masterbatch
Sign in to saveA masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and / or additives blended and extruded together in a carrier matrix, such as resin or wax, that is used to add these mixed additives to a final plastic product. The additives may be used for colouring (a "colour masterbatch") or for imparting other properties (an "additive masterbatch"). The typical alternative to using a masterbatch is to compound the plastic from raw undiluted additives.
~6 min read
Article
4 sectionsContents
- Manufacturing plastics from masterbatches
- Using masterbatches in plastic manufacturing
- Applications of masterbatches
- Notes
A masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and / or additives blended and extruded together in a carrier matrix, such as resin or wax, that is used to add these mixed additives to a final plastic product. The additives may be used for colouring (a "colour masterbatch") or for imparting other properties (an "additive masterbatch"). The typical alternative to using a masterbatch is to compound the plastic from raw undiluted additives.
== Manufacturing plastics from masterbatches == The general process for the manufacture of masterbatches involves first identifying and weighing the needed pigments and/or additives, then mixing the pigments or additives with a carrier resin or polymer. Finally, the concentrated mixture is extruded, cooled and formed into granules, powders, or other masterbatch vehicles and the final product is bagged.