Fluoropolymer Additives

In this first book on an additive group of growing importance, the authors review the commercial additives available on the market. The applications chapters provide you with a step by step description of techniques to select and incorporate these additives in various products.

Engineers and scientits involved in polymer processing need practical information about these additives, their applications, and proper and safe handling. Until now much of this information has been difficult to obtain because of commercial secrecy.

In recent years, the applications of fluoropolymer additives have expanded significantly, with even the meaning of ‘fluoropolymer additives’ expanding from relatively the narrow definition of PTFE powder fillers to a wide variety of fluoropolymer elastomers, used as a processing aid for plastics processing such as extrusion, injection molding, and film blowing. The benefits of fluoropolymer additives used in plastics are the elimination of sharkskin defects, increases in process speed and output (up to 20%), the reduction of die build up, the reduction of gels and optical defects, etc.

In addition, fluropolymer additives are being increasingly used in inks, lubricants, and coatings. For example, in the coating industry fluoropolymer additives can increase the life cycle of exterior coatings due to their excellent weatherability and subsequently increase the time between recoats.