Lubricants

Lubricants are very important for PVC processing due to their properties to facilitate the process by means of reducing friction. For example, rigid PVC processing is impossible without lubricants. Typical lubricants belong to the following chemical families; hydrocarbon waxes, metal stearates, fatty acid esters, ester waxes and amide waxes. Lubricants can be classified into three main sub-groups as external, internal and combined lubricants. This grouping is according to their lubrication and are called combined lubricants.

Internal Lubricants

Internal lubricants reduce friction between molecules by weakening the strength between polymer molecules. Thus, they increase production by decreasing viscosity of the polymers. Most of the internal lubricants reduce the glass transition temperature (Tg) and some other properties of PVC. Under normal conditions they do not exudate nor have negative effects on corner weld strength, printability and bonding.

External Lubricants 

External lubricants are incompatible with PVC compounds (They do not dissolve in PVC or disperse homogeneously) at processing temperatures. They act as an interface between the PVC compounds and the metal surfaces of the processing equipment and prevent the molten PVC from adhering to the processing equipment. The behavior of PVC within the processing equipment depends on the composition of the external lubricant. In addition, these materials reduce the friction between the polymer particles during the plasticizing process, thereby preventing temperature increase.

Lubricants

Aklub Chemical Name Form Melting Point Drop Point
K-OPE 9X High Density Oxidized PE-wax White Powder min 120 -
K-60 Ester wax Cream Powder 44-46 48
K-315 Ester wax White Powder min 80 87
K-12 Ester of Glycerine White Powder 48-52 57
K-OPE 53/ K-90 Oxidized PE-wax Yellowish Powder 95-105 101
K-14 Ester wax Cream Powder max 60 60
K-30 Ester wax Cream Powder 57-59 57
K-43 Ester wax Colorless Liquid - -
K-321 Acid wax Cream Powder min 70 77
K-70 Complex of Ester Waxes Yellowish Powder min 43 56
K-320 Acid wax White Powder 54-63 58
K-23 Hydrocarbon wax White Powder 55-57 85
K-28 PE-wax White Powder 95-105 112
K-PE 20/ K-22 P PE-wax White Powder 95-105 106
K-325 Hydrocarbon wax White Powder 95-105 106
K-335 Hydrocarbon wax White Powder 95-105 113
K-100 Ester wax Cream Powder min 80 100
K-105 Ester wax Cream Powder min 80 -
K-110 Ester wax Cream Powder min 65 -
K-493 PE-wax White Powder 110-120 -
K-293 PE-wax White Powder - -