How UV Additives Help Protect Plastic from Sun Damage
When plastic products are exposed to sunlight, ultraviolet (UV) radiation can gradually break down the polymer structure. Over time, this can lead to:
☀️ Brittleness and cracking
☀️ Loss of strength and flexibility
☀️ Surface chalking and fading
☀️ Reduced service life
That’s where UV additives come in.
UV stabilisers are incorporated into polyethylene during manufacturing to help slow the effects of UV exposure. They work by absorbing or neutralising harmful UV energy before it can damage the plastic, helping products maintain their performance for longer in outdoor environments.
How Much UV Additive Is Required?
The amount of UV additive required depends on several factors, including:
• Exposure conditions and climate
• Expected product lifespan
• Film thickness
• Colour (black films typically offer additional UV protection)
As a general guide, UV masterbatches commonly contain concentrated stabilisers and are typically added at around 2-5% of the finished product, although specific applications may require more or less depending on performance requirements.
Choosing the Right Level of Protection
Not all outdoor applications require the same UV package. A temporary cover may only need short-term protection, while agricultural, construction or industrial applications exposed to years of sunlight may require significantly higher UV resistance.
At Plastics 2000, we can manufacture polyethylene films with customised UV packages to suit your application, helping maximise product life while maintaining cost efficiency.
Did you know?
The UV masterbatch we commonly work with contains a minimum of 20% active UV stabilising additives, which are blended into the polyethylene during production to provide long-term weathering protection.
Note: A typical addition rate of 2-5% masterbatch would equate to roughly 0.4-1.0% active UV stabiliser in the finished film when using a masterbatch containing 20% active UV additive. Based on Europlas UV EM Sun 894W, the masterbatch contains a minimum of 20% UV additive.
