How to make HDPE intermediate bulk containers (IBC) safe for the transportation of flammable liquids

Market: Industrial packaging and transportation of flammable goods

Polymer: HDPE

Effect: Permanent antistatic behavior

Plastics are electrical insulators. As a result, without modification, plastics are not suitable for packaging and transportation applications, where protection against electrostatic charges is mandatory.
Most of the untreated polymers, such as the HDPE of standard IBC-containers, are insulators.

Surface resistivity: > 10E15 Ohm/sq
Charge decay time: >> sev. 10 seconds

Ask for more information

Electrostatic charges can be easily generated and accumulated on plastic surfaces when materials in fluid, pellet or powder form are moved along plastic parts such as bulk container walls, filling ducts, outlets, etc.
Friction is the source for electrostatic charging during filling or emptying of intermediate bulk containers (IBC). Alternatively, induction can cause charge separation resulting in charging of an IBC surface when it is moved closely to a charged body. This effect occurs, for example, in warehouses or filling stations.

Separated/generated charges, by friction or induction, will remain on the surface until grounding. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) could lead to spark induced fire or explosion, when the charged body is grounded accidentally. ESD-induced catastrophic events, with the possibility of loss of human life, are unacceptable risks.

To prevent charging and hazardous ESD-events, Ciba® IRGASTAT® P permanent antistatic agent can be incorporated into the outer layer of IBC containers to provide the desired antistatic, discharging performance.

Depending on concentration, Ciba® IRGASTAT® P improves surface resistivity up to 5 decades.
HDPE coex - blow molded IRGASTAT P18 [%]	Surface resistivity * @ 21.5°C; 50% r.h. [Ohm/sq]	Charge decay time * @21.5°C; 50% r.h. T(5000V → 50V) [s]
0	>1E16	failed
15	2E10	0.2
18	5E09	0.1
*: typical values

The electrostatic dissipating layer of the HDPE-container connects to the grounding design of the whole IBC-container. Accumulated charges will flow off in a controlled and smooth way without generating hazardous sparks, when a grounding connection has been established.

Ciba® IRGASTAT® P permanent antistatic agent is:
	Durable and non-migratory
	Static dissipative - no grounding required
	Excellent charge decay
	Non corrosive and non-contaminating
	Not dependent on humidity
	Transparent - colorable

Ciba® IRGASTAT® P is transparent. Unlike existing discharging solutions like carbon black filled HDPE or metal covers for the HDPE-container, Ciba® IRGASTAT® P does not affect the transparency of the standard HDPE-IBC-container. The filling level inside the container can be easily controlled. In addition, the contents of the IBC will not heat up by exposure to sunlight as compared to black containers.

Ciba® IRGASTAT® P

is durable and non-migratory. The performance of the antistatic layer will remain electrostatically dissipative over the lifetime of the IBC-container. Even under weathering conditions of WOM-wet testing (acc. ASTM G 26A), the effect remains sufficient to fulfill discharging requirements.

WOM wet according to ASTM G26A, 0.35 W/m²nm at 340nm; 1670 hours WOM correspond to 1 year Central Europe (total solar irradiation)

Ciba® IRGASTAT® P performs in any humidity. The effectiveness and overall reliability remains the same, irrespective of environmental conditions.

PE-LD: Homopolymer; MFI (190°C/10') 0.6g; Film: 0.15mm; mixture of pellets; blown at 210°C

Ciba® IRGASTAT® P makes HDPE-containers of IBCs fulfill the regulations according to CELENEC TR 50404:2003 and is therefore suitable for transportation of dangerous, flammable goods, as well as handling and storage in Ex-zones 1 and 2.

Ask for more information on this solution