Formulation of mono-diacylglycerol from palm fatty acid distillate and glycerol as antistatic agents on plastics

Abstract

Abstract Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) can be increased its added value by converted to mono-diacylglycerol (MDAG). MDAG has free hydroxyl groups which make it possible as antistatic agent in plastics. Antistatic is main additive in plastic products, which can reduce the tendency of static electricity. This study aims to obtained the best formulation of MDAG as an antistatic agent in plastics. The methods of this study included formulation of MDAG in plastic polymer, injection molding process and measurement of surface resistivity. The formulation of MDAG in plastic polymers (PP, HDPE, LDPE) have been done in three steps. First, commercial antistatic and MDAG (3.80% FFA content) was added to polymers for injection molding process. There were no antistatic properties detected of MDAG plastic plates. Meanwhile the commercial antistatic shows there were antistatic properties on its plates. The second formulation was using MDAG with better characteristics which has no FFA content. Both MDAG and commercial antistatic showed antistatic properties on PP plates with similar surface resistivity, which was 1012 Ω/sq. Third formulation was using the same MDAG in PP and HDPE polymer and its surface resistivity was observed for several days. Both MDAG and commercial antistatic showed antistatic properties on each plate, with the range of surface resistivity at 1011-1012 Ω/sq. There were significant differences of antistatic activities in PP and HDPE plates, where antistatic properties in PP plates was immediately detected dan faster than HDPE plates. It can be caused by the difference between PP and HDPE density that influence the migration rate of antistatic agent to the surface. In this third stage, it was also created the MDAG masterbatch by mixing MDAG and LDPE polymer, which showed antistatic properties on HDPE plates after several days, with the range of surface resistivity at 1012 Ω/sq. The measurement of surface resistivity on each plastic plates showed that MDAG has antistatic properties, as well as commercial product.