High clarity resin to withstand strong fragrances

[cogent102]

Any idea on what resins I can use to withstand strong fragrances that contains citrus & aldehyde?

I've tried PS, PETG, PETE, PETG, PCTG, they have all failed, I was told there may be some PETE polymer blend or high clarity PP material that might work?

HELP!!!

 

[Demon3]

Try SAN, it has good chemical resistance, is very transparent and is cheap. Not all SAN is the same, the more acrylonitrile comonomer content, the higher the chemical resistance. Try Luran from BASF. If you're in the US call Andrea Kirsch.

If you need impact resistance then try transparent ABS. It is used for perfume bottles (Channel for example). It's SAN with an impact modifier added. BASF tradename is Terlux.

Note, no affiliation to BASF. I know their products as I worked there some years ago. SAN and MABS are both available from other manufacturers too (Dow, LG, GE).

Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC CChem

http://www.phantomplastics.com

Consultant to the plastics industry

 

[patprimmer]

When you say withstands, do you mean does not solvent stress crack, or one that has good barrier properties.

Regards
Pat
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[Demon3]

Good question from Pat. I was speaking only of stress crack / chemical resistance.

Another good transparent polymer used for perfume packaging is ionomer, e.g. Surlyn (DuPont) or Iotek (ExxonMobil).

Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC CChem

http://www.phantomplastics.com

Consultant to the plastics industry

 

[patprimmer]

I am not sure what PETE is but PET may well do, particularly if bi-axially oriented.

Regards
Pat
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[cogent102]

My problem with the previous failed material is that once I filled the fragrance products into the container, after a few days, I start to see blistering effects to the plastic, and in some worse case the plastic starts cracking.

With that said, does you guys think SAN, Surlyn or Iotek would still be the best material selection?

I have attached a photo of the failed product for reference.

 

[patprimmer]

Have you tried it in a plastic carbonated beverage bottle.

Regards
Pat
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[Demon3]

Yes, SAN is definitely a strong candidate and cheap.

If you need impact resistance then try transparent ABS (SAN with impact modifier added)

Ionomer like Surlyn or Iotek would be my next choice.

Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC CChem

http://www.phantomplastics.com

Consultant to the plastics industry

 

[Pud]

Chris: If PS failed, how would ABS or SAN be ok? Surely the styrene is the problem? Or am I missing something?

For cheap - try the metallocence catalysed PP's - I have seen it with almost the clarity and rigidity of PS. (Borealis grade - I forget which one.)

Otherwise - at much expense - as referred to in another dead post: COC (Trade name Topas)should do the trick.

Glass is good too!

H

http://www.tynevalleyplastics.co.uk

 

[Demon3]

Hi Harry,

Polystyrene, as you said, has poor chemical resistance. Copolymerizing it with acrylonitrile increases the chemical resistance markedly and the higher the proportion of acrylonitrile, the better the chemical resistance.

As an example, SAN is used in Chapstick tubes because polystyrene fails due to poor chemical resistance. SAN is even used in some batteries where very good chemical resistance is needed.

Standard SAN has 24% acrylonitrile because by chance styrene and acrylonitrile form an azeotropic mixture at that ratio so polymerizing while keeping monomer content constant is easy (non-chemists please forgive this detail).

SAN with lower AN is available, for example with only 19%, and it's a little cheaper with poorer chemical resistance.

SAN with up to around 33% acrylonitrile in the copolymer is also available and has much better chemical resistance. Another benefit of copolymerising with AN includes an increase in strength.

While ABS is usually made with SAN using 24% AN, ASA, at least the grades I know of, use SAN with 30-33% AN and that gives a boost in chemical resistance.

When you think about it, it makes sense for a couple of reasons. First, polystyrene is quite low polarity and is therefore attacked by low to medium polarity solvents. Acrylonitrile is very high polarity, so using that as a comonomer shifts the types of solvents that can attack or dissolve the polymer. Most compelling of all is that pure polyacrylonitrile is amazingly resistance and insoluble in practically everything.

MABS (SAN with impact modifier but still transparent) is used for electric toothbrushes because of its chemical resistance and also by Channel for cosmetics for the same reason.

Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC CChem

http://www.phantomplastics.com

Consultant to the plastics industry

 

[HDS]

Why not PMMA?

Aren't some perfume bottles made from PVDF (Kynar)?

Glass has worked for this job for a long time.

 

[Demon3]

PMMA could work but is way more expensive than SAN.

Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC CChem

http://www.phantomplastics.com

Consultant to the plastics industry

 

[patprimmer]

If citrus is citric acid, PMMA is OK, but I expect it is actually a complex mixture of aromatics and citric acid.

PMMA is unsatisfactory for some but not all aldehydes.

More information is required for better than off the cuff answers.

Have you tested the biaxially oriented PET yet.


Regards
Pat
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