The Use of Metallocene Polyethylene

in Co-Extruded Lamination Films

Simone Viganò
Session 11.3
Adhesive Lamination: Definition
• Combination of various substrates (OPP, OPA, OPET,
Alu) with PE films into a single multi-layer structure by
means of an adhesive

• Why?
To achieve specific end-use requirements:
– Package integrity, body => sealing, toughness
– Barrier properties => light, aroma, moisture
– Packaging appeal => printing, stiffness, optics

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 2

Typical Laminate Structure
OPET, OPP, OPA 12-20 µm
Laminate cross-
Adhesive + printing 1.5-2.5 µm
section
Alu 6-12 µm or
metOPET, metOPP, metOPA

Sealant layer
• mono or coex (up to 7-layer)
PE 40-120 µm
• may also contain “barrier”
polymers

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 3

Typical Set-Up of a V-FFS Packaging
Line Products to
be packed

Laminate pressure, heat

Seal bar

Laminate

Seal bar

Sealing pressure, heat

bars

Sealing performance mainly determined by PE sealant film

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 4
Experiment Set-Up
• Objective:
– Investigate effect of sealant film layers composition on sealing
– Benchmark C6-mLLDPE vs. HAO-LLDPE in terms of sealing
properties

• All PE films were prepared on the same 3-layer

coextrusion blown film line
• The layer ratio is 1 / 2 / 1
• Total thickness is 40 micron
• All PE films are laminated to the same OPA substrate
with the same solvent-less adhesive
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 5
 PE Film Formulations
A - sealing side B - middle C - lamination side

1 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 60/40 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE

2 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 60/40 C4-LLDPE/LDPE 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE

3 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 60/40 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 100 LDPE

4 90/10 C8-VLDPE/LDPE 60/40 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE

5 90/10 C8-LLDPE/LDPE 60/40 C8-LLDPE/LDPE 90/10 C8-LLDPE/LDPE

6 90/10 C8-mLLDPE/LDPE 60/40 C8-mLLDPE/LDPE 90/10 C8-mLLDPE/LDPE

7 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 70/30 C6-mLLDPE/HDPE 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE

8 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE 70/30 C4-LLDPE/HDPE 90/10 C6-mLLDPE/LDPE

9 90/10 C8-LLDPE/LDPE 70/30 C8-LLDPE/HDPE 90/10 C8-LLDPE/LDPE

10 90/10 C8-mLLDPE/LDPE 70/30 C8-mLLDPE/HDPE 90/10 C8-mLLDPE/LDPE

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 6

Products evaluated
M.I. Slip Antiblock
Density
Polymer Type 2.16kg/190°C 3 Level level
(g/cm )
(g/10') (ppm) (ppm)
LDPE 0.75 0.926 - -
LDPE 0.75 0.926 550 1500
C4-LLDPE 1.0 0.918 1000 2500
C4-LLDPE 0.7 0.925 1250 750
C8-LLDPE 1.1 0.919 800 1250
C8-LLDPE 1.1 0.926 400 1000
C6-mLLDPE * 1.0 0.918 750 2500
C6-mLLDPE ** 1.3 0.927 1250 750
C8-mLLDPE 1.0 0.9175 1000 2500
C8-mLLDPE 0.85 0.925 - -
C8-VLDPE 1.0 0.912 - -
HDPE 0.7 0.961 - -

* ExxonMobil ExceedTM 1018EB

** ExxonMobil ExceedTM 1327ED

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 7

Effect of Layers’ Composition on Sealing
Performance
Hot tack laminates
40.0
Hot Tack Force (N/30mm)

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
Temperature (°C)
1: C6-mLLDPE 2: C4-LLDPE - middle 3: LDPE - lam side

C6-mLLDPE in all 3 layers provides largest hot tack window

> 10 N / 30 mm
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 8
Effect of HDPE Addition in Middle Layer
on Sealing Performance
Hot tack laminates
40.0

Hot Tack Force (N/30mm)

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
Temperature (°C)
1: C6-mLLDPE 7: C6-mLLDPE / HDPE 8: C4-LLDPE / HDPE

• HDPE addition does not impact significantly C6-

mLLDPE hot tack
• Replacing C6-mLLDPE with C4-LLDPE in core layer
worsens hot tack
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 9
Effect of HDPE Addition in Middle Layer
on Sealing Performance
Hot tack laminates
30.0
Hot Tack Force (N/30mm)

20.0

10.0

0.0
90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
Temperature (°C)
7: C6-mLLDPE / HDPE 9: C8-LLDPE / HDPE 10: C8-mLLDPE / HDPE

C6-mLLDPE keeps broader hot tack window > 10 N / 30 mm

when compared to HAO-LLDPE
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 10
Importance of Sealing Time
jaws close = 250 ms jaws close = 250 ms

seal time = 500 ms seal time = 400 ms

jaws open = 250 ms jaws open = 250 ms

transport = 500 ms transport = 500 ms

TOTAL CYCLE TIME = 1500 ms TOTAL CYCLE TIME = 1400 ms

PACKAGING SPEED = 40 pack/min PACKAGING SPEED = 43 pack/min

144.000 pack/week 154.285 pack/week

(2 shifts / 5 days / 25% down time) (2 shifts / 5 days / 25% down time)
++7%
7%

↓ sealing time = ↑ packaging speed

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 11
Rupture Strength Laminates @ 140 °C
C6-mLLDPE vs. C8-(m)LLDPE
800
RUPTURE STRENGTH (mbar)

700

600

500

400

300
250 300 350 400 450 500

SEAL TIME (ms)

1: C6-mLLDPE 5: C8-LLDPE 6: C8-mLLDPE

C6-mLLDPE reaches highest rupture strength at lowest

seal time
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 12
 Hot-Tack Laminates
C6-mLLDPE vs. C8-(m)LLDPE

Seal bar temperature 120°C 130°C 140°C 150°C

150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
Structure id
1: C6-mLLDPE
5: C8-ZN-LLDPE
6: C8-mLLDPE

• Test carried out on packaging line

• C6-mLLDPE provides largest hot tack window in
function of seal time and sealing temperature
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 13
Hot-Tack Laminates – Lab Data
C6-mLLDPE vs. C8-(m)LLDPE
40.0
Hot Tack Force (N/30mm)

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160

Temperature (°C)
1: C6-mLLDPE 5: C8-LLDPE 6: C8-mLLDPE

C6-mLLDPE provides largest hot-tack curve

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 14
Rupture Strength Laminates @ 140 °C
C6-mLLDPE vs. C8-VLDPE
800
RUPTURE STRENGTH (mbar)
700

600

500

400

300
250 300 350 400 450 500
SEAL TIME (ms)
1: C6-mLLDPE 4: C8-VLDPE

C6-mLLDPE has lower seal time than C8-VLDPE

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 15

 Hot-Tack Laminates
C6-mLLDPE vs. C8-VLDPE

Seal bar temperature 120°C 130°C 140°C 150°C

150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
Structure id
1: C6-mLLDPE
4: C8-VLDPE

• Test carried out on packaging line

• C6-mLLDPE provides largest hot tack window in
function of seal time and sealing temperature
Paper x.y Simone Viganò 16
Hot-Tack Laminates – Lab Data
C6-mLLDPE vs. C8-VLDPE
35.0
Hot Tack Force (N/30mm)

30.0

25.0

20.0

15.0

10.0

5.0

0.0
80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160

Temperature (°C)
1: C6-mLLDPE 4: C8-VLDPE

C6-mLLDPE provides largest hot-tack curve > 5 N / 30 mm

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 17
Conclusions
• Sealant film design affects sealing performance:
– replacing C6-mLLDPE in one layer has a negative impact on hot
tack
• C6-mLLDPE keeps broad hot tack window when HDPE
is added to core layer
– not so for C4-LLDPE and HAO-LLDPE
• C6-mLLDPE provides larger hot tack window than C8-
LLDPE, C8-mLLDPE and C8-VLDPE

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 18

©2007 ExxonMobil. To the extent the user is entitled to disclose and distribute this document, the
user may forward, distribute, and/or photocopy this copyrighted document only if unaltered and
complete, including all of its headers, footers, disclaimers, and other information. You may not copy
this document to a Web site. ExxonMobil does not guarantee the typical (or other) values. Analysis
may be performed on representative samples and not the actual product shipped. The information in
this document relates only to the named product or materials when not in combination with any other
product or materials. We based the information on data believed to be reliable on the date compiled,
but we do not represent, warrant, or otherwise guarantee, expressly or impliedly, the merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, suitability, accuracy, reliability, or completeness of this information or
the products, materials, or processes described. The user is solely responsible for all determinations
regarding any use of material or product and any process in its territories of interest. We expressly
disclaim liability for any loss, damage, or injury directly or indirectly suffered or incurred as a result of
or related to anyone using or relying on any of the information in this document. There is no
endorsement of any product or process, and we expressly disclaim any contrary implication. The
terms, “we”, “our”, "ExxonMobil Chemical", or "ExxonMobil" are used for convenience, and may
include any one or more of ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Exxon Mobil Corporation, or any
affiliates they directly or indirectly steward. The ExxonMobil Emblem, the “Interlocking X” Device,
ExxonMobil and Exceed are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Paper x.y Simone Viganò 19