【Near-Infrared Absorbing Formulation】Balancing Light Transmission and Heat Shielding in PC/PE Resins | Functional Masterbatch for Building Materials and Daylighting Roofs

Resino Color Industry Co., Ltd. provides near-infrared-absorbing masterbatches for PC and PE resins through the design and manufacture of functional masterbatches.

In addition to its development and manufacturing system in Japan, the company also supplies products to Thailand, Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian markets. Customers can consult with the company from the stages of functional formulation design based on the intended application and required physical properties through prototype evaluation.

Adding this near-infrared-absorbing masterbatch to resin suppresses temperature increases beneath heat-shielding sheets and films while maintaining light-transmitting properties. It is therefore suitable for applications that require both transparency and heat-shielding performance, including building materials, daylighting roofs, carports, and agricultural films.

Contents

• Near-Infrared Absorption Formulation Combining Light Transmission and Heat Shielding
• Product Specifications for PC and PE Resins
• Quality Control Using Particle Measurement and Evaluation Equipment
• Supply System in Southeast Asia
• FAQ

■　Near-Infrared Absorption Formulation Combining Light Transmission and Heat Shielding

For daylighting windows and roofing materials used on buildings and carports, lightweight and impact-resistant PC (polycarbonate) sheets are used as an alternative to glass to suppress increases in interior temperature caused by direct sunlight. Film materials such as PE (polyethylene) are also used for agricultural films.

However, as transparency increases, the heat rays in sunlight, or near-infrared radiation, pass through more easily, causing the temperature beneath sheets and films to rise.

According to measurement data for a 2.0 mm-thick PC (polycarbonate) plate, the maximum temperature was 71°C for the blank without a plate. The maximum temperature was 59°C beneath a PC plate without this near-infrared absorption masterbatch formulation, while a PC plate containing 3.0PHR of this masterbatch recorded a maximum temperature of 42°C. This represents a reduction of 29°C compared with the blank and 17°C compared with the PC plate alone.

This near-infrared-absorbing masterbatch uses advanced dispersion technology to distribute an inorganic heat-ray absorber uniformly throughout the resin. This enables efficient absorption of near-infrared radiation contained in sunlight while maintaining light-transmitting properties. As a result, it suppresses temperature increases in indoor spaces beneath roofing and film materials, helping to improve comfort and reduce air-conditioning loads.

■　Product Specifications for PC and PE Resins

For building material and agricultural material applications, the required optical characteristics and physical properties vary depending on the application, including the thickness of the molded product, total light transmittance, and haze.

Resino Color Industry offers masterbatches suited to the target resins. Its product lineup includes “Clear PC-TT3479” for PC resin, with a recommended addition level of 3.0PHR, and “Clear PB-TT3553” for PE resin, with a recommended addition level of 6.0PHR.

These masterbatches can be mixed with the base resin at a specified ratio and used directly for molding in existing extrusion machines and sheet production lines. By utilizing existing equipment, they can be applied to various functional materials, including outdoor heat-shielding sheets, double-wall daylighting panels, and highly transparent agricultural films.

■　Near-Infrared-Absorbing Masterbatch Product Lineup

※1: The maximum temperature is the value measured with a digital thermometer in the space beneath the blank or PC plate while infrared radiation was applied. Black ink was applied to the sensor area. The plate thickness was 2.0 mm for PC and 0.16 mm for PE.
※Total light transmittance complies with JIS K7361-1.

■　Quality Control Using Evaluation Equipment

Inorganic fine particles used as additives have a tendency to re-agglomerate inside the resin. Insufficient dispersion may increase haze due to the scattering of transmitted light, cause cloudiness in the product, or result in sheet breakage caused by coarse particles, potentially leading to molding defects.

Resino Color Industry has established advanced dispersion technology capable of controlling additives from the submicron to the nanometer level. The company is also equipped with various measurement and analytical evaluation instruments, including a CM-3600A spectrophotometer, a UV-3600Plus UV-visible-near-infrared spectrophotometer, an NDH7000 haze meter, an LA-960 laser diffraction/scattering particle size analyzer, a Nanotrac Wave-Ⅱ dynamic light scattering particle size distribution analyzer, a U48 ultraviolet fade meter, a 3A semi-automatic melt indexer, and a TG-DTA8122 differential thermal and thermogravimetric analyzer.

The dispersion process allows the additives to blend uniformly into the medium, reducing localized variations in the physical properties of films and sheets and lowering the risk of molding defects.

This enables the consistent control of uniform appearance, the optical characteristics required for building material products, and weather resistance suitable for outdoor use, based on objective evaluation data.

■　Main Measurement and Analytical Evaluation Equipment

■　Supply System in Southeast Asia

When producing high-quality functional sheets and building material panels in Southeast Asia, manufacturers may face challenges related to the stable procurement of additive masterbatches, technical communication, and the lead time required to arrange and evaluate samples.

For markets in Thailand, Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian countries, Resino Color Industry has established a stable product supply system by utilizing the procurement and distribution network of its group company, Sakai Trading Thailand.

At every stage from development to mass production, including the review of product specifications, provision of prototypes, and molding evaluations using actual production equipment, the local contact point works together with the technical and development departments in Japan to provide support according to customer requirements.

This helps suppress the risk of defects and schedule delays during the transition from prototyping to mass production and supports the launch of new products and stable production in Southeast Asia.

■　FAQ

Q1: Is it possible to obtain samples for evaluation and testing?
A1: Yes. Samples of “Clear PC-TT3479” for PC and “Clear PB-TT3553” for PE can be provided for prototyping and evaluation using the customer’s molding equipment. Sample adjustments can also be made according to product conditions, including the recommended addition level and compounding conditions.

Q2: What distribution route is used when procuring the products for overseas factories in Thailand, Vietnam, or other countries?
A2: For customers in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, a transaction and delivery system has been established through the group company Sakai Trading (Thailand) Co., Ltd. The company also works with its design and development departments in Japan to identify technical issues at local molding sites and arrange materials.

Q3: Can the masterbatch be compounded with resins other than the recommended PC and PE base resins?
A3: Yes. The masterbatch formulation and preliminary dispersion processing can be individually designed according to the target resin used by the customer and the physical properties required for the product, such as haze, weather resistance, and total light transmittance. As part of its contract development and contract manufacturing services, the company designs formulations based on evaluation data obtained using its in-house measurement and analytical evaluation equipment.

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