How is metalized paper made?

Polymer film coated with a layer of metal

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Metallised films (or metallized films) are polymer films coated with a thin layer of metal, usually aluminium. They offer the glossy metallic appearance of an aluminium foil at a reduced weight and cost. Metallised films are widely used for decorative purposes and food packaging, and also for specialty applications including insulation and electronics.

Manufacture

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Metallisation is performed using a physical vapor deposition process. Aluminium is the most common metal used for deposition, but other metals such as nickel and chromium are also used. The metal is heated and evaporated under vacuum. This condenses on the cold polymer film, which is unwound near the metal vapour source. This coating is much thinner than a metal foil could be made, in the range of 0.5 micrometres.[1] This coating will not fade or discolour over time. While oriented polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are the most common films used for metallisation, nylon, polyethylene and cast polypropylene are also used.[2]

Properties

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Metallised films have a reflective silvery surface similar to aluminium foil and are highly flammable. The coating also reduces the permeability of the film to light, water and oxygen. The properties of the film remain, such as higher toughness, the ability to be heat sealed, and a lower density at a lower cost than an aluminium foil. This gives metallised films some advantages over aluminium foil and aluminium foil laminates. It was once thought that metallised films would become a replacement for aluminium foil laminates, but current films still cannot match the barrier properties of foil. Some very high barrier metallised films are available using EVOH, but are not yet cost effective against foil laminates.[3]

Uses

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Decoration

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Metallised films were first used for decorative purposes as Christmas tinsel,[1] and continue to be used for items such as wrappers, ribbons, and glitter. Metallic helium-filled novelty balloons given as gifts are made of metallised BoPET and often called Mylar balloons commercially.

Packaging

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Both metallised PET and PP have replaced foil laminates for products such as snack foods, coffee and candy, which do not require the superior barrier of aluminium foil. Metallised nylon and polyethylene are used in the meat export market. The controlled permeation extends shelf life.

Metallised films are used as a susceptor for cooking in microwave ovens.[5] An example is a microwave popcorn bag.

Many food items are also packaged using metallised films for appearance only, as these produce a package with greater sparkle when compared to competing products that use printed paper or polymer films.

Insulation

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Metallised PET films are used in NASA spacesuits to reflect heat radiation, keeping astronauts warm, and in &#;proximity suits&#; used by firefighters for protection from the high amount of heat released from fuel fires. Aluminized emergency blankets ("space blankets") are also used to conserve a shock victim's body heat. MPET has been used as an antistatic container for other heat and sound insulating materials used in aircraft, to prevent the insulation from leaking into the passenger cabin, but is not itself the insulator in that use. Burning MPET insulation was identified as a cause of the crash of Swissair Flight 111 in that killed 229 people, leading to new recommendations on its use in airliners.

Electronics

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Metallised films are used as a dielectric in the manufacture of a type of capacitor used in electronic circuits,[6] and as a material in some types of antistatic bags.

See also

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References

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Further reading

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Are you interested in learning more about high quality Metallized Paper labels? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

• Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, , ISBN 1--25-4
• Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, , ISBN 978-0-470--6

METALLIZED PAPER &#; TRANSFER METALLIZING A BETTER CHOICE

What is metallizing? 

Metallized materials are produced by melting and vaporizing a metal (usually aluminium) in a vacuum while passing a web or paper or film around a chilled roller and over the point of vaporization. The vaporized molecules then collect on the cool web, so providing the paper or film with a metallic finish. It can be carried out by direct metallizing onto the material surface, or by transfer metallizing where the vaporized metal particles are attracted in the vacuum chamber to a very smooth plastic carrier web and then transferred to the chosen substrate under pressure. 

Direct Metallizing[DM]

When direct metallizing paper,  the paper is first primed to seal the paper surface and give an improved smoothness to the surface, vacuum metallized by the process, described above and then re-moisturised to replace the moisture lost in the vacuum processing and post-coated with a print receptive lacquer. 

Transfer Metallizing[TM]


The process has four elements: 

- Coating (of a carrier film with a release lacquer)
- Metallizing (onto the release lacquer on the carrier film)
- Laminating (the carrier film with paper)
- Splitting (the carrier film from the metallized paper) &#; with in-line Corona Discharge Treatment.


The lacquer which allowed the separation of the carrier film from the product remains totally on the transfer metallized product, protecting the metal and acting as a print receptive surface. The carrier film, after splitting, becomes available for re-use. 

During the splitting process, the lacquer surface (The release lacquer) is Corona Discharge Treated to enhance print receptivity. This treated surface is stable for over 6 months when stored under appropriate conditions. 

The process is very difficult to achieve in that one requires 100% adhesion of the lacquer to the carrier film during coating, metallizing and laminating and then 0% at splitting process. Thus the intimate relationship between the lacquer and the carrier film is of prime importance. 

Essentially on each substrate is a conversion of about 3 g/m2 of lacquer and 3 g/m2 of adhesive, and the paper does not go into the metallizing chamber (as is the case with direct metallizing).

FORMULATIONS

RELEASE LACQUER

FORMULA - A

Saran Resin F-310 (DOW) = 80 parts

VMCH (DOW) = 20 parts

MEK = 300 parts

Coating Thickness ~ preferably 2.5 GSM

Drying Temperature ~ 70 degree centigrade

FORMULA - B

Neocryl B-811(DSM coating resins, Netharlands) = 70 parts

Vinnol H 40/55(Wacker Polymer) = 30 parts

MEK = 210 parts

Ethyl Acetate = 90 parts

Coating Thickness ~ preferably 2.5 GSM

Drying Temperature ~ 70 degree centigrade

LAMINATION

Use Lamination Adhesive,  ADCOTE-340 OF DOW OR EPS-71 OF HERBERTS

Coating thickness ~ preferably 2.5 &#; 3.0 GSM

Drying temperature ~ refer manufacturer

SPLITTING

Splitting to be carried out after 72 hours of Aging.

TRANSFER METALLIZING offers several benefits to the end user. 

- The process itself is almost self-monitoring as far as defects are concerned. If there is a coating defect during stage one such as a scratch mark etc., the metal will be deposited on the uncoated film at this spot and will not be separated from the carrier film, consequently the final product is defective, but of far more importance, the carrier film will be destroyed making it unusable for further processing. Likewise with the lamination stage, if again there is a defect - no adhesive spot - when the paper is separated from the complex it will not remove the lacquer and metal from this spot &#; again a defective product and an unusable carrier film is the result. 

- TM products have the highest reflectivity in that the metallized layer reproduces the very smooth carrier film and not the relatively rough paper underneath, as is the case with DM, where the metal molecules are deposited directly on the rougher substrate. 

- In TM, the lacquer which allowed the separation of the carrier film from the product remains totally on the TM product and protects the metal coating and acts as a print receptive surface.

- It is an extremely versatile process in that by only changing the substrate; completely different products can be produced &#; from 46 g/m2 to over 300 g/m2 and also transfer metallized non-paper substrates. 

- Any finished product created using Transfer Metallizing, has 6 g/m2 of lacquer and adhesive, making the metallized paper considerably stronger than the original substrate and stronger than direct metallized products as they do not have the layer of adhesive and lacquer. 

- Independent research carried out by TNO (NL) studying the recyclability of Transfer Metallized papers and Boards showed that &#;&#; 10% of Transfer Metallized Paper in domestic waste paper has no significant effect on the properties or appearance of the recycled paper products from it.&#; Likewise the PTS study concluded that &#;Transfer Metallized Papers and Boards used in applications such as gift-wrap, laminates and flexible packaging can be part of the normal household waste used paper stream and as such can be collected and recycled.&#;

HOPE THE ARTICLE IS INFORMATIVE!!

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