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Fire laws call for long-lasting photoluminescent signs, strips and other markings to guide people out of enclosed spaces in case of fire. These life-safety markings are generally made of plastic compounded with strontium aluminate, a difficult-to-process material. In light of this, several masterbatch manufacturers have introduced a line of improved strontium aluminate color masterbatches. Strontium Aluminate
crystals glow more than ten times brighter and last ten times longer than Zinc Sulphide crystals after exposure to light. Strontium Aluminate is recognized as the essential ingredient for the satisfactory performance of photoluminescent safety products. Applications of Photoluminescent masterbatches and pigments include moulded parts, d oor handles , hand rails, light switches , e mergency-off fittings and safety helmets.
Ampacet photoluminescent masterbatches can be used with many polymers, including acrylic, polyethylene, polycarbonate, nylon and many other ETP products. Strontium aluminate poses processing challenges because it is as hard as tungsten and abrades screws and barrels during processing. The abraded metal fines block pores on strontium aluminate particles, so they emit less light in the dark. To avert this, Ampacet offers its customers a service package that includes production and testing support to ensure the items they make meet photoluminescence specifications.
Luxilum� is the trade mark for Nite-Glo Innovations' range of photoluminescent pigments, available in 4 after-glow colours, and can be supplied tailored to a specific gravity within the range of 0.25-3.6. Control of specific gravity improves the usability and incorporation of the pigment into liquid systems such as paints and unsaturated polyester resins, and may also help with dispersion into solid mixtures such as thermoplastic resins prior to masterbatching.
GloTech manufactures and supplies a range of photoluminescent plastic
masterbatch for PA, PP, PE, PC, ABS, PU, PS, PET, EVA and PVC. They can be processed easily in injection moulding, extrusion or blow moulding applications to produce a variety of products including housewares, packaging material, consumer durables, as well as toys. These materials are free of any radioactive
additives. With a high photoluminescent powder content, these masterbatches need only absorb natural or artificial light for only a few minutes before emitting a glow for over 12 hours. |
