DSM ENGINEERING PLASTICS OFFER PACKAGING SOLUTIONS WITH PA6 BARRIER AND OLEFIN ADHESIVE FILM MATERIALS

DSM Engineering Plastics brings a unique offering to the European multi-layer packaging film market: a pairing of Akulon® polyamide 6 (PA6) for barrier film with Yparex® olefin-based extrudable adhesive resins for film extrusion. No other European supplier can provide both PA6 barrier and adhesive. Yparex solves the problem of adhering non-polar PE layers to barrier materials like PA and EVOH.

“Our expertise in wide-ranging materials for film production will benefit customers who make flexible film packaging,” said Frans Vranken, technical sales manager Yparex for DSM Engineering Plastics. “By offering both the PA barrier and the means to incorporate the barrier into the film, DSM Engineering Plastics can help solve tough problems.”

Akulon PA6 provides a polar material for barrier resistance to oxygen and very high puncture resistance, plus barriers to oils, carbon dioxide and other gases and aromas, as well as high transparency. An Akulon layer co-extruded with Yparex can be made to bond tightly to non-polar layers of conventional materials in multi-layer films. Long used for packaging in food and healthcare applications, the Akulon-Yparex combination is ideal for meat, fish, sausage or cheese packaging; milk, fruit juice and other liquid bags and packaging; ready-made meals and other convenience foods; industrial drum liners; bubble wrap; medical intravenous (IV) bags; and medical packaging.

Consisting of C4 and C8 linear low density polyethylenes (LLDPE) as well as LDPE, a range of Yparex grades are available to provide the right adhesive activity and rheology for a given application. Blown film and cast film extrusion needs can be met, as well as those of extrusion coating. Yparex provides excellent clarity and aesthetics; it does not affect the optical properties of other multi-layer barrier packaging materials. Yparex has been used for more than 10 years in barrier tube and other applications.

Akulon® 6 is DSM Engineering Plastics' range of polyamide 6 for extrusion and injection moulding, commonly used for of mono and multilayer films made by cast and blown film extrusion methods. The films can be both thermoformed and bi-axially stretched. Akulon® 6 excels in purity, low gel-count and resistance to specking.