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Slip Additives

Slip additives are used to reduce friction in polyolefin films during processing and end use. Fatty acid amides like erucamide and oleamide are commonly used slip additives. They migrate to the surface of the polymer film after processing to form a lubricating layer between film layers and surfaces. This prevents film sticking and allows for higher production rates with less scrap. The amount and type of slip additive used depends on factors like film thickness and the presence of other additives.

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125 views2 pages

Slip Additives

Slip additives are used to reduce friction in polyolefin films during processing and end use. Fatty acid amides like erucamide and oleamide are commonly used slip additives. They migrate to the surface of the polymer film after processing to form a lubricating layer between film layers and surfaces. This prevents film sticking and allows for higher production rates with less scrap. The amount and type of slip additive used depends on factors like film thickness and the presence of other additives.

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Sdkmega Hh
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Slip Additives

It is a plastics modifier that acts as an internal lubricant by exuding to the surface of the plastic
during and immediately after processing to reduce friction and improve slip.

Polyolefin films with high COF extruded without slip additives can exhibit sticking and pulling
in the nip rolls and collapsing frames, resulting in wrinkled and unusable product. These
problems often result in lower production rates and high scrap.

Polyolefin films tend to adhere to themselves and metal surfaces due to their high coefficient of
friction (COF). For processing ease, films need a COF near 0.2. Slip additives can modify the
surface properties of a film and thus lower the friction between film layers and other surfaces. To
be effective the slip needs to migrate out of the polymer to the surface and therefore it must have
a degree of incompatibility with the polymer.

Fatty acid amides are often used as slip additives. During processing they are solubilized in the
amorphous melt, but as the polymer cools and crystallises the fatty acid amide is “squeezed” out
forming a lubricating layer at the polymer surface. The addition of a slip additive can prevent
film sticking and pulling helping to increase throughput.

Principles
Addition of slip additives to the polymer matrix provides an internal reservoir of lubrication that
migrates to the surface of the polymer film shortly after it exits from the die. The migration
occurs because fatty acid amides are very incompatible with polyolefins. During processing, the
fatty acid amides are solubilized in the amorphous melt, but as the polymer cools and begins to
crystlize, the additives are squeezed out of the solidifying polymer matrix. once on the surface,
the slip additive forms a lubricating layer that effectively separates adjacent film layers.

Types of Slip Additive


The most commonly used slip additives are erucamide (C-22) and oleamide (C-18). Oleamide
migrates quicker than erucamide and is often called “fast blooming”. However after a certain
time the slower erucamide will provide films with a lower COF than oleamide. Erucamide, with
its lower vapour pressure and volatility, is used in higher temperature processing applications
and it also stays at the surface longer, not venting off as smoke. Oleamide is used where a low
COF is needed in a short period of time, while the slower migration of erucamide can be
advantageous in roll stock applications and on-line corona treatment. Another fatty acid amide is
Stearamide. This is often used together with erucamide or oleamide to provide an anti-blocking
effect when film transparency is very important.

The concentration of slip present affects performance. Initially the COF is sensitive to small
variations in concentration until a critical level of slip is reached, after which further slip has
little effect on the COF. The amount of slip required depends upon
1. Film thickness,
2. The slip additive being used
3. The presence of other additives such as anti-blocks.
Slip additives are added

 To reduce the surface coefficient of friction of polymers


 To enhance either processing or end applications.
 To reduce compound viscosity, thereby improving mixing operations in extrusion and
calendaring.
 To decreased mold contamination and easier demolding as a result of reduced friction
and consequential improved flow properties.

In vulcanized end-products these products migrate to the polymer surface. The solid lubricating
layer formed reduces friction and adhesion with other materials, thereby providing excellent slip
and anti-blocking performance.

The relationship between the COF and the concentration is shown in the fig. below.

Starting from a zero concentration, the COF drops sharply when the concentration of the slip
additives increases. At that point, the COF is very sensitive to small variations in concentration,
until some critical level of slip additives is reached. During this time, the slip additive is forming
a coherent layer of additive on the film surface, which stabilizes the COF value. Further
increases in slip additive only marginal decreases the COF.

Example :

Steramide, CH3(CH2)16CONH2

Erucamide, CH3(CH2)6CH=CH(CH2)12CONH2

Oleamide, CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7CONH2

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