Avient Corporation has introduced the new Hiformer Slip + Antistatic liquid additive for BOPP films to the Latin American market. The super-concentrated formulation combines a migratory slip agent and an antistatic agent in a single product, helping to reduce the complexity of producing biaxially oriented polypropylene film while maintaining the required performance parameters.
In conventional BOPP film production, slip and antistatic properties are usually achieved by using two separate additives. This requires managing a larger number of stock-keeping units, increases the risk of dosing errors and can lead to variations in the quality of the final product. Hiformer Slip + Antistatic replaces separate slip and antistatic additives with a single liquid formulation that is dosed directly into the extruder feed zone using a precision dosing unit.
Simplified formulation and control of BOPP film parameters
The use of a single additive is intended to simplify the process and improve the consistency of film properties. The Hiformer Slip + Antistatic solution reduces the number of operations related to raw material handling, which can translate into lower risk of formulation mistakes and easier process control.
According to the manufacturer, the additive enables maintaining a coefficient of friction (CoF) in the range of 0.20–0.35 while providing stable control of electrostatic charges on the film surface. In addition to tribological and antistatic parameters, the formulation is reported to deliver improved optical properties, including higher gloss and better transparency compared to typical multi-additive systems in which separate concentrates are used.
Hiformer Slip + Antistatic is a highly concentrated liquid additive. The stated typical dosage is 0.30–0.50%, which is significantly lower than the levels required with conventional combinations of solid additives. The liquid form allows the additive to be fed using a high-precision dosing system directly into the extruder feed zone, which is intended to support clean production conditions and more predictable extrusion compared to solid masterbatch alternatives.
Use in flexible packaging and food-contact applications
The additive is designed for BOPP films used in a wide range of packaging solutions. It can be applied in transparent, matte, pearl and white BOPP structures of various thicknesses, allowing it to cover diverse applications in the flexible packaging segment. The product has been approved for food-contact applications, which is important for the food packaging sector in the region.
Combining several functions in a single additive is consistent with the industry trend toward simplifying formulations and reducing the number of components introduced into the production line. In the case of BOPP films, where mechanical and processing parameters as well as optical and surface functional properties are important, stable control of slip and electrostatic charges is critical for downstream processing stages and for product use.
Technical support and provision of dosing equipment
One element of the offering is the availability of dosing equipment required for the application of the liquid additive. Given that capital expenditure can be a barrier when implementing new technologies, Avient provides customers with precision dosing equipment on a loan basis, at no additional cost to the user.
The manufacturer emphasizes that the introduction of the additive is accompanied by technical support including pilot and production trials, as well as training delivered throughout the implementation project. The cooperation includes on-site advice at the customer’s plant on additive application and process parameter optimization.
Adriano Muzzi, general manager for Latin America at Avient Corporation, points to increasing requirements for BOPP film producers in the region in terms of efficiency and product quality. In his view, combining slip and antistatic additives in a single liquid formulation is intended to enable simultaneous simplification of production operations, reduction of material handling activities and achievement of the required film properties. He notes that the offering includes not only the product itself but also technical collaboration, which covers on-site support, pilot and production trials and ongoing training at subsequent stages of the project.
The Hiformer Slip + Antistatic additive for BOPP films is available on the Latin American market
