1. Edgard Chow (Technical Manager)
Improving the performance of bulk packaging of liquids through the use of modified ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)
Edgard Chow (Technical Manager)
Robert Armstrong (TS&D Director)
Kuraray America Inc.
Pasadena, TX
SPE Polyolefins Conference
Houston TX
February 2012

2. Agenda EVAL™ EVOH Liquid packaging formats
Typical applications
Properties
Liquid packaging formats
Bag-in-box
Intermediate bulk containers
Flexitants
Improving the properties of EVOH
Conventional EVOH
Amorphous EVOH
Elastomer modified EVOH

3. 24 27 32 35 38 44 48 Ethylene and Vinyl ALcohol What is EVOH?
Higher density
Higher melt point Higher barrier 24 27
a semi-crystalline thermoplastic
and a random copolymer of
Ethylene and Vinyl ALcohol 32 35
Ethylene mol %
(CH2-CH2)m
(CH2-CH)n 38
EVAL is a random copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol
We have a broad range of grades which we nominate by their ethylene mole content
The lower the ethylene, the higher the barrier
The higher the ethylene, the higher the flexibility OH 44
More flexible
More orientable 48

4. (Outside of packaging)
EVOH Protects Food
(Outside of packaging)
Oxygen, off-odors, off-flavors, other contaminants
Flavor, aroma, vitamins, modified atmosphere gases
(Inside of packaging)

5. Versatility of EVOH Oxygen barrier Aroma barrier Vitamin protection
Flavor preservation
Solvent barrier
Hydrocarbon barrier
Oxygen
EVAL é muito conhecido na industria alimentícia, cosméticos, agroquímicos, e automotiva por sua alta barreira ao oxigênio e alta resistência química.
Aqui estão algumas das aplicações comerciais.
Toluene
Xylene
Mint
Vitamin C
Coffee

6. Agenda EVAL™ EVOH Liquid packaging formats
Typical applications
Properties
Liquid packaging formats
Bag-in-box
Intermediate bulk containers
Flexitants
Improving the properties of EVOH
Conventional EVOH
Amorphous EVOH
Elastomer modified EVOH

7. The Iconic BIB Application
Advantage over glass
More functional
Single cup dispensing convenience
No headspace
Can stay open up to 21 days
More sustainable*
85% less packaging/landfill waste
53% less CO2 emissions
Source:

8. Adopted Wine Industry Specifications
Wine BIB Requirements
High barrier
0.5 ~ °C, 65%RH
EVAL™ L171B = 27mol% Et. EVOH
High abuse resistance
Transportation Abuse
Potential Outcome
Standard Test Method
Up/down motion in land
Side/side motion in sea
Pinhole formation
OTR deterioration
ASTM F193-92
ASTM D3985
Adopted Wine Industry Specifications
0 pinholes max. after 200 gelbo flex cycles
2 pinholes max. after 400 gelbo flex cycles
OTR < 1.0 cc/m2.day.atm

9. Oxygen transmission rate
Evaluation Method
ASTM F Reapproved 2004
45 CPM, full flex condition
ASTM D3985
20°C, 65%RH
Gelbo flex testing
Oxygen transmission rate

10. Evaluation of Market Samples
PE inner liner
Barrier outer liner
Inner layer : PE40
Outer layer : (in) PE30//VM-PET12//EVA40 (out)
OTR : 1.0cc/m2/day/atm, 2.8cc/m2/day/atm
WVTR : 5.7g/m2/day
Inner layer : PE90
Outer layer : (in) PE40/Tie/EVOH6/Tie/PE60 (out)
OTR : 0.8cc/m2/day/atm
WVTR : 2.6g/m2/day
Inner layer : PE40
Outer layer :
(in) EVA15/Tie/EVOH6/Tie/EVA7 //ON10//PE30 (out)
OTR : 0.6cc/m2/day/atm
WVTR : 5.9g/m2/day
Test conditions: OTR:20ºC/65%RH, WVTR:40ºC/90%RH

11. Evaluation of Market Samples
Oxygen Transmission Rate After Gelbo Flex

12. BIB Applications (3 – 20L) Drums (200L) IBC(1000 – 1500 L)
Olive Oil
Coffee concentrate
Cola Syrup
Juice concentrate
Drums (200L) IBC(1000 – 1500 L)
Aran Packaging
Bluesept55®
Sealed Air Cryovac
Entapack®

13. Flexitank Market Typically in the 12,000 to 36,000L range
Must comply with the Code of Standards by the Container Owners Association
The flexitank market size is ~500,000 units
Recent 7-layer installation by Raven Industries

14. Flexitank Benefit 20 ft Container payload 15% higher than IBCs
44% higher than drums
Source:

15. Flexitank Market EPT Wine-Pac™ has a third inner liner of EVOH film
OTR of 0.4 cc/m2.day
Applications
Food & beverage: wine, oils, juice concentrates, etc.
Cosmetics: detergents, bleaching solutions, cleaners, etc.
Industrial chemicals: adhesives, paints, biofuels, fuel additives, etc.
Source:

16. Trends with big bags The larger the bag, …
the lower the barrier requirements
Surface area to volume ratio factor
but the higher the physical abuse on the bag
Normal stresses induced by higher loads
Use of multiple liners similar to BIB is also practiced
3 – 20L institutional BIB
3 – 5L retail BIB
200 – 1500L IBC
12000 – 36000L Flexitank

17. High Barrier Flexitank Challenges
Limited experience base producing large, thick bags with thin EVOH layers
Larger dies, longer residence time in the melt demand improved thermal stability
Use of higher ethylene grades
Selection of EVAL 7-series
Longer time for the bubble to reach its finished geometry
Higher ethylene grades have a lower recrystallization temperature
Higher flex crack resistance
Use of softer modified grades

18. Agenda EVAL™ EVOH Liquid packaging formats
Typical applications
Properties
Liquid packaging formats
Bag-in-box
Intermediate bulk containers
Flexitants
Improving the properties of EVOH
Conventional EVOH
Amorphous EVOH
Elastomer modified EVOH

19. Failure Mechanism of Pinhole Formation
Fatigue Cracking
From radical generation on to micro-crack generation
Inhibition of crack growth is critical to improve flexible crack resistance

20. EVAL Technologies for Liquid Packaging
Type
Technology
Illustration
Flex crack resistance
EVAL
Conventional
Good
EVAL SP
Amorphous EVOH
Better
EVAL FS
Elastomer modified EVOH
Domain-matrix
Best

21. Film Pilot Equipment Materials Gelbo flex conditions
Blown film production
Brampton Engineering
7-layer, 6” pancake die
Cast film production
Toyo-seiki
20mm metering screw
300mm coat hanger die
Materials
Sclair FP120 C8-LLDPE
Ultrathene UE % vinyl acetate EVA
Admer NF498A LLDPE-based tie resin
Dupont Byner 3861 EVA-based tie resin
Various types of EVAL
Gelbo flex conditions
45 CPM, full flex, room temperature

22. Effect of EVOH Grade and Thickness
Number of gelbo cycles to create one (1) pinhole
Coex blown film structure: LLDPE/Tie/EVAL/Tie/LLDPE = 36 / 5 / X / 5 / 36μm

23. Effect of Structure Stiffness
Number of gelbo cycles to create one (1) pinhole
Film structure
20μm monolayer cast film
90μm blown film: LLDPE/LL-Tie/EVAL/LL-Tie/LLDPE = 36/5/8/5/36μm
90μm blown film: LL+EVA/EVA-Tie/EVAL/EVA-Tie/LL+EVA = 36/5/8/5/36μm

24. Flex Crack Resistance of EVAL FS101
Number of gelbo cycles to create one (1) pinhole
Structure: 90μm blown film: LLDPE/LL-Tie/EVAL/LL-Tie/LLDPE = 36/5/8/5/36

25. More developments underway
Number of gelbo cycles to create one (1) pinhole
Structure: 20μm monolayer cast film

26. EVAL Grades for Liquid Packaging
Type
Technology
Flex crack resistance
Grades (et.mol%)
EVAL
Conventional
Good
L171(27)
F171(32)
H171(38)
E171(44)
EVAL SP
Amorphous EVOH
Better
SP521(27)
J171(32)
XEP-1035(38)
EVAL FS
Elastomer modified EVOH
Best
FS101(32)
XEP-1273(32)

27. Summary EVOH has excellent barrier properties
EVOH has great flex crack resistance when coextruded with softer polyolefin resins
The use of EVOH in BIB is established but grades with improved the flex crack resistance for larger bags such as flexitanks have been developed
We can sample any of the mentioned grades upon your request

28. Mr. Wataru Hirose (EVAL R&D Japan)
Thank You!
Presented by:
Edgard Chow
phone (281)
Acknowledgement
Mr. Wataru Hirose (EVAL R&D Japan)