【海旗环球快讯】TPEs for advanced product packaging！ "

Abstract

Current changes in the packaging market necessitate new material solutions that favour the increased use of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). Kraiburg TPE has recognised these trends and is responding to the requirements of its customers in the packaging industry with a broad spectrum of materials and services. The following article reports on the many advantages of using TPEs in product packaging with increased functionality and reliable sealing.

Due to their good elastic properties and ease of processing, thermoplastic elastomers are now used in numerous packaging applications. They have good haptic properties with a non-slip surface and are soft and pleasant to the touch. In addition, they are easy to colour, which makes them ideal for high-contrast two-component injection moulding applications in hard/soft combination with other thermoplastics.

Especially manufacturers of consumer products are increasingly striving to use their packaging to provide functional unique selling propositions. At the same time, the increase in shipment of single liquid products as a result of e-commerce, as opposed to conventional large-scale distribution on pallets, increases the requirements for packaging with a reliable seal.

1、Intelligent and functional packaging

“A classic soft-touch surface that conveys a high-quality product character to the consumer is no longer enough,” says Josef Neuer of Product Management EMEA at Kraiburg TPE. “That is why we insist on market- and customer-oriented formulations in the development of our materials that pave the way for innovative packaging solutions and speed up the market launch.”

An innovative application for TPEs is the use of dosing valves, which allow leak-proof packaging of viscous foodstuffs and cleaners or care products. The valve opens only when pressure is applied, allowing controlled removal of the contents – with no dripping or accumulations. Menshen of Finnentrop in the Sauerland region, a worldwide leading manufacturer of high-quality closures, developed the one2serve dosing valve, which opens only when pressure is applied to the bottle or tube. As soon as the pressure decreases, the dosing stops and the opening slots seal again, which not only keeps the contents form leaking, but also prevents penetration by dust or dirt.

The dosing valve is manufactured as a onepiece ?nished product using the two-component injection moulding process. The outstanding adhesion of the TPE to the hard component ensures a cost-effective and reliable manufacturing process, resulting in a hygienic and leak-proof valve.

2、Custom engineered compounds

Kraiburg TPE supports this process with diverse custom engineered products that feature balanced elasticity and resiliency, as well as low tackiness and migration behaviour in contact with foodstuffs.

The TPE formulations for use as dosing valves feature elasticity throughout the entire life cycle that is comparable to that of typical silicones of competitors. To ensure that higher dosing pressure is not needed when the valve is opened for the ?rst time even after months of storage, the TPE materials are also specially designed to prevent the slots from clogging.

Even so it should be noted that Directive (EU) No. 10/2011 applies only to plastics and TPEs, but not to the silicones predominantly used in these applications in the past, for which the suitability for food contact is determined based on national regulations. As opposed to silicones, the excellent ?ow and adhesive properties of TPEs makes them much more suitable for the manufacture of various “hard” plastics – from polyole?ns to diverse technical thermoplastics – by means of two-component injection moulding. In addition, the thermal properties of TPEs ensure that they are recyclable. This means that products manufactured from Thermolast K can be returned to the general materials cycle after the end of their useful life.

3、Conclusions

New applications from the Thermolast K portfolio, such as dosing valves and packaging seals, illustrate the diversity of this TPE technology for increased functionality and performance in view of new trends and challenges in the packaging market. Crucial for market success is the careful coordination of materials to the particular application, which necessitates market expertise and active customer support. This includes keeping an “ear on the market” in order to meet future requirements. In this context, Josef Neuer sees the necessity for development of TPEs in a softer Shore range for fatty foods, as well as compounds with adaptable surface friction for seals.

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