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Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, sometimes known as EVOH, is a malleable, brilliantly clear, glossy thermoplastic copolymer. This material exhibits great resistance to hydrocarbons, oils, and organic solvents and has exceptional flex-crack resistance.
EVOH is particularly well suited for packaging food, medications, cosmetics, and other perishable items since it has some of the best barrier resistance to gases like oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. The barrier qualities of EVOH packaging are thought to be superior to those of other popular films.
Unfortunately, EVOH loses its effective gas barrier qualities when exposed to moisture. Because of its strong moisture barrier qualities, EVOH is frequently utilized in multilayer co-extruded film structures with materials including HDPE, PP, and PET.
A pre-made EVOH packaging is twisted around a heated chrome roll, fed through the nip of the chrome rolls where the die lip meets, and laminated and glued to the material being extruded from the die lip by the process of extrusion lamination.
This method laminates the EVOH packaging to the exterior of the extruded sheet, whether it be made of PP, PE, HIPS, etc. The arrangement of EVOH on the surface of a monolayer sheet offers adequate barrier qualities, but the number of layers in the sheet can significantly increase those properties.
The Global EVOH Film for packaging market accounted for $XX Billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2024 to 2030.
Smurfit Kappa manufacturer of corrugated packaging, has launched an ethylene vinyl alcohol packaging for their Bag-in-Box product. The company will use less plastic to make bags thanks to the 60-micron film, which will be marketed as E Compact 60. New polyethylene resin technologies are the foundation of the solution, which increases film resistance and package sustainability without sacrificing productivity or consumer convenience.
By estimates for the 3l bag format fitted with the Vitop Compact tap, it will enable Smurfit Kappa to lower a bag’s weight by 16% and its CO2 emissions by 12%. The Vitop Mini tap was introduced by Smurfit Kappa in March. All of the tap’s components are built of linear low-density polyethylene, which requires less raw material than previous Vitop taps because of the lightweight design of the product.
Nano and Food Packaging Technologies Converge. The difficulties associated with the “relatively simple” approach of integrating nanoparticles into plastic matrices are significant.
In theory, the nanoparticles with large aspect ratios should be aligned to form a plethora of layers of flat platelets that work to slow the passage of gases such as oxygen or water vapor through the plastic by generating tortuous routes. The keys to producing this structure are compatibility and exfoliation of the nanoclays for them to be evenly dispersed and aligned in the plastic matrix.
Although the clays themselves are very affordable, the additional materials and methods required to assure precise alignment are not. If the minerals are to be used, new techniques for incorporating them into plastic must be devised.
Natural clays currently cost $3-15/lb, synthetic clays $10-20/lb, and nano-structured silicons up to $200/lb. As a result, the current pricing structure for nanocomposites as barrier materials is not always fulfilling commercial expectations, an issue that many innovative packaging materials confront.Nano-PA6, created by Nanocor, Inc.,
Arlington Heights, Ill., using nanometer in-situ polymerization with a high (20%) nano clay loading, is an example of this approach. Nanocor and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical of New York, N.Y., have developed Imperm, a nanocomposite nylon MXD6 with superior gas and water-vapor barrier capabilitie s. The most well-publicized investigation of nanotechnology for packaging has come from the United States Army Natick Soldier Centre, the primary center of military ration development.
For several years, researchers have been looking for alternatives to laminations (particularly aluminum foil) to extend the shelf life of ambient-temperature shelf-stable foods (retort pouches); to reduce solid waste from package materials and facilitate recycling; and to allow rapid reheating in field microwave ovens.
One approach is to embed nano clay platelets into plastic substrates to improve gas and water vapor barrier, heat resistance, and mechanical strength. The Natick team reports that they have created polymers with 1-5% nano clay platelet weight using twin-screw extruders and blown-film technology.
According to their findings, the clay platelets are suitably spread to maximize orientation, a significant variable in the formation of convoluted routes that resist gas passage inside the deformable matrix. Natick has concentrated its research on polyethylene, polyester, and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH).
Thermal resistance increased by 80% and mechanical strength increased by 100%, according to the results. Unfortunately, even after being coupled with nano clays, EVOH retained its sensitivity to water vapor.
Nanotubes are cylinders with nanoscale diameters of 10-150 nm and lengths of 500-15,000 nm, comparable to halloysite clay, which is a layered aluminosilicate related to kaolin.
Nanotubes appear to be significantly more capable of increasing the strength of base polymers than standard bentonite clays, and they may eliminate the requirement for exfoliation chemicals, which are often necessary for clay dispersion in plastics.
Furthermore, the nanotube lumens (hollows) might be loaded with antimicrobials to spread through the plastic matrix. Developers hypothesized that incorporating nanotubes into biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid (PLA) may improve the material’s otherwise minor physical qualities, such as heat resistance.
According to the Natick study, a nanocomposite using PLA has a 200% higher water vapor transport rate than pure PLA, as well as enhanced modulus and toughness. Nanotubes might potentially contain elements that increase bioactivity and hence biodegradability of PLA, which is still a concern.
As a result of integrating two vibrant modern technologies of biomass source and nanotechnologies, a new family of biodegradable, effective, functional barrier packaging materials may emerge. The discordant properties of protection and fast return to Earth after usage might be imagined in this ultimate situation.
