Fluorine-Free Plasma Coatings for Solvent Barrier Packaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging materials for agrochemicals face challenges in achieving sufficient barrier properties against solvent transmission while being fluorine-free, requiring laborious and costly processes, and complicating recycling due to multimaterial construction.
Innovation Solution
A plasma-assisted deposition method applies a reaction product of fluorine-free compounds like lactams, lactones, vinylacetate, and polyvinylpyrrolidone to create a thin, effective barrier coating on substrates, enhancing barrier performance and facilitating recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluorine-containing compounds are used for barrier coatings, then barrier performance is achieved, but regulatory restrictions may apply and environmental concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter by replacing fluorine-containing compounds with fluorine-free compounds (lactams, lactones, vinylacetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, C5-C8 alkynes) that can form equivalent barrier coatings through plasma-assisted deposition, thus maintaining barrier performance while eliminating regulatory and environmental concerns associated with fluorine
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin coatings (much thinner than traditional PA or EVOH layers) that can be applied efficiently via plasma-assisted deposition, reducing material usage and simplifying the coating structure while maintaining sufficient barrier performance for the intended application
2Reliability
If PA or EVOH are coextruded with substrate material to achieve barrier properties, then barrier performance is improved, but the container becomes a multimaterial complicating recycling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by depositing a thin fluorine-free polymer coating (from lactams, lactones, vinylacetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, or C5-C8 alkynes) over a substrate material, achieving barrier properties without requiring complex multi-material extrusion processes, thus simplifying the overall structure for recycling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a thin deposited coating layer (much thinner than traditional barrier layers) that provides sufficient barrier performance while minimizing the addition of materials, maintaining the substrate as essentially a monomaterial that is easier to recycle
3Reliability
If thick PA or EVOH layers are used for barrier protection, then barrier performance is achieved, but preprocessing steps for recycling become extensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dramatically reduces the coating thickness parameter by using plasma-assisted deposition of fluorine-free compounds, achieving equivalent barrier performance with much thinner layers, which significantly reduces the amount of material that requires separation during recycling preprocessing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the need for extensive preprocessing steps by using a thin coating that can be more easily separated from the substrate during recycling, reducing the complexity and time required for separation compared to thick PA or EVOH layers
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional coating methods are used with fluorine-free compounds, then regulatory compliance is achieved, but barrier performance may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical mixing and extrusion methods with plasma-assisted deposition, a process that enables precise control of coating thickness and composition, achieving both regulatory compliance through fluorine-free materials and sufficient barrier performance through optimized deposition parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the deposition method parameter from conventional extrusion to plasma-assisted deposition, enabling better control over coating properties and achieving equivalent or superior barrier performance with fluorine-free compounds
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The coating provides comparable barrier performance to fluorine-containing coatings with reduced thickness, avoiding regulatory concerns and enabling easier recycling by maintaining the substrate as a monomaterial.
Implementation Method 1
the coating is obtained or obtainable from depositing on a surface of a substrate by a plasma-assisted deposition method a reaction product of a fluorine-free compound
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a coated substrate, where the coating is obtained from depositing on a surface of a substrate by a plasma-assisted deposition method a reaction product of a fluorine-free compound selected from the group consisting of a lactam with 4 to 8 ring atoms, a lactone with 4 to 8 ring atoms, vinylacetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, C5 to C8 alkyne and mixtures of two or more of these compounds.Also described herein is a plasma-assisted deposition method for applying a coating based on a reaction product of a fluorine-free compound onto a surface of a substrate.Also described herein is the method of using a coated substrate for packaging, storing and/or transporting a good selected from the group consisting of food, beverage and chemical where the good is preferably a chemical, wherein the chemical is preferably a hazardous substance (transported as dangerous good) or an agrochemical, more preferably an agrochemical.