Barrier Adhesive For Flexible Packaging To Replace PET, Metallized And Aluminium-Based Packaging

Barrier adhesive for flexible packaging to replace PET, metallized and aluminium-based packaging

09-May-17

The Packaging & Specialty Plastics business of The Dow Chemical Company has launched a new adhesive Adcotetm L86-500, which the company claims will help to “maximize resource efficiency, favourably influence packaging cost, enhance recyclability and optimise the shelf-life of food packaging.
This barrier adhesive enables the replacement of PET, metallized and aluminium-based packaging structures with an all-polyolefin solution which is easily recyclable in existing processes.
“Sustainability is increasingly important in the food and beverage industries, with all members of the value chain seeking to find innovative ways to promote recyclability whilst remaining cost competitive,” explained Jaroslaw Jelinek, EMEA marketing manager, adhesives, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “With our latest innovation we meet the demand of flexible packaging industry players which are looking for more sustainable and effective medium barrier packaging.”

Designed for medium barrier applications, it can provide additional protection against oxygen and moisture. The adhesive can help enable the production of a packaging that is recyclable in standard recycling schemes, resource efficient and has the same shelf-life performance as PET-based packaging. First all-polyolefin packages enabled by the new adhesive are showcased at Interpack 2017 for aroma- and barrier-sensitive applications, such as coffee and cereal pouches, snack and dry pet food packs as well as wet wipes packages. When used with selected existing barrier film products, our solution can help provide downgauging and layer simplification opportunities, whilst improving the flex-crack resistance of metallized or aluminium-containing structures. When replacing the PET with polyolefin, the amount of heat that could be applied at packaging lines in order to seal the pouch was decreased. Here, AFFINITY Polyolefin Elastomers from Dow were used as they can help enable sealing at lower temperatures, avoiding damage to the outside polypropylene layer, ensuring integrity of the package.