Transparent Thermoformed Plastic Bottle with Low Crystallinity Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional barrier films used for food and medical packaging lack transparency and clarity, which can compromise the appearance of the products and fail to maintain the perception of freshness and cleanliness, despite providing high moisture and oxygen barrier properties.
Innovation Solution
A high barrier, high transparency multilayer coextruded film is developed, combining ethylene polymers with ethylene vinyl alcohol, utilizing low crystallinity layer polymers and specific film processing conditions to optimize transparency, and can be thermoformed into transparent plastic bottles using processes like vacuum thermoforming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional barrier films use layers of LDPE/LLDPE and polyamide/EVOH to provide high moisture and oxygen barrier, then barrier performance is improved, but transparency and clarity deteriorate causing hazy appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the crystallinity parameter of the polyethylene layers from conventional high crystallinity to low crystallinity (less than 40%), which fundamentally alters the optical properties of the material. This parameter change allows the film to maintain high barrier performance while achieving crystal clear transparency, directly resolving the contradiction between barrier performance and transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite multilayer structure combining low crystallinity polyethylene with ethylene vinyl alcohol in a specific configuration. This composite material approach allows each layer to contribute its strengths - the low crystallinity polyethylene provides transparency and moisture barrier, while the EVOH layer provides oxygen barrier, achieving high overall barrier performance with crystal clear appearance.
2Reliability
If oxygen barrier layers are placed in the center surrounded by moisture barrier layers to protect from moisture, then barrier effectiveness is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the barrier film into distinct functional segments: outer moisture barrier layers and inner oxygen barrier layers. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The clear division of functions reduces the complexity of designing and manufacturing the film compared to more integrated approaches.
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 solution achieves a transparency of at least 80% while maintaining high barrier properties, ensuring that packaged products appear clean and fresh, and can be used in high-value applications such as food, medical, and personal care packaging.
Implementation Method 1
Barrier films are commonly used for food and medical packaging applications that require high resistance to penetration by both moisture and oxygen
Implementation Method 2
The oxygen barrier materials are hygroscopic and self-absorb moisture from the air, which in turn lowers their oxygen barrier properties
Implementation Method 3
joined to the moisture barrier layers using known polymer-based adhesive resins
Data Source
AI summary
A transparent thermoformed high barrier plastic bottle is provided for use in storing food and beverages, personal care products, health care products, and other applications that require excellent transparency and barrier properties. The transparent thermoformed high barrier plastic bottle includes first and second outer layers formed using a transparent polyester or polyester copolymer; an inner nanolayer sequence including a plurality of nanolayers a) including ethylene vinyl alcohol, alternating with nanolayers b) including at least one of ethylene ethyl acrylate, low density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene, each of the nanolayers b) having a degree of crystallinity less than about 45%; and adhesive layers between each of the two outer layers and the inner nanolayer sequence. A method for producing a transparent thermoformed high barrier plastic bottle is also provided.