Puncture resistance:

Puncture resistance denotes the relative ability of a material to inhibit the progression of a tear
once it has been pierced by a cut or a nick. Tests devised to measure puncture resistance are
generally application-specific, covering items such as roofing

and packaging materials,
protective gloves, needle disposal facilities, bulletproof vests, tires, etc. Puncture resistance in
fabrics can be obtained through very tight woven fabrics, small ceramic plates in fabric coating
or tight woven fabrics with a coating of hard crystals. All described methods significantly reduce
the softness and flexibility of the fabric.
The puncture resistance will depend on the nature of puncture attempt, with the two most
important features being point sharpness and force. A fine sharp point such as a hypodermic
needle will require a high ability to absorb and distribute the force to avoid penetration, but
the total forces applied are still limited.
A hypodermic needle (from Greek - (under-), and
(skin)) is a hollow needle commonly used with a
syringe to inject substances into the body or extract
fluids from it. They may also be used to take liquid
samples from the body.

Anti-block Additives:
Blocking is a common problem encountered by manufacturers of polyolefin films and coatings.
There is an array of anti-block types available. This overview covers the fundamental reasons
for considering and using anti block additives. A review of the most commercially important
grades is offered, with general guidelines relative to the users needs. Natural silica
(diatomaceous earth) and talc prove to be of greatest interest for most commodity applications

Introduction:
Blocking is the adhesion of two adjacent layers of film. It is a problem most associated with
polyethylene and polypropylene films (either blown or cast), and to a lesser extent in extrusion
coated or laminated products.
It is thought that blocking of adjacent film layers occurs due to the presence of Van -der -Waals
forces between the amorphous regions of the polymer. These forces increase with reduced
distance between the two layers, thereby increasing blocking when two layers are pressed
together (e.g. winding onto a take up roll or stacking of finished, converted films). Another
possible reason for blocking is the presence of low molecular weight species, oligomers, which
tend to migrate to the surface of the film.

The most effective method for combating these handling issues is to add an anti-block additive.
An anti-block additive present in the resin microscopically protrudes from the film surface. This
creates asperities (Le. little bumps), which help to minimize the film-to-film surface contact,
Increasing the distance between the two layers, thereby minimizing blocking.
The blocking between adjacent layers results in increased friction (resistance to motion), and
the addition of an anti-block generally contributes to a reduction in the film-to-film coefficient
of friction (COF). COF is a measure of the relative difficulty with which one surface will slide
over an adjoining surface The greater the resistance to sliding, the higher the COF value (e.g.
low-slip or no-slip film, sometimes referred to as high COF film).

Slip Additives
Slip additives are a type of internal lubricant that creates better processability by reducing the
internal friction and tackiness of polymers. Slip additives are used to reduce the surface friction
of polymers. They are very common in the film industry because the slip additive helps film
layers slide over each other which can be very useful in high speed packaging processes

Packaging films or any plastic products that are thin and are required to travel on a machine's
metal surface at a fast speed, require slip agents. Slip agents are the special additives that
improve machinability of such thin plastic products. Polyolefins are the largest candidate for
packaging films that are typically thin and are used on packaging machines, making them the
major user of slip agents.
Polymer nature and morphology, as well as crystallinity are the most important variables. Slip
behavior of plastic product depends upon the type of polymer. Slip molecules diffuse mainly
through amorphous regions of a polyolefin, so migration is slower in more crystalline resins like
HDPE and PP than in LDPE or LLDPE. LDPE being more amorphous compared to LLDPE and
HDPE require larger addition of slip agent in order to achieve the same performance. Highly
amorphous and tacky polymers, such as lower density mLLDPE grades (<0.92 g/cc) require high
loadings of slip. Polar polymers like EVA or EMA can interact with the functional groups of a slip
and retard its migration. Slip agents essentially perform only on the surface of a polymer and
are therefore required to migrate from the matrix onto the surface in order to be effective.
Migration of slips through Polyolefins is slower in a wound roll than an unwound one. The
greater the winding tension, the slower the diffusion rates.
Typically amides of different molecular weights are used as slip agents. Oleamide was the first
slip agent and is still used in LDPE and to some extent in LDPE. However, being more volatile
compared to erucamide, it is slowly losing its share to erucamide. However, in order to balance
the migration, a combination of fast migratory and slower migratory amides such as oleamide
and erucamide are often recommended and used. Erucamide being more thermally stable can
perform at somewhat higher temperatures compared to oleamide, and being increasingly
preferred.

Other slips based on secondary amides have almost twice the molecular weight of primary
amides and thus migrate more slowly in Polyolefins. Traditional primary and secondary amides
are offered commercially in LDPE, LLDPE and mLLDPE carriers.