sealrust^® VCI Poly Products : Technical Information 

The Term VCI stands for volatile corrosion inhibitor. When metal items are packed in VCI packaging material, the chemicals volatilise in the surrounding environment and forms a protective invisible molecular layer on the surface of the metal. This protective layer works as a barrier between metal surface and corrosion causing materials like moisture, oxygen, dirt, salt etc; and thus prevent them from depositing on the metal to cause rust and corrosion.

While Selecting VCI Poly Packaging Material, it is advisable to get technical information about VCI plastics packaging material. Number of technical issues in respect of VCI poly packaging material: suitability of VCI flexible poly material over VCI paper, its life span, effect of thickness of plastic material etc have been highlighted:

VCI Poly Products to be Used for Primary Packaging

For optimum protection from Corrosion, VCI Poly Material should be used for Primary Packaging at the time of production and it should not be used in combination with any other option of corrosion protection.

VCI molecules evaporate to settle on the metal surface to form an invisible thin film to protect the same from corrosive substances. If VCI material is combined with any other type of rust preventive material, VCI active agent may not fully cover the object material by forming invisible film on it, thereby making such area vulnerable to corrosion.

Similarly VCI active chemicals will not have any opportunity to from invisible protective micro film on metal surface if VCI material is used as secondary packaging material and other types of protective methods used for primer packaging.

However, for maximum and long term protection under worst climatic conditions, same VCI material should be used for primary as well as secondary packaging.

Advantages of VCI Poly Products over VCI Paper

VCI Poly material has many advantages over Traditional VCI paper products used as packaging medium for protection of metal surface from corrosion and rust. Some of the main Advantages are :

• In addition to providing corrosion inhibitor properties, VCI Poly Acts as very powerful effective moisture barrier, which is not the case with paper. In fact paper absorbs moisture which result into corrosion.

• Often poly bags are preferred to paper for protection material from moisture, dust and other reasons. VCI Poly bags provide same benefits in addition to corrosion inhibiting protection.

• VCI poly bags, tubing and sheets are transparent and hence packed products can be identified without opening the package. These benefits are not available with Paper bags.

• VCI Poly bags tubing and sheets are dimensionally stable and can be folded and are available in custom sizes and colors, thus suitable for all types and all sizes of products and for all types of packaging systems.

Difference between VCI Poly and VCI Paper Products

There are many benefits of using VCI poly Material compared to use of VCI paper Products. VCI paper is manufactured by coating of VCI chemical on paper while VCI Poly products are produced by extrusion process using VCI ingredients and master batch.

Thus in poly material there is uniform distribution of VCI chemical thereby giving more effective performance compared to VCI Paper.

Poly Products can be sealed to form a safe and protective enclosure around the object. Paper Bags have to sealed using some adhesive which itself may become source of corrosion due to presence of moisture in paper.

Paper absorbs moisture and humidity and thus becomes non effective in course of time which is not possible with plastics.

Poly film have much more superior tear strength than Paper.

Life span of sealrust^® VCI Poly Bags & Wrappers

Life span and effectiveness of VCI Products depends upon many factors such as packaging methods, transit & shipping conditions, material to be protected and to what extent Guidelines for using VCI Products are followed.

However life of sealrust^® Poly Products is considered to be three years in an ambient temperature.

This estimation is based on Salt Spray Test conducted in the laboratory as per ASTM B-117 for 1,000 Hours.

Effect of thickness of sealrust^® Plastics Products

Effectiveness of VCI Plastics Bags & Wrappers remains almost same irrespective of the thickness of Poly Products. However thicker plastic film offers greater resistance to moisture transmission compared to thinner films.

Hence for better protection against corrosion, the thickness of the film should be selected from 400 to 800 gauge depending upon duration of protection required.

Can VCI active agent be seen, smelt or felt?

VCI agents are neither visible nor capable being felt. As far as smell is concerned, it will, by and large, depend upon the nature of active agents used in VCI product formulation by the individual manufacturer.

Nature of smell or its intensity does not give any indication about the presence of active agent or its effectiveness in any VCI Product.

Effect of colour variation in VCI material?

Colour variation inherent in the VCI Poly material in no way affects its quality, performance or effectiveness. Similarly nature of smell or its intensity does not give any indication about the presence of more or less dose of active agents or its effectiveness in any particular VCI Product.

In fact VCI poly material is manufactured in standard light yellow tint color and also in custom colours depending upon individual packaging requirements based on products identification.

Appropriate Method of closing VCI Poly Bags

Normally VCI packaging products do not require airtight packing to work effectively. However VCI products must be enclosed properly so that air or moisture do not enter in VCI Bag from the opened side of the bag.

Due to packaging constrains if VCI poly bags are not sealed, parts or material should be completely wrapped or enclosed with VCI packaging material.

Difference between Mono extruded VCI Film & co-extruded Film

Co-extruded VCI Film contains VCI formulation, which is chemical blend of several ingredients, only on one side of poly material where as Mono extruded VCI film contain VCI formulation on both the sides of the plastics. That is why studies have indicated that VCI film made by mono extrusion process shows better corrosion protection ability and longer protection life cycle as compared to co-extruded material.

Sealrust Poly Film is manufactured by mono extrusion process by using superior VCI Technology and formulation for long term protection from corrosion.

Effectiveness of Salt Spray Test?

Salt Spray Tests and Humidity tests provide only guidelines about effectiveness of VCI products. Performance of VCI products depends upon many factors such as storage, transportation and shipping conditions, surrounding temperature; humidity, presence of salt, sulphur in the atmosphere. It is, therefore, necessary to conduct field testing of VCI products before deciding about its effectiveness and performance.

Recycling of sealrust^® Poly Products

Scrap of sealrust Poly material can be reprocessed without any difficulty into commercial (second) grade film like reprocessing of any other PE material. However such reprocessed bags or sheets should not be used again for VCI applications under any circumstances. The additives and master batch used during VCI Plastic material can not be recovered from the scrap of vci material during recycling process.

Sealrust Poly Products are meant for Industrial use

sealrust^® VCI Poly Products manufactured and sold by us is meant for Industrial use Only.

More information about VCI Products:

• Various options for Corrosion Protection : Comparison

• Moisture : Prime Cause of Corrosion of Metal Products

• sealrust^® Products with Moisture Barrier & VCI Properties

• Suitability of VCI Poly Flexible Material over VCI Paper

• Guidelines for using VCI Products for Optimum Protection

• Selection of Proper Corrosion Inhibitor

• VCI Poly Packaging Products : Technical Information

• Export Packaging Solutions for Corrosion Control

• Salt Spray Test Report as per ASTM B-117 for 1000 hrs

Range of our Products for anti Corrosion Application :

• Range & Specifications of VCI Poly Products

• How to Measure VCI Poly Products for Ordering

• VCI, anti corrosive Poly Bags Tubing, Sheets

• VCI Plastic Wrappers in Custom Sizes for Metal coils

• Stretch Cling VCI Film for pallets Packaging

• Protection of Internal & Enclosed Surface of vessels & containers

• Bitumin Based Tapes & Insulation Tapes

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