![]() The present article aims to give insights into and quantify the influence of a PEF barrier layer on the stretching behavior of a preform into a bottle. What has not been reported yet is the effect that the barrier layer has on the blowing behavior of the bottle during the stretch blow molding process. All of this could be done in conventional multilayer preform coinjection molding machinery and bottle blowing equipment using settings similar to those used for PET without a barrier layer. In this article the technical feasibility of producing PET/PEF/PET multilayer preforms was shown, as well as the possibility of blowing these preforms into bottles with the same dimensions and weight distribution as bottles made from mono-material PET preforms. PEF as a barrier layer in PET bottlesĪvantium recently published an article in comPETence detailing the possibilities of using PEF as an alternative gas barrier layer in PET bottles and the potential advantages it has over incumbent technologies /1/. The influence of a PEF barrier layer on the blowing behavior of the preform into a bottle is lower than that of an incumbent barrier solution. Recycling of such multilayer bottles therefore relies on thorough separation of the polyamide layer after shredding and washing. Polyamide (PA) has poor compatibility with the polyester PET, resulting in easy delamination of the barrier layer and haze formation when blended. In the current market the primary materials for such a layer are (semiaromatic) polyamides, which provide an excellent barrier against O 2 and especially CO 2. Therefore, in this article we focus on a passive barrier layer as the middle layer of a PET based multilayer (MLY) bottle. Active scavengers can also only be used as a barrier for oxygen, necessitating an (additional) passive layer when a barrier for CO 2 is required. Plasma coatings are effective but offer limited flexibility in bottle design and require very high initial investment costs, while active scavengers are easy to incorporate into PET but impact recyclability. In these cases PET alone is not enough to guarantee sufficient shelf life and an additional barrier is introduced in the form of an inorganic plasma coating an active oxygen scavenger or a passive barrier layer. However, when it comes to the gas barrier, limitations of PET are quickly reached when it comes to sensitive food and drink products or products that face long logistic timelines. ![]() PET is the material of choice for beverage packaging due to its ideal combination of performance, design freedom, ease of processing and excellent recyclability. This confirms observations from blowing trials with PEF-containing PET multilayer preforms on pilot lines and gives confidence on the processability and application of PEF as a barrier layer in industrial bottle blowing equipment. It concludes that the influence of a PEF barrier layer on the blowing behavior of the preform into a bottle is even lower than that of an incumbent barrier solution. Using the INDICATE machine from Blow Moulding Technologies this article investigates the stretching behavior of barrier preforms during the blowing process. It is therefore very suitable as a barrier layer in PET-based multilayer bottles. ![]() Produced by Avantium Renewable Polymers, PEF is a polyester made from renewable resources and has outstanding gas barrier properties. In this article the stretching behavior of a major incumbent barrier material will be compared with a new barrier material that will enter the market in 2024: Polyethylene furanoate or PEF. The processing window will be influenced by the quantity and location of the barrier layer, but importantly also by the barrier material that is used. ![]()
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