Plastic Films

This is a complete illustrated guide and reference to today's plastic films for packaging. All significant aspects of plastic films for packaging are clearly and concisely presented: from materials, processes and machinery to applications and regulatory, social and economic considerations. More than 70 schematics illustrate materials, processes and package constructions. More than 30 tables provide important reference data in convenient form. The authors are leading authorities on plastic packaging films with first-hand experience in the R&D of many of today's widely used films. Published in cooperation with the Institute of Packaging Professionals.

Plastic films are high-performance materials which play an essential part in modern life. The plastics films industry uses state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and is continuously seeking out new technologies to improve its performance. The understanding of the nature of plastic films, their production techniques, applications and their characterisation is essential for producing new types of plastic films. This handbook has been written to discuss the production and main uses of plastic films. Plastic films are high-performance materials which play an essential part in modern life. Plastic films are mostly used in packaging applications but as will be seen from this book they are also used in the agricultural, medical and engineering fields. The plastics films industry uses state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and is continuously seeking out new technologies to improve its performance. The understanding of the nature of plastic films, their production techniques, applications and their characterisation is essential for producing new types of plastic films. This handbook has been written to discuss the production and main uses of plastic films.

Flexible films are defined as being planar forms of plastics, which may be thick enough to be self-supporting but thin enough to be flexed, folded and/or creased without cracking. Films comprise around 25 per cent of all plastics used worldwide, around 40 million tons, and are thus a massive market sector. Commodity plastics dominate, with polyethylene and polypropylene together accounting for around 34 million tons. This is an expanding area with increased demand each year particularly in the developing regions of the world and with a move from rigid to flexible packaging. There are many material types used in films from single layer polymers to multilayer structures with tie layers and copolymers. Multilayers permit custom adaptation of material properties from barrier to strength. Technology, such as the orientation of polypropylene, has produced better properties and more valuable materials. High performance plastics are also being used in applications such as telectronics. There are details of the main suppliers including mergers and capacity. coextrusion, casting, extrusion coating, extrusion laminating and metallising. Blown extrusion was the first process used to make films of polyethylene. These processes have advantages and disadvantages depending on the material type in use, the width and thickness of film required. Films are mainly used in packaging for foodstuffs, but there are also substantial market segments for medical, electronic, automotive and construction applications. Specific applications include decorative wrap, form-fill-seal, blood bags, flexible printed circuits, bed sheeting, diapers, and in-mould decorating of car parts (to replace painting and provide a more durable surface coating). Carrier bags and garbage bags are big markets, with imports to Europe; there are environmental concerns about the use of plastic bags and these are discussed in the report. geomembranes and similar applications. PE and PP are the main materials used in packaging films. PET is primarily used in magnetics, optics and telectronics. PVC is found in consumer goods and medical applications, while PVB is mainly used in automotive and construction applications as glazing protection. Multimaterial films account for around 7 million tons of the films produced, with around 95 per cent of this going into packaging applications. These are just some of the examples listed in this market report. Europe and North America each account for about 30 per cent of the total world consumption of plastic films. The plastic films supply structure and individual company information are summarised in the second half of this market report on Plastic Films in Europe and the Rest of the World.

The value of the groceries purchases in the USA is over $500 billion annually, most of which is accounted for by packaged foods. Plastic packaging of foods is not only ubiquitous in developed economies, but increasingly commonplace in the developing world, where plastic packaging is instrumental in decreasing the proportion of the food supply lost to spoilage. This new handbook is a combination of new material and updated chapters, chosen by Dr. Sina Ebnesajjad, from recently published books on this subject. Plastic Films in Food Packaging offers a practical handbook for engineers, scientists and managers working in the food packaging industry, providing a tailor-made package of science and engineering fundamentals, best practice techniques and guidance on new and emerging technologies. By covering materials, design, packaging processes, machinery and waste management together in one book, the authors enable the reader to take a lifecycle approach to food packaging. The Handbook addresses questions related to film grades, types of packages for different types of foods, packaging technologies, machinery and waste management. Additionally the book provides a review of new and emerging technologies. Two chapters cover the development of barrier films for food packaging and the regulatory and safety aspects of food packaging. Essential information and practical guidance for engineers and scientists working at all stages of the food packaging lifecycle: from design through manufacture to recycling Includes key published material on plastic films in food packaging, updated specifically for this Handbook, and new material on the regulatory framework and safety aspects Coverage of materials and applications together in one handbook enables engineers and scientists to make informed design and manufacturing decisions

Tough plastic films can be made by dropping a plastic solution on the surface of water or by covering a glass plate with the solution. Laminated films can be made combining the qualities of two or more plastics. Properties and techniques of preparation of such films are discussed. Plastic materials investigated are Formvar E, Zapon, and polystyrene.

Plastic Films, HDPE and Thermoset Plastics are now an accepted part of the industrial and domestic scenes but this growth has been comparatively recent. Plastic films are typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh over a longer period of time. Plastic wrap, typically sold on rolls in boxes with a cutting edge, clings to many smooth surfaces and can thus remain tight over the opening of a container without adhesive or other devices. The past several years have seen numerous plastic films developed for the packaging industry, the most used today being polyethylene. Cast polypropylene film, like polyethylene film is unoriented (not stretched), but it was found that an improved film could be obtained by orientation (stretching the cast in one or more directions). Biaxial orientation is the process whereby the continuous cast film or sheet of plastic is heated up to brings it to a temperature that makes it stretchable. BOPP film possesses superior tensile strength, flexibility, toughness, shrink ability, good barrier and optical characteristics. The use of polyethylene terephthalate film is increasing considerably in recent years in videos audio magnetic tapes, computer tapes, photo and X ray films, power capacitors, insulation tapes and metalling for artificial zari. High density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene high density (PEHD) is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. The major applications of HDPE are in the manufacturing of containers, pipes, house wares, toys, filament, woven sacks, film, wire and cable insulation. HDPE is lighter than water, and can be moulded, machined, and joined together using welding (difficult to glue). Thermoset, or thermosetting plastics are synthetic materials that strengthen during being heated, but cannot be successfully remolded or reheated after their initial heat forming. This is in contrast to thermoplastics, which soften when heated and harden and strengthen after cooling. Thermoplastics can be heated, shaped and cooled as often as necessary without causing a chemical change, while thermosetting plastics will burn when heated after the initial molding. Additionally, thermoplastics tend to be easier to mold than thermosetting plastics, which also take a longer time to produce (due to the time it takes to cure the heated material). Some of the astonishing fundamentals of the book are salient features of contemporary, technology and current research, three basic processes: advances, modern polyethylene, processes using high yield catalysts, solution polymerization processes, polyolefins, low density polyethylene, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymers, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, physical and chemical properties, manufacturing methods, extrusion of film, slit die extrusion (flat film extrusion), comparison of blow and cast film processes, water cooled polypropylene film, calendaring, solvent, casting, casting of regenerated cellulose film, orientation of film, expanded films, plastics net from film, unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins, thermoset polyurethanes, guidelines and theories in compounding polyurethane elastomers, compounding for thermoset polyurethane elastomers, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, thermoplastic polymers etc. The present books offer an up to date overview of the processing of plastic films, HDPE and thermoset plastics. This book is suitable for entrepreneurs, researchers, professionals, technical institutions etc.

This is a complete illustrated guide and reference to today's plastic films for packaging. All significant aspects of plastic films for packaging are clearly and concisely presented: from materials, processes and machinery to applications and regulatory, social and economic considerations. More than 70 schematics illustrate materials, processes and