Rochester Institute of Technology RIT Scholar Works Theses 1993 Process for the development of a repulpable barrier laminate Brian Bigler Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Bigler, Brian, "Process for the development of a repulpable barrier laminate" (1993). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PROCESS FOR THE DEUELOPMENT OF R REPULPRBLE BARRIER LRMINRTE BV Brian C. Bigler R Thesis Submitted to Rochester Institute of Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE College of Applied Science and Technology Department of Packaging Science 1993 College of Applied Science and Technology Rochester I nstitute of Technology Rochester, New York CERTI FI CATE OF APPROUAL M. S. Degree The M. S. Degree thesis of Brian C. Bigler has been examined and approued by the thesis committee as satisfactory for the thesis requirements for the Master of Science Degree Daniel L. Goodis David L. Olsson E. Roger Van Dam Date May 15, 199 4 RBSTRRCT PROCESS FOR THE DEUELOPMENT OF H REPULPRBLE BRRRIER LRMINRTE BY BRIAN C. BIGLER The purpose of this study was to develop a process to develop a multi-material paperboard based laminate carton and membrane. This includes replacing the existing paperboard-polyethylene-foil- polyethylene structure used in the Foldcan. The new structure must meet the current barrier requirement without contaminating the pulp and finished paperboard. Standard requirements of repulp- ablility for recycled paperboard mills must aslo be met. Research has been conducted to identify all current materials. Potential replacement material for traditional, commonly laminated materials as well as newly developed materials have been studied. A possible new paperboard based lamination which could be easily separated and recycled by all recycled paperboard mills may be successful!. The research concluded that two development paths would be followed. The first path using a material made of flexible glass. This new material is the best candidate for barrier materials but will not be commercially available in the U.S.A. until 1 994. The second path using a material made with metallization. This stucture will prove other aspects of a lamination including bond, sealability and machineability. Ultimately the metilization will be replaced with flexible glass. As environmental laws focus more on closed loop recycling as a process to reduce packaging waste, used packaging components will be required to be remanufactured into new packaging components. TRBLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1 1.2 SUBPROBLEMS 1 1.3 HYPOTHESES 3 1.4 DELIMITATIONS 3 1.5 ASSUMPTIONS 3 1.6 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS 4 1.7 ABBREVIATIONS 5 1.8 IMPORTANCE OF STUDY 6 1.9 OBJECTIVE 6 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 8 2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT AND PACKAGING IN THE 1990'S 8 2.1.1 PACKAGING OVERVIEW 8 2.1.2 SOURCE REDUCTION 9 2.1.3 EC LEGISLATION 10 2.1.4 U.S.A. LEGISLATION 11 2.1.5 ENDNOTES 14 2.2 RECYCLABILITY OF PAPERBOARD BASED PACKAGING 15 iii 2.2.1 RECYCLING 15 2.2.2 HYDRAPULPING 18 2.2.3 HYDRAPULPING OF THE ASEPTIC PACKAGE 2 2 2.2.4 ENDNOTES 24 2.3 ASEPTIC PACKAGE 25 2.3.1 ASEPTIC PACKAGE STRUCTURE 25 2.3.2 ASEPTIC PACKAGE SALES 25 2.3.3 ASEPTIC PACKAGE ADVANTAGES 25 2.3.4 RECYCLABILITY OF THE ASEPTIC PACKAGE 27 2.3.5 LEGAL BATTLES OVER THE ASEPTIC PACKAGE 30 2.3.6 ENDNOTES 33 2.4 CANDIDATE MATERIALS 36 2.4.1 CELLOPHANE 36 2.4.2 GLASSINE 36 2.4.3 PVDC 37 2.4.4 COATINGS 37 2.4.5 METALLIZATION CONCERNS 38 2.4.6 FLEXIBLE GLASS 38 2.4.6.1 FLEXIBLE GLASS OVERVIEW 38 2.4.6.2 COATING PROCESSES 40 2.4.6.2.1 EVAPORATION 40 2.4.6.2.2 SPUTTERING 41 2.4.6.2.3 CHEMICAL PLASMA DEPOSITION 41 2.4.6.3 ADVANTAGES 43 2.4.6.4 PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS 44 2.4.6.5 MULTI-LAYER SiOx FILM USERS 44 iv 2.4.7 ENDNOTES 48 CHAPTER THREE - THE FOLDCAN 50 3.1 FOLDCAN HISTORY 50 3.2 HOW THE FOLDCAN WORKS 51 3.3 FOLDCAN RECYCLING 54 3.4 FOLDCAN AND SOURCE REDUCTION 56 3.5 NEW FOLDCAN GUIDELINES 57 CHAPTER FOUR - MATERIAL EVALUATIONS 59 4.1 MATERIAL OVERVIEW 59 4.2 LAMINATION WITHOUT CARRIER 60 4.2.1 METALLIZATION 60 4.2.2 SiOx COATING 60 4.2.3 CONCLUSION 61 4.3 STRUCTURE WITH REPULPABLE CARRIER 61 4.3.1 GLASSINE 61 4.3.2 CELLOPHANE 61 4.3.3 CONCLUSION 62 4.4 BARRIER MATERIAL 62 4.4.1 METALLIZATION 62 4.4.2 FLEXIBLE GLASS (SiOx) 63 4.4.3 CONCLUSION 63 4.5 SEAL LAYER 64 4.5.1 PVDC 64 4.5.2 EVA 65 v 4.5.3 EVOH 65 4.5.4 PVA 65 4.5.5 CONCLUSION 65 4.7 PILOT MATERIALS 66 4.7.1 OVERVIEW 66 4.7.2 PILOTED STRUCTURES 66 4.7.3 PILOT RESULTS 68 4.7.2.1 PVDC PROBLEMS 68 4.7.2.2 WVTR RESULTS 68 CHAPTER FIVE - SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 69 CHAPTER SIX - RECOMMENDATIONS 7 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY 72 VI LIST OF FIGORES FIGORE PAGE 1. FOLDCAN AND ASEPTIC LAMINATE 2 2. OLD CORRUGATED CONTAINERS (OCC) 17 3. HIGH GRADE WASTE PAPER 17 4. HYDRAPULPER 18 5. PAPER FIBER AND WATER SLURRY 18 6. METAL CONTAMINANTS 20 7. HEAVY MATERIAL CONTAMINANTS 20 8. LIGHT MATERIAL CONTAMINANTS 20 9. HYDRAPULPING PROCESS CHART 21 10. DRINK BOX CONSTRUCTION 26 11. RECYCLING ADVERTISEMENT FOR ASEPTIC LAMINATIONS 29 12. EVAPORATION COATING DIAGRAM 42 13. SPUTTERING COATING DIAGRAM 42 14. CHEMICAL PLASMA DEPOSITION (CPD) COATING DIAGRAM 42 15. FLEXIBLE GLASS WVTR COMPARISON 45 16. FLEXIBLE GLASS LAMINATIONS 47 17. FOLDCAN CARTON BLANK 52 18. FOLDCAN FLAP CUTS 53 19. FOLDCAN SKIVING 55 vn CHHPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate current and potential laminated paperboard barrier structures for the Foldcan, a photographic package, that are easily separated and recycled by recycled paperboard mills. 1.2 SUBPROBLEMS The first subproblem is to identify what, if any, materials in the current Foldcan will not separate easily at recycled paperboard mills. This will be done by researching the aseptic package (juicebox) because it is the most widely used multi-material laminated packaging structure using the same materials as the Foldcan structure (fig 1 ). The second subproblem is to determine if the aseptic beverage package structure will separate easily at recycled paperboard mills. The third subproblem is to determine what barrier materials and structures can be easily separated at recycled paperboard mills. The fourth subproblem is to determine what is the best barrier structure that will separate easily at the paperboard mills and provides a minimum WVTR barrier equivalent to today's Foldcan and will not photocontaminate. The fifth subproblem is to confirm that the selected structure will run on current manufacturing and packaging equipment. 1 Foldcan Laminate Graphics Paperboard - -* Polyethylene 3 -- Aluminum - * Polyethylene Aseptic Laminate Polyethylene - Graphics Paper Polyethylene Aluminum " Polyethylene " Polyethylene Figure 1 2 1.3 OBJECTIUES The first objective to research whether the current Foldcan structure and the current aseptic beverage package structure do not easily separate in the hydrapulper at recycled paperboard mills. The second objective is research materials for a new structure and determines if it is technically feasible to developed one to meet recycled mills' paperboard requirements for separation of materials, while providing an acceptable level of product protection and manufacturability. 1.4 DELIMITATIONS The study will exclude the collection of the package component. The study will exclude other means of disposal including incineration, degradability and remanufacture into other composites. The study will Analysis" exclude "Life Cycle of paperboard and laminations. The study will exclude a review of implementation costs associated with a change in structure. The study will exclude the environmental debate over the use of UV coatings used in printing. 1.5 Rssumptions The first assumption is that a paperboard laminated barrier structure is easily separated and accepted by recycled paperboard mills without requiring special handling or processing. The second assumption is that this new foldcan structure will meet domestic and international environmental requirements. The third assumption is that this new foldcan structure will not cause process problems in manufacturing and will meet all fit-for-use specifications. 1.6 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS Argon - A colorless odorless gas found in the air and in volcanic gases, and used as a filler for electric light bulbs and electronic tubes. Aseptic Beverage Container - Multi-material laminated paperboard package. Also referred to as juice box, drink box, triplex and by the trade names: tetra pak and tetra brik. Cathode - The electron-emitting electrode of an electron tube. Cellophane - Transparent film made of regenerated cellulose. Circular Recycling - Closed loop recycling. Crucible - A vessel of a refractory material (porcelain) used for melting a substance that requires a high degree of heat. Deposition - A process of adhearing particals of one material onto another. Dual System - Duales System Deutschland, Germany's packaging law requiring manufacturers to take back packaging. Also known as the "Green Dot". Flexible Glass - Glassy barriers made of a mix of silicon oxide and silicon dioxide. Foldcan - Multi-material paperboard-based folding carton with the addition of skiving, top and bottom membrane seals to provide a package with the WVTR barrier of a can.