New Liquid HOMBITAN® Products Simplify Whitening of Recycled PET Fibers for the Textile Industry

Venator has developed a new liquid pigment masterbatch technology that can be used to bleach recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers quickly, cleanly and efficiently. Building on the company's established titanium dioxide (TiO2) platform for the fiber industry, the new HOMBITAN® LQ series is optimized for brightening PET fibers from plastic bottles that will be re-spun into polyester and is ready to create new consumer products including footwear and apparel.   Venator is launching: HOMBITAN® LQ White 100, optimized for semi-matte recycled PET fibers; and HOMBITAN® LQ White 130 for the production of fully opaque fibers. Designed for small-scale recycled PET projects conducted on a single extrusion line, both products are easy to use and offer various advantages over solid (pelletized) masterbatch pigment solutions. Dosed with a precision pump, HOMBITAN® LQ products can be easily incorporated into an extrusion line. Homogenizing seamlessly into recycled polymer melt, HOMBITAN® LQ products carry a higher solid pigment load compared to pelletized solutions; meaning fiber producers use minimal amounts to achieve comparable whiteness and opacity results.

Designed to withstand temperature variations and pressure fluctuations during processing, HOMBITAN® LQ products provide perfect homogeneous whiteness while reducing the brightness of recycled fibers that can appear undesirable in some garments.

  Additionally, HOMBITAN® LQ products require no pre-treatment, which saves fiber producers time and money. Unlike pelletized masterbatches that must be dried and crystallized, HOMBITAN® LQ products are delivered ready-to-use in easy-to-store barrels. HOMBITAN® LQ products can also be used close to spinning operations thanks to their liquid formulations.   Xandra Bläser, Global Business Director, Specialty Pigmented TiO2 - Fibers and Films at Venator, said: "The use of recycled PET to create fibers for footwear, textile and apparel applications is now commonplace. This shift has gained momentum over the past few years and reflects the broader corporate sustainability goals of manufacturers who want to reduce their dependence on raw materials, lower their carbon footprints and give a second life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Our HOMBITAN® LQ series is designed to support these customers while accelerating their environmental efforts."  

"By applying our comprehensive knowledge about the fiber spinning process, we have created a liquid TiO2 technology that can help fiber producers achieve the high-quality end results they want from the PET they have recovered. The creation of HOMBITAN® LQ is the first in a series of new liquid-based products designed to simplify the use of TiO2 and other additives across a range of applications and industries."

  In addition to supplying HOMBITAN® LQ, Venator also manufactures other pigments and additive products for the fiber and textile market. Examples include TiO2 for brightening a range of fiber polymers such as polyester, polyamide, viscose and polyacrylonitrile, as well as HOMBRIGHT® S-ID (BaSO4) for bright yarns with higher production stability and faster spinnability.