Improved Barrier Properties

A high barrier nylon film has been developed by Bayer, also using nanoadditives and Nanocor, USA, has developed an aluminosilicate with platelet-type particles in the nanometer (0.001 pm) size range has been shown to reduce permeability to gases by up to 45 times in polyolefin, PET, or EVOH films. Correctly added, the platelets overlap and present a difficult path to migration of molecules through the film. 

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Some cast (unoriented) polypropylene film is produced. Its clarity and heat sealabiUty make it ideal for textile packaging and overwrap. The use of copolymers with ethylene improves low temperature impact, which is the primary problem with unoriented PP film. Orientation improves the clarity and stiffness of polypropylene film, and dramatically increases low temperature impact strength. BOPP film, however, is not readily heat-sealed and so is coextmded or coated with resins with lower melting points than the polypropylene shrinkage temperature. These layers may also provide improved barrier properties. 

Considerable amounts of polyethylene film are produced using coaxial extrusion processes in which two or more melt streams are combined in the die to produce extruded film of two or more layers of plastics materials. Layers in such a composite may be included, for example, to improve barrier properties, to enhance sealability or even simply to act as an adhesive between dissimilar layers. 

The quality of blends is strongly dependent on mixing techniques but encouraging results have been obtained, particularly in respect of improving barrier properties. 

The ability to downgauge, decrease part weight, improve barrier properties and reach new levels of product performance are propelling polyolefins into new markets previously dominated by other plastics. The high growth rate in PP production capacity is mainly being driven by the ability of PP to replace other resins on a cost/performance basis. For example, functionalisation of PP by incorporation of acrylic functionality has extended its weatherability performance. Interpolymer competition will have a significant impact on the amount and type of additives used. 

Pol Tner Nanocomposites are novel plastic compounds with a filler having dimensions between 1 and 100 nm. They have attracted much attention in the past because nanocomposites exhibit markedly improved properties like stiffness, thermal flammability, improved barrier properties and others compared to the unfilled matrices [3], Among all potential fillers, those based on easily available clay and layered silicates have been more widely investigated for some time now. 

Nevertheless the euphoric optimism where these materials were allowed a huge potential in material applications has given way to a more realistic view. Nanocomposites are not a universal solution for reinforced materials. Their full potential can only be realised if every step in the added value chain is taken into account during the whole development process. From todays perspective nanocomposite materials with an improved thermal flammability resistance or improved barrier properties have the best chances to fulfil these requirements. 

Polymer-clay nanocomposites (PCN) are a class of hybrid materials composed of organic polymer matrices and organophilic clay fillers, introduced in late 1980s by the researchers of Toyota (Kawasumi, 2004). They observed an increase in mechanical and thermal properties of nylons with the addition of a small amount of nano-sized clays. This new and emerging class of pol miers has found several applications in the food and non-food sectors, such as in constmction, automobiles, aerospace, military, electronics, food packaging and coatings, because of its superior mechanical strength, heat and flame resistance and improved barrier properties (Ray et al., 2006). 

Optionally, add a cross-linker to stabilise or improve barrier properties of the microcapsules. 

The most important materials developed are nanocomposites and nanotubes. Fabrication of the first nanocomposites was inspired by nature (biomineralisation). Nanocomposites based on nanoclays and plastics are seen as ideal materials for improved barrier properties against oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and volatiles [37]. This makes them in particular suitable for retaining flavours in foods. The technology is rather straightforward using commercially available nanoclays and extrusion processing. 

Methacrylonitrile (1) differs from 2 only in that it has a methyl (CH3) group on the a-carbon atom. It too is widely used in the preparation of homopolymers and copolymers, elastomers, and plastics and as a chemical intermediate in the preparation of acids, amides, amines, esters, and other nitriles. In a study conducted by the NTP in which 1 was administered orally to mice for 2 years, there was no evidence that it caused cancer, although other less serious toxic effects were noted [27]. Because 1 does not cause cancer, but undergoes many of the same nucleophilic addition reactions as 2 at the (3-carbon, it is sometimes used as a safer commercial replacement for 2, such as in the manufacture of an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene-like polymer that provides improved barrier properties to gases such as carbon dioxide in carbonated beverage containers. 

At first glance it might seem a bizarre idea to improve a normal skin barrier. Can there be a better barrier than the normal barrier However, we know there is considerable individual variation. Marie Loden5 demonstrated that indeed some moisturizers improve barrier properties of normal skin. Sensitive skin is a multidimensional phenomenon but at least in part a weak SC barrier contributes... 

In addition to these applications in the food industry which are first and foremost a result of the improved barrier properties, there are other applications in the consumer sector in which the aesthetic value of products is enhanced by use of metallized films. A typical example is the use of metallized paper for drinks bottles. Numerous brands of bottled beer are promoted by use of metallized paper labels. This design of the bottle primarily serves the purpose of producing an eye-catching effect to capture consumers attention the bottles on the shelf are designed to stand out from other beers and give the impression of a superior and more precious product. This is also the reason for using metallic elements on brochures and promotional materials. 

Cardboard baking dishes coated with crystalline PET or crystalline PBT can be used in convection ovens up to temperatures of 200-220 °C. Single portion dishes made from heat formed films find wide applications in microwave ovens. Biaxially stretched PET covers an important application area of bottles, wide mouth jars and cans. These containers are particularly well suited for carbonated beverages, edible oils and spirits. The gas barrier properties can be improved by coextrusion with a barrier layer such as polyamide. With improved barrier properties it can also be used for beer and wine. 

A common factor of metal foodstuff packaging is that it provides long term ambient stable storage with excellent abuse resistance and protection from environmental contamination ensuring food safety and quality retention with extended shelf life. Flexible packaging which is covered elsewhere in this book may also use thin layers of metal either as discrete foil layers or as metallised plastic or paper layers for improved barrier properties, but the main structural components are non-metallic and so are not covered here. 

Examples of the use of nanostructured materials for packaging applications have been given in Chaudhry et al. (2008) and references therein. One of the first market entries into the food packaging arena was polymer composites containing clay nanoparticles (montmorillonite). The natural nanolayer structure of the clay particles impart improved barrier properties to the clay-polymer composite material. Some of the polymers which have been used in these composites for production of packaging bottles and films include polyamides, polyethylene vinyl acetate, epoxy resins, nylons, and polyethylene terephthalate. 

Improving Barrier Properties by coating, coextrusion, lamination, metallisation and overwrapping... 

Stretching or drawing of polymer films is used to improve mechanical behavior, and under certain conditions can lead to improved barrier properties. The degree of orientation achieved is primarily dependent upon the draw ratio and... 

During these developments, hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane (HE UR) thickeners were synthesized and patented (6, 7). Their application in coatings was discussed, but the emphasis was on improved barrier properties (8), not on rheological influences. The HEUR polymers of the... 

Water Sensitivity. Improvement in the water sensitivity and improved barrier properties of latex film has been an important goal of many coatings chemists. One of the first publications (38) on HEUR-thickened... 

The correct balance has to be found between the durability of the packaging needed for the preservation of packed food during its shelf-life, and the expected biodegradability at the end of the life cycle. Addition of nanocomposites in PLA can improve barrier properties for food applications and increase degradation in compost conditions [217]. On the other hand, plasticizers are commonly added to promote flexibility of PLA but degradation increases, and food shelf life is often negatively affected by increasing plasticizer content [89]. 

Surface treatment of plastic containers is sometimes used to improve barrier properties, or to enhance printability or label adhesion. 

Dow s Satan wrap, which is a copolymer of vinyhdene chloride and vinyl chloride, is a usefiil packaging material that possesses exceptional clarity, toughness, and impermeability to water and gases. Also available from Dow is a range of Saran resin and films with improved barrier properties. For example, Saran HB monolayer lamination films are claimed to exhibit an oxygen barrier 10 times greater than the conventional Saran wrap films. 

In addition, PA6 is a well-established plastic in barrier packaging, providing a barrier to oxygen and aromas as well as to microbials, and is used in food and medical packaging applications. New generation PA6 films with silicate nanoparticles with improved barrier properties are introduced to compete with the conventional barrier EVOH copolymer films. 

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