Performance Additives

GrapheneXcel leverages the unique properties of graphene to improve the performance of polymers used across many industries, including automotive, defence, packaging, and consumer goods. The benefits include significant improvements in strength and durability, as well as improved barrier properties and the opportunity for product lightweighting.

GrapheneXcel is a made to order additive masterbatch, with formulations customised to meet individual customer requirements. Thanks to polymer-specific carrier systems, GrapheneXcel offers compatibility with a range of polymers including polyolefins, PET and TPU.

Key benefits:
• Improved mechanical strength and impact resistance
• Increased elastic modulus
• Weight reductions (through thin walling)
• Impressive barrier properties
• Favourable processing conditions
• Improved fire retardancy
• Enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity

What is graphene?
Graphene was discovered just 20 years ago at the University of Manchester. This remarkable material has rapidly gained attention for its extraordinary properties. Like diamond and graphite, graphene is composed entirely of carbon. However, uniquely, it consists of just a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb nanostructure. This arrangement includes numerous double bonds, contributing to its exceptional characteristics. Graphene’s atomic structure gives it unparalleled strength – as a single layer it’s the strongest material ever measured, boasting a tensile strength 200 times greater than that of steel. This offers immense potential to a range of industries, including plastic manufacturing.

One additive with many benefits

MasterFoam is our endothermic blowing agent masterbatch. 🫧 Blowing agents, also known as Chemical Foaming Agents, (CFAs) create a foaming effect in the moulding material during production, allowing pockets of gas to be trapped in the walls of the product. The main purpose of blowing agents in plastic manufacturing is to reduce the density of the moulding material, which offers various advantages. MasterFoam relies on an endothermic reaction, this is less hazardous and more environmentally friendly than the more widely available exothermic blowing agents. Developed by our in-house technical team, MasterFoam has been extensively trialled and is proven to reduce costs and achieve other important benefits in the manufacture of plastic components.

Effective at low addition rates, MasterFoam costs less than the value of the polymer saving it provides, so it has a real commercial appeal. In effect, the more a customer uses, the more they’ll be saving! With any further savings from reduced taxation, production efficiency, energy reduction and transportation coming in addition to this. We’re able to offer FREE material samples for line trials, along with technical support to help you achieve the optimum results. MasterFoam is a made to order product, produced at our Suffolk factory – offering security of supply.

Key benefits:
• Reduction in material usage
• Reduction in costs, without any tooling changes
• Reduction in weight of the moulded component
• Reduced cycle times
• Reduced energy demand
• Reduced carbon footprint of the component
• Increased shot/running speed
• Increase in productivity (up to 100%)
• Prevention of sink marks in the moulded component
• Improved strength-to-weight ratio of the moulded component
• Improved thermal efficiency of the moulded component
• Improved acoustic insulation of the moulded component

Our extrusion grade blowing agent MasterFoam–Ex doubled the running speed of a customer’s extrusion, effectively doubling the capacity of their operation, without the need for any capital investment.

Discover more about MasterFoam.

Cost-efficient, tailored UV protection

Without UV protection, plastic items will degrade when exposed to sunlight. The mechanical properties and colour of the polymer will be affected by UV exposure, impacting the appearance of the moulded part. Replacing plastic components due to degradation has a negative impact on finances and the environment. Broadway’s UV protection solutions can be used to extend the lifespan of plastic products exposed to the elements.

Our UV packages are made using various functional components:
• UV absorber – acts as a sunblock, preventing the penetration of UV light. This preserves colours by minimising polymer colour change caused by UV.
• UV stabiliser – hinders the degradation of the plastic. Without this the plastic may start to break down, becoming brittle and chalky.
• Anti-oxidant – helps to slow the aging and yellowing of the polymer due to the auto-oxidation process.

The combined UV stabilizer, absorber and antioxidant package delivers a synergistic effect, offering the highest level of protection.

In order to provide optimum performance, we’ll tailor the loading of these additives to meet your specific requirements. This is typically determined by polymer type, predicted lifespan and geographic location of the end product. By offering this customisation, we provide a cost-efficient solution to address the diverse needs of products used outdoors. This is particularly important in industries where outdoor components are exposed to harsh environmental conditions and UV radiation.

Reduces bacteria on the surface of plastics for safer, cleaner products

With the effects of the covid pandemic still fresh in our minds, hygiene, and in particular, efficient measures to counter the spread of harmful bacteria, remains a global priority. Broadway’s antimicrobial masterbatches and compounds offer the perfect solution for plastic products in the battle against bacteria.

Our highly effective antimicrobial additive provides reassurance for several market sectors, including healthcare, household, toys, leisure and hospitality. The active antimicrobial agent has been specially formulated to inhibit the growth of fungi and bacteria on the surface of plastic products. Preventing the spread of germs, discolouration, and odours.

Key benefits:
• Based on silver ions which infiltrate microbial cells.
• The active ingredient disrupts important signalling pathways used in microbial replication, minimising the spread of bacteria.
• Inhibits the growth of microorganisms and can achieve up to 99.9% reduction in the spread of surface bacteria.
• Reduces discolouration and the development of odours.
• Requires no changes to the manufacturing process and is effective at low addition rates, making it a cost-effective and practical antimicrobial solution.
• Suitable for use in a wide range of polymers and adheres to FDA and EU food contact standards.
• Can be supplied as a stand-alone additive or combined with your custom colours and supplied as a multifunctional masterbatch.
• We’ll provide a tailored solution to meet specific processing conditions and end use requirements.

Discover more about antimicrobial masterbatch

Reduces odours in smelly grades of material – great for PCR

Whilst there are obvious circularity advantages to using recycled materials, there are challenges too, such as the smell! Recycled plastics can come from a range of sources and carry a multitude of contaminants, many of these cause odours which are problematic during production and can remain present in the end component. Even some virgin plastics can carry smells which need eliminating. Whilst these can be masked with a fragrance, this isn’t always desirable, particularly in applications such as toiletries or food packaging. It’s also a temporary solution, which soon fades, meaning end products can still present undesirable odours.

Our R&D scientists invested months of research, exploring odour neutraliser additives for plastics. They consider these a more effective and permanent solution than attempting to mask smells with a fragrance. Specialist chemicals within our odour neutraliser additives act to absorb and trap VOCs and other odour molecules. This significantly reduces the amount of odorous particles which are released, therefore reducing the perceived smell of the material. We’ve explored a number of functional additives in order to find a commercially viable solution which delivers optimum performance.

Key benefits:
• These mineral-based additives attract and trap volatile odour molecules, preventing re-release.
• Odours can be permanently eliminated.
• Preferable to adding ‘masking’ fragrances, which are unsuitable for certain applications, such as food packaging or toiletries.
• We have options which neutralise different odours, relative to the source of your PCR material.
• Our technical team can advise on the selection of odour neutraliser to best suit your requirements.
• This additive broadens the usage potential of recycled plastics, helping to support a circular plastics economy.

Discover more about odour neutraliser.

An innovative yet simple solution to distinguish genuine products from fakes

Broadway’s anti-counterfeit additive aids protection against piracy and helps to preserve your brand’s reputation. With thousands of fake goods entering the market every day, the need to protect the identity of your products is more vital than ever. Uncertainty caused by counterfeit products can result in product recalls. These have been known to cost businesses dearly, damaging finances and consumer perceptions.

By incorporating our anti-counterfeit additive into your packaging you can be sure to determine whether a manufactured item is genuine or not. The presence of this colourless additive is detectable using a small laser pen or acoustic detector. This allows genuine products to be distinguished from counterfeit versions, which will show an absence of this additive.

Our anti-counterfeit solution can be produced as a masterbatch on its own to dose alongside your existing masterbatch stock, or incorporated into new custom colour formulas for a more cost-effective solution. For brands with specified colour masterbatches, this additive can also be useful in ensuring genuine materials are being used in the production of your goods. We therefore recommend inclusion of this additive wherever possible in branded products.

Key benefits:
• Offers an easy solution to distinguish genuine products from fakes.
• Helps to avoid costly product recalls which can be caused by fake goods entering the marketplace.
• Suitable for various polymers and not visible in the moulding, which helps to prevent replication.
• Use of an IR detector makes it simple and easy to detect the additive within your products.
• Can be supplied as a colourless additive, or combined with your custom colours (requires no changes to production).
• Adheres to regulatory standards such as EU food contact.
• Recommended for use in brand colours, enabling brands to check their specified materials are being used in production.

Discover More About Anti-Counterfeit Additives

Allows plastic to be marked with industrial lasers

Traditionally, containers have been marked with printing to add information such as lot numbers and sell-by dates. By using this additive masterbatch, the surface of the plastic can be marked directly using an industrial laser. One advantage of using lasers over labels is their flexibility. With labels, a slight change to the spec could mean scrapping printed labels and starting again, incurring greater costs for design, print and application. With lasers, a simple programming adjustment is all that’s required.

Laser-marking can also be utilised for decorative applications and for marking plastic keys, tags and buttons. This additive can be combined with other effects to provide visual enhancements at the same time. Often used in the packaging of consumer goods, this additive offers the ultimate solution for marking your products quickly, permanently and cost effectively.

Key benefits:
• Allows for plastics to be marked with industrial lasers, which can be a cheaper, more flexible alternative to product labelling.
• The additive absorbs the high-intensity energy from the laser, this heats the polymer, providing a controlled etch.
• A cost-efficient option, suitable for a wide range of plastics.
• Flexibility: dark marking (black on light), light marking (white on dark), colour marking (colour on light/dark).
• Avoids detection issues during recycling, which can be a problem when processing packaging with large labels.
• Broadway’s laser mark additive packages are optimised for NIR laser systems and will be tailored to suit your polymer, colour and laser settings.

Lowers your dependence on oil-based plastics and achieves a natural aesthetic

We offer a number of bio-filled options, allowing customers to introduce sustainable materials into their mouldings. This reduces dependence on traditional, oil-derived polymer content. It can also offer aesthetic benefits – products with PCR content can often look very similar to those using virgin polymer. With no obvious aesthetic change visible to consumers, the environmental benefits of the product’s PCR content may not be apparent. With bio-filled materials, a more natural aesthetic is often apparent in the end product.

Key benefits:
• A percentage of polymer is swapped for a natural filler, reducing your requirement for oil-derived plastic.
• Creates a ‘natural’, textured aesthetic in finished products, which is typically popular with eco-conscious consumers.
• Some fillers can improve the mechanical strength of the polymer, as well as lightweighting products.
• Can reduce the carbon footprint of mouldings, as well as supporting biodegradability.
• Our bio-fillers are sustainable. Many are by-products of other industries, so they don’t require additional resources.
• Our natural fillers include harvest waste, crushed egg shells, hemp and bio-marine waste.

Prevents static buildup in your plastics

Engineered by Broadway to eliminate the build up of static electricity during manufacture, this additive is used primarily to help disperse pigments, and to prevent masterbatch pellets from sticking in dosing units. Increasing the loading will also stop dust sticking to the surface of finished products in the long term. Another application is for products manufactured for non-sparking environments. The additive is migratory and essentially dissipates the charge, preventing arcing.

Key benefits:
• Engineered to eliminate the build-up of static electricity during your manufacturing process.
• Used to help disperse colour pigments in production.
• Prevents masterbatch from sticking in dosing units.
• Higher loadings will also stop dust sticking to the surface of finished products in the long term.
• Also beneficial for products manufactured for non-sparking environments.
• The additive is migratory and essentially dissipates the charge, preventing arcing.
• Can be supplied as a stand-alone additive, or incorporated into your custom colour masterbatches

Please note: The anti-static properties prevent ink adhering to the surface, so this additive is not suitable for applications where the plastic is to be printed directly.

Lowers surface friction, reduces scuffs and aids processing

Broadway’s range of mould release agents reduce surface friction of moulded parts and components. This is particularly useful for releasing parts from a mould that have more complex surfaces, such as a screw thread, for example.

For polyesters and styrenics mould release agents also offer anti-scuff properties, to reduce marks and scratches during manufacturing and transportation. There are other added benefits too – mould release agents can also aid processing by easing the dispersion of colour and potentially decreasing cycle times.

Key benefits:
• ReduceC surface friction of moulded parts and components, useful for releasing complex parts from a mould.
• Reduces marks and scratches during manufacturing and transportation in polyesters and styrenics.
• Aids processing by easing the dispersion of colour and potentially decreasing cycle times.
• Compatible with a wide range of polymers.
• Can be supplied as a stand-alone additive or incorporated into your custom colour masterbatches.

Improves processing and reduces downtime

A reduction in waste, downtime, and maintenance provided by the use of our anti-block additive can reduce your costs and improve productivity.

Key benefits:
• Our anti-block masterbatches reduce friction between layers of film or sheets – making them easier to process.
• Can also improve the physical characteristics of films.
• By minimising sticking and blocking issues you can reduce downtime and improve productivity.
• This additive can also enhance product appearance – offering better clarity, less haze, and improved surface finish.
• We offer customisation options for our anti-block masterbatches, delivering formulations that best meet your specific needs and end applications.
• We can combine anti-block additives with your custom colours.

Ensures clarity in clear plastics, to enhance product appeal

Key benefits:
• Our anti-fog masterbatch aids clarity in clear plastics
• Fog-free packaging enhances the visual appeal of products, showcasing the vibrancy of packaged items on shop shelves
• Our anti-fog masterbatch can reduce production downtime caused by fogging issues, allowing you to increase efficiency, productivity and quality.
• By preventing condensation and moisture buildup, our anti-fog masterbatch can help extend the shelf life of packaging materials and products.
• Compatible with a wide range of polymers and supplied as a stand-alone additive.

Reduces flammability and improves product safety

Industries such as electronics, textiles, and construction have strict regulations requiring the use of flame retardants in plastics for safety compliance. Our technical team can support you with the necessary material development, formulating a custom solution that suits your requirements.

Key benefits:
• This additive enhances the thermal stability of plastics, reducing degradation of products exposed to heat.
• Enhances product safety by minimising risk of fire.
• In the event of fire, this additive ensures slower fire propagation, reducing smoke and toxic emissions.
• Helps to maintain structural integrity of plastic components subjected to heat/fire.
• Dosing can be tailored to provide the level of protection required for your application.
• Can be supplied as a stand-alone additive, or included alongside your colours and supplied as a multifunctional masterbatch.

Absorbs moisture to maintain materials in storage and reduce issues in production

Our desiccant masterbatch contains a moisture-absorbing substance (desiccant), designed to remove excess moisture from plastic during processing. This helps to prevent issues like bubbles, voids and imperfections that can occur when processing damp materials. This additive essentially provides a means to dry plastic by incorporating a desiccant directly into the resin during manufacturing.

Key benefits:
• It absorbs moisture from the plastic resin during processing, ensuring a more consistent and high-quality final product.
• Can also prevent material degradation during storage.
• Used in various plastic processing methods including injection moulding, blow moulding and film extrusion.
• Eliminates defects caused by moisture content within the polymer
• Improves dimensional stability of the plastic part and enhances processing efficiency
• By reducing moisture content, the mechanical properties and overall performance of plastics can be enhanced.
• Incorporating our desiccant masterbatch can extend the shelf life of your products.
• Preventing moisture-related degradation can be crucial in packaging applications.
• By preventing moisture-related defects and losses, our desiccants can reduce waste and overall costs.
• Suitable for a wide range of applications, including packaging, electronics and automotive parts.
• Tailored to your requirements and combinable with your colours and other additives.

Achieves a frosted finish in PET, without the need to modify or change your moulding tool

Our frosted effect is achieved with a special additive – this one is more about appearance than performance. According to our customers, Broadway’s frosted effect is the only PET effect on the market to give a true frosted finish. Utilised in injection stretch blow moulding, this effect is particularly useful in trans colours. In opaque colours, the effect is great in allowing a matt finish to be achieved, without the need to switch or ‘spark’ (modify) your tool.

Key benefits:
• Utilised in ISBM, this additive provides a frosted finish in PET – a great way to offer product differentiation without tooling changes
• This solution not only saves on tooling costs, but also offers the advantage of turning the effect on or off as required.
• Customers have said that our frosted additive for PET provides the best frosted effect on the market.
• This effect does not impact printing or labelling, increasing its versatility.
• This additive can be incorporated into your custom colour masterbatches.
• Can also be supplied as a colourless additive to dose alongside your existing colours, or use in colourless bottles.
• The surface finish achieved does not impact printing or labelling, further increasing its versatility.