Nano Packaging and Technology Applications (in)

Nano plastic

The so-called "nanoplastic" refers to an organic/inorganic nanocomposite material in which an inorganic filler is dispersed in a nanometer size in an organic polymer body. The raw material used for nano-plastics is "montmorillonite", a type of natural clay mineral produced in China and a layered silicate. Filling and modifying plastics can improve the mechanical properties of plastics, and can also develop various functional plastics, such as conductive plastics, magnetic plastics, anti-degradable plastics, anti-ultraviolet and anti-aging plastics. The nano-plastics made of inorganic nano-materials uniformly dispersed in plastic have excellent physical and mechanical properties, high strength, good heat resistance, low density, good transparency, and high gloss.

Although the use performance of nano-plastics has been greatly improved, in appearance, nano-plastics are no different from ordinary plastics. Because nanometers are dispersed, its size is similar to the wavelength of visible light, so nano plastics are usually colorless and transparent, and a small amount shows milky white, but it does not affect its use. In addition, the amount of nano inorganic particles is very small, generally 2% to 5%, only about 1/10 of the amount of common inorganic filler, so the density of nano plastics is almost constant or increase is very small, will not increase due to density increase The cost of plastics processing will not cause other performance degradation due to too much filler. Due to the small size of the nano-particles, almost no breakage breakage occurs during molding and recycling, and it has good recyclability. The preparation process of nano plastics is not complicated, and the production process of common plastics can be slightly improved, so the nano plastics have a better performance-cost ratio than ordinary plastics.

Polyester PET nanoplastics, with excellent barrier properties, rapid crystallization properties, and excellent melt strength and stability, can replace the expensive polyethylenformate (PEN) resin. And in line with food packaging requirements, can be directly used to blow beer, cosmetics bottles. PET bottles are often used for filling liquid items (such as cola, juices, sodas, etc.). Common PET has poor heat resistance, cannot be hot-filled, and has poor barrier properties against oxygen and carbon dioxide gas. Nano-PET bottles overcome these shortcomings and can be used to directly fill hotter edible liquids, as well as beer, pesticides and other items. Nano-PET is much lighter than glass, and it is not easy to break. Even if it is explosive, it is less dangerous and it is convenient for transportation and storage. It can also be reused after high-temperature pasteurization, avoiding the production of glass bottles and the environment during waste disposal. Pollution. At present, three-layer composite materials of nano-PET and nano-nylon have been used to prepare beer and juice packaging bottles with high heat-resistance and gas sealing performance requirements.

Nylon 6-nanometer plastics are mainly used for high-grade packaging film materials.

Nano-nylons increase the strength and heat resistance of nylon, reduce its water absorption, and have good barrier properties. Nano-nylons are easy to blow and extrude, and heat shrinkable casing films, biaxially stretched films, uniaxially stretched films, and composite films can also be prepared.

After 10 years of vigorous research and development, nylon nanocomposites eventually entered the practical stage of industrialization. US-based polyester manufacturer Eastman Chemicals and nanoclay supplier Nanocor Co., Ltd. jointly developed nano-nylon under the trademark Imperm, which is used as a barrier core material for PET/nylon/PET three-layer bottles. The nano-nylon is made by adding nano-clay to the amorphous nylon MXD6 based resin of Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Corporation in Japan, so the barrier property is greatly improved, and the oxygen permeability is 100 times smaller than that of ordinary PET. This product is currently used in 16 ounce non-sterile beer bottles. Imperm nano nylon core layer thickness only accounts for 10% of the total thickness of the bottle layer, and there is no need for an adhesive layer between the two layers of PET, which has almost no effect on the transparency of the bottle. It is said that the shelf life of beer can be increased to 28.5 weeks.

In addition to the huge market for beer bottles, nano-nylon can also be used as a film packaging material for foods such as meat and cheese products. In addition, Germany's Bayer Corporation uses nano-nylon as a cast film for multilayer packaging materials for the preparation of medical products and protective films for corrosive articles.

The Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences used montmorillonite layered silicates as inorganic dispersions to develop high-performance nanometer nylon 6 membranes. It is suitable for blow molding and extrusion to prepare a variety of plastic packaging films, compared with ordinary films. Nano-Nylon 6 film has better barrier properties, mechanical properties and transparency.

Peter Maul, president of Nanocor, a nanoclay manufacturer in the United States, believes that 2003 was a year when nanocomposites really entered the industrialization stage. The strategic cooperation contract signed in 2003 between PolyOne (PolyOne) and Nanocor, a large-scale compounding resin production and distribution company, is of great significance. Maul referred to this cooperation as the close cooperation between the two companies in the industrialization of polyolefin-based nanocomposites and the sales of their products. Nanocor sold nanoclay (montmorillonite) named Nanomer to PolyOne, and in June 2003, PolyOne launched the Nanoblend masterbatch, Nanometer's industrial nanocomposite additive product series. The content of up to 40%, to replace the traditional inorganic filler, glass fiber reinforced materials and flame retardants, added to the polyolefin resin.

Nanocor also has a special contract with plastic compounders Gitto Global and Nobel Polymer LLC to supply nanoclay Nanomer. Gitto Global has begun to introduce fully industrialized nanocomposite grades and flame-retardant plastic compounds to the market. Nobel Polymers recently announced the launch of PP nanocomposites, replacing glass-reinforced PPs, to produce automotive seating, furniture and appliance components. Another strategic partnership of Nanocor is to jointly develop high-barrier nylon nanocomposites and their applications with Mitsubishi Gas Corporation of Japan. Imperm has industrialized the use of films and bottles as barrier materials. At present, Imperm is only produced in Japan, and it is now starting to build the Imperm production facility in the United States. It plans to start production in early 2005.

(to be continued)