Study on solvent-based paint stripper for food-can tinplate

Scopus: "A solvent-based paint stripper for food-can tinplate is prepared. The effects of the ratio of the primary solvent mixture and its content, the content of hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide(CTMAB) and the content of lactic acid on the removal efficiency are studied. The volatility and corrosion protection of paint stripper are also investigated. The results show that the paint film becomes soft and removes in 3~5 min using the paint stripper composed of 21 wt% of phenethyl alcohol, 49 wt% of ethanol, 2 wt% of CTMAB and 28 wt% of lactic acid, at 80~85C. The paint stripper exhibits good stripping efficiency with low toxicity, low volatility and low corrosion."

Duan, N., Ge, D., Huang, K.-J., Zhang, H.-L., Ren, D.-J.

College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China

Hindustan Tin's receives Environment Initiative Award

Factiva: "For successfully spreading the message of global recycling movement in India, Canvironment Week by Hindustan Tin has recently been awarded the Environment Initiative of the Year Award at Ambrosia Indspirit 2010, a noted award event for the Alcobev industry (wine and spirit industry and trade).

Selected by an eminent jury and certified by ERNST & YOUNG, the award comes as a definitive recognition to Canvironment Week, a global movement initiated by Hindustan Tin Works Limited – India’s leading CAN manufacturer. The award was received by Atit Bhatia, Canviornment Week President and HTWL senior vice-president"

India Packaging industry growth gets retail push

Factiva: "RIDING high on the booming retail and fast moving consumer goods ( FMCG) sector, the Indian packaging industry is expected to grow above 18 per cent in the next fiscal.

“ At present the Indian packaging industry is estimated at ` 65,000 crore and is growing at 10 per cent,” Sanjay Bhatia, managing director, Hindustan Tin Works Ltd, a leading can manufacturer, told M AIL T ODAY . “ As the industry is very closely linked to the growth of pharma and food industries, which are doing very well, we expect it to grow above 18 per cent next year,” Bhatia said.

At present, metal packaging holds about eight per cent market share of the total packaging industry. Generally, metal packaging is used in the pharma, food and beverages industries. Growing consumption of beverages and packaged food has given this sector a major boost."

Peru grows metallic packaging exports

Factiva: "Consultancy Maximixe estimates the Peruvian exports of metallic package to have expanded 7.3% in 2010 to US$5mil and forecasts US$5.8mil exports in 2011. Around 47.7% of the offer is tin cans, 42.1% collapsible tubes and 9,9% aluminium packaging. Exports were mainly directed to Chile, while the top exporting company was Envases Lima with 42.1%of the exports, followed by Envases Especiales (26.7%) and Envases Los Pinos (10.6%"

Quantong to commission 250,000 t/y tinning lines

Factiva: "Privately-owned Three Gorges Quantong Colored & Galvanized Plate (Quantong) located in central China’s Hubei province’s Yichang city is adding a new 250,000 tonnes/year tinplate/tin-free steel capacity which is estimated to be commissioned in mid-2011.

The company has ordered four new coating lines from Italian plantmaker Tenova. Steel Business Briefing learns from a Tenova release that the equipment includes two high-speed tinning lines and two high-speed electrolytic chromium coating lines. The lines are designed for strip 1,250mm wide and 0.14-0.55mm thick. The tinplate output of these lines will be targeted at the high end of the market."

Tin platers struggle as metal prices hit record highs

Factiva: "U.S. tinplate makers say they are caught in a bind as high tin prices make production more costly while long-term supply contracts prevent them from passing increases on to consumers.

Although tin has soared to record highs on the London Metal Exchange, long-term contracts with customers for specific products make it impossible for tinplate producers to substitute cheaper material, sources said."

Chromium can be used for only a limited number of tinplate products, the trader source said, making one of the only other options the reduction of coating thickness. "There is no more than 5? pounds of tin on a ton of steel of average thickness," the source said.

If tin prices remain high and push up the pricing of tinplate, food packing companies might begin to substitute away from the product for glass or plastic, sources warned. However, such a shift would take time to implement, thus nullifying any immediate impact.

"It's always been a concern, but it's not so much a concern in the short term," the trader said.

While tin platers struggle with price increases, the rest of the tin industry is scrambling for material. One alloyer reported an outage at the end of June due to non-delivery of material and was recently told by a supplier to go elsewhere for tin. "It's been going on for six months. If I want to buy more than my quota, there's a distinct chance that I won't be able to," he said.

Tinplate surface energies

Factiva: "The surface energies of commercially produced tinplate samples have been characterised. The surface energies were determined using contact angle measurements by both a single liquid analysis and a multiliquid analysis using mixtures of water and diacetone alcohol,' researchers in Wales report.

'The single liquid method should be treated with caution as the results are significantly affected by choice of liquid. The multifluid methods are more accurate and reliable, and the optimum methodology for surface energy measurements was developed. The surface energies of the tinplate substrates were in the range of 30 to 35 mJ m(-2), about one third of which was polar in nature. The substrate variables assessed included levels of lubricating oil, chromium passivation, tin, iron-tin alloy and tin oxide as well as surface roughness,' wrote J. Newland and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: 'A multiparameter analysis showed that the levels of lubricating oil and tin oxide were most significant in determining the surface energy.'"

Newland and colleagues published their study in Ironmaking & Steelmaking (Influence of production parameters on surface energy of tinplate. Ironmaking & Steelmaking, 2009;36(6):456-461).

For additional information, contact J.C. Arnold, University College Swansea, School Engineering, Materials Research Center, Singleton Pk, Swansea SA2 8PP, W Glam, Wales.