A new ink that allows black plastics to be sorted by near-infrared (NIR) detectors has been launched by Austrian masterbatch company Gabriel-Chemie.
Masterbatch is the additive added to plastics to give it colour or to change its properties.
The masterbatch launched by Gabriel-Chemie allows for other colours to be sorted more effectively, not just black plastics.
This NIR reflective masterbatch is made using special pigment formulations which enable the corresponding sorting and recycling.
It is food contact approved and can also be laser marked.
The masterbatch can be extruded, blown or moulded by injection and compression.
Gabriel-Chemie corporate brand manager Diego A. Karpeles said: “Our masterbatch solutions are the perfect choice for plastics that are intended to be reused or recycled…By offering NIR-detectable masterbatches, we are going a strong-paced step towards increasing environmental sustainability.”
