Recyclable High Barrier Film with Tie Layer
Case ID:
TEC2024-0157
Web Published:
3/12/2025
Executive Summary
Flexible plastic films are used extensively for packaging applications. Increasingly there are consumer, company and government demands for better end of life products to minimize landfill waste. However, often these more eco-friendly products have poor mechanical or barrier properties and are not suitable for recycling. Researchers at Michigan State University have recently developed a film technology that offers good barrier properties and is amenable to both chemical and physical recycling.
Description of the Technology
The technology is based on a unique tie-layer adhesive composition that that allows excellent adhesion between polyester film layers and polar oxygen barrier layers such as EVOH. Various multilayer film combinations have been made with this tie-layer in a cast film extruder including films with PET, PBS, PBAT and EVOH oxygen barrier and tested for barrier properties. In addition, the multilayer films were chemically recycled via depolymerizing the polyesters and recovering the EVOH.
Benefits
- Excellent interlayer adhesion even after annealing
- Excelent barrier properties. Technology can achieve <0.15 ± 0.001 WVTR at 90%RH and 23oC and <0.05 ± 0.01 stretched OTR at 50%RH and 37oC.
- Can be extended for biodegradable, biopolymer and compostable film layers
- Does not interfere with the chemical recycling of polyester films
- Cost is comparable or lower than that of conventional EVOH multilayer films.
Applications
Patent Status
Licensing Rights
Full licensing rights available
Inventors
Dr. Muhammad Rabnawaz, Dr. Mohamed Abdelwahab, Mohamed Abdelwahed
TECH ID
TEC2024-0157
Patent Information:
App Type |
Country |
Serial No. |
Patent No. |
File Date |
Issued Date |
Expire Date |
For Information, Contact:
Jon Debling
Technology Manager
Michigan State University
deblingj@msu.edu