One of the latest REACH restrictions concerns the use of dioctyltin EHMA (DOTE) stabilizers. To accomodate the new legislation, Nordmann partner PMC will be working with alternative stabilizer technologies in the future, using fatty acid ligands for octyl- and methyl-based stabilizers. Not only do these materials provide an alternative to DOTE products, they also surpass conventional methyl-based EHMA stabilizers in terms of their ability to support cost and performance optimization. The fatty acids are produced by PMC Biogenix and derived from sustainable agricultural products.

Product optimization with promise

Taking Advastab TM-725 as an example, the new materials were shown to use significantly less tin than conventional methyl-based EHMA stabilizers. Nonetheless, they ensure similar end-use performance even in demanding applications such as exterior profiles and foam boards. Featuring lower torque than EHMA ligands as a result of higher internal lubricity, the new fatty acids also offer significant processing advantages.

PMC is also researching tin stabilizers that are completely free of EHMA, such as Thermolite OM-3130. This particular material offers greater advantages to both production processes and finished articles in applications such as PVC films and sheets when compared with conventional octyl-based EHMA stabilizers.