Introducing oneBARRIER FibreCycle – A new innovative solution for recyclable high-barrier paper based flexible packaging: Part 1

Kamonchanok O-Rak, BOBST

Sustainability trends and working towards a more circular economy in packaging have been the main market drivers for new packaging developments over the last few years.

In regard to addressing the needs for sustainable flexible barrier packaging, there are three different approaches that can be applied to develop new material solutions, i.e. to satisfy the so-called ‘Three pillars of sustainable flexible packaging’:

• Firstly mono-material polyolefin based flexible packaging, which is compatible with the current mechanical recycling stream;
• Secondly compostable/biodegradable flexible packaging, which decomposes under industrial or home-composting conditions or is even marine-degradable;
• Finally, paper/fibre based packaging which is suitable to be processed in the existing paper recycling stream;

After introducing our oneBARRIER PrimeCycle solution back in 2021, we are now, after three years or process development, also ready to release oneBARRIER FibreCycle to the market. Whilst PrimeCycle is a mono-material full PE solution, based on MDOPE film and utilizing the synergy between wet primer coating and dry vacuum coating to achieve the required barrier performance, FibreCycle addresses the demand for a paper-based mono-material barrier solution. Again, the combination of wet primer coating and dry vacuum coating is key to realize optimum performance levels.

Our presentation will focus on the work conducted in regards to the primer coating as well as vacuum coating; from sourcing and testing the right base paper and primer chemistry to optimizing the coating application and drying technology in order to get good, uniform coating coverage and laydown. We will also cover the vacuum coating process and requirements on the metallizer for both opaque aluminum metallization and transparent aluminum oxide (AlOx) deposition onto paper based substrates. The results shown will focus on the barrier properties of the paper solution, looking at all conversion steps as well as impact of durability testing.
We will also introduce our test procedures for measuring barrier properties on paper, which is more challenging than for filmic substrates, and a newly developed method for assessing pinholes in paper in order to assess primer coating quality.
Finally, also coating adhesion, recyclability testing and printing will be covered as part of the work presented.

There will be two parts to this talk, the first part focusing on the wet coating and the second part focusing on the vacuum coating.