VACUUM COATINGS FOR CLEAR

BARRIER PERFORMANCE

Professor Nadir A.G. Ahmed

Idvac Ltd.

Greenheys, Manchester Science Park

Pencroft Way, Manchester M15 6JJ, England

Tel: +44(0)161 868 0088

Email: idvac@aol.com

www.idvac.co.uk

Name: Professor Nadir Ahmed

Title: Managing Director

Company: Idvac Ltd.

Company Profile : Idvac Ltd., Private Company

Headquarter(s): Manchester, UK .

Key Operation(s): Western & Eastern Europe, Asia, North & South

America, Middle East

Number of employees: 3

Products / Services: Process Development & Retrofits; Films & Papers,

Web Metalliser & Advanced Materials Consultants.

Application markets: Packaging, Holography & Solar Window Films

Presentation title: Vacuum Coatings for Clear Barrier Performance

Advanced Materials

Development University LinksAdvanced Vacuum

Coating Processes

New Functional Products

Advanced Laser

Technology

Product Innovation

Product Development Strategy

Idea Consideration

Market Assessment

Viability

Concept & Business

Plan

Optimise Concept &

Specifications

Develop Prototype

& Samples

Samples Evaluation by

customer

Product launch

Time

Ris

k

Exclusive Licence

Non-Exclusive Licence

Development of Value Added Products

Economic

High Competition in aluminium metallisation: Low profit

margin.

Losing opportunity to meet demand for new high added value

coatings.

New Business Opportunity.

Lack of Budget to Buy New Special Metalliser.

Technical

Flexibility for wide product range.

Latest technology.

Technical lead ahead of competition.

Exploring new markets for unique products.

Vacuum Web Metallizing Process

Evaporation zone

5 × 10-4 mbar

Winding zone

Unwind

Plasma pre-treatment

5 × 10-2 mbar

Rewind

Optical probe

Aluminium evaporation

Process Drum

VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS ON STANDARD

METALLISER

Gold Colour

Chrome Alloy

SiOx

Silver

AlOxChrome

Silver Alloy

Cryolite

Copper Oxide

ZnS

Metal Oxides

Copper

Colour Shift

Transparent Barrier Films

Global demand for functional additives

and barrier coatings for plastic packaging

is forecast to grow by 4.3% in the five

years from 2009 to reach US$752m by

2014.

Ref: Pira 2009 Report: The Future of Functional Additives and

Barrier Coatings for Plastic Packaging to 2014

Clear Barrier For Various Requirements

Advantages of Clear Barrier Films

Product visibility

Retortability

Metal detectability

Quality control –visual inspection

Microwaveability

Safety

Long shelf life

Fresher image

Convenience

Marketing

Main Requirements for Clear Barrier Films

Visible Transparency > 75%

Transparent to Microwave.

Good Barrier Properties; Good Quality.

Environmentally Friendly; Easy to Recycle.

Health & Safety: Safe for consumer; No interaction with

food content.

Selling Price: Competitive to Standard Aluminium

Metallisation.

Global Market for Transparent Barrier Films

2008

Source: Flexible & Plastic Packaging Innovation, Vol.2, Issue2, 2008

Films Used for Transparent Barrier Coatings

*Others include: OPP, PVOH and COEX

OPA: Mainly Japan

Global Market for Transparent Barrier Films

Sources:

Allied Development Corp.,USA. Barrier Films and Coatings 2000-2005

PCI Film Consultants, UK. Private Communication

Private Communication with UK Converting Companies

1. In 2009 Japan exported

80-100 million sq m of

Transparent Films (mainly

AlOx & SiOx) to Europe.

2. Annual Growth: 5-10%

3. In UK: mainly for Fresh

meat and Rice.

Barrier Requirements For Packaging

Product Primary Secondary Tertiary

Fresh Meat Oxygen Moisture Light,aroma

Dairy products Oxygen, light Moisture

Condiments Oxygen Flavour Moisture

Coffee Oxygen Moisture, light

Potato chips Moisture Light Oxygen

Bakery goods Moisture Flavour

Clear Barrier Production Technologies

Transparent Barrier CoatingSiOx, SiO2, Al2O3, Metal Oxide, Others

Thermal Evaporation&

Electron Beam)

Fast, Cost effective

Good Oxygen & Water Barrier

Not very transparent

Good properties whenlaminated

Sputtering

Slow, expensive

High qualityClear, Good Oxygen

and Water barrier

Stand aloneno lamination required

PECVD

Medium line speed

Good qualityLight colour/transparent

Lamination may or may not required

Vacuum Deposited Clear Barrier Coatings

PVD

RESISTANCE HEATED

• Non- Reactive SiOx ; Melamine

•Reactive SiO +O2

•Reactive Al + O2

ELECTRON BEAM HEATED

• Reactive SiO + O2

• Reactive Al + O2

• Mixed Reactive SiO + Al + O2

• Mixed Non-Reactive SiO2 + Al2O3

• ‘Low cost’ reactive SiO + O2

PECVD

• Medium frequency, RF, Micro-wave. Silicon based coatings

• Micro-wave. Carbon based coatings

Thermal Evaporation

SiOx Non Reactive low productivity

low investment

long cycle time

High material cost

AlOx Reactive high productivity

High investment in

control system

low material cost

layer sensitive to

elongation

Metal Oxide Non Reactive Medium productivity

Low investment

Medium-Low material

cost

No static build up

Electron Beam Evaporation

AlOx Reactive high productivity

high investment

low material costs

layer sensitive to

elongation

SiOx/SiO2 Reactive high productivity

high investment

low material costs

high mechanical

resistance

Chemical Vapour Deposition

SiO2 Reactive low productivity

high investment

low material costs

Carbon Reactive low productivity

high investment

low material costs

Property Process OTR* WVTR** Retortability

AlOx Reactive

Evaporation

1-5 1-5 Good

SiOx Thermal

Evaporation

1-5 1-5 Good

Metal oxide Thermal

Evaporation

1-5 1-5 Good

SiOx Chemical

Vapour

Deposition

1-3 1-3 Good

Properties of Vacuum Deposited Transparent

Barrier Coatings on 12µ PET Film

•*cc/m2 /day at 23o C, 0% RH. ASTM D3985

•** g/m2/day at 38o C, 90% RH. ASTM F1249

Oxygen Transmission Rates of Coated 12 µ PET &

BOPET Films

100cc/m2/da

140cc/m2/day

Barrier Test of Metal Oxide Without Lamination

OTR vs Metal Oxide Thickness for 23 micron PET

Comparison Between Metal Oxide & Other Coatings

Transparency of Metal Oxide Coating on 12µ PET

At Different Line Speeds

Applications of SiOx for Food Packaging

Packs for Cheese & Dairy Products: OPA-SiOx/PE

Packs for Ground Coffee: PET-SiOx/PE

Packs for Processed Meat Snacks: PET/PET-SiOx/PP

Packs in Pouches for Dry Pet Food: PETP/SiOx/Adhesive/PE

or PP

Packs for Clear Cosmetic Pouches: PET/SiOx/Adhesive/Sealant

Film

Packs for Collapsible Tubes: PET/SiOx/Adhesive/Sealant Film

Packs for Chocolate Bars: OPP/Adhesive/SiOx/OPP

AFM Picture of SiOx on 12 µ PET Film

Lamination of Clear Oxide Films

Approximate Market Price of Clear Barrier Films

Anticipated future market price

High Quality SiOx

Low Quality SiOx

Anticipated future market price

Conclusions

The market for clear barrier is growing.

New metal oxide coating can offer good

cost effective alternative to SiOx.

The process can be retrofit on standard

metalliser with minimum modification.

Environmentally friendly product.

Thank you for your

attention

Any Question?