POLYMER ADDITIVES &
FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
At HeiQ ChemTex, we understand that the difference between a good polymer and a great one often lies in the details of its formulation. Our specialty polymer additives and functional materials are the silent heroes within your products because they provide the essential characteristics that define their performance, handling and final quality.
For decades, we’ve partnered with manufacturers across industries, supplying the chemical building blocks that enhance processability, stabilize formulations and introduce key functional properties. Our focus isn’t just on supplying chemicals; it’s on providing solutions that address real production challenges, from the reaction flask all the way to the tank truck.
Our expertise spans a unique spectrum of chemistry, allowing us to offer a portfolio that is both deep and diverse. We manufacture everything from specialty surfactants and sulfation products to thickeners and foaming agents, each developed with a clear understanding of how they interact within complex systems. This page highlights three of our cornerstone specialties: Zinc Ammonium Carbonate for polymer stabilization, Oilfield Foamers for enhanced recovery and our bespoke Specialty Sulfation services.
Zinc Ammonium Carbonate
In polymer systems, degradation can lead to discoloration, a loss of physical properties and ultimately, product failure. ZAC functions by neutralizing acidic by-products that form during processing or throughout a product’s life (which are a common cause of this breakdown). This makes it an invaluable tool for maintaining the integrity and appearance of polymers exposed to challenging conditions.
Common Applications
- Latex and Emulsion Systems: ZAC helps maintain stability in synthetic and natural latex compounds, which is essential for applications like carpet backing, adhesives and coated fabrics where consistent viscosity and performance are non-negotiable.
- Textile Finishes: It is used to prevent premature curing or scorching of resins and other finishing agents applied to fabrics to ensure a uniform and durable finish.
- Specialty Elastomers: ZAC contributes to the thermal stability of certain synthetic rubbers during their compounding and molding processes.
Working with ZAC requires specific handling knowledge, and our technical team is equipped to guide you through its successful integration into your specific formulation.
Oilfield Foamers
In petroleum extraction, efficiency is everything. Our line of Oilfield Foamers, including products like Chemtex Foamer CD, are specialized polymer additives designed to tackle the persistent challenge of recovering crude oil from low-pressure or depleted wells.
How It Works & Why It Matters
As oil fields mature, reservoir pressure drops, making it difficult to bring hydrocarbons to the surface. Our foamers are potent surfactants that, when introduced into the wellbore, generate a dense, stable foam upon contact with residual gases or introduced air. This foam column effectively reduces the density of the fluid column, creating the lift necessary to push oil and water up to the surface where it can be collected. This process, known as foam-assisted lift, can significantly enhance recovery rates from wells that would otherwise be uneconomical to operate.
Key Product Characteristics
- Stable Performance: Formulated to generate persistent foam even in challenging down-hole environments.
- Electrolyte Tolerance: Certain formulations, such as Chemtex 2452, remain effective in the presence of high salt concentrations, making them suitable for use in undersea exploration and other demanding conditions.
- Tailored Formulations: We offer foamers that can be used as-is or custom-formulated to modify foam density and stability characteristics to match specific well geology and fluid properties.
Specialty Sulfation
Beyond our standard product lines, HeiQ ChemTex possesses significant capability in Specialty Sulfation. This is a core chemical process where we sulfate organic alcohols to create bespoke surfactants and intermediates that meet highly specific customer requirements.
How It Works & Why It Matters
Sulfation modifies the molecular structure of an alcohol, dramatically altering its properties to become more hydrophilic (water-attracting). This process is fundamental to creating anionic surfactants, which are workhorses in industries for their excellent foaming, wetting and emulsifying capabilities. Our ability to perform this reaction on a custom basis allows us to create molecules that off-the-shelf products cannot match.
Our Capabilities & Applications
- Broad Substrate Range: We can sulfate a wide variety of organic alcohols to suit specific needs, enabling the creation of surfactants with unique solubility, foaming or compatibility profiles.
- Diverse Industry Use: The custom surfactants we produce through sulfation become key components in:
- Textile Processing: As wetting agents, dye levelers and foam finishing assistants (e.g., products like CHEMTEX A-74).
- Carpet Manufacturing: Acting as foaming agents and stabilizers in latex backcoating formulations (e.g., CHEMTEX A-17).
- Personal Care: Serving as primary surfactants in mild cleansers and shampoos, leveraging materials like Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate.
- Emulsion Polymerization: Functioning as specialized emulsifiers to control particle size and stability in polymer dispersions.
Why Partner with HeiQ ChemTex for Polymer Additives?
Choosing a supplier for polymer additives is about more than just a product listing; it’s about choosing a partner. Our two manufacturing facilities in Concord, North Carolina and Calhoun, Georgia, are equipped with reactor vessels ranging from 150 to 6,500 gallons, allowing us to handle both small, specialized batches and large production runs. This flexibility, combined with our in-house R&D expertise, means we can support you from initial concept through to full-scale commercial production.
We pride ourselves on working closely with our customers to understand the nuances of their application, their polymer system and their substrate before making a product recommendation. This collaborative approach helps us deliver not just chemicals, but effective, economical solutions.
Have a challenge that requires a custom solution? Let’s discuss how our expertise in polymer additives can work for you.