#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-06-02

New liquid Hombitan® products simplify whitening of recycled pet fibres for textile industry

Venator has developed a new liquid pigment masterbatch technology that can be used to whiten recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibres quickly, cleanly, and efficiently. Based on the company’s established titanium dioxide (TiO2) platform for the fibre industry, the new HOMBITAN® LQ range is optimized for delustering PET fibres from plastic bottles that will be re-spun into polyester - ready for creating new consumer products including footwear and apparel.

Venator is launching: HOMBITAN® LQ White 100, optimized for semi-dull recycled PET fibres; and HOMBITAN® LQ White 130 for the manufacture of full-dull fibres. Designed for small scale recycled PET projects, conducted on a single extrusion line, both products are simple to use and offer several advantages over solid (pelletized) masterbatch pigment solutions.

Dosed via a precision pump, HOMBITAN® LQ products can be easily incorporated into an extrusion line. Seamlessly homogenized into a recycled polymer melt, HOMBITAN® LQ products have a higher solid pigment load than pelletized solutions – meaning fibre producers use a very small quantity to achieve comparable whiteness and opacity results.

Designed to withstand temperature changes and pressure fluctuations during processing, HOMBITAN® LQ products deliver excellent uniform whiteness – reducing the gloss of recycled fibres that can be considered unsightly in some garments.

In addition, HOMBITAN® LQ products require no pre-processing – saving fibre producers time and money. Unlike pelletized masterbatches, which need to be dried and crystallized, HOMBITAN® LQ products are delivered ready to use, in easy to store drums. HOMBITAN® LQ products can also be used near spinning operations – thanks to their liquid formulation.

Xandra Bläser, Global Business Director, Specialty Pigmentary TiO2 - Fibres & Films at Venator, said: “The use of recycled PET to create fibres for footwear, textile and apparel applications is now commonplace. This shift has been gaining momentum over the last few years and reflects the wider corporate sustainability ambitions of manufacturers that want to reduce their dependence on virgin materials, cut their carbon footprint and give a second life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfill. Our HOMBITAN® LQ range is designed to support these customers as they step up their environmental efforts.”

Xandra Bläser, Global Business Director © 2021 Venator

“Applying our extensive knowledge of the fibre spinning process, we’ve created a liquid TiO2 technology that can help fibre producers achieve the high-quality end results they want from the PET they have recovered. The creation of HOMBITAN® LQ is the first in a number of new liquid-based products, designed to simplify the use of TiO2 and other additives across a range of applications and industries.”

Alongside the supply of HOMBITAN® LQ, Venator produces several other pigments and additive products for the fibres and textiles market. Examples included TiO2 for delustering a range of fibre polymers such as polyester, polyamide, viscose and polyacrylonitrile; plus HOMBRIGHT® S-ID (BaSO4) for bright yarns that have greater production stability and can be spun faster.

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