Bluestar Silicones announced the expansion of its extensive line of flat release profile polymers at Labelexpo Americas 2014. The latest offering, Silcolease® Poly 356, is an ultra-flat release coating system which targets low-platinum, solventless systems and helps label manufacturers enhance productivity and realize significant cost savings. As part of the Bluestar Silicones Optima system, Silcolease Poly 356 is an innovative silicone release coating which provides premium flat release over a broad range of strip speeds.
It offers the flattest release profile in the industry and enables label manufacturers to increase converting speeds, according to Ronald Hanks, Business Director for Bluestar Silicones. “Our development of the Optima version of flat release polymers was in direct response to the needs of our customers,” explained Hanks. “Silcolease Poly 356 offers significant value to our customers, enabling them to be more productive and efficient in a competitive marketplace.” Silcolease Poly 356 is designed for formulation flexibility to allow reduction in platinum catalyst and more cost-effective process conditions for pressure-sensitive applications.
The simplest Silcolease Poly 356 release coating system comprises the vinyl silicone polymer, a methyl hydrogen siloxane crosslinker, and a platinum catalyst. The resulting addition reaction is very rapid, and, therefore, an inhibitor is included to provide bath stability at ambient conditions while allowing rapid cures at elevated temperatures. Silcolease Poly 356 provides good cures at high coating line speeds, effective cure on thermally sensitive substrates, and a wide range of release levels with the addition of release modifiers. It anchors to most substrates and has excellent bath stability.
Bluestar Silicones has also introduced two new ultraviolet (UV) photo initiators. Silcolease UV CATA 243 is a next-generation cationic photoinitiator which requires lower addition levels and is more effective than current products. It is ready to use and produces a low-odor cured coating. Bluestar Silicones also launched Silcolease UV CATA 102, a photoinitiator for free radical UV curing of silicone acrylate release coatings. It is a user friendly, pourable product that delivers excellent cure performance. “We are committed to providing innovative UV curing systems as users increasingly see the benefits of UV cure release systems in narrow and wide-web applications,” said Hanks. At Labelexpo Americas, Bluestar Silicones also launched its new release coatings website (www.silcolease.com). Customers can access specific product information by technology, and technical data sheets are linked to each product for ease of use.