New PET label film offers more labelling flexibility

Related tags Polyethylene terephthalate Pet

Toray Plastics claims that its new PET label film gives label
converters the opportunity to achieve superior silicone adhesion
performance, to streamline processing and to tap new markets.

The firm's new technologically advanced co-extruded PET Lumirror PS10 film is FDA-compliant co-extruded polyester PS10 label film that is designed to help converters eliminate costly and time consuming corona treatment or chemical priming processes and produce a high quality label product that prevents migration of silicone to other surfaces. Toray also claims that the film has excellent peel strength and release speed.

Applications are diverse and include sophisticated labels used to create and elevate brand awareness.

The use of PET within the packaging sector is expanding rapidly. Indeed according to market analyst Canadean, the material has enjoyed such success in recent years that it now accounts for almost 40 per cent of the global pack mix and is nearly twice as popular as its nearest rival.

PS10 is made with a co-extruded sheet consisting of a thin layer of an amorphous material over a thicker layer of crystalline polyester. Excellent physical properties allow it to be easily laminated, printed, or vacuum metallised.

Toray claims that it offers excellent cure stability, resistance to rub off, and thermal stability, as well as superior mechanical properties, including high strength, dimensional stability, and optical clarity.

"Value-added label film technology helps converters drive business,"​ said Steve Sargeant, director of new business development at Toray Plastics. "Label converters who must meet stringent silicone bonding requirements, or who seek entry into profitable label markets, can gain significant production and economic advantages with this unique co-extruded technology."

Eliminating corona treatment or chemical priming offers converters many advantages. Corona treatment requires the use of two electrodes, one on either side of the film. As a result, both surfaces are treated, which may be unnecessary or even disadvantageous, depending on subsequent processing steps.

Now that chemical priming is also unnecessary, hazardous solvents, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), and special venting equipment are not issues. With either or both treatment processes eliminated, processing time is reduced and production speeds are accelerated.

In addition, equipment previously used for silicone coating can be diverted to profitable applications.

Toray Plastics​ is a leading manufacturer of polyester and polypropylene films for flexible and rigid packaging, magnetic, industrial and capacitor applications. The company is a subsidiary of Toray Industries, which boasts annual sales exceeding $9 billion.

PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate) is a strong but lightweight form of clear polyester. It is most often used to make containers for soft drinks, juices, alcoholic drinks, water, edible oils, household cleaners, and other food and non-food applications. Bottles now represent the most significant use of PET moulding resins.

PET's major advantage is the strength of the material. Carbonated soft drinks can generate pressure inside the bottle reaching up to 6 bar. Such high pressure however, thanks to the alignment of macromolecules (crystallisation) occurring both during the resin spinning process and the blow-moulding process, is not capable of deforming the bottle nor can it make the bottle explode.

Another striking feature of PET is that it is fully recyclable. PET bottle recycling rates have continually increased, with the number of European PET bales offered to the recycling markets jumping from 449,000 tonnes in 2002 to 612,000 tonnes in 2003.

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