The superior heat resistance and gas barrier properties of polyethylene naphthalate have attracted plenty of attention during the past few years. Beverage marketers in particular have been anxious to test PEN's ability to hold carbonation and withstand pasteurization and hot-filling.
One of the latest applications of this promising material comes not from the beverage industry but from the veterinary drug sector. Elanco, the veterinary products division of Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company, is now launching Pulmotil®AC in 250-ml and 1-L PEN bottles injection/stretch blow molded by Bormioli Rocco (Parma, Italy). Bormioli uses Shell Chemical's (Akron, OH) Hipertuf® 90000 homopolymer PEN resin and Aoki (Elk Grove Village, IL) single-stage equipment to make the custom bottle.
