January 26, 2009

Enviroclear Barrier Technology for Enviroclear Barrier Technology for PET & PolyolefinsPET & Polyolefins

Aims / Goals of Project• Development of a novel barrier technology for plastics Development of a novel barrier technology for plastics

packagingpackaging

• Market need: PET good but not great... (fruit juices, beer, jams, Market need: PET good but not great... (fruit juices, beer, jams, preserves, etc.)preserves, etc.)

• Basic requirements:Basic requirements:

– Good oxygen barrier– Good adhesion (no delamination)– Flexible– Recyclable– Transparent– No scuffing– Blister resistance– Cost-effective

Market Info

Barrier Properties of Some Common Plastics

Approaches to Improving Barrier Properties

Barrier Technologies in Market

e.g. EVOH, MXD6 e.g. PEN (polyethylene naphthalate)

x Requires new production lines x Expensive

x Complicated / difficult to run x Barrier still not high enough (e.g. PEN

x Cost of barrier layer 5xPET barrier)

x Recycling problematic

x Generally requires binding layers (i.e. min 5 layers)

x Special very expensive molds and machines

x Barrier not high enough, degrades with humidity

e.g. SiOx, diamond-like carbon, amorphous e.g. Epoxy-amine spray coating

Carbon x Matrix oxygen

x Low speeds x Recycling?

x High costs (vacuum)

x Cracking & delamination

x Recycling

MultilayersMultilayers MaterialsMaterials

Inside coatings

Inside coatings

Outside coatingsOutside coatings

Oxygen permeability results – 500 ml bottle

Patent Status

• Patents

– Received favourable international preliminary report on patentability from PCT

– Have entered national patenting phase

– Granted: USA, Canada, Europe (EPO), France, Netherlands, South Africa, Japan, China, Australia