New Black Concentrate Colors PVC More Efficiently than Standard Blacks and Permits Increases in Processing Throughput

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PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, U.S.A., September 12, 2002: A new black color concentrate for PVC enables plastics and wire and cable manufacturers to achieve higher throughput rates than with conventional concentrates while not compromising the uniformity of pigment distribution during melt processing, it was announced today by Teknor Color Company.

Designated CS-2001-3 Black, the concentrate has achieved successful use in several vinyl processing operations, according to marketing manager Stephan Pronovost, including a profile extrusion company that increased output by 20% after switching to the new colorant.

Key to this improved productivity is Teknor Color's use of a new carbon black pigment that disperses more uniformly and at higher loadings in the PVC carrier resin than conventional carbon blacks. The resulting concentrate incorporates into wire and cable compound more readily and consistently than standard black PVC concentrates during melt processing, said John Wood, technical manager: "New CS-2001-3 Black concentrate is twice as efficient as our older-generation PVC blacks and exhibits pigment agglomerations that are 30 to 50% smaller."

Efficient and uniform melt distribution of color concentrate is particularly important for wire and cable manufacturers looking to run product "faster and thinner" without causing it to fail the standard industry test for insulation integrity carried out in-line with extrusion. The greater the rate of extruder throughput, the greater the possibility that pigment will not be distributed thoroughly in the compound during melt processing; and the thinner the wire
coating, the greater the risk that agglomerations will disrupt dielectric performance. "CS-2001-3 Black concentrate has demonstrated in commercial use that it significantly reduces or eliminates
the occurrence of 'spark-outs' during in-line testing, even in high-speed, thin-coating applications," Wood said.

Some users of the new concentrate may obtain the additional benefit of reduced inventory cost, noted Pronovost, because the versatile carrier resin used in CS-2001-3 Black enables the concentrate to be used with a range of flexible and semi-rigid PVC compounds, precluding need to stock multiple grades of concentrate.

CS-2001-3 Black concentrate contains no lead or other heavy metals.