Process

Abstract

A method of forming a product that is resistant to and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas is disclosed. The method may comprise: (a) coating a product with a composition comprising: a protein wherein the protein is a plant-derived protein, an animal-derived protein, a fungal-derived protein, or any combination thereof; and / or shellac; and (b) heating the coated product. The coated product may be heated to a temperature above the ignition temperature of the uncoated product and / or above the thermal degradation temperature of the protein and / or shellac (e.g., to a temperature between 200 DEG C and 300 DEG C) without damaging the coated product. Also disclosed are water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products formed by the process. The products may include cellulose-based products, such as paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based products. The product may form part or all of a container or tableware for use in the food and beverage industry. The product may be a colored product. The product may be suitable for reuse.

Description

[0001] Introduction

[0002] The present invention relates to a method of forming a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas, and products formed using the method.

[0003] Commercial products in many applications benefit from tolerance and / or impermeability to water, oil and / or gas. For example, paper, paperboard and other materials commonly used as commercial product packaging will usually include such a wall, barrier or container portion, which is used for applications where liquids or gases must be retained in the relevant product or kept outside the product. The passage of water, oil, gas and other fluids is traditionally controlled by using functionalized coatings of impermeable plastic materials or composite materials. In many industries, such as the food and beverage industry, plastics can be applied to originally permeable media to promote the retention of liquid products in specific packaging items. Similar methods can also be used to prevent fluids from entering items that may be damaged by exposure to water, air or other fluids. In one example, some paper or paperboard products are subjected to a method called internal sizing or surface sizing (wherein hydrocarbon-derived materials such as microplastics are used) to change the porosity, adsorption, wear resistance or other properties of the material. The substances used to produce existing functionalized coatings are usually produced from industrial raw materials and are accompanied by relevant environmental costs. For example, plastic materials are usually derived from hydrocarbon raw materials, while metal coatings may be derived from mining activities. The materials or chemicals used to make these functional coatings and the associated byproducts may also be toxic. Certain materials may also degrade over time to produce particulates, such as microplastics. In addition, many of these materials may release potentially harmful substances during use. For example, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been used to make waterproof materials since the 1940s, and these substances have been shown to be associated with public health risks. Therefore, there have always been health and environmental concerns about many commonly used materials found in consumer products and industrial environments, which are used to make commercial products resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas. In addition, although wood can be used as a substitute for plastic in some applications (such as disposable tableware), the relative strength of wood before and after contact with water and / or oil requires the use of a greater thickness than desired. Therefore, the potential of wood to be used as a substitute for plastic is limited by its own properties.

[0004] The inventors of the present invention have found a novel and unexpected method for making products that are resistant to and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas. These products provide a nontoxic and practical substitute for conventional products that contain plastic or are made of plastic. In particular, the products made using the methods described herein can have only water resistance, only water impermeability, only oil resistance, only oil impermeability, only gas resistance, only gas impermeability, or any combination of the above-mentioned resistance and / or impermeability to water, oil or gas. Products with increased tensile strength, dimensional stability, improved smoothness and any combination thereof can also be provided for resistance and / or impermeability to water, oil and / or gas. The inventors of the present invention also recognize that the method of the present invention can be used for fixing dyes or pigments so that the products that are resistant to and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas are colored products. The inventors of the present invention also recognize that the method of the present invention can be used for forming antimicrobial and / or ultraviolet (UV) resistant products.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas, the method comprising:

[0006] (a) coating a product with a composition comprising:

[0007] Protein, wherein the protein is a plant-derived protein, an animal-derived protein, a fungal-derived protein, or any combination thereof; and / or

[0008] Shellac; and

[0009] (b) heating the coated product to form a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 A method (100) of forming a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil, and / or gas is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The method of the present invention can be used for products comprising cellulose-based products, such as paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based products. Therefore, the method of the present invention is suitable for forming products that are resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas, comprising cellulose-based products, such as paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based products. The paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based products that are resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas formed according to the method of the present invention are biodegradable and / or compostable, so they can be disposed of with normal household waste without causing plastic or microplastic pollution.

[0014] The composition used in the method of the present invention includes protein and / or shellac. The protein used in the method of the present invention (if present) may include protein of plant origin, optionally, wherein the protein of plant origin includes prolamin. The protein may include vegetable protein, nut protein, seed protein, legume protein, bean protein, pulse protein, grass protein or any combination thereof. The protein may include corn protein, pea protein, soy protein, oat protein, chickpea protein, wheat protein, barley protein, rye protein, sorghum protein or any combination thereof. The protein may include corn protein, optionally wherein the corn protein is zein protein. The protein may include protein of animal origin, optionally wherein the protein is milk protein, egg protein, poultry protein, livestock protein or any combination thereof. The protein may include whey protein. The protein may comprise a fungus-derived protein, optionally wherein the protein is a chytridiomycota protein, a zygomycota protein, a glomeromycota protein, an ascomycota protein, a basidiomycota protein, or any combination thereof.

[0015] Shellac, if present, refers to the resin produced by the lac insect, which is commonly found in the forests of India and Thailand.

[0016] The composition may not contain shellac. More specifically, the composition may contain protein and contain no or substantially no shellac. Alternatively, the composition may not contain protein. More specifically, the composition may contain shellac and contain no or substantially no protein. For the avoidance of doubt, the term "substantially free" as used herein may refer to almost 0% presence of a substance except for slight contamination or unavoidable residual traces present in the product or composition. For example, a product or composition that is "substantially free" of a substance may have about 0%, less than about 0.1%, less than about 0.2%, less than about 0.3%, less than about 0.4%, or less than about 0.5% of the substance.

[0017] The composition may include a solvent. During the method, a solvent may be introduced or applied to the coating and / or product. The solvent may include water, one or more alcohols, carboxylic acids and / or any combination thereof. Optionally, the solvent may include water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, ethylene glycol, formic acid (formic acid), acetic acid (acetic acid), propionic acid or any combination thereof. The protein and / or shellac may be dissolved and / or dispersed in a solvent (if present). The protein and / or shellac may be used in the method of the present invention in solid form. The solid form may be a solid powder. The solid may be a sheet, a layer, etc. The solid may be discrete particles of various sizes, including at least some particles larger than the powder. When the protein and / or shellac are used in solid form, the method may exclude the use of a solvent. Alternatively, a solvent may be used in one or more method steps before, after, or during the use of the solid protein and / or shellac.

[0018] The solvent (if present) can be a combination of solvents. When the solvent is a combination of solvents, the solvent can include a first solvent and a second solvent, and the ratio of the first solvent to the second solvent is by solvent volume or solvent mass. For example, the ratio of the first solvent to the second solvent can be about 5:95, about 10:90, about 15:85, about 20:80, about 25:75, about 30:70, about 35:65, about 40:60, about 45:55, about 50:50, about 55:45, about 60:40, about 65:35, about 70:30, about 75:25, about 80:20, about 85:15, about 90:10 or about 95:5. In the specific example of a solvent containing alcohol, the solvent can include 50% alcohol and 50% water, 60% alcohol and 40% water, 70% alcohol and 30% water or 80% alcohol and 20% water. In examples where the solvent includes a carboxylic acid, the solvent may include 50% carboxylic acid and 50% water, 60% carboxylic acid and 40% water, 70% carboxylic acid and 30% water, or 80% carboxylic acid and 20% water.

[0019] According to the method of the present invention, the product can be coated with the composition by spraying the composition onto the product, soaking the product in the composition, dipping the product into the composition, rolling the composition onto the product, brushing the composition onto the product, wiping the composition onto the product, impregnating the product with the composition by filling, applying the composition to the product by exhaust, flowing the composition onto the product, using a gap coating technique, using a blade coating technique, or any combination thereof. With the help of this article, a person skilled in the art will be able to determine the appropriate technology for coating the product depending on the form and physicochemical properties of the composition to be used and the product to be coated.

[0020] The product can be coated by a variety of coating techniques and / or can be coated multiple times. If multiple coatings are applied to the product, the coating techniques used in each coating process can be the same or different. For example, the product can be sprayed with the composition first and then immersed in the composition. Alternatively, the product can be immersed in the composition for two different times to apply the coating. If multiple coating processes, techniques or method steps are used, the coating process can be carried out continuously, so it can be carried out immediately in succession without interruption. Additionally, or alternatively, any two coating processes can be separated by one or more other processes, such as drying, heating or any other method or process substantially described herein.

[0021] After the coating is applied to the product, part of the coating or "excess" coating can be removed from the product. A part of the coating or excess coating can be removed by any suitable technique. Suitable techniques include, but are not limited to, patting, blotting, flowing with gravity, vibration techniques, shaking, screening, scraping, scraping, grinding, air-based techniques, such as using an air knife, applying other solvents, etching, or any combination thereof. A part of the coating or excess coating can be removed to provide a thinner or more uniform coating thickness on the surface or surface of the product. Once a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil, and / or gas is formed, the thickness of the coating may change the properties and characteristics of the coating and / or product. A part of the coating or excess coating can be removed at any suitable point in the method. For example, after the coating is applied to the product, a part of the coating or excess coating can be removed. If the coating is liquid or semi-liquid, when removing the coating, techniques that are effective for liquids, such as patting, blotting, flowing, etc., may be most suitable. If the coating is solid or partially solid when removing the coating, techniques that are effective for solids, such as scraping, scraping, grinding, etching, or other techniques may be most suitable. In methods of removing portions of a coating or excess coating from a product, such coating may be removed before, after, or both before and after heating the product to form a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil, and / or gas.

[0022] The temperature at which the coated product is heated will depend on the thermal properties and behavior of the composition and / or material from which the coated product is formed. However, the inventors have found that, quite surprisingly, the coated product can be heated to a temperature that exceeds the ignition temperature of the uncoated product and / or exceeds the thermal degradation temperature of the protein and / or shellac. For example, the coated product (including coated cellulose-based products such as paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based products) can be heated to a temperature between 200°C and 300°C without damaging the coated product due to ignition or thermal degradation. In some examples, the coated product, including paperboard-based or wood-based products, can be heated to a temperature of 300°C to 500°C or more without ignition or thermal degradation. Thus, the coated product can be heated to a temperature of 200°C to 500°C or more without ignition or thermal degradation. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that heating the coated product results in a loss of hydroxyl groups on the surface of the coated product, which enables the composition to interact with the product surface, resulting in the formation of a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas.

[0023] Optionally, the coated product can be heated to about 200°C, about 205°C, about 210°C, about 215°C, about 220°C, about 225°C, about 230°C, about 235°C, about 240°C, about 245°C, about 250°C, about 255°C, about 260°C, about 265°C, about 270°C, about 275°C, about 280°C, about 285°C, about 290°C, about 295°C, about 300°C, about 305°C, about 310°C, about 315°C, about 320°C, about 325°C, about 330°C, about 335°C, about 340°C, about 350°C, about 360°C, about 375°C, about 380°C, about 390°C, about 400°C, about 410°C, about 420°C, about 430°C, about 440°C, about 450°C, about 460°C, about 470°C, about 480°C, about 490°C, about 500°C, about 510°C, about 520°C, about 530°C, about 540°C, about 550°C, about 560°C, about 570°C, about 580°C, about 590°C, about 600°C, about 610°C, about 620°C , about 450°C, about 455°C, about 460°C, about 465°C, about 470°C, about 475°C, about 480°C, about 485°C, about 390°C, about 395°C, about 400°C, about 405°C, about 410°C, about 415°C, about 420°C, about 425°C, about 430°C, about 435°C, about 440°C, about 445°C, about 450°C, about 455°C, about 460°C, about 465°C, about 470°C, about 475°C, about 480°C, about 485°C, about 490°C, about 495°C or about 500°C. Optionally, the coated product can be heated to a temperature above 200°C, above 205°C, above 210°C, above 215°C, above 220°C, above 225°C, above 230°C, above 235°C, above 240°C, above 245°C, above 250°C, above 255°C, above 260°C, above 265°C, above 270°C, above 275°C, above 280°C, above 285°C, above 290°C, above 295°C or above 300°C.Optionally, the coated product may be heated to 200°C to 300°C, 200°C to 290°C, 200°C to 280°C, 200°C to 270°C, 200°C to 260°C, 200°C to 250°C, 200°C to 240°C, 200°C to 230°C, 200°C to 220°C, 200°C to 210°C, 210°C to 300°C, 210°C to 2 ℃ to 290℃、210℃ to 280℃、210℃ to 270℃、210℃ to 260℃、210℃ to 250℃、210℃ to 240℃、210℃ to 230℃、210℃ to 220℃、220℃ to 300℃、220℃ to 290℃、220℃ to 280℃、220℃ to 270℃、220℃ to 260℃、220 ℃ to 250℃、220℃ to 240℃、220℃ to 230℃、230℃ to 300℃、230℃ to 290℃、230℃ to 280℃、230℃ to 270℃、230℃ to 260℃、230℃ to 250℃、230℃ to 240℃、240℃ to 300℃、240℃ to 290℃、240℃ to 280℃、240 The product may be heated to a temperature of 240° C. or above. For example, 240° C., 245° C. or 250° C. may be particularly advantageous.

[0024] The time period of heating the coated product may depend on the shape, thickness, size or spatial topography of the product. The time period of heating the coated product may also depend on the method, technology or equipment of heating the coated product. The time period of heating the coated product may additionally or alternatively depend on the composition and / or the material forming the coated product. The coated product may be heated less than 1 minute, 1 minute to 1 hour, 5 minutes to 1 hour, or optionally heated about 1 minute, about 2 minutes, about 3 minutes, about 4 minutes, about 5 minutes, about 6 minutes, about 7 minutes, about 8 minutes, about 9 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 15 minutes, about 20 minutes, about 25 minutes, about 30 minutes, about 35 minutes, about 40 minutes, about 45 minutes, about 50 minutes, about 55 minutes or about 1 hour. In some cases, for example, when the product is very large or a large amount of compositions will be used, it may be suitable to exceed the heating time of 1 hour. For example, about 1 hour and 5 minutes, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, about 1 hour and 20 minutes, about 1 hour and 25 minutes, about 1 hour and 30 minutes, about 1 hour and 35 minutes, about 1 hour and 40 minutes, about 1 hour and 45 minutes, about 1 hour and 50 minutes, about 1 hour and 55 minutes, or about 2 hours. In some cases, such as when the product is small, when the product has a large exposed surface area, when only a small amount of composition is used, or when a large amount of heat energy is delivered to the product in a short time, a heating time of 15 minutes or less may be appropriate. In certain applications, when the product is exposed to a large amount and / or high intensity of thermal energy in a short period of time, it may be advantageous to heat the coated product for only a short time, such as about 5 seconds, about 6 seconds, about 7 seconds, about 8 seconds, about 9 seconds, about 10 seconds, about 11 seconds, about 12 seconds, about 13 seconds, about 14 seconds, about 15 seconds, about 16 seconds, about 17 seconds, about 18 seconds, about 19 seconds, about 20 seconds, about 25 seconds, about 30 seconds, about 35 seconds, about 40 seconds, about 45 seconds, about 50 seconds, about 55 seconds, about 60 seconds, about 1 minute, about 2 minutes, about 3 minutes, about 4 minutes, about 5 minutes, about 6 minutes, about 7 minutes, about 8 minutes, about 9 minutes, about 10 minutes, or about 15 minutes.

[0025] The coated product may be heated for a period of time of up to 5 seconds, up to 6 seconds, up to 7 seconds, up to 8 seconds, up to 9 seconds, up to 10 seconds, up to 11 seconds, up to 12 seconds, up to 13 seconds, up to 14 seconds, up to 15 seconds, up to 16 seconds, up to 17 seconds, up to 18 seconds, up to 19 seconds, up to 20 seconds, up to 25 seconds, up to 30 seconds, up to 35 seconds, up to 40 seconds, up to 45 seconds, up to 50 seconds, up to 55 seconds, up to 1 minute, up to 2 minutes, up to 3 minutes, up to 4 minutes, up to 5 minutes, up to 6 minutes, up to 7 minutes, up to 8 minutes, up to 9 minutes, up to 10 minutes, up to 15 minutes, up to 20 minutes, up to 25 minutes, up to 30 minutes, up to 35 minutes, up to 40 minutes, up to 45 minutes, up to 50 minutes, up to 55 minutes, or up to 1 hour. The time period for heating the coated product can be 0 minutes to 1 hour, 1 minute to 1 hour, 5 minutes to 1 hour, 10 minutes to 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 20 minutes to 1 hour, 25 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes to 1 hour, 35 minutes to 1 hour, 40 minutes to 1 hour, 45 minutes to 1 hour, 50 minutes to 1 hour, 55 minutes to 1 hour, 5 minutes to 55 minutes, 10 minutes to 55 minutes, 15 minutes to 55 minutes, 20 minutes to 55 minutes , 25 minutes to 55 minutes, 30 minutes to 55 minutes, 35 minutes to 55 minutes, 40 minutes to 55 minutes, 45 minutes to 55 minutes, 50 minutes to 55 minutes, 5 minutes to 50 minutes, 10 minutes to 50 minutes, 15 minutes to 50 minutes, 20 minutes to 50 minutes, 25 minutes to 50 minutes, 30 minutes to 50 minutes, 35 minutes to 50 minutes, 40 minutes to 50 minutes, 45 minutes to 50 minutes, 5 minutes to 45 minutes, 10 minutes to 45 minutes minutes, 15 minutes to 45 minutes, 20 minutes to 45 minutes, 25 minutes to 45 minutes, 30 minutes to 45 minutes, 35 minutes to 45 minutes, 40 minutes to 45 minutes, 5 minutes to 40 minutes, 10 minutes to 40 minutes, 15 minutes to 40 minutes, 20 minutes to 40 minutes, 25 minutes to 40 minutes, 30 minutes to 40 minutes, 35 minutes to 40 minutes, 5 minutes to 35 minutes, 10 minutes to 35 minutes, 15 minutes to 35 minutes, 20 minutes to 35 From 1 minute to 30 minutes, from 25 minutes to 35 minutes, from 30 minutes to 35 minutes, from 5 minutes to 30 minutes, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes, from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, from 20 minutes to 30 minutes, from 25 minutes to 30 minutes, from 5 minutes to 25 minutes, from 10 minutes to 25 minutes, from 15 minutes to 25 minutes, from 20 minutes to 25 minutes, from 5 minutes to 20 minutes, from 10 minutes to 20 minutes, from 15 minutes to 20 minutes, from 5 minutes to 15 minutes, from 10 minutes to 15 minutes, or from 5 minutes to 10 minutes.

[0026] Heating the coated product can include heating the coated product to a first temperature and continuing the first time period, and then heating the coated product to a second temperature and continuing the second time period. The first temperature can be higher than or lower than the second temperature. The first time period can be longer than, equal to or shorter than the second time period. For simplicity, the first time period and / or the second time period can be any time period disclosed herein about heating time or duration. For example, the first time period can be less than 1 minute to 1 hour, optionally about 1 minute, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 15 minutes, about 20 minutes, about 25 minutes, about 30 minutes, about 35 minutes, about 40 minutes, about 45 minutes, about 50 minutes, about 55 minutes or about 1 hour. The second time period can be less than 1 minute to 1 hour, optionally about 1 minute, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 15 minutes, about 20 minutes, about 25 minutes, about 30 minutes, about 35 minutes, about 40 minutes, about 45 minutes, about 50 minutes, about 55 minutes or about 1 hour. The temperature to which the product is heated during the first time period may differ from the temperature to which the product is heated during the second time period by up to 5°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, or more than 50°C. For example, the product may be heated to 200°C during the first time period and then to 250°C during the second time period. In another example, the product may be heated to 300°C during the first time period and to 280°C during the second time period. In other examples, the temperature during the first time period may be 225°C, while the temperature during the second time period may be 240°C, 245°C, 250°C, 255°C, or 260°C.

[0027] The device for heating the coated product in the method can be any suitable form of heating device. In one example, the device can be a hot press type device. In the case of using a hot press, the hot press can be a flat hot press or a hot press forming machine, depending on the desired shape and characteristics of the product. In one example, the device can be a conventional oven type device. In such an example, heat and / or thermal energy can be provided by a heat source, and the heat source includes one or more gas burners, oil burners, electric heating wires, any combination thereof, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the device can include a heat source of one or more infrared (IR) heating devices, such as infrared lamps. Some heating devices or heating methods may be more suitable for certain specific product types than other heating methods. For example, for some products with a sheet configuration, such as paper, cardboard sheets or wood boards, a hot press device may be preferred. For products with larger product thickness, such as thick wood boards (wooden plank) or cardboard structures, infrared heating may be preferred. However, to avoid doubt, any suitable heating device can be used to heat any suitable product.

[0028] In the case of using multiple heat sources or heating devices to heat the product, each heat source and / or heating device of one or more heating devices can be the same or different from one or more other heat sources and / or heating devices of the one or more heating devices. For example, in the case of using two heat sources, the first heat source can be an electric heating wire and the second heat source can be an IR heater. In another example of using two heat sources, both heat sources can be IR heaters, each heat source has different energy efficiency levels and / or provides infrared radiation of different wavelengths. For example, the IR heater can irradiate the sample with short-wave and / or long-wave infrared radiation. Short-wavelength infrared radiation can be in the wavelength range of about 700nm to about 500000nm. The wavelength range of long-wavelength infrared radiation is about 500000nm to about 1mm. The energy efficiency level of the or each IR heater is rated at about 1.0 kW, about 1.2 kW, about 1.4 kW, about 1.6 kW, about 1.8 kW, about 2.0 kW, about 2.2 kW, about 2.4 kW, about 2.6 kW, about 2.8 kW, about 3.0 kW, about 3.2 kW, about 3.4 kW, about 3.6 kW, about 3.8 kW, about 4.0 kW, about 4.2 kW, about 4.4 kW, about 4.6 kW, about 4.8 kW, about 5.0 kW, about 5.2 kW, about 5.4 kW, about 5.6 kW, about In one embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another embodiment, the IR lamp of the present invention can be used to heat the product. In another example, an IR lamp rated at 1.2 kW may be used to heat the product, followed by four IR lamps rated at 9 kW.

[0029] The method may be any suitable type of method. For example, the method may be a batch method, a semi-batch method, or a continuous method. In one example, the method may be a batch method, and the coated product may be placed in an oven in a fixed quantity and heated, and then removed. In another example, the method may be a continuous method, and the coated product may pass through the oven by a conveyor belt or similar system over a period of time, while further coated products are formed and sent to the oven by a conveyor belt or similar system. The batch, semi-batch, or continuous method may be combined with any type of heating device or heating method described herein. For example, a batch method may use an infrared oven to heat the product. Alternatively, a batch method may use a gas-fired heating chamber to heat the product. Alternatively, the product may be sent to a conveyor system that will pass them through the infrared heating device in a continuous manner.

[0030] The method may include one or more drying processes. The product may be dried before the product is coated with the composition. The product may be air-dried, dried at a certain temperature, or dried by any other suitable method. In one example, the product may be air-dried for 12 hours, 24 hours, or any other suitable time period before the composition is applied to the product. In another example, the product may be dried in an oven at 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, or any other suitable temperature for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes, 180 minutes, 240 minutes, 300 minutes, or any other suitable time period. In the example of the composition including a solvent, the coated product may be dried before heating. The coated product may be air-dried, dried at a certain temperature, or dried by any other suitable method. In one example, the coated product may be air-dried for 12 hours, 24 hours, or any other suitable time period before heating the coated product. In another example, the coated product can be dried in an oven at 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, or any other suitable temperature for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes, 180 minutes, 240 minutes, 300 minutes, or any other suitable period of time before further heating the coated product.

[0031] Described method can comprise that product is stored for a period of time.Storage can be carried out at any time point after product is coated.For example, storage can be carried out after coating.Storage can be carried out after heating.In the method that product is dried, storage can be carried out after drying.In an example, product can be coated, and then dried before storage.After storage, the coated product can be heated as described herein to form a product impermeable to water, oil and / or gas.When product is stored, it can store about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 15 minutes, about 30 minutes, about 1 hour, about 2 hours, about 5 hours, about 12 hours, about 24 hours, about 2 days, about 1 week, about two weeks, about one month, about two months, about 6 months, about one year or any other suitable time period.Therefore, product can store up to 5 minutes, up to 10 minutes, up to 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes, up to 1 hour, up to 2 hours, up to 5 hours, up to 12 hours, up to 24 hours, up to 2 days, up to 1 week, up to two weeks, up to one month, up to two months, up to 6 months, up to one year or more than 1 year time period. The inventors of the present invention have surprisingly discovered that products coated with the compositions described herein can be optionally dried and then stored prior to heating without compromising the resistance and / or impermeability to water, oil and / or gas achieved when the product is coated and heated without intermediate optional drying and storage steps.

[0032] The method may include rotating, flipping and / or redirecting the product. The rotating, flipping and / or redirecting product may be performed during the heating and / or drying portion (if present) of the method. The rotating, flipping and / or redirecting may be performed additionally or alternatively between any two method steps in which heat is applied to the product. For example, the rotating, flipping and / or redirecting may be performed between the first heating step and the second heating step. In another example, the rotating, flipping and / or redirecting may be performed between the heating step and the drying step. The rotating, flipping and / or redirecting may be performed in any suitable manner. For example, the rotating, flipping and / or redirecting may be performed mechanically, thereby moving, guiding and / or causing the product to flip, rotate and / or redirect by machinery. Additionally or alternatively, the rotating, flipping and / or redirecting may be performed by non-mechanical methods. In one example, air may be used to apply force to the product to rotate, flip and / or redirect the product. In an example in which the method is performed by a continuous process, the path of the product may cause the product to rotate, flip and / or redirect without applying additional power to the product.

[0033] Those skilled in the art, with the help of the content disclosed in the present invention and the accompanying examples, will be able to select suitable heating temperatures, heating times, heating methods and accompanying process conditions to prepare suitable products that are resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas. As described in the various process conditions described herein, the preferred method and accompanying process conditions for a specific product will depend on the characteristics of the product and the ingredients of the composition used to coat the product. For example, a product with a smaller surface area relative to its mass may require a longer period of heating than a product with a larger exposed surface area of ​​comparable mass. The properties of the material may also affect the preferred characteristics of the method, because materials with high heat capacity may need to be heated in a higher energy system, or for a longer heating time, compared to materials with lower heat capacity. In other instances, the product type, the desired product flux or the preferred heating conditions may determine whether the method is preferably intermittent, semi-intermittent or continuous. When using an infrared heating method, the wavelength and energy efficiency level of the infrared device can be selected according to the characteristics of the product and / or coating composition to provide a specific energy flow to the product within a specific time frame.

[0034] The inventors of the present invention have realized that the methods described herein may have other surprising benefits. The use of infrared heating methods can eliminate the release of tannins in products containing such tannins. When the product contains tannins, oven heating will release different levels of tannins when the product is in contact with water or other solvents. In all tested embodiments, heating by infrared methods proved that there was no release of tannins, as shown in Examples 8 to 15 below. In addition, when gradually heated or heated by a multi-step heating process described herein, certain compositions show improved surface texture and / or resistance and / or impermeability to water, oil and / or gas. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that certain compositions will experience some form of thermal shock when exposed to high temperatures from a starting temperature of ambient temperature. Exposing the product and coating composition to a lower temperature first and then exposing the product and coating to a higher temperature can surprisingly improve the cohesion, smoothness and / or consistency of the product. However, it should be noted that certain compositions show comparable surface properties when heated by a single heating process compared to a multi-stage heating process.

[0035] The composition used in the inventive method can also include functional additives, and optionally, the functional additives can include dyes, pigments, pH sensitive materials, temperature sensitive materials, conductive materials, fluorescent materials, any other suitable functional additives or any combination thereof. In one example, the composition can include pigments. In another example, the composition can include nanocellulose or microcellulose. The use of nanocellulose or microcellulose can improve one or more properties of the coating formed using the inventive method. For example, the use of nanocellulose or microcellulose can improve the texture, smoothness, beauty and / or color intensity of the product. In an example, when the product is tableware or other cooking utensils, the use of nanocellulose or microcellulose as a functional additive can improve the mouthfeel of the utensil or tableware.

[0036] In another example, the composition may include a sol as a functional additive. The sol as a functional additive may improve the strength of a coating composition or a product having water, oil and / or gas tolerance and / or impermeability. The sol may be formed by dispersing one or more materials having a suitable small particle size in a solution. Some sols may also include other components, such as catalysts or functional components. Sols suitable for the method of the present invention generally include at least a functional metal alkoxide and a solvent. The term "metal alkoxide" includes metal-containing alkoxides, metal-containing organically modified alkoxides, metalloid-containing alkoxides and metalloid-containing organically modified alkoxides. The solvent used to form the sol may include water, one or more alcohols, any other suitable solvent or any combination thereof. The one or more alcohols (if present) may include methanol, ethanol, butanol, ethylene glycol, isopropanol, any other suitable alcohol and any combination thereof. The sol may optionally include a biopolymer, such as a starch-based polymer, a hemicellulose-based polymer, a cellulose-based polymer, a lignin-based polymer, any other suitable biopolymer or modified biopolymer and any combination thereof. The sol may additionally or alternatively include one or more powders derived from natural materials. Metal alkoxides usually conform to the general formula M(OR)x or R C -M(OR) x , wherein "M" represents any metal that forms a metal alkoxide, which can be hydrolyzed in the presence of a suitable solvent. "R" and "R C " represents an alkyl group generally having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, which can take any suitable form, such as linear, branched, aromatic or complex. "x" is generally equal to the valence of the corresponding metal ion "M". In one example, R can be methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl. When the valence of the metal ion "M" exceeds 1, each R group can be the same. R C represents any suitable organic group which will form and maintain a covalent bond with the metal "M" after hydrolysis of the alkoxide. C In other examples, R and RC can be different. Any suitable metal alkoxide can be used. Examples of suitable metal alkoxides include Si(OR) 4 、Ti(OR) 4 、Al(OR) 3 、Zr(OR) 3 and Sn(OR) 4 and R C -Si(OR) 3 , R C -Ti(OR) 3 , R C -Al(OR) 2 , R C -Zr(OR) 2 and R C -Sn(OR) 3 In some embodiments, R can be methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl. C It can be phenyl, cyclopentyl or any other suitable organic group capable of maintaining a covalent bond with a metal. The metal of the metal alkoxide can include silicon, titanium, aluminum, zirconium, tin or any other suitable metal. In a specific example, the metal alkoxide can be selected from the group consisting of: Ti(isopropoxy) 4 、Al(isopropoxy) 3 、Al(sec-butoxy) 3 、Zr(n-butoxy) 4 、Zr(n-propoxy) 4 , n-propyl triethoxysilane, tetrapropyl orthosilicate, titanium (IV) tert-butylate, titanium (IV) isopropoxide, triethoxysilane, methyl triethoxysilane, triethoxy (octyl) silane, phenyl triethoxysilane, titanium (IV) ethoxide, triethoxysilyl cyclopentane, (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane, cyclopentyl triethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane, triethoxy-3-(2-imidazoline-1-yl) propyl silane and any combination thereof. In selected examples, the metal alkoxide can be selected from the group comprising tetraethoxysilane, phenyl triethoxysilane, methyl triethoxysilane and any combination thereof. In another selected example, the metal alkoxide can be selected from the group comprising: tetrapropyl orthosilicate, titanium (IV) tert-butylate, titanium (IV) isopropoxide, triethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, triethoxy(octyl)silane, phenyltriethoxysilane, titanium (IV) ethoxide, triethoxysilylcyclopentane, (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, cyclopentyltriethoxysilane or any combination thereof. In another selected example, the metal alkoxide can be selected from the group comprising: Ti(isopropoxy) 4 、Al(isopropoxy) 3 、Al(sec-butoxy)3 、Zr(n-butoxy) 4 、Zr(n-propoxy) 4 and n-propyltriethoxysilane and the like alkoxides and any combination thereof.

[0037] For the avoidance of doubt, the composition may also be free of the sol described herein. Thus, the composition used in the method of the present invention may be free of or substantially free of a sol or sol-gel. For example, the composition used in the method of the present invention may be free of an alkoxide. The composition used in the method of the present invention may be free of a catalyst, and optionally, the composition may be free of an acid and / or free of a base. More specifically: the composition used in the method of the present invention may be free of or substantially free of an alkoxide; the composition used in the method of the present invention may be free of or substantially free of a catalyst; and / or the composition used in the method of the present invention may be free of or substantially free of an acid or base. The composition may be free of solvent. For example, the composition may be free of water, alcohol, etc.

[0038] Unlike other compositions used in similar applications, the composition used in the method of the present invention may exclude, not include, not contain or be substantially free of one or more substances, molecules or compounds. The composition used in the method of the present invention may not include esters. The composition used in the method of the present invention may not include diols and / or may not include polyols. The composition used in the method of the present invention may not include polysaccharides. The composition used in the method of the present invention may not include synthetic polymers. The composition used in the method of the present invention may not include plastics. In one example, the composition used in the method of the present invention may exclude polyol fatty acid esters and / or may exclude sugar fatty acid esters.

[0039] The composition may not contain stabilizers. In some instances, the composition may not contain, exclude, contain or substantially contain stabilizers, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl propyl cellulose, methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, acacia gum, carrageenan, furcellaran, ghatti gum, locust bean gum, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, polyacrylate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, sodium lauryl sulfate, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium silicate, alkenyl succinic anhydride, alkyl ketene dimer, styrene maleic anhydride, octynyl succinic anhydride, rosin, rosin derivatives, styrene acrylic acetate, styrene acrylic emulsion, polyurethane dispersion, wax dispersion and / or other stabilizers. The composition may not contain plasticizers. In certain examples, the composition may not include, exclude, be free of, or be substantially free of plasticizers, such as adipates, azelates, citrates, benzoates, phthalates, terephthalates, sebacates, and trimellitates.

[0040] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a product formed by the method of the present invention that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas.

[0041] The product of the present invention which is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas may comprise a cellulose-based product, such as a paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based product.

[0042] The water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products of the present invention can be used to form part or all of containers for the food and beverage industry, such as cartons for food storage, bags for food storage, oil and grease (OGR) resistant paper, hot or cold drink containers, beverage container covers, plates, trays and bowls. In addition, the method of the present invention can be used to form water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products that can be used for food preparation or consumption, such as tableware or cooking utensils. In one example, the product formed by the method of the present invention can be used to form part or all of a disposable or multiple-use packaging article. The water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products of the present invention can be cleaned in a dishwasher, a washing machine or the like without losing shape, cohesion or performance. In a further example, the water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products of the present invention can be cleaned multiple times in a dishwasher, a washing machine or the like, and still retain their desired functions. Therefore, although the water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products of the present invention are suitable for replacing disposable plastic items, they are also suitable for reuse.

[0043] The methods described herein are not limited to application in the food and beverage industry. Products processed using the methods described herein may be advantageously applied to any sector or industry in which the products may be used. For example, products formed using the methods described may be used in industries including: construction, furniture, shipbuilding, bridges, railways, tiles and flooring, fencing, decoration, gardening, plywood structures, paneling, cladding, hand tools, artwork, musical instruments, sports equipment, toys, office equipment and stationery, medical equipment, any other suitable industry, and the like.

[0044] The water, oil, gas resistant and / or impermeable product of the present invention may be formed from functional additives including dyes or pigments, making the product a colored product.

[0045] The water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products of the present invention may have increased tensile strength compared to corresponding products not treated using the methods described herein. Additionally, or alternatively, the water, oil and / or gas resistant and / or impermeable products of the present invention may have increased dimensional stability, increased scratch resistance, improved smoothness and / or improved antifouling properties compared to products not treated using the methods described herein. Their increased resistance to cracking helps make the products of the present invention suitable for repeated use.

[0046] Figure 1 A method (100) of forming a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil, and / or gas is shown. The method (100) includes coating (101) a product with a composition that includes: a protein, wherein the protein is a plant-derived protein, an animal-derived protein, a fungal-derived protein, or any combination thereof; and / or shellac. The method (100) also includes heating (102) the coated product to form a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil, and / or gas. Optionally, the method (100) may include one or more additional method steps, so long as the method includes coating (101) and heating (102). Optional method steps are represented as part of the method using dashed lines to indicate the optional nature of the associated method steps. Optional method steps may include: further coating the coated product (102); further heating the coated product (103); drying the coated product (104); and / or reorienting the coated product (105). Reorienting the product may include flipping or rotating a product as described herein. Optional process steps (103, 104, 105, 106) can be performed between coating (101) and heating (102) and / or can be performed after heating (102). A person skilled in the art, with the help of the present disclosure, can determine the appropriate optional process steps to achieve the desired product properties. Example

[0047] Example 1

[0048] An untreated piece of wood was placed in an oven at 200°C for 10 minutes. After heating, the wood was removed from the oven. The wood appeared charred and discolored. A drop of water was placed on the surface of the wood and it was observed that the drop was quickly absorbed by the surface. A drop of oil was placed on the surface of the wood after heating and it was also observed that the drop of oil was absorbed by the surface structure.

[0049] Example 2

[0050] A composition was prepared by mixing 100 ml of ethanol with 10 g of zein corn protein powder. Zein powder was mixed with a solvent. An untreated piece of wood was immersed in the composition, allowed to dry, and then placed in an oven at 240°C for 10 minutes. After heating, the wood was removed from the oven. The wood surface was observed to have a smooth appearance. A water drop was placed on the surface of the wood and allowed to remain on the surface for 1 hour before observation was stopped. The water drop remained on the surface and was not absorbed during the entire observation period. The experiment was repeated with an oil drop, which also remained on the treated wood surface.

[0051] Example 3

[0052] The experiments conducted in Example 2 were repeated using 20 g, 30 g, and 40 g of zein corn gluten meal. The experiments were further repeated using a 70 wt% ethanol in water solvent. The prepared compositions as well as the compositions prepared in Example 2 were also diluted in 40 wt% tert-butyl alcohol and used as described in Example 2. Each wood sample exhibited resistance and / or impermeability to water and / or oil.

[0053] Example 4

[0054] An untreated piece of wood was coated with zein powder and the powder was pressed against the wood surface several times. The coated piece of wood was placed in an oven at 250°C for 8 minutes. After heating, the wood was removed from the oven. The wood surface was observed to have a smooth appearance. A water drop was placed on the wood surface and allowed to remain on the surface for 5 minutes before observation was stopped. The water drop remained on the surface and was not absorbed during the entire observation period. The experiment was repeated with an oil drop, which also remained on the treated wood surface.

[0055] Example 5

[0056] Shellac was added to the protein compositions prepared in Examples 2 and 3 at a concentration of 5-50% by weight (based on the weight of the solid components). Samples of 20 g of shellac in 100 ml of (i) water, (ii) ethanol, and (iii) 70% by weight ethanol and water were also prepared, which did not contain any protein. Each composition was used to treat a piece of wood, and the treated wood block was dried and then heated in an oven at 250°C for 10 minutes. After cooling, the treated wood was allowed to cool, and water drops and oil drops were placed on the surface of each piece of wood for 10 minutes before observation was stopped. All treated samples showed no absorption of water or oil drops.

[0057] Example 6

[0058] A composition was prepared by mixing 3 wt % (based on the total weight of the composition) of nanocellulose with 100 ml of water. An untreated piece of wood was immersed in the composition and placed in an oven at 240° C. for 10 minutes. After heating, the wood was taken out of the oven. The wood surface was observed to have a smooth appearance. A drop of water was placed on the surface of the wood and allowed to stay on the surface for 1 hour before observation was stopped. During the observation period, the drop of water was gradually absorbed by the surface of the wood, but the absorption rate was slower than that observed in the untreated wood in Example 1. This shows that nanocellulose alone provides a certain water resistance, but is not as impermeable as observed in Examples 2 and 3. The experiment was repeated with oil droplets, which were also gradually absorbed into the treated wood surface.

[0059] Example 7

[0060] A wooden spoon was completely coated with each of the compositions described in Examples 2 to 5 and then heated in an oven at 250°C for 10 minutes. The treated spoons were allowed to cool and then each spoon and an untreated spoon were immersed in boiling water for 2 minutes. The untreated wooden spoons were saturated with water, were soft, and broke easily with minimal force. The treated wooden spoons showed no visible water absorption and maintained their strength and dimensional stability after immersion.

[0061] Examples 8 to 15

[0062] For Examples 8 to 15, a wooden spoon was coated with each of the compositions shown in Table 1. These compositions included varying amounts of zein, a zein protein, in addition to various solvents, and optionally some sol additives. Two different heating systems were tested. The first system included an infrared heating device. The composition heated by the first heating device was processed under conditions representative of a continuous process medium, where the product was coated and passed through the heating device using a solid conveyor belt system. The IR heating system used two IR lamps rated at 1 kW. The samples passing through the IR device were heated to at least 240°C. The second heating device tested was a conventional filament heated laboratory oven. The samples were placed in an oven under conditions representative of a batch process and heated to a temperature between 240°C and 280°C. The results are listed in Table 1.

[0063] All of the samples of Examples 8 to 15 exhibited varying degrees of hydrophobicity. Samples rated "1" for hydrophobicity exhibited greater contact angles when a water droplet was placed on the product and / or were observed to allow water to flow away from the surface of the product faster than samples rated "2," and so on, all the way to "4," where the smallest contact angles and / or slowest water flow rates were observed. Samples rated "1" for appearance and / or texture were observed to have a smoother surface and / or a more satisfactory mouthfeel than samples rated "2," while samples rated "4" had the least smooth and / or least satisfactory mouthfeel of the samples tested. Surprisingly, the samples heated with the infrared heating device did not show subsequent release of tannins from the wooden spoon when the wooden spoon was subsequently immersed in water. The samples heated using a conventional oven did show some tannin loss, with the samples rated "2" releasing less tannin than the samples rated "3."

[0064] Example 16

[0065] A pilot scale infrared heating unit was used to treat wooden spoon samples coated with a composition comprising shellac. The compositions tested were the same as those described in Examples 8 to 15 above, except that an equal amount of shellac was substituted for zein. The samples were heated using four 9kW rated IR lamps and one 1.2kW rated IR lamp located at the beginning of the conveyor at a conveyor speed of 0.8m / min to 3m / min.

[0066] Using all IR heating lamps in the lamp array resulted in poorer hydrophobicity and less desirable texture of the product. Optimal hydrophobicity and texture were obtained using a slower belt speed and heating the product with only a portion of the IR lamp array. A two-stage process using low energy IR lamps followed by a higher energy ratio of the IR lamp array was demonstrated to further improve the hydrophobicity and texture of the final product.

[0067] Table 1: Experimental results of Examples 8 to 15

[0068]

[0069] Embodiment 17

[0070] Paper was dipped into (1) a composition comprising zein or (2) a composition comprising shellac. The paper was transferred to a hot press and pressed at 250°C for up to 5 seconds. After the paper cooled, the paper was tested for water and oil permeability. All paper samples showed water and oil resistance and in some cases impermeability. All samples showed improved scratch resistance.

[0071] Embodiment 18

[0072] The experiment of Example 17 was repeated, but the paper samples were left to air dry after being immersed in the protein or shellac composition. The air-dried samples were then stored for a period of time, respectively (i) one day; (ii) one week; (iii) two weeks; (iv) one month; (v) two months; and (vi) six months, and then heated in a hot press at 250°C for up to 10 seconds. The stored and subsequently pressed samples all showed water and oil resistance, and some samples showed impermeability. All samples showed improved scratch resistance.

Claims

1. A method of forming a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas, the method comprising: (a) coating a product with a composition comprising: Protein, wherein the protein is a plant-derived protein, an animal-derived protein, a fungal-derived protein, or any combination thereof; and / or Shellac; and (b) heating the coated product to form a product that is resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises a cellulose-based product, such as a paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based product.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the composition comprises a solvent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the solvent comprises water, one or more carboxylic acids, one or more alcohols and / or any combination thereof, optionally wherein the solvent comprises water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, ethylene glycol, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid or any combination thereof.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition comprises protein, and the protein comprises protein of plant origin, optionally wherein the protein of plant origin comprises prolamin.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the protein comprises plant protein, nut protein, seed protein, legume protein, bean protein, pulse protein, grass protein, or any combination thereof, optionally wherein the protein comprises corn protein, pea protein, soy protein, oat protein, chickpea protein, wheat protein, barley protein, rye protein, sorghum protein, or any combination thereof, optionally wherein the protein comprises corn protein, optionally wherein the corn protein is zein.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition comprises protein, and the protein comprises protein of animal origin, optionally wherein the protein is dairy protein, egg protein, poultry protein, livestock protein or any combination thereof, optionally wherein the protein comprises whey protein.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition comprises a protein, and the protein comprises a protein of fungal origin, optionally wherein the protein is a chytridiomycota protein, a zygomycota protein, a glomeromycota protein, an ascomycota protein, a basidiomycota protein, or any combination thereof.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition comprises protein and does not comprise shellac.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition comprises shellac and comprises no protein.

11. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the product is coated with the composition by spraying the composition onto the product, soaking the product in the composition, dipping the product in the composition, rolling the composition onto the product, brushing the composition onto the product, wiping the composition onto the product, impregnating the product with the composition by filling, applying the composition to the product by exhaust, flowing the composition onto the product, using a gap coating technique, using a blade coating technique, or any combination thereof.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein heating the coated product to form a product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas is performed using: One or more gas burners, oil burners, electric heating wires, any combination thereof; and / or One or more infrared (IR) heating devices.

13. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein heating the coated product comprises heating to a temperature between 200°C and 500°C, optionally to a temperature of about 200°C, about 210°C, about 220°C, about 230°C, about 240°C, about 250°C, about 260°C, about 270°C, about 280°C, about 290°C, or about 300°C.

14. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein heating the coated product comprises heating for a period of 5 seconds to 1 hour, optionally about 5 seconds, about 6 seconds, about 7 seconds, about 8 seconds, about 9 seconds, about 10 seconds, about 11 seconds, about 12 seconds, about 13 seconds, about 14 seconds, about 15 seconds, about 16 seconds, about 17 seconds, about 18 seconds, about 19 seconds, about 20 seconds, about 25 seconds, about 30 seconds, about 35 seconds, about 40 seconds, about 45 seconds, about 50 seconds, about 55 seconds, about 60 seconds, about 1 minute, about 2 minutes, about 3 minutes, about 4 minutes, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 15 minutes, about 20 minutes, about 25 minutes, about 30 minutes, about 35 minutes, about 40 minutes, about 45 minutes, about 50 minutes, about 55 minutes, or about 1 hour.

15. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein heating the coated product comprises: The coated product is heated to a first temperature for a first period of time, and then the coated product is heated to a second temperature for a second period of time.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the first temperature is higher or lower than the second temperature, optionally wherein the temperature to which the product is heated during the first period of time is different from or differs by up to 5°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C, 50°C or more than 50°C from the temperature to which the product is heated during the second period of time.

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the first time period is longer than, equal to or shorter than the second time period.

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition further comprises a functional additive, optionally wherein the functional additive comprises a dye, a pigment, a pH sensitive material, a temperature sensitive material, a conductive material, a fluorescent material, a sol comprising an alkoxide and a solvent, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the functional additive comprises nanocellulose or microcellulose.

20. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the composition does not comprise an alkoxide.

21. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition comprises no catalyst, optionally wherein the composition comprises no acid and / or comprises no base.

22. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition does not comprise an ester.

23. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition comprises no diols and / or no polyols.

24. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition does not comprise a polysaccharide.

25. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition does not comprise a synthetic polymer.

26. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition does not comprise a sol and / or a sol-gel.

27. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition does not comprise a stabilizer.

28. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition does not comprise a plasticizer.

29. A product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas formed by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.

30. The water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product according to claim 29, wherein the water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product comprises a cellulose-based product, such as a paper-based, paperboard-based or wood-based product.

31. The water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product according to claim 30, wherein the water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product forms part or all of a container for the food and beverage industry, optionally wherein the water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product forms a lid.

32. The product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas according to claim 30, wherein the product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas is a tableware or a cooking utensil.

33. A product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas according to any one of claims 28 to 31, when dependent on claim 17, wherein the functional additive comprises a dye or pigment, so that the product resistant and / or impermeable to water, oil and / or gas is a colored product.

34. A water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product according to any one of claims 29 to 33, wherein the water-, oil- and / or gas-resistant and / or impermeable product has increased tensile strength, increased dimensional stability, increased scratch resistance, improved smoothness and / or improved anti-fouling properties relative to the corresponding uncoated product used in the method of any one of the preceding claims.

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