Avient introduces new Renol™ and Remafin™ masterbatches for natural-looking TPE wine stoppers

On June 10, 2021, Avient announced the launch of a new special effect masterbatch that produces natural-looking wine stoppers made from thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)
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Available under the Renol™ and Remafin™ brands, this masterbatch was developed by Avient ColorWorks™ in Merate, Italy
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Prototype corks produced using this special-effect formula in combination with TPE from Italian synthesizer Marfran Srl were tested at a manufacturer to prove the concept of creating more natural wine corks
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"Several trends are driving the wine industry to find alternatives to natural cork stoppers," explains Daniele Conti, a polymer scientist on the ColorWorks team
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Climate change and related drought events have reportedly hampered the growth of cork trees and limited supply
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Natural corks, even those made from ground natural materials, allow oxygen to enter the bottle and occasionally spoil the wine
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TPE stoppers do not have these problems, but they are clearly synthetic alternatives and cannot give wine lovers the same aesthetic experience as natural products
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We have been able to develop a special effect masterbatch that makes TPE cork look natural, providing both the aesthetic pleasure of natural cork and enhancing the performance of TPE
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The new masterbatch combination creates a special effect that makes each TPE cork look different, with a unique light brown swirl pattern and random black specs
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First developed by the ColorWorks team, this special effect convincingly mimics the look of natural cork
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The new masterbatch formulation complies with applicable FDA and EU food contact standards
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Cork stoppers can be produced using existing injection moulding techniques and are priced competitively with their natural counterparts
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According to Francesco Francheschetti, president of Marfran Srl (formerly known as Francesco Franceschetti Elastomeri), preliminary tests of prototypes focus on a range of TPE compounds already used in the wine cork market
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"Avient's new masterbatch allows us to enter the wine cork market with Marfran TPE and foaming agent that meets the necessary food contact requirements and has the visual effect of real cork
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It also allows us to provide good plasticity and sterilization resistance "
The response from some of the major suppliers in the wine cork market has been very positive
.
"