Laminating Material for Oxygen-Barrier Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging laminates for oxygen-sensitive foods require high-energy extrusion processes and use harmful substances like ozone to achieve binding between gas barrier layers and paper or paperboard, leading to environmental and health concerns, as well as mechanical strength issues.
Innovation Solution
A method using a laminating material with a central polyolefin layer and outer adhesive polymer layers that can bind to both the paper or paperboard and gas barrier layers without the need for elevated temperatures or ozone, allowing for co-extrusion at lower temperatures and reduced energy consumption, while maintaining strong adhesion and mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-energy extrusion processes and ozone are used to achieve binding between gas barrier layers and paper or paperboard, then binding strength is improved, but environmental harm and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a laminating material as an intermediary substance between the gas barrier layer and the paper or paperboard. This laminating material contains adhesive polymers that chemically bond to both surfaces, serving as a mediator that achieves strong binding without requiring harmful ozone treatment or excessive energy input. The adhesive polymers in the laminating material create the necessary adhesion through their molecular structure, eliminating the need for ozone-generated binding sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the binding interface by using adhesive polymers with specific functional groups that naturally bind to both the gas barrier material and the paper substrate. This parameter change eliminates the need for ozone-induced chemical modifications, thereby reducing environmental harm while maintaining or improving binding strength through the optimized adhesive composition.
2Strength
If elevated temperatures are used for extrusion to achieve binding, then adhesion is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The laminating material acts as a thermal intermediary that enables adhesion at lower temperatures. The adhesive polymers within this intermediate layer are formulated to remain pliable and adhesive at reduced extrusion temperatures, allowing effective bonding without the high energy input previously required. This mediator layer decouples the adhesion achievement from high-temperature processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The laminating material is a composite structure containing multiple polymer components with complementary properties. This composite formulation includes adhesives that maintain effective bonding capability at lower temperatures, thereby reducing the extrusion temperature requirement and associated energy consumption while preserving adhesion strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional laminating material is used, then process simplicity is maintained, but mechanical strength of the packaging laminate is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite laminating material containing multiple polymer components with specific functions. This composite structure provides enhanced mechanical strength to the overall packaging laminate while maintaining compatibility with conventional extrusion lamination equipment and processes. The composite nature allows optimization of both strength properties and manufacturing ease through integrated formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The laminating material is designed with locally optimized properties at the bonding interface, where adhesive polymers are concentrated to provide enhanced strength precisely where needed. This local quality enhancement improves mechanical strength without requiring changes to the overall manufacturing process, maintaining simplicity while achieving superior performance at critical locations.
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
This approach enables the production of packaging laminates with improved mechanical strength, reduced energy use, and environmental impact, ensuring effective binding and barrier properties without harmful chemicals, resulting in more durable and sustainable packaging containers.
Implementation Method 1
a laminating material is applied between the webs in order to permanently bind these to each other
Implementation Method 2
the webs brought together are guided through the nip between two rotatable cylinders
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 2A~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Packaging laminate for a packaging container for oxygen-sensitive liquid food,such as milk, juice, wine and cooking oil. The packaging laminate (10) has a layer (11) of paper or paperboard, and a layer (12) serving as gas barrier and composed of a material with barrier properties against gases, in particular oxygen. The layer (12) serving as gas barrier is bonded to the paper or paperboard layer (11) by a lamination layer (13), which has a central layer (13a) of polymer and outer layers (13b and 3c) of an adhesive on both sides of the polymer layer (13a). The packaging laminate (10) also has outer liquid-tight coatings(14 and15) on both sides of the paper or paperboard layer (11).