Alternative to MEKP as curing agent

March 1994 Additives for Polymers

Contact: Witco Corp, Polymer Additives, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, USA. Tel: + I-212-605-3655.

Alternative to MEKP as curing agent

CHP-5 from Witco is described as an alternative to methyl-ethyl-ketone that also provides room temperature curing in vinyl esters and polyesters. It is said to reduce porosity in cured systems. Contact: Witco Corp, Polymer Additives, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, USA. Tel: + l-21 2-605-3655.

Peroxide concentrates for recycled polymers

Polyvel markets two peroxide concentrates for use in the recycling of polypropylene and polythene. Grade CR20-P contains 20% active peroxide and is for use in polypropylene. Grade CL-2, for use in polythene, is said to improve the physical properties of recycled material and also in blown film. Contact: Poiyvel Inc, 12ON, White Horse Pike, Hamrrwnton, NJ 08037, USA. Tel: +I- 609-567-0080.

Wetted benzoyl peroxide

Lucid01 75 from Elf Atochem North America, is a wetted benzoyl peroxide with a 25% water content. It is in the form of free- flowing granules and can be used as a polymerization initiator and as a crosslinking agent. It is designed to replace current 70 and 78% forms of wetted benzoyl peroside. Contact: Elf Atochem North America Inc, 3 Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA. Tel: +l-215-587-7483.

MARKETS

Fillers and fibres markets in Europe

The increasing use of resins in a wide variety of applications has led to impressive growth in the European market for fibres and fillers supplied to the plastics industry. This trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future as plastics manufacturers continue to improve thermal, mechanical and aesthetic properties of resins through the use of such materials. The value of the European market for fillers and fibres in plastics is, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan, expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3 5 % from $1987.5 million in 1992 to $2353.3 million by 1997.

Volume growth will be slightly lower, rising from almost 2.45 million tonnes to 2.76 million tonnes over the same period, reflecting the fact that the most rapid growth will be in the high price, low volume product sectors.

The market - which consists of both natural minerals such as kaolin, calcium carbonate, talc and silica sand, and chemical products such as titanium dioxide, carbon black and barium sulphate - is dominated by glass fibre in value terms and calcium carbonate in volume terms. The market for glass fibre, worth $1075 million in 1992, will experience strong growth up to 1997 when it is expected to be worth $1315 million. This growth rate will only be outstripped by the relatively small carbon fibre and other exotic fibre product categories. Titanium dioxide and calcium carbonate were the second and third largest product sectors in 1992 worth $456 million and $116 million respectively. Both of these sectors will experience below average growth rates.

01994 Elsevier Science Ltd