Multilayered Ethylene-Vinyl Alcohol Structure for Gas Barrier
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multilayered structures with ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer layers fail to maintain superior gas barrier properties during deformation such as stretching and flexion, and suffer from significant deterioration in gas barrier properties.
Innovation Solution
A multilayered structure comprising at least 4 resin layers with an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, where the layers are contiguously laminated with an average thickness of 0.01 µm to 3 µm, and include a thermoplastic resin with oxygen-scavenging ability and a desiccant to enhance interlayer adhesiveness and gas barrier properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional multilayered structures with ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer layers are used to achieve superior gas barrier properties, then gas barrier properties are improved, but gas barrier properties deteriorate significantly upon deformation such as flexion and stretching
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer layer into multiple sub-layers (at least 4 resin layers), where each sub-layer has a thickness of 0.01 µm to 3 µm. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain gas barrier properties under deformation by distributing stress across multiple interfaces, preventing the significant deterioration that occurs in conventional single-layer or fewer-layer structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different local qualities by controlling the thickness and composition of each resin layer individually. Each layer is optimized with specific thickness parameters (0.01 µm to 3 µm) to provide enhanced gas barrier properties at critical interfaces while maintaining overall flexibility and resistance to deformation-induced deterioration.
2Reliability
If the number of resin layers is increased to improve gas barrier properties, then gas barrier properties are enhanced, but production complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the thickness parameter of each resin layer to fall within the specific range of 0.01 µm to 3 µm. This parameter control enables the production of at least 4 layers without excessive complexity, as the standardized thickness range simplifies manufacturing processes while achieving superior gas barrier properties through the multi-layer configuration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If thin resin layers are used to improve flexibility and stretchability, then flexibility is improved, but pinhole resistance and gas barrier properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the thin film structure into at least 4 discrete resin layers, each with controlled thickness (0.01 µm to 3 µm). This segmentation maintains flexibility and stretchability of individual layers while the multi-layer configuration provides pinhole resistance, as defects in one layer are compensated by the integrity of adjacent layers, preventing gas permeation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple thin resin layers into a unified multilayered structure that integrates the flexibility of thin films with the pinhole resistance of multiple layers. The contiguously laminated configuration merges the individual layer properties to achieve both adaptability (flexibility/stretchability) and reliability (pinhole resistance/gas barrier properties) simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the invention is to provide a multilayered structure having very superior gas barrier properties and being excellent in flex resistance, pinhole resistance, stretchability, thermoformability and interlayer adhesiveness, and having superior durability enabling characteristics such as high gas barrier properties to be maintained even if used with deformation such as flexion and/or stretching, and to provide a laminate in which the multilayered structure is used, and a production method thereof. Provided by the present invention is a multilayered structure in which at least 4 resin-layers constituted with a resin composition containing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer are contiguously laminated. A single layer of the resin layer has an average thickness of preferably no less than 0.01 µm and no greater than 10 µm. The average thickness is preferably no less than 0.1 µm and no greater than 1,000 µm. When the content of ethylene units of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer is no less than 3 mol% and no greater than 70 mol%, the saponification degree is preferably no less than 80 mol%.