New over-moulding technology to further design potential for thick-wall cosmetic packaging

07-Nov-08

DuPont Cosmetics Solutions presents a new and innovative moulding technology based on the over-moulding of polymer inserts with DuPont™ Surlyn®. The technology involves the encasing, or over-moulding, of a hollow polymer insert with a thick, lightweight, exterior wall of durable Surlyn® PC 2000 - well-known in the packaging industry for providing the same transparency and feel as glass excluding its fragility. The company is currently working with PET or PP as the material for the polymer insert due to their sufficient resistance to the chemicals found in cosmetic lotions. The new, patented over-moulding technology has been developed by the DuPont affiliate in Japan, DuPont Mitsui Polychemicals (MDP), a joint venture between DuPont and Mitsui. It can be used for the scrap-free production of thick-walled bottles and containers with wall thicknesses of 10 mm and more. The technology provides high control of neck diameter and wall thickness and requires little extra investment. Benefits of the new technology, as an alternative to extrusion blow moulding or the over-moulding of glass inserts, include the cost-effective production and decoration of visually-appealing and more durable containers, which are made entirely of polymer for easy recycling of waste. The patented technology broadens the design freedom of thick-walled cosmetic and fragrance containers by enabling the production of contrasting geometries for the internal and external walls, decoration techniques such as the encasing of label and inserts, the simple colouring of the polymer insert using masterbatch, or the application of frosted and glossy effects on the exterior surface directly from the tool.