Laminate Films for Aggressive Pharmaceutical Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laminate films used for packaging aggressive pharmaceutical substances like nicotine, fentanyl, and lidocaine face challenges in providing impermeability, inertness, mechanical strength, and cost-effectiveness, with existing solutions like Barex® being expensive and having unsatisfactory water and oxygen resistance.
Innovation Solution
Adhesive lamination and coextrusion methods using polymers such as cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), polyamide (PA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), cyclic olefin polymer (COP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), or ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer (EMAA) to create laminate films that are water and oxygen resistant, mechanically strong, and cost-efficient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Barex® polymer is used for packaging aggressive pharmaceutical substances, then chemical resistance and inert properties are improved, but cost increases and water/oxygen resistance becomes unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by creating a laminate structure consisting of multiple polymer layers (first polymer layer with aggressive substance resistance, second polymer layer with improved water/oxygen resistance) combined with metal foil layers. This composite structure allows each layer to contribute its specific properties, achieving both chemical resistance and improved barrier properties while reducing reliance on expensive single-material solutions like Barex®
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging structure is segmented into multiple functional layers, each with specific roles: the first polymer layer contacts the aggressive substance, the metal foil provides barrier and structural support, and the second polymer layer provides external protection and improved water/oxygen resistance. This segmentation allows optimization of each layer's properties independently, reducing overall cost while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If laminate films are designed to be impermeable and inert to aggressive substances, then chemical resistance is improved, but mechanical strength and sealability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The laminate combines polymer layers (providing chemical resistance and impermeability) with metal foil layers (providing mechanical strength and rigidity). The metal foil acts as a reinforcement layer that enhances tensile strength and puncture resistance without compromising the chemical barrier properties of the polymer layers
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the laminate have different properties optimized for their specific functions: the inner polymer layer has high chemical resistance for contact with aggressive substances, the metal foil layer has high mechanical strength for structural support, and the outer polymer layer has improved water/oxygen resistance. Each layer's properties are locally optimized for its specific role in the composite structure
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 proposed methods result in laminate films that are impermeable, inert, and mechanically strong, offering improved sealing strength and cost-effectiveness while maintaining or exceeding the properties of existing solutions like Barex®, with the ability to package aggressive substances effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a) providing a base layer, which is water and/or oxygen resistant; b) providing a contact layer; and c) laminating the base layer to the contact layer
Implementation Method 2
coating the base layer with a coextrusion layer, said coextrusion layer comprising the contact layer and a tie layer; and d) allowing the coextrusion layer and the base layer to adhere
Implementation Method 3
providing a base layer, which is water and/or oxygen resistant
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to new laminate films whereby a contact layer is adhesive laminated to a base layer, such as a metal foil, or whereby a co-extrusion layer comprising a contact layer and at least one tie layer is adhered to a base layer, as well as uses of the laminate films to wrap APIs such as nicotine, fentanyl, lidocaine and rivastigmine, wherein the contact layer comprises COC, PA, EVOH, CBC, PVDF, COP, HDPE or EMAA.