The development of composite packaging materials.1
The development of composite packaging materials.
The advent of multi-layer composite flexible packaging materials represents a significant advancement in the history of packaging development. It has not only changed many of the old packaging concepts but has also led to major developments in packaging machinery, packaging materials, packaging technology, and even the entire packaging science. The development of composite packaging materials with perfect functionality, diverse varieties, low prices, and adaptability to the needs of different products has brought tremendous economic benefits to today's packaging industry. It can be expected that the development of composite packaging materials will continue to play an important role in the entire packaging industry in the future. Many new technologies and new processes will be applied in composite packaging materials and will continue to promote the progress of packaging science. However, the emergence of multi-layer composite materials has also brought new problems in the recycling of packaging waste. People have already realized that the development of packaging must be coordinated with the environment. When pursuing the perfect packaging function of multi-layer composite structures, the consumption of energy and materials and the recycling of packaging waste should be considered. Obviously, these are two contradictory factors. In order to facilitate recycling, packaging with a single material should be used as much as possible; while in order to meet the needs of multi-functional packaging, a combination of various materials should be used. Packaging workers have done a lot of work to coordinate the two, developing better multi-functional single-layer materials and composite materials that are easy to recycle. For example, the recently developed PET/SiOx coated film/CPP and OPP/SiOx coated film/CPP multi-functional new composite flexible packaging materials are a kind of green packaging materials that are easy to recycle. This packaging material, which is coated with inorganic oxides, has the same barrier properties as aluminum vapor-deposited film and is transparent. It has excellent resistance to rupture, folding, chemical agents, and heat, and is convenient for heating food in microwave ovens. It will become an alternative product to aluminum-plastic composite materials. With the continuous development of new packaging materials, composite materials will also continue to develop and will continue to play a special role in packaging materials that other materials cannot replace.
