ColorMatrix launches Excelite™: the world’s first liquid foaming agent for PVC Extruded Sheet

ColorMatrix launches Excelite™: the world’s first liquid foaming agent for PVC Extruded Sheet

Colorant and additive innovators ColorMatrix Group Inc. have extended their expertise in liquid dispersion technology to create a completely new generation of foaming agent which promises to revolutionise the production of PVC extruded foam sheet.

ColorMatrix's new Excelite™ technology reduces material density to achieve a high performance lightweighting effect but without the compromise in the aesthetic quality or physical properties of the PVC sheet which can typically occur with solid foaming agents.

Declan Nealon, ColorMatrix's Extrusion Market Manager explains: "By utilising liquid dispersion, we are able to achieve a much more even distribution within the resin to create a finer and more consistent cell structure. The result is a lightweight, high performing PVC foam sheet with an exceptionally smooth surface finish, which, particularly for applications requiring a high quality print finish, will be enormously beneficial."

Some facts and figures:

ColorMatrix's new foaming agent is also completely colour neutral which means there is no "yellowing" effect on the final material.

With the aesthetics taken care of, in lightweighting performance, ColorMatrix's Excelite™ promises significant resin cost savings for PVC extruders with densities typically being reduced to 0.45g/cm³ or less.

As well as providing improved dispersion within the resin, ColorMatrix's liquid dosing technologies provide greater addition rate control and accuracy resulting in more cost-effective dosing performance. From a health and safety perspective, it is also a cleaner process which eliminates the incidence of hazardous dust that can become a problem with alternative foaming technologies.

As well as its long term cost saving and aesthetic benefits, another important advantage of ColorMatrix's new generation liquid foaming technology is greater production flexibility. As Excelite™ is delivered directly into the feed throat of the extruder, more frequent colour changes become easier and more economical. Smaller production quantities also generally become more viable.

ColorMatrix Group Inc. already supplies colour for more than 2 million tons of PVC annually. This latest breakthrough is currently available for applications in PVC Sheet products in Europe and is due to be launched in North America early 2009.

Excelite™ for other PVC applications including foam core pipes, construction cladding, window and furniture profiles are expected to be launched in the near future.