Method for producing gas barrier film packaging material

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material wherein adhesion between a thermally fusible layer and a gas barrier film is sufficient. The problem is solved by a production method that comprises: a gas barrier film formation step in which a gas barrier layer that has a multilayer structure composed of an organic layer and an inorganic layer, with the organic layer forming the uppermost layer, is formed on a supporting body; a bonding step in which an adhesive is applied onto the gas barrier layer so as to cover the entire surface of the supporting body, and is dried thereon so that a thermally fusible layer that is wider than the supporting body is bonded thereto, thereby forming a gas barrier film packaging material; a winding step in which the gas barrier film packaging material is wound up; and an aging step in which the gas barrier film packaging material is aged by heating. In the gas barrier film formation step, non-formation regions, in which the multilayer structure composed of an organic layer and an inorganic layer is not formed, are provided on both edges in the width direction.

Description

Method for producing gas barrier film packaging material

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material that is attached to an infusion bag or the like to protect the contents.

[0002] Infusion bags containing medicines that deteriorate when exposed to moisture and oxygen, and tubes and packaging bags containing food products that also deteriorate when exposed to moisture and oxygen, are required to have high gas barrier properties in order to enhance the shelf life of medicines, etc. In such infusion bags, etc., gas barrier properties are improved by attaching a gas barrier film to the surface.

[0003] Known gas barrier films with high gas barrier properties include organic-inorganic laminated gas barrier films that have one or more combinations of an inorganic layer that exhibits gas barrier properties and an organic layer that serves as a base for the inorganic layer, on a support such as a resin film. Patent Document 1 describes an infusion bag to which this organic-inorganic laminated gas barrier film is attached.

[0004] Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses an infusion bag having a bag made of a resin film containing polyethylene and / or polypropylene and a barrier layer provided on at least one surface of the bag, the barrier layer having a structure in which a first organic layer, an inorganic layer, and a second organic layer are adjacent to each other in this order.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-075716

[0006] In the infusion bag described in Patent Document 1, a gas barrier film having a barrier layer provided on a support (plastic film) is formed by adhering a heat-sealing layer made of the same resin film as the resin bag to the gas barrier film, and then heat-sealing the heat-sealing layer to the resin bag, thereby adhering the gas barrier film to the infusion bag. Specifically, in the infusion bag described in Patent Document 1, the heat-sealing layer is adhered to the second organic layer of the gas barrier film with an adhesive, thereby producing a laminated film having a gas barrier film, an adhesive, and a heat-sealing layer. The heat-sealing layer of this laminated film is heat-sealed to the resin bag, thereby adhering the gas barrier film to the infusion bag.

[0007] However, according to the investigations of the present inventors, in a laminate film in which a heat-sealing layer is attached to such a gas barrier film using an adhesive, the adhesive strength may be insufficient depending on the manufacturing method, and the heat-sealing layer and the gas barrier film may peel off. In particular, when the gas barrier film has high gas barrier performance, the adhesive strength may be insufficient depending on the manufacturing method, and the heat-sealing layer and the gas barrier film may peel off.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material having a gas barrier film and a heat-sealing layer, which is heat-sealed to an infusion bag or the like to prevent deterioration of the contents due to moisture or the like, and which has sufficient adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer and the gas barrier film.

[0009] To solve this problem, the present invention has the following configuration: [1] A method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material, comprising: a gas barrier film production step of forming a gas barrier layer having one or more laminated structures of base organic layers and inorganic layers, with the uppermost layer being a protective organic layer, on a support, a lamination step of applying an adhesive to the gas barrier layer of the gas barrier film so as to cover the entire surface of the support, drying the adhesive, and then laminating a heat-sealing layer having a width equal to or greater than that of the support to the adhesive, to produce a gas barrier film packaging material, a winding step of winding up the gas barrier film packaging material, and an aging step of heating and aging the wound gas barrier film packaging material, wherein in the gas barrier film production step, non-forming regions are provided at both ends in the width direction of the support, where the laminated structure of base organic layers and inorganic layers and the protective organic layer are not formed. [2] A method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to [1], wherein in the gas barrier film production step, an inorganic layer is formed in the non-forming regions. [3] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to [1] or [2], wherein the heating temperature in the aging step is 30 to 50°C and the aging time is 48 hours or longer. [4] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the winding tension of the gas barrier film packaging material in the winding step is 10 to 200 N. [5] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the gas barrier film has lower gas barrier performance in a non-forming region than in a central portion in the width direction of the support. [6] The gas barrier film has a water vapor transmission rate of 1.0 x 10 at the central portion in the width direction of the support at a temperature of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -4 g / (m 2 day) or less, and the water vapor transmission rate in the non-forming region of the gas barrier film is 1.0 × 10 under an environment of a temperature of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -1 g / (m 2[7] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to [1] to [6], wherein the gas barrier film packaging material produced has lower gas barrier performance in a region corresponding to a non-forming region of the gas barrier film than in a region corresponding to the center in the width direction of the support of the gas barrier film. [8] The gas barrier film packaging material produced has a water vapor transmission rate of 1.0 × 10-18 cm / s at a position corresponding to the center in the width direction of the support of the gas barrier film at a temperature of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -4 g / (m 2 day) or less, and the water vapor transmission rate in the region corresponding to the non-forming region of the gas barrier film is 1.0 × 10 under an environment of a temperature of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -1 g / (m 2 [9] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the heat-sealing layer is formed of polyethylene or polypropylene.

[10] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the heat-sealing layer has a thickness of 30 to 70 μm.

[11] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to

[10] , wherein the support has a thickness of 50 to 125 μm.

[12] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to

[11] , wherein the support has a width of 250 to 1000 mm.

[13] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein the gas barrier film packaging material is taken up to a length of 1300 m or less in the winding step.

[14] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to any one of [1] to

[13] , wherein the adhesive is a two-component curing adhesive.

[15] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to

[14] , wherein the adhesive is a two-component curing urethane adhesive.

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a gas barrier film packaging material which has a gas barrier film and a heat-sealing layer and in which the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer and the gas barrier film is sufficient.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of a gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of an organic film-forming apparatus. Fig. 4 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of an inorganic film-forming apparatus. Fig. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of a gas barrier film packaging material produced by a conventional production method.

[0012] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0013] In the present invention, a numerical range expressed using "to" means a range that includes the numerical values ​​before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits. The figures shown below are conceptual diagrams for explaining the present invention. Therefore, the size, thickness, shape, and positional relationship of each component may differ from the actual ones.

[0014] Fig. 1 conceptually shows an example of a gas barrier film packaging material produced by the method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention. Fig. 2 conceptually shows a partial enlarged view of the end of the gas barrier film packaging material shown in Fig. 1. The gas barrier film packaging material produced by the method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention is very long, and in the examples shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is long in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface. Therefore, the both ends of the gas barrier film packaging material shown in Fig. 1 are both ends in the width direction (short direction) of the gas barrier film packaging material, and the end of the gas barrier film packaging material shown in Fig. 2 is one end in the width direction of the gas barrier film packaging material.

[0015] 1 and 2, a gas barrier film packaging material 10 produced by the method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention has a support 12, a base organic layer 14, an inorganic layer 16, a protective organic layer 18, an adhesive layer 20, and a heat-sealing layer 24. In the following description, the "method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention" will also be simply referred to as the "production method of the present invention."

[0016] In the gas barrier film packaging material 10, the base organic layer 14, the inorganic layer 16, and the protective organic layer 18 form the gas barrier layer of the present invention, and the gas barrier layer and the support 12 form the gas barrier film of the present invention.

[0017] Although the gas barrier layer in the illustrated example has only one laminate structure of a base organic layer 14 and an inorganic layer 16, the gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention, the gas barrier layer may have two laminate structures of a base organic layer 14 and an inorganic layer 16, each having, from the support 12 side, a base organic layer 14, an inorganic layer 16, a base organic layer 14, and an inorganic layer 16 in this order. Furthermore, in a gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention, the gas barrier layer may have three laminate structures of a base organic layer 14 and an inorganic layer 16, each having, from the support 12 side, a base organic layer 14, an inorganic layer 16, a base organic layer 14, an inorganic layer 16, a base organic layer 14, and an inorganic layer 16 in this order. Furthermore, in the gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention, the gas barrier layer may have a laminate structure of four or more base organic layers 14 and inorganic layers 16. In other words, in the gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention, various layer configurations can be used as long as the gas barrier layer has a laminate structure of one or more base organic layers 14 and inorganic layers 16 and has a protective organic layer 18 as the uppermost layer.

[0018] In the gas barrier film packaging material produced by the production method of the present invention, the gas barrier film has a laminated structure of the base organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16, and a non-forming region 26 that does not have the protective organic layer 18, at both ends in the width direction. Note that the gas barrier layer of the gas barrier film packaging material in the illustrated example has only the inorganic layer 16 formed in this non-forming region 26. This point will be described in detail later.

[0019] <Support> The support 12 may be a known sheet-like material (film, plate-like material) that is used as a support in various gas barrier films and various laminated functional films.

[0020] There are no limitations on the material of the support 12, and various materials can be used as long as they can form the underlying organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16. Preferred examples of the material of the support 12 include various resin materials. Examples of materials for the support 12 include polyethylene (PE), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrytonitrile (PAN), polyimide (PI), transparent polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), cycloolefin copolymer (COC), cycloolefin polymer (COP), triacetyl cellulose (TAC), and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).

[0021] The thickness of the support 12 can be set appropriately depending on the application, material, etc. There are no limitations on the thickness of the support 12, and it is sufficient to set a thickness that ensures sufficient mechanical strength of the gas barrier film packaging material 10 and provides sufficient flexibility depending on the forming material. Here, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the thickness of the support 12 is preferably 50 to 125 μm. There are also no limitations on the width of the support 12, but it is preferably 250 to 1000 mm. This point will be described in detail later.

[0022] The support 12 may have an easy-adhesion layer or the like on one or both surfaces thereof to improve adhesion with other layers to be laminated thereon.

[0023] <Base organic layer> In the gas barrier film packaging material 10, a base organic layer 14 is formed on one surface of the support 12. The base organic layer 14 is a layer made of an organic compound obtained by polymerizing (crosslinking, curing) a monomer, a dimer, an oligomer, or the like, for example.

[0024] The base organic layer 14, which is the layer below the inorganic layer 16, serves as a base layer for properly forming the inorganic layer 16. The base organic layer 14 formed on the surface of the support 12 buries the surface irregularities of the support 12 and foreign matter adhering to the surface, thereby making the surface on which the inorganic layer 16 is formed correct and enabling the inorganic layer 16 to be formed properly. As described above, in the present invention, the gas barrier layer may have a laminated structure of multiple inorganic layers 16 and base organic layers 14. In this case, the second and subsequent base organic layers 14 are formed on the inorganic layer 16, but even in this configuration, the base organic layer 14 below the inorganic layer 16 (the surface on which the inorganic layer 16 is formed) exhibits the same function. In particular, the presence of such a base organic layer 14 on the surface of the support 12 enables the inorganic layer 16, which primarily exhibits gas barrier properties, to be properly formed.

[0025] The base organic layer 14 is formed by curing an organic layer-forming composition containing, for example, an organic compound (such as a monomer, dimer, trimer, oligomer, or polymer). The organic layer-forming composition may contain only one type of organic compound, or may contain two or more types of organic compounds. The base organic layer 14 contains, for example, a thermoplastic resin and an organosilicon compound. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polyester, (meth)acrylic resin, methacrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer, polystyrene, transparent fluororesin, polyimide, fluorinated polyimide, polyamide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, cellulose acylate, polyurethane, polyetheretherketone, polycarbonate, alicyclic polyolefin, polyarylate, polyethersulfone, polysulfone, fluorene ring-modified polycarbonate, alicyclic modified polycarbonate, fluorene ring-modified polyester, and acrylic compounds. Examples of organosilicon compounds include polysiloxane.

[0026] From the viewpoints of excellent strength and glass transition temperature, the base organic layer 14 preferably contains a polymer of a radical curable compound and / or a cationic curable compound having an ether group. From the viewpoint of lowering the refractive index of the base organic layer 14, the base organic layer 14 preferably contains a (meth)acrylic resin whose main component is a polymer such as a (meth)acrylate monomer or oligomer. By lowering the refractive index of the base organic layer 14, the transparency of the base organic layer 14 is increased, and light transmittance is improved.

[0027] The base organic layer 14 more preferably contains a (meth)acrylic resin whose main component is a polymer of a difunctional or higher (meth)acrylate monomer, dimer, or oligomer, such as dipropylene glycol di(meth)acrylate (DPGDA), trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate (TMPTA), or dipentaerythritol hexa(meth)acrylate (DPHA), and even more preferably contains a (meth)acrylic resin whose main component is a polymer of a trifunctional or higher (meth)acrylate monomer, dimer, or oligomer. Multiple of these (meth)acrylic resins may also be used. The term "main component" refers to the component with the largest mass content among the components contained.

[0028] The composition for forming an organic layer preferably contains an organic solvent, a surfactant, a silane coupling agent, and the like in addition to the organic compound.

[0029] When multiple base organic layers 14 are provided, that is, when there are multiple combinations of base organic layers 14 and inorganic layers 16 as described above, the materials of each base organic layer 14 may be the same or different.

[0030] The thickness of the base organic layer 14 is not limited and can be set appropriately depending on the components contained in the organic layer-forming composition, the support 12 used, and the like. The thickness of the base organic layer 14 is preferably 0.1 to 5 μm, and more preferably 0.2 to 3 μm. A thickness of the base organic layer 14 of 0.1 μm or more is preferable in that it can bury irregularities on the surface of the support 12 and foreign matter adhering to the surface, thereby flattening the surface of the base organic layer 14. A thickness of the base organic layer 14 of 5 μm or less is preferable in that it can prevent cracks in the base organic layer 14, increase the flexibility of the gas barrier film, and enable the gas barrier film to be made thinner and lighter.

[0031] When a plurality of base organic layers 14 are provided, that is, when there are a plurality of combinations of inorganic layers 16 and base organic layers 14, the thicknesses of the base organic layers 14 may be the same or different.

[0032] The base organic layer 14 can be formed by a known method depending on the material. For example, the base organic layer 14 can be formed by a coating method in which the above-mentioned organic layer-forming composition is applied and then dried. When forming the base organic layer 14 by the coating method, if necessary, the dried organic layer-forming composition is further irradiated with ultraviolet light to polymerize (crosslink) the organic compound in the organic layer-forming composition.

[0033] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the base organic layer 14 is formed by a so-called roll-to-roll (RtoR) method, in which the organic layer-forming composition is applied and dried while the support is being transported. In the following description, "roll-to-roll" is also referred to as "RtoR." Note that in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the base organic layer 14 is not formed in the non-forming regions 26 at both ends of the support 12 in the width direction.

[0034] <Inorganic Layer> The inorganic layer 16 is a thin film containing an inorganic compound and is provided on the surface of the base organic layer 14. In the gas barrier film that constitutes the gas barrier film packaging material 10, the inorganic layer 16 mainly exhibits gas barrier properties. The surface of the support 12 has areas where inorganic compounds are difficult to deposit, such as unevenness and shadows of foreign matter. By providing the base organic layer 14 and forming the inorganic layer 16 thereon, the areas where inorganic compounds are difficult to deposit are covered. Therefore, it is possible to form the inorganic layer 16 without any gaps on the surface on which the inorganic layer 16 is to be formed.

[0035] The material of the inorganic layer 16 is not limited, and various inorganic compounds that exhibit gas barrier properties and are used in known gas barrier layers can be used. Examples of materials for the inorganic layer 16 include metal oxides such as aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and indium tin oxide (ITO); metal nitrides such as aluminum nitride; metal carbides such as aluminum carbide; silicon oxides such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxycarbide, and silicon oxynitride carbide; silicon nitrides such as silicon nitride and silicon carbide nitride; silicon carbides such as silicon carbide; hydrides thereof; mixtures of two or more of these; and inorganic compounds such as hydrogen-containing compounds thereof. Mixtures of two or more of these can also be used. Among these, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, and mixtures of two or more of these are preferred due to their high transparency and excellent gas barrier properties. Among these, silicon-containing compounds are preferably used, and silicon nitride is particularly preferably used among these compounds because it can exhibit excellent gas barrier properties.

[0036] There are no limitations on the thickness of the inorganic layer 16, and a thickness that can exhibit the desired gas barrier properties can be appropriately set depending on the material. The thickness of the inorganic layer 16 is preferably 10 to 150 nm, more preferably 12 to 100 nm, and even more preferably 15 to 75 nm. A thickness of 10 nm or more is preferable in that an inorganic layer 16 that stably exhibits sufficient gas barrier performance can be formed. Furthermore, the inorganic layer 16 is generally brittle, and if it is too thick, cracks, fissures, peeling, and the like may occur. However, by setting the thickness of the inorganic layer 16 to 150 nm or less, the occurrence of cracks can be suppressed.

[0037] As described above, when a plurality of inorganic layers 16 are provided, the thicknesses of the inorganic layers 16 may be the same or different. Furthermore, when a plurality of inorganic layers 16 are provided, the materials of the inorganic layers 16 may be the same or different.

[0038] The inorganic layer 16 can be formed by a known method depending on the material, and suitable examples thereof include plasma CVD such as CCP (Capacitively Coupled Plasma)-CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma)-CVD, atomic layer deposition (ALD), sputtering such as magnetron sputtering and reactive sputtering, and various vapor phase film formation methods (vapor phase deposition methods) such as vacuum deposition.

[0039] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the inorganic layer 16 is also formed by roll-to-roll.

[0040] <Protective Organic Layer> The protective organic layer 18 is a layer made of an organic material for protecting the inorganic layer 16. By providing the protective organic layer 18, cracks in the inorganic layer 16 can be prevented.

[0041] The material for forming the protective organic layer 18 is not particularly limited, and various known organic compounds can be used, similar to those for the base organic layer 14. Furthermore, a urethane-skeleton acrylate polymer may be used as the material for forming the protective organic layer 18, such as the polymerizable composition for forming the second organic layer described in paragraphs

[0016] to

[0027] of JP-A 2015-171798. Furthermore, the composition for forming the protective organic layer 18 may contain, in addition to the urethane-skeleton acrylate polymer, additives such as monomers, oligomers, and polymers, a polymerization initiator, a silane coupling agent, and the like.

[0042] A resin film may be used as the protective organic layer 18. In this case, an adhesive layer may be provided between the resin film as the protective organic layer and the inorganic layer. For the resin film and adhesive layer as such a protective organic layer, a resin layer (resin film) described in WO 2018 / 211850 and WO 2019 / 049634, etc., and a known adhesive layer can be used.

[0043] The thickness of the protective organic layer 18 may be set appropriately depending on the material from which the protective organic layer 18 is formed and the inorganic layer 16. According to the studies of the present inventors, the thickness of the protective organic layer 18 is preferably 0.1 to 50 μm, more preferably 0.5 to 25 μm, and even more preferably 1 to 10 μm. By setting the thickness of the protective organic layer 18 to 0.1 μm or more, the inorganic layer 16 can be properly protected. Furthermore, by setting the thickness of the protective organic layer 18 to 50 μm or less, the gas barrier film can be made thinner.

[0044] Similar to the above-described base organic layer 14, the protective organic layer 18 can be formed by a coating method in which an organic layer-forming composition containing an organic compound that will become the protective organic layer 18 is applied and then dried. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the protective organic layer 18 is also formed by roll-to-roll. Here, similar to the base organic layer 14, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the protective organic layer 18 is not formed in the non-forming regions 26 at both ends in the width direction of the support 12.

[0045] The gas barrier film packaging material 10 produced by the production method of the present invention has a laminated structure of a base organic layer 14 and an inorganic layer 16, and an adhesive layer 20 on top of the gas barrier layer having a protective organic layer 18, so as to cover the entire surface of the support 12. A heat-sealing layer 24 having a width equal to or greater than the width of the support 12 is adhered to this adhesive layer 20.

[0046] <Heat-Fusible Layer (Heat Seal Layer)> The heat-fusible layer 24 is a layer for attaching the gas barrier film packaging material 10 to an object such as an infusion bag by heat fusion (heat sealing).

[0047] The heat-sealing layer 24 is generally formed from the same material as the object to which the gas barrier film packaging material 10 is heat-sealed. For example, if the object is an infusion bag, the heat-sealing layer 24 is formed from the same material as the infusion bag. That is, if the object to be heat-sealed is made of polyethylene (PE), a PE sheet (film) may be used as the heat-sealing layer 24. If the object to be heat-sealed is made of polypropylene (PP), a PP sheet may be used as the heat-sealing layer 24. Specifically, the resin film described in paragraph

[0015] of JP 2012-075716 A may be used as the material for the heat-sealing layer 24. Since infusion bags are generally made of PE or PP, PE and PP are preferred examples of materials for the heat-sealing layer 24.

[0048] There is no limitation on the thickness of the heat-sealing layer 24, and a thickness that ensures reliable heat sealing may be selected depending on the material of which the heat-sealing layer 24 is made and the shape and condition of the object to be heat-sealed, such as an infusion bag. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the thickness of the heat-sealing layer 24 is preferably 30 to 70 μm. This point will be described in detail later.

[0049] 1 and 2, the thermal seal layer 24 in the non-forming region 26 where the base organic layer 14 and the protective organic layer 18 are not formed is floating from the adhesive layer 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, in the non-forming region 26, the thermal seal layer 24 may be adhered to the adhesive layer 20, or a region where the thermal seal layer 24 is adhered to the adhesive layer 20 and a region where the thermal seal layer 24 is not adhered may be mixed.

[0050] <Adhesive Layer> The adhesive layer 20 is a layer for bonding the thermal seal layer 24 and the gas barrier film (protective organic layer 18). Any layer made of a known adhesive capable of bonding the thermal seal layer 24 to the protective organic layer 18 with the necessary adhesive strength can be used as the adhesive layer 20. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the adhesive is preferably a two-component curing adhesive, and more preferably a two-component curing urethane adhesive (urethane-based adhesive, polyurethane-based adhesive). The thickness of the adhesive layer 20 is not limited, and can be set appropriately depending on the adhesive so as to provide sufficient adhesive strength to bond the protective organic layer 18 and the thermal seal layer 24.

[0051] The manufacturing method of the present invention is for manufacturing a gas barrier film packaging material 10 having such a support, a gas barrier film having a gas barrier layer composed of a laminated structure of a base organic layer 14 and an inorganic layer 16 and an uppermost protective organic layer 18, an adhesive layer 20, and a heat-sealable layer 24. The manufacturing method of the present invention will be described below.

[0052] <Gas Barrier Film Production Process> In the gas barrier film production process, first, a base organic layer 14 is formed on the surface of the support 12. As described above, the base organic layer 14 is formed by roll-to-roll coating using a coating method that uses a composition for forming an organic layer that contains an organic compound that will become the base organic layer 14.

[0053] 3 conceptually illustrates an organic film forming apparatus 40 for forming the base organic layer 14 and the protective organic layer 18. The organic film forming apparatus 40 forms the base organic layer 14 and the protective organic layer 18 by roll-to-roll. That is, the organic film forming apparatus 40 conveys the long support 12 in the longitudinal direction while applying and drying the organic layer-forming composition for forming the base organic layer 14 or the protective organic layer 18, and then polymerizes (cures) the organic compound contained in the organic layer-forming composition by light irradiation to form the base organic layer 14 and the protective organic layer 18. The illustrated organic film forming apparatus 40 includes, for example, a coating unit 42, a drying unit 46, a light irradiation unit 48, a rotating shaft 50, a winding shaft 52, and conveying roller pairs 54 and 56.

[0054] In the production of the gas barrier film packaging material 10, when the base organic layer 14 is formed, first, a support roll 12R formed by winding a long support 12 is loaded onto a rotating shaft 50 of the organic film forming apparatus 40. Once the support roll 12R is loaded onto the rotating shaft 50, the support 12 is pulled out from the support roll 12R and passed through a conveying roller pair 54, a coating section 42, a drying section 46, and a light irradiation section 48, and then through a conveying roller pair 56 to a take-up shaft 52, along a predetermined conveying path.

[0055] The support 12 unwound from the support roll 12R is transported to the coating section 42 by a pair of transport rollers 54, and the surface is coated with the organic layer-forming composition that will become the base organic layer 14. As described above, the organic layer-forming composition that will become the base organic layer 14 contains an organic solvent, an organic compound (monomer, dimer, trimer, oligomer, polymer, etc.) that will become the base organic layer 14, a surfactant, a silane coupling agent, etc. Furthermore, various known methods can be used to apply the organic layer-forming composition in the coating section 42, such as die coating, dip coating, air knife coating, curtain coating, roller coating, wire bar coating, and gravure coating.

[0056] 1 and 2 , in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the base organic layer 14 is not formed in the non-forming regions 26 provided at both ends of the support 12. Therefore, the coating section 42 does not apply the organic layer-forming composition to these non-forming regions 26. The coating region in the width direction of the support 12 may be controlled by a known method according to the coating method used in the coating section 42.

[0057] The support 12 coated with the organic layer-forming composition that will become the base organic layer 14 is then heated in a drying unit 46 to remove the organic solvent and dry the organic layer-forming composition. The drying unit 46 has a drying unit 46a that heats and dries the coated surface (front side) of the organic layer-forming composition, and a drying unit 46b that heats and dries the opposite surface (back side), thereby drying the organic layer-forming composition from both the front side and the back side. Note that the drying unit 46 may include only one of the drying units 46a and 46b. Heating in the drying unit 46 may be performed by a known method for heating a sheet-like material. For example, the front-side drying unit 46a is a hot air drying unit, and the back-side drying unit 46b is a heat roller (a guide roller with a heating mechanism).

[0058] The support 12 on which the organic layer-forming composition that will become the base organic layer 14 has been dried is then irradiated with ultraviolet light or the like by the light irradiator 48, causing the organic compound to polymerize (crosslink) and harden, thereby forming the base organic layer 14. If necessary, the curing of the organic compound that will become the base organic layer 14 may be performed in an inert atmosphere such as a nitrogen atmosphere. The light irradiator 48 is provided as needed. In other words, if the base organic layer 14 does not require the effect of ultraviolet light irradiation or the like, the organic film forming apparatus 40 does not need to drive the light irradiator 48, or may not have the light irradiator 48.

[0059] The support 12 on which the base organic layer 14 has been formed is transported by a pair of transport rollers 56 and wound into a roll by a winding shaft 52. If necessary, a protective film may be laminated on the surface of the base organic layer 14 by the pair of transport rollers 56. After the formation of a predetermined length of the base organic layer 14 has been completed, the support 12a on which the base organic layer 14 has been formed is cut as necessary and then wound into a support roll 12aR. The support roll 12aR is then supplied to an inorganic film forming apparatus 60 shown in FIG. 4 and used to form an inorganic layer 16.

[0060] The inorganic film forming apparatus 60 is separated into a supply / winding chamber 64 and a film forming chamber 68 by two partition walls 62 and a drum 70. The inorganic film forming apparatus 60 also forms the inorganic layer 16 by roll-to-roll. That is, the inorganic film forming apparatus 60 forms the inorganic layer 16 on the base organic layer 14 of the support 12 while transporting the long support 12 on which the base organic layer 14 has been formed in the longitudinal direction, and then laminates a protective film F on the surface of the inorganic layer 16.

[0061] The inorganic film formation apparatus 60 has a vacuum chamber 72. As described above, the interior of the vacuum chamber 72 is separated by two partition walls 62 and a drum 70 into a supply / winding chamber 64 at the upper part of the figure and a film formation chamber 68 at the lower part of the figure. The supply / winding chamber 64 has a vacuum exhaust means 74. By driving the vacuum exhaust means 74, the pressure inside the supply / winding chamber 64 can be adjusted. The film formation chamber 68 has a vacuum exhaust means 76. By driving the vacuum exhaust means 76, the pressure inside the film formation chamber 68 can be adjusted.

[0062] The supply / winding chamber 64 is provided with a rotating shaft 92, pass rollers 94a to 94c, a support roll 12aR, pass rollers 106a to 106c, and a winding shaft 108. The film forming chamber 68 is provided with a first film forming unit 100A and a second film forming unit 100B.

[0063] In the inorganic film forming apparatus 60, the long support 12 on which the base organic layer 14 has been formed is transported in the longitudinal direction, while the inorganic layer 16 is formed on the base organic layer 14. First, a support roll 12aR formed by winding the support 12a on which the base organic layer 14 has been formed is loaded onto a rotary shaft 92. Next, the support 12 pulled out from the support roll 12aR is inserted into a predetermined transport path that passes through pass rollers 94a to 94c, the drum 70, and pass rollers 106a to 106c, and reaches a take-up shaft 108.

[0064] The support 12a unwound from the support roll 12aR is guided by pass rollers 94a to 94c, wound around the drum 70, and transported along a predetermined path, where the inorganic layer 16 is formed by the first film-forming unit 100A and / or the second film-forming unit 100B. If a protective film is provided covering the base organic layer 14, the protective film is peeled off, for example, by the pass roller 94c, before the support 12a is wound around the drum 70. The protective film peeled off by the pass roller 94c is taken up on a roll 96. The drum 70 incorporates a temperature control means. The support 12a is cooled or heated by the drum 70 as necessary, while the inorganic layer 16 is formed by the first film-forming unit 100A and / or the second film-forming unit 100B. Furthermore, the drum 70 is configured to be able to supply bias power.

[0065] The film formation method in the first film formation unit 100A and the second film formation unit 100B is, for example, CCP-CVD. The first film formation unit 100A and the second film formation unit 100B have the same configuration, and each include a shower head electrode 114 that forms an electrode pair with the drum 70, a high-frequency power supply 116, and a gas supply means 118.

[0066] The shower head electrode 114 is a known shower head electrode (shower plate) used in plasma CVD, having an opening on the surface facing the drum 70 for supplying a source gas. The high-frequency power supply 116 supplies plasma excitation power to the shower head electrode 114 and is a known high-frequency power supply used in plasma CVD. The gas supply means 118 supplies source gas to the shower head electrode 114 and is a known gas supply means used in plasma CVD. For example, when silicon nitride is formed as the inorganic layer 16, examples of source gases include silane gas, ammonia gas, and hydrogen gas. The thickness of the inorganic layer 16 can be controlled by known methods, such as adjusting the plasma excitation power, the film formation time (i.e., the transport speed of the support 12), and the supply amount of source gas.

[0067] A protective film F is laminated on the support 12b, on which the inorganic layer 16 is formed on the base organic layer 14, by a pass roller 106a immediately downstream of the drum 70. The protective film F is fed from a resin film roll FR and transported to the pass roller 106a.

[0068] The support 12b on which the protective film F has been laminated by the pass roller 106a is guided by the pass rollers 106a to 106c, conveyed to the take-up shaft 108, and wound up on the take-up shaft 108 to form the support roll 12bR, which is the support 12b on which the base organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16 have been formed. Thereafter, the vacuum chamber 72 is opened to the atmosphere, and purified dry air is introduced. Thereafter, the support roll 12bR is removed from the vacuum chamber 72.

[0069] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the inorganic layer 16 is preferably formed also in the non-formation region 26 where the base organic layer 14 and the protective organic layer 18 are not formed. As described above, the inorganic layer 16 is formed by plasma CVD or the like. In this case, a mask or the like must be used to control the region where the inorganic layer 16 is formed. In plasma CVD film formation, the region where the inorganic layer 16 is formed becomes hot, so the mask must be made of a metal or the like that can withstand high temperatures. However, if a metal mask is placed near the shower head electrode 114, abnormal discharge occurs between the mask and the shower head electrode 114, preventing the formation of an appropriate inorganic layer 16. In consideration of this, it is preferable to form the inorganic layer 16 so as to cover the entire surface of the support 12, including the non-formation region 26, without limiting the region where the inorganic layer 16 is formed.

[0070] In addition, when forming two or more laminated structures of the base organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16, the formation of similar base organic layers 14 and inorganic layers 16 can be repeated according to the number of laminated structures to be formed.

[0071] The support 12b on which the inorganic layer 16 has been formed is wound into a support roll 12bR, which is then loaded again into the organic film-forming apparatus 40. The support 12b is pulled out from the support roll 12bR, and the protective film F is peeled off. After that, similar to the formation of the base organic layer 14 described above, an organic layer-forming composition that will become the protective organic layer 18 is applied in the coating section 42, the organic layer-forming composition is dried in the drying section 46, and then irradiated with ultraviolet light or the like in the light irradiation section 48 to polymerize and harden the organic compound that will become the protective organic layer 18. This produces a gas barrier film G having a gas barrier layer composed of the base organic layer 14, the inorganic layer 16, and the protective organic layer 18. The gas barrier film G is wound into a roll around the winding shaft 52, as before, to produce a gas barrier film roll GR composed of the wound gas barrier film G. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, like the base organic layer 14, the protective organic layer 18 is not formed in the non-forming regions 26 at both ends of the support 12.

[0072] <Laminating Process and Winding Process> The gas barrier film is then subjected to the laminating process. The laminating process is also performed by roll-to-roll. In the laminating process, first, the gas barrier film is unwound from the gas barrier film roll and conveyed in the longitudinal direction while an adhesive is applied to the gas barrier layer. The adhesive is then dried to form the adhesive layer 20. In the present invention, the adhesive is applied to cover the entire surface of the support 12 to ensure a uniform thickness of the adhesive layer 20. There are no limitations on the adhesive, and various known adhesives capable of adhering the thermally scalable layer 24 to be subsequently laminated can be used. As mentioned above, a two-component adhesive is preferred, and a two-component urethane adhesive is more preferred. The adhesive can be dried by a known method appropriate for the adhesive, similar to the drying section 46 of the organic film forming apparatus 40 described above.

[0073] The gas barrier film with the adhesive layer 20 formed thereon is then transported, and a heat-sealing layer 24 is laminated on the adhesive layer 20, and the adhesive layer 20 and the heat-sealing layer 24 are bonded together to form a gas barrier film packaging material. The heat-sealing layer 24 has a width equal to or greater than the width of the support 12. As described above, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the adhesive layer 20 is formed by applying an adhesive to cover the entire surface of the support 12. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the gas barrier film packaging material is then wound up in the winding step. Therefore, if the heat-sealing layer 24 is smaller than the width of the support 12, the adhesive layers 20 of the laminated gas barrier film packaging material will be adhered to each other during winding, making it impossible to manufacture a proper product.

[0074] The gas barrier film packaging material thus produced, which comprises the support 12 and the gas barrier layer made up of the base organic layer 14, the inorganic layer 16, and the protective organic layer 18, the adhesive layer 20, and the heat-sealing layer 24 adhered to the adhesive layer 20, is then wound up to form a roll of the gas barrier film packaging material. There are no restrictions on the diameter of the winding core of the gas barrier film packaging material, and various known winding cores, such as 3-inch and 6-inch cores, can be used.

[0075] <Aging step> A roll of gas barrier film packaging material formed by winding the gas barrier film packaging material is placed in an aging chamber capable of controlling the temperature inside the chamber. This performs the aging step of heating and aging the gas barrier film packaging material. Aging is a treatment in which the material is held in a heated state for a predetermined time to harden the adhesive, in other words, a treatment in which the material is held in a heated state for a predetermined time to promote the reaction (hardening) of the adhesive.

[0076] Here, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, a laminated structure of the base organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16 and a non-forming region 26 where the protective organic layer 18 is not formed are provided at both widthwise ends of the gas barrier film packaging material. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, aging, i.e., the curing reaction of the adhesive, can be properly progressed in the aging step. As a result, the manufacturing method of the present invention can shorten the aging time and produce a gas barrier film packaging material 10 having sufficient adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film (gas barrier layer).

[0077] Considering production efficiency and manufacturing costs, gas barrier film packaging materials are continuously manufactured in long lengths, for example, 1,000 meters or more. Therefore, aging is performed on the gas barrier film packaging material in a roll state. Here, moisture is required to promote the adhesive curing reaction during aging, particularly in the aging of two-component adhesives, especially two-component urethane adhesives (urethane-based adhesives). However, according to the inventors' studies, gas barrier film packaging materials in which a heat-sealable layer is bonded to a conventional gas barrier film with an adhesive, particularly gas barrier film packaging materials with high gas barrier performance, require a long time for aging. Furthermore, in gas barrier film packaging materials with high gas barrier performance, sufficient adhesive strength between the heat-sealable layer 24 and the gas barrier film cannot be obtained even after very long aging, and the heat-sealable layer 24 may peel off.

[0078] Possible routes of moisture penetration into the adhesive layer 20, i.e., the uncured adhesive during aging include penetration from the film surface and penetration from the edge of the adhesive layer 20. As described above, aging is performed while the gas barrier film packaging material is rolled up. Therefore, the gas barrier film packaging material is aged while it is stacked with many layers. That is, the gas barrier film packaging material is aged while it is stacked with many layers of gas barrier film. Therefore, in a gas barrier film packaging material roll, the closer to the core of the roll, i.e., the more inside the roll, the higher the gas barrier property becomes, and the less moisture penetrates from the film surface. In particular, when the water vapor transmission rate is 1.0 x 10 -4 g / (m 2 In the case of a gas barrier film packaging material having a high-performance gas barrier film such as the one described below, the penetration of moisture from the film surface is very small, and near the center of the winding, the penetration of moisture from the film surface to the adhesive layer 20 is extremely small.

[0079] As conceptually shown in Figure 5, a conventional gas barrier film packaging material 10P has a laminated structure of a base organic layer 14 and an inorganic layer 16, and a protective organic layer 18, extending to the widthwise ends. Therefore, during aging of a gas barrier film packaging material having a high-performance gas barrier film, moisture penetrates into the adhesive layer 20 primarily through the ends of the adhesive layer 20. Therefore, during aging, the conventional gas barrier film packaging material 10P requires a long period of aging because sufficient moisture cannot be supplied to the adhesive layer 20. Even after long-term aging, the adhesive layer 20 may not be sufficiently cured. In particular, during aging of a gas barrier film packaging material 10P having a high-performance gas barrier film, the adhesive layer 20 may not be sufficiently cured because a very long period of aging is required because sufficient moisture cannot be supplied to the adhesive layer 20. Even after long-term aging, the adhesive layer 20 may not be sufficiently cured. As a result, in the conventional gas barrier film packaging material 10P, even after long-term aging, the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film is insufficient, and the heat-sealing layer 24 may peel off.

[0080] In contrast, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, a laminated structure of the base organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16, and a non-forming region 26 where the protective organic layer 18 is not formed, are provided at both widthwise ends of the gas barrier film packaging material 10. That is, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the non-forming region 26 where the base organic layer 14 and the protective organic layer 18 are not formed are provided at both widthwise ends of the gas barrier film packaging material 10. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1 , even if the inorganic layer 16 is formed in the non-forming region 26, this region does not have the base organic layer 14, and therefore the inorganic layer 16 does not exhibit sufficient gas barrier properties. Moreover, the protective organic layer 18 is not formed in the non-forming region 26. Therefore, the inorganic layer 16 in the non-forming region 26 is destroyed, for example, by conveyance by a pair of conveying rollers during the formation of the protective organic layer 18, and this also results in the inorganic layer 16 not exhibiting sufficient gas barrier properties.

[0081] Therefore, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, moisture can penetrate into the adhesive layer 20 not only from the end faces of the adhesive layer 20 but also from the non-forming regions 26 during aging. As a result, in the manufacture of a gas barrier film packaging material, sufficient moisture can penetrate into the adhesive layer 20 during aging to promote the curing reaction. That is, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, the adhesive layer 20 can be properly cured by aging, and a gas barrier film packaging material 10 having sufficient adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film can be manufactured. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, the aging time can be shortened.

[0082] Even if the adhesive layer 20 and the heat-sealing layer 24 are bonded together in the non-forming region 26, the heat-sealing layer 24 has very low gas barrier properties because it is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. Therefore, even if the adhesive layer 20 and the heat-sealing layer 24 are bonded together in the non-forming region 26, moisture can penetrate into the adhesive layer 20 through the heat-sealing layer 24.

[0083] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, there are no limitations on the size of the non-forming regions 26 provided at both ends of the gas barrier film packaging material in the width direction, and the size may be appropriately determined depending on the gas barrier performance of the gas barrier film, the width of the support 12 used, and other factors. According to the inventors' studies, the non-forming regions 26 provided at both ends of the gas barrier film packaging material in the width direction are preferably 3 to 15% of the width of the support 12. By making the non-forming regions 26 3% or more of the width of the support 12, the aging time can be more suitably shortened, the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film can be increased, and, particularly during transport involving contact between the coated surfaces, appropriate slipperiness can be ensured at the contact surface between the film and the edge holding roller, thereby stabilizing transport. Furthermore, by making the non-forming regions 26 15% or less of the width of the support 12, the gas barrier film packaging material 10 can be efficiently and effectively utilized in the width direction. The non-forming regions 26 are more preferably 6 to 13%, and even more preferably 9 to 11%, of the width of the support 12. It goes without saying that the size of the non-forming region 26 is the length in the width direction of the support 12 .

[0084] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the higher the gas barrier performance of the gas barrier film to be manufactured, i.e., the higher the gas barrier performance of the gas barrier film packaging material to be manufactured, the more favorably the effects of the present invention can be exhibited. Taking this into consideration, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the gas barrier film to be manufactured and the gas barrier film packaging material to be manufactured have a water vapor transmission rate of 1.0 × 10 or more at the center in the width direction under an environment of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -4 g / (m 2 day) or less, and 8.0 × 10 -5 g / (m 2 ・day) or less, and more preferably 5.0 × 10 -5 g / (m 2 It is more preferable that the temperature is 100°C or less.

[0085] On the other hand, the non-forming region 26 does not have the laminated structure of the base organic layer 14 and the inorganic layer 16, and does not have the protective organic layer 18, so even if an inorganic layer 16 that exhibits gas barrier properties is formed, the non-forming region 26 does not have sufficient gas barrier properties, as described above. That is, the non-forming region 26 has lower gas barrier performance than the normal region of the gas barrier film, specifically, the central portion in the width direction. Here, the water vapor transmission rate of the gas barrier film in the non-forming region 26 and the gas barrier film packaging material to be produced is 1.0 × 10 under an environment of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -1 g / (m 2 The water vapor permeability of the gas barrier film in the non-forming region 26 and the gas barrier film packaging material to be produced is preferably 1.0×10 -1 g / (m 2 By setting the aging time to 5.0×10 or more, the aging time can be more suitably shortened and the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film can be increased, which is preferable. Note that the water vapor transmission rate of the gas barrier film in the non-forming region 26 and the gas barrier film packaging material to be produced are 5.0×10 -1 g / (m 2 ・day) or more is more preferable, and 1.0 g / (m 2 ・day) or more is even more preferable.

[0086] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the tension applied to the gas barrier film packaging material during the winding step is not limited and may be appropriately set depending on factors such as the stiffness of the gas barrier film packaging material. The tension applied to the gas barrier film packaging material during the winding step is preferably 10 to 200 N. Setting the tension applied to the gas barrier film packaging material during the winding step to 10 N or more is preferred in that it can prevent the winding shape from becoming distorted due to loosening of the winding, etc. On the other hand, setting the tension applied to the gas barrier film packaging material during the winding step to 200 N or less is preferred in that it can prevent the heat-sealing layer 24 from being compressed in the thickness direction, thereby fully functioning as a moisture penetration path (described later), and preventing damage to the gas barrier layer of the gas barrier film. The tension applied to the gas barrier film packaging material during the winding step is more preferably 20 to 150 N, and even more preferably 30 to 100 N.

[0087] As will be described later, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the aging step is preferably performed for 48 hours or more. In contrast, the speed of adhesive application and heat-sealing layer lamination in roll-to-roll processes is very fast, for example, about 1 hour per 1,000 m. That is, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the aging time is much longer than in other processes. Furthermore, considering the production speed of the gas barrier film packaging material before aging, a very large aging chamber is required, and it is necessary to use the large aging chamber with high utilization efficiency. Here, if the roll collapses due to loosening of the gas barrier film packaging material roll, it will interfere with the transport of the gas barrier film packaging material roll into and out of the aging chamber, significantly reducing the utilization efficiency of the aging chamber, i.e., the production efficiency of the gas barrier film packaging material. Therefore, it is very important that the gas barrier film packaging material roll has a proper winding shape.

[0088] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, there is no limitation on the winding length of the gas barrier film packaging material in the winding step, and it may be set appropriately depending on the thickness of the gas barrier film packaging material, the diameter of the winding core used for winding, etc. The winding length of the gas barrier film packaging material in the winding step is preferably 1,300 m or less. By setting the winding length of the gas barrier film packaging material to 1,300 m or less, it is possible to suitably supply moisture to the center of the gas barrier film packaging material roll. As a result, it is preferable in that the aging time can be more suitably shortened and the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film can be increased. Note that, in consideration of the production efficiency and manufacturing cost of the gas barrier film packaging material, the winding length of the gas barrier film packaging material is preferably 900 m or more.

[0089] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, there are no limitations on the aging conditions in the aging step, and they may be set appropriately depending on the adhesive used to form the adhesive layer 20. The aging temperature is preferably 30 to 50°C. An aging temperature of 30°C or higher is preferred in that it allows the aging time to be more suitably shortened and the adhesive strength between the heat-sealable layer 24 and the gas barrier film to be increased. Furthermore, an aging temperature of 50°C or lower is preferred in that it allows the aging time to be more suitably shortened and the adhesive strength between the heat-sealable layer 24 and the gas barrier film to be increased. The aging temperature is more preferably 35 to 45°C, and even more preferably 38 to 42°C.

[0090] The aging time is preferably 48 hours or more. By setting the aging time to 48 hours or more, the aging time can be more suitably shortened and the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film can be increased, which is preferable. The aging time is more preferably 60 hours or more, and even more preferably 72 hours or more. Note that, although aging can basically be performed for any length of time, taking into consideration productivity, utilization efficiency of the aging chamber, etc., 200 hours or less is preferable.

[0091] As described above, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the thickness of the support 12 is preferably 50 to 125 μm. Supports 12 formed from materials such as PET film have poor gas barrier properties, so their edges act as moisture intrusion and moisture migration paths. Therefore, by making the thickness of the support 12 50 μm or greater, the function of the support 12 as a moisture intrusion and migration path can be fully realized. As a result, moisture can be sufficiently supplied to the center of the adhesive layer 20 in the width direction, which is preferable in terms of more suitably shortening the aging time and increasing the adhesive strength between the heat-sealable layer 24 and the gas barrier film. Making the thickness of the support 12 125 μm or less is preferable in terms of preventing peeling between the adhesive layer 20 and the heat-sealable layer 24 due to stress during transportation, etc. The thickness of the support 12 is more preferably 75 to 115 μm, and even more preferably 95 to 105 μm.

[0092] As described above, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the width of the support 12 is preferably 250 to 1000 mm. As described above, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the non-forming region 26 is preferably 3 to 15% of the width of the support. Taking this into consideration, by making the width of the support 12 250 mm or more, it becomes possible to appropriately control the size of the non-forming region 26. Furthermore, making the width of the support 12 250 mm or more is also preferable in terms of suitably ensuring the effective width that can be used. Furthermore, by making the width of the support 12 1000 mm or less, moisture that has penetrated the support 12 can be suitably supplied to the center in the width direction, which is preferable in terms of more suitably shortening the aging time and increasing the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film. The width of the support 12 is more preferably 350 to 900 mm, and even more preferably 450 to 800 mm.

[0093] Furthermore, as described above, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the thickness of the heat-sealing layer 24 is preferably 30 to 70 μm. Because heat-sealing layers 24 made of materials such as PE and PP have poor gas barrier properties, their edges act as moisture intrusion and migration paths. Therefore, by making the thickness of the heat-sealing layer 24 30 μm or greater, the heat-sealing layer 24 can fully function as a moisture intrusion and migration path. As a result, sufficient moisture can be supplied to the center of the adhesive layer 20 in the width direction, more suitably shortening the aging time and enhancing the adhesive strength between the heat-sealing layer 24 and the gas barrier film. Making the thickness of the heat-sealing layer 24 70 μm or less is preferable because it allows the adhesive to be dried appropriately after application, ensuring sufficient adhesive strength with the adhesive layer 20 and improving the heat-sealing properties of the gas barrier film packaging material. The thickness of the heat-sealing layer 24 is more preferably 40 to 60 μm, and even more preferably 45 to 55 μm.

[0094] The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention has been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various improvements and modifications may be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0095] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the specific examples shown below.

[0096] [Example 1] <Support> A polyethylene terephthalate film (PET film, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd., product name: A4300, thickness 100 μm, width 700 mm) was prepared as a support, and a base organic layer, an inorganic layer, and a protective organic layer were formed on one side of this PET film by the following procedure.

[0097] <Formation of Undercoat Organic Layer> TMPTA (manufactured by Daicel Allnex Co., Ltd.) and a photopolymerization initiator (manufactured by Lamberti, ESACURE KTO46) were prepared and weighed out to a weight ratio of 95:5. These were dissolved in methyl ethyl ketone to prepare a coating liquid (organic layer-forming composition) with a solids concentration of 15%. This coating liquid was applied to the PET film by roll-to-roll using a die coater, and the film was passed through a drying zone at 50°C for 3 minutes. Thereafter, the film was heated to 80°C with a backup roll and irradiated with ultraviolet light (cumulative irradiation amount: approximately 600 mJ / cm 2 ) and cured, and then wound up. After UV curing, a polyethylene protective film was attached before contacting the first film surface touch roll, and then wound up. The thickness of the base organic layer formed on the PET film was 2 μm. The base organic layer was formed in a 640 mm region at the center in the width direction of the PET film. In other words, no base organic layer was formed in 30 mm regions at both ends in the width direction of the PET film.

[0098] <Formation of Inorganic Layer> Using a roll-to-roll CVD apparatus, a silicon nitride film was formed as an inorganic layer on the base organic layer. Specifically, first, the wound PET film with the base organic layer was sent out, and after passing through the last film surface touch roll before film formation, the protective film was peeled off, and an inorganic film was formed on the exposed base organic layer. To form the inorganic film, silane gas (flow rate 160 sccm), ammonia gas (flow rate 370 sccm), hydrogen gas (flow rate 590 sccm), and nitrogen gas (flow rate 240 sccm) were used as raw material gases. The silicon nitride film was formed using a high-frequency power source with a frequency of 13.56 MHz. After forming the inorganic layer, a polyethylene protective film was attached and wound up before touching the first film surface touch roll. The film formation pressure was 40 Pa, and the final film thickness was 30 nm. The inorganic layer was formed on the entire width of the PET film.

[0099] <Formation of Protective Organic Layer> A protective organic layer was formed on the surface of the inorganic layer. To prepare the coating solution for the protective organic layer, a urethane-skeleton acrylate polymer (Acrit 8BR930 manufactured by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.), an additive (Byron U1510 manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.), and a silane coupling agent (KBM5103 manufactured by Shin-Etsu Silicones Co., Ltd.) were mixed in a ratio of 73.25%:15%:10%, and 1.75% of a photopolymerization initiator (ESCURE KTO46 manufactured by Lamberti Co., Ltd.) was added. These were then dissolved in methyl ethyl ketone to prepare a coating solution with a solids concentration of 15%. This coating solution was directly applied to the surface of the inorganic layer by roll-to-roll using a die coater and passed through a drying zone at 100°C for 3 minutes. Thereafter, while being held by a heat roll heated to 60°C, ultraviolet light was irradiated (cumulative irradiation amount of approximately 600 mJ / cm 2 ) and cured to form a protective organic layer, producing a gas barrier film, which was then wound up. The protective organic layer formed on the inorganic layer had a thickness of 1 μm. The base organic layer was formed in a 640 mm region at the center of the width direction of the PET film. In other words, the base organic layer was not formed in 30 mm regions at both ends of the PET film in the width direction. Therefore, in this example, the 30 mm regions at both ends of the width direction of the gas barrier film were non-formation regions.

[0100] <Laminating the Heat-Sealing Layer and Winding Up the Gas Barrier Film Packaging Material> An adhesive was applied to the surface of the gas barrier film by roll-to-roll rolling so as to cover the entire surface of the support, and then dried to form an adhesive layer. A heat-sealing layer was then laminated onto the adhesive layer to produce a gas barrier film packaging material, and the produced gas barrier film packaging material was wound up. The adhesive used was a polyurethane adhesive (main agent: polyester polyol; RU-77T manufactured by Rock Paint Co., Ltd.; curing agent: aliphatic isocyanate; H-7 manufactured by Rock Paint Co., Ltd.). The adhesive layer had a thickness of 3 μm. The heat-sealing layer was a 30 μm thick, 700 mm wide PE film (polyethylene film, manufactured by Toray Advanced Film Co., Ltd.; melting point: approximately 161°C). The tension for winding up the produced gas barrier film packaging material was 30 N. The winding length (winding length) was 1,000 m. A winding core with a diameter of 6 inches was used.

[0101] <Aging> The wound gas barrier film packaging material was placed in an aging chamber and aged to produce an aged gas barrier film packaging material. The temperature of the aging chamber was 40° C. The aging time was 72 hours (h).

[0102] [Example 2] An aged gas barrier film packaging material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in producing the gas barrier film, the base organic layer and the protective organic layer were formed in a 670 mm region at the center in the width direction of the support. That is, in this example, 15 mm regions at both ends in the width direction of the gas barrier film were non-formed regions. [Example 3] An aged gas barrier film packaging material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in producing the gas barrier film, the base organic layer and the protective organic layer were formed in a 600 mm region at the center in the width direction of the support. That is, in this example, 50 mm regions at both ends in the width direction of the gas barrier film were non-formed regions.

[0103] [Example 4] Except for setting the aging time to 40 hours, an aged gas barrier film packaging material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1. [Example 5] Except for setting the temperature of the aging chamber to 25°C, an aged gas barrier film packaging material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1. [Example 6] Except for setting the temperature of the aging chamber to 55°C, an aged gas barrier film packaging material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0104] Comparative Example 1 An aged gas barrier film packaging material was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in the production of the gas barrier film, the base organic layer and the protective organic layer were formed over the entire width of the support and the aging time was set to 200 hours. That is, in this example, no non-formation regions were provided at both ends of the gas barrier film in the width direction.

[0105] [Gas Barrier Performance] After producing the gas barrier film for the produced gas barrier film packaging material, the water vapor permeability was measured at the widthwise center of the gas barrier film and at the widthwise end regions where no base organic layer or protective organic layer was formed. The water vapor permeability was measured by the calcium corrosion method (the method described in JP 2005-283561 A) under conditions of a temperature of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. As a result, for all gas barrier films, the water vapor permeability at the widthwise center was 1.0 x 10 -4 g / (m 2 day), the water vapor permeability of the non-forming area is 1.0 × 10 -1 g / (m 2 The water vapor transmission rate was measured only at the center in the width direction because no non-forming region was provided in Comparative Example 1. The water vapor transmission rate measurement results for the produced gas barrier film packaging materials were similar.

[0106] [Adhesion strength of heat-sealable layer (adhesion strength)] The peel strength of the heat-sealable layer was measured in accordance with the 180° peel test of JIS Z 0237:2009. The peel strength was measured by cutting the prepared gas barrier film packaging material into 25 x 50 mm strips parallel to the width direction (25 mm) and the longitudinal direction at a position 10 m from the adhesive application start position on the core side (inside of the roll) and with the center in the width direction as the intersection of the diagonal lines of the strip, and peeling off 5 mm of the heat-sealable layer from the end in the longitudinal direction to obtain a sample. Evaluation was performed according to the following criteria. A: Peel strength is 8 N / 25 mm or more B: Peel strength is 6 N / 25 mm or more and less than 8 N / 25 mm C: Peel strength is 4 N / 25 mm or more and less than 6 N / 25 mm D: Peel strength is 2 N / 25 mm or more and less than 4 N / 25 mm E: Peel strength is less than 2 N / 25 mm If the rating is C or higher, the adhesion strength of the heat-sealable layer is sufficient for practical use. The results are shown in the table below.

[0107]

[0108] As shown in Table 1, the gas barrier film packaging material of the present invention, which has non-forming regions on both ends of the gas barrier film in the width direction, exhibits sufficient adhesive strength of the heat-sealable layer after aging for either 72 or 40 hours. In contrast, the gas barrier film packaging material of Comparative Example 1, in which the gas barrier film does not have non-forming regions, does not exhibit sufficient adhesive strength of the heat-sealable layer even after aging for 200 hours. Furthermore, as shown in Examples 1 and 4 to 6, higher adhesive strength of the heat-sealable layer can be obtained by aging for 48 hours or more in a temperature range of 30 to 55°C. The above results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the present invention.

[0109] 10, 10P Gas barrier film packaging material 12, 12a, 12b Support 12R, 12aR, 12bR Support roll 14 Undercoat organic layer 16 Inorganic layer 18 Protective organic layer 20 Adhesive layer 24 Thermal seal layer 26 Non-forming region 40 Organic film forming device 42 Coating section 46, 46a, 46b Drying section 48 Light irradiation section 50, 92 Rotating shaft 52, 108 Winding shaft 60 Inorganic film forming device 62 Partition wall 64 Supply / winding chamber 68 Film forming chamber 70 Drum 72 Vacuum chamber 74, 76 Vacuum exhaust means 94a to 94c, 106a to 106c Pass roller 96 Roll 100A First film forming unit 100B Second film forming unit 102 Drum 114 shower electrode 116 high frequency power supply 118 gas supply means F protective film FR protective film roll

Claims

1. a gas barrier film preparation step of forming a gas barrier layer having one or more laminated structures of a base organic layer and an inorganic layer, the uppermost layer of which is a protective organic layer, on a support to prepare a gas barrier film; a lamination step of applying an adhesive to the gas barrier layer of the gas barrier film so as to cover the entire surface of the support, drying the adhesive, and then laminating a heat-sealing layer having a width equal to or greater than the width of the support to the adhesive to obtain a gas barrier film packaging material; a winding step of winding up the gas barrier film packaging material; and an aging step of heating and aging the wound gas barrier film packaging material, a non-forming region where the laminated structure of the base organic layer and the inorganic layer and the protective organic layer are not formed is provided at both ends of the support in the width direction in the gas barrier film production process.

2. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic layer is formed in the non-forming region in the gas barrier film production step.

3. 3. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the heating temperature in the aging step is 30 to 50° C. and the aging time is 48 hours or longer.

4. 3. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the winding tension of the gas barrier film packaging material in the winding step is 10 to 200 N.

5. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gas barrier film has lower gas barrier performance in the non-forming region than in the central portion in the width direction of the support.

6. The water vapor transmission rate of the gas barrier film at the center in the width direction of the support is 1.0×10 -4 g / (m 2 ・day) or less, The water vapor permeability of the non-forming region of the gas barrier film is 1.0×10 -1 g / (m 2 6. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 5, wherein the heating time is 100 minutes or more.

7. 3. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the gas barrier film packaging material to be produced has lower gas barrier performance in a region corresponding to the non-forming region of the gas barrier film than in a region corresponding to the central portion of the support in the width direction of the gas barrier film.

8. The gas barrier film packaging material to be produced has a water vapor transmission rate of 1.0 × 10 at a position corresponding to the center of the width direction of the support of the gas barrier film under an environment of a temperature of 25°C and a relative humidity of 50%. -4 g / (m 2 ・day) or less, The water vapor permeability of the region of the gas barrier film corresponding to the non-forming region is 1.0×10 -1 g / (m 2 8. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 7, wherein the heating time is 100 minutes or more.

9. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat-sealing layer is formed of polyethylene or polypropylene.

10. 3. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the heat-sealable layer is 30 to 70 μm.

11. 3. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the support is 50 to 125 μm.

12. 3. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the width of the support is 250 to 1000 mm.

13. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gas barrier film packaging material is wound up to a length of 1,300 m or less in the winding step.

14. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adhesive is a two-component curing adhesive.

15. The method for producing a gas barrier film packaging material according to claim 14, wherein the adhesive is a two-component curing urethane adhesive.