EU Regulatory Compliance – PTFE for Inks and Coatings

(can i just remove this title? its the same as the two above, its repeated quite heavily)

Shamrock Technologies is excited to introduce our EU Regulatory Compliant PTFE product line, indicated by the suffix “-RC”.  The RC products listed below complies with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/784 amending Annex I to POPs Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (per Shamrock QSOP-202E).

Shamrock has pro-actively adopted a method similar to 3M’s Standard Test Method (Edition 1.0, Nov 2016), based on extraction of PTFE powders with methanol and the use of Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to determine the concentration of PFOA. Shamrock’s internal Test Method, QSOP-202E[ii] has correlated well with test data (of the same powder samples) from external test centers to validate accuracy and precision. Scientists generally agree that an accepted test method is calibration with known standards whereby the results of the same samples in different labs are within experimental error.

Addendum:

The EU has added C₉-C₁₄ PFCAs and C₉-C₁₄ PFCA-related substances under ANNEX XVII of REACH. The new law will become effective on February 25, 2023.

On August 5, 2021, the European Union (EU) published Regulation (EU) 2021/1297 to replace entry 68 to Annex XVII of Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH, consolidated version to July 2021) in relation to ‘Restrictions on the manufacturing, placing on the market and use of certain dangerous substances, mixtures and articles.’

PTFE micropowders are used to reduce friction between contacting surfaces. These materials are produced in low micron or sub-micron particle size and in a range of low molecular weight. The raw materials and processes used to make the micropowders determine the properties such as surface energy, surface area, hardness and more.Our PTFE for inks are made by degrading and micronizing Natural Prime (granular and paste) or recycled PTFE. Particle size is tightly controlled, and measured by industry standard Grind Gages. The particle size distribution is measured by laser light diffraction. Our PTFE products are color specified using a reflectance densitometer. Other properties of PTFE are its high density and low refractive index. We control and measure many basic powder properties.