PFFC - February 2008 - (Page 33)

Special Report COATING LAMINATING AN ADDITIONAL AND VALUABLE BENEFIT OF THE NEW MELAMINE COATINGS IS THEIR INSTANT PRINTABILITY Melamine Revisited Converters have new choices in barrier coatings for food and liquid flex-packs. By Ann Hirst-Smith B arrier-coated flexible packaging, both metallized and clear, is a much-favored choice among brand owners and retailers across the globe today. It offers consumer convenience in terms of reduced weight, compared to most rigid packaging, and ease of handling, particularly for liquids and foods. Traditionally, vacuum metallizing has been the preferred technology, but now that market position is challenged by a new clear vacuum-coating technology based on the vapor deposition of melamine. Melamine is inexpensive, widely available, environmentally friendly, fully recyclable, biodegradable, and FDA-approved for direct food contact. supramolecular chemistry to create two types of functional gas barrier coatings to maintain product freshness: Freshure-Single Coat, a stand-alone, single-layer, transparent, high-gas-barrier coating; and FreshureTop Coat, an additional in-line top coat to protect oxide- or metallized vacuum-coated film layers and improve barrier performance. Both bring benefits for converters and brand owners in terms of reduced cost of ownership without any compromise on quality. Melamine Coating Process Melamine coating is a “soft” deposition process that requires no expensive cooling or high vacuum systems. Under moderate vacuum conditions and above its low sublimaNew Sustainable Technology tion temperature of 200 deg C, melamine This globally patented innovation, branded can cover large surface areas in a fraction of Symphase Technology, comes from a second, creating a nano-layer of transparStamicarbon DSM, a diversified multinaent crystalline coating with very high gas tional company based in the Netherlands. barrier properties. DSM is active worldwide in developing This can be achieved via a roll-to-roll products and services for many key marcoating process at speeds higher than 10 m/ kets today, particularly nutritional and sec, on film substrates such as biaxially oripharmaceutical ingredients and perforented polypropylene (BOPP), polyethylene mance materials. It is reported to be the world’s largest producer of melamine for all Freshure-Single Coat high-gas-barrier coating its many uses, including the familiar wood- is used on packaging for fresh peas and cheese cubes. Freshure-Top Coat, designed to and paper-based products such as decoraprotect oxide- or metallized vacuum-coated film tive and floor laminates. layers, is suitable for coffee packaging. Symphase melamine-based technology has strong possibilities in the packaging market: Not only is it totally environmentally benign, but it also is unhampered by the cost pressures that attend metallizing today. Two Pathways to Gas Barrier Coatings terephthalate, oriented polyamide, and polylactic acid. Pump downtimes and cooling periods are lower than those experienced in traditional vacuum coating, so higher cycle times are achievable. The low coating temperature also makes it possible to coat temperature-sensitive polymers such as polyethylene, and unlike aluminum (Al) metallization, there is no requirement for special-grade, temperatureresistant BOPP films. High-speed coating is possible with both of the new coatings and is commercially proven. Melamine evaporators can be retrofitted successfully to existing vacuum metallizers, and a brand new vacuum coater will shortly come on-line with a 1.6-m-wide melamine evaporator. Therefore, capital investment in this new process can be relatively low. Clear Packaging Potential This new physical vapor deposition process uses a combination of nano-technology and Clear film packaging that provides a “window” on the package to show the product is a good example of the possibilities of the single-layer coating. It gives a cost-effective, transparent, high-gasbarrier coating on a variety of plastic packaging films and can be converted under standard lamination conditions. The coating is microwavable and less brittle than metal oxide coatings, has selfhealing properties, and retains its oxygen barrier properties in very high temperatures and humidities. Its oxygen barrier values compare with, and sometimes exceed, those achieved with other vacuum-processed coatings (Al, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide) and alternative barrier technologies (polyvinylidene chloride, ethylene vinyl alcohol, etc.). Licensing Available Readers interested in licensing possibilities may contact Dr. Shahab Jahromi, business manager, DSM Licensing Center at +31 46 476 1164; e-mail shahab.jahromi@dsm.com. WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM FEBRUARY 2008 | 33 http://WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of PFFC - February 2008

PFFC - February 2008 Contents First Glance Calendar of Events From the Editor Web Lines Process Management News Clips Narrow Web & Label Reporter Narrow Web & Label What’s New Products Carton & Box Reporter Offset Printing A Triple Ply: Coating & Laminating Global Market Is Strong for Vacuum-Coated Products Melamine Innovation: A New Choice for Barrier Coatings How To Optimize Your Coating Solution’s Properties What’s New Products Contract Services Directory Custom Marketplace What’s New Products Services Directory Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index Experience Speaks

PFFC - February 2008

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