films and converting equipment, which improves movement through extrusion lines and downstream packaging operations and enhances processing or end applications. They are added directly into the polymer during the extrusion process. Most commonly used slip additives are fatty acid amides, including primary and secondary amides. Similar to external lubricants, they migrate or bloom to the surface where they form a microcrystalline structure that decreases friction. Primary, unsaturated fatty acid amides migrate quickly and are the most efficient slip agents for polyolefins. Secondary amides, are less volatile at higher process temperatures with very slow migration rates, they may be used in multilayer films and engineering plastics. Slip additives can be used in polymer film structures and plastic packaging to improve polymer processing and in-use properties and are a practical requirement for both the manufacturer and end-product consumer. For the slip agent group, we offer Erucamide and Oleamide.