Home > Products and Services > Products by Type > Titanium Dioxide - Plastics > Market Applications Masterbatch/Color Concentrate - Molding The molding process, particularly injection molding, is the largest volume fabrication process for thermoplastics. Due to relatively thick cross sections and low loading requirements, it is not as proportionately large in its consumption of TiO2 for plastics. The primary requirement is to provide pigmentation as opposed to opacification and UV stability. While this is a high shear, high temperature process, it provides no specific processing challenges to TiO2. The lower temperature blowmolding process requires melt strength retention. Both need a bright, white, consistent, non-yellowing pigment that does not contribute to plate-out. Injection Molding: This process produces typically rather thick parts, although the technology for thin wall injection molding has advanced rapidly. In most applications, general purpose TiO2 is recommended because of its excellent flow, brightness, reduction of mold plate out, and resistance to thermal yellowing during dwell in the mold. Polymers, which have a natural yellow color (ABS, PEI, and acetal among others), would benefit from a blue tone TiO2 product. Polycarbonate can have a hydrolytic reaction with TiO2 resulting in a loss of molecular weight. Consult your Millennium Inorganic Chemicals technical expert for help in grade selection. Blow Molding: Where melt strength is important, a general or high performance TiO2 is the pigment of choice. The processing conditions provide no unusual challenge to either product. The dispersion requirements for blow molding are not critical and the thickness of the hollow part provides any opaqueness required. Once again, be sure to review the FDA status of the TiO2 product prior to use in a food contact application. About Us | Products & Services | Safety, Health & Environment News & Events | Contact Us | Search | Site Map | Careers