Abstract
Many current polyolefin film formulations contain fatty acid amides and finely divided inorganic materials such as silica or talc. The amides are normally considered to improve friction and the inorganic materials lower film-to-film adhesion (blocking). However this is a simplistic view, as amides are known to lower blocking themselves and may have synergistic effects with the inorganic materials.
By considering the chemical and physical nature of the amide it is possible to produce materials that give good anti-blocking performance, however this usually results in poorer slip characteristics.
This paper demonstrates that it is possible to tailor the composition of the amide to give improved anti-blocking performance whilst maintaining the slip properties. The benefit of this approach is reduced inorganic anti-block levels, resulting in improved haze, gloss and clarity.