Super Oxygen and Improved Water Vapor Barrier of Polypropylene Film with Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Nanocoatings. Issue 12 (29th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Song, Yixuan; Tzeng, Ping; Grunlan, Jaime C.
• Is Part Of: Macromolecular rapid communications. Volume 37:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: 963
• Page End: 968
• Publication Date: 2016-04-29
• Subjects: clay nanoplatelets -- layer‐by‐layer assembly -- moisture vapor transmission rate -- oriented polypropylenes -- oxygen transmission rate; Macromolecules -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201600140
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1022-1336

Abstract

Abstract : Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is widely used in packaging. Although its orientation increases mechanical strength and clarity, BOPP suffers from a high oxygen transmission rate (OTR). Multilayer thin films are deposited from water using layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is combined with either poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or vermiculite (VMT) clay to impart high oxygen barrier. A 30‐bilayer PEI/VMT nanocoating (226 nm thick) improves the OTR of 17.8 μm thick BOPP by more than 30X, rivaling most inorganic coatings. PEI/PAA multilayers achieve comparable barrier with only 12 bilayers due to greater thickness, but these films exhibit increased oxygen permeability at high humidity. The PEI/VMT coatings actually exhibit improved oxygen barrier at high humidity (and also improve moisture barrier by more than 40%). This high barrier BOPP meets the criteria for sensitive food and some electronics packaging applications. Additionally, this water‐based coating technology is cost effective and provides an opportunity to produce high barrier polypropylene film on an industrial scale. Abstract : Biaxially oriented polypropylene film is coated with all‐polymer and polymer‐clay multilayer nanocoating to improve its oxygen and moisture barrier. These highly flexible and transparent coatings impart a super gas barrier that matches or exceeds conventionally used techniques. Vermiculite‐based thin coating even shows improved oxygen barrier at 100% humidity. This layer‐by‐layer coating technique is ideal for food and electronics packaging.