One film family features Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH), an environmentally friendly coex. The other is an ultrathin but effective oxygen barrier coating made of nanoparticles that can be applied to various substrates. Either of these films can be used as an alternative to PVDC (Saran coated) films. The films address current and future cost and regulatory challenges in the food, snack, coffee, tea, and pet markets.
Combining the oxygen barrier properties and flexibility of EVOH with the sealability and moisture barrier properties of PET, the first film family is a cost-effective alternative for larger runs of commonly used gauges, and is also crystal clear, odorless, and safe for consumable product contact. It can also provide multiples of the oxygen barrier properties of PVDC-coated PET.
An even thinner film can be created by applying a layer of nanoparticles over one side of PET film. The new nanoparticle-based film family has a coating that is only a fraction of a micron thick, yet offers significant oxygen barrier properties. The coated side can be printed and laminated. The film is created using abundant and inexpensive vermiculite – often used as a gardening soil enhancer – as a source of nanoparticle platelets.
The films were created for manufacturers in the food and pet industries, such as nuts, granola, dehydrated foods, snacks, drink mixes, spices, and dry pet food and treats, etc. The films also address environmental concerns such as the EPA’s top objective of landfill issues.
