Page 50 - Plastics News March 2017

PRodUCT NEWS

Uflex develops special polyester film for pharma packaging

onventionally polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and bi-axially new structure comprising 36 micron special polyester, 50
Coriented polyamide (BoPA) - commonly known as micron soft aluminium foil and 36 micron special polyester.
BON - films have been extensively used in cold formed Polyester is a para-crystalline material which possesses
pharmapackaging industry. A typical Alu-Alu blister excellent barrier, clarity, printability, and hardness
laminate comprises three layers - 25 micron BoPA, properties. Film forming and orientation of polyester
60 micron soft aluminium foil and 60 micron PVC. augurs well for the creation of thin profile webs with
Eliminating BOPA and PVC films in the cold formed Alu- excellent properties for use in flexible packaging.
Alu laminate blister pack for pharmaceuticals has for
long remained a daunting task for packaging experts. A This specialty film that has been developed by Uflex can
conventional cold formed pharmaceutical blister back be laminated on both sides of the aluminium foil without
when dumped in the land fill gives away chlorine upon any problem quite like the laminate comprising BoPA,
coming in contact with sunlight. This is extremely harmful aluminium foil andPVC films. The engineers at Uflex have
for the environment. PVC also contains plasticisers with been successfully able to bring metaphase morphology
phthalates linked to a host of health disorders that can which has made it possible to form the film in Z direction
damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system. which happens to be a pre-requisite for blister packaging.
PVC film leaves high carbon footprint making it further “Getting better functionalities as compared to the Alu-Alu
undesirable from the environmental perspective besides laminate structure comprising BoPA-aluminium foil-PVC,
exhibiting very low temperature resistance which is yet Uflex has come up with a special polyester film that will
another shortcoming. have significant and substantial benefits for the converters
catering to pharmaceutical brands. If we talk about
India,BoPA (BoN) is imported from countries like China,
Korea and Taiwan.
More over the convertors are left with no option other
than managing varied inventories of BON and PVC films
separately. With the introduction of our specialised
Polyester film that will now be laminated on both the sides
of aluminium foil, the logistical hassles for convertors will
surely go down. The dependency on import of BoPA will
also go down as the converting industry gradually switches
over to our new specialised polyester film for cold forming
the blister packs. This film therefore makes a strong case
for import substitution in India,” said Dr Sudhir Naik, senior
general manager, corporate technical services at films
BoPA (BoN) on the other hand is also fraught with business of Uflex. Pramod Sirsamkar, president - technical
challenges like high moisture absorption to the tune of & new product development (films), Uflex Limited,
8-10 percent making its processing difficult; leading to added, “The introduction of specialised polyester film in
de-lamination and impairing the ability of the film to be Alu-Alu blister packaging as a replacement for BoN and
chemically primed. Keeping these challenges of BoPA PVC films has also opened up avenues for us to come up
and PVC substrates in mind, Uflex Ltd’s films business with biodegradable and oxo-degradable variants further
has developed a special polyester film that obviates the minimising the carbon foot prints. We are also working on
problems posed by BoN and PVC. The specialpolyester developing such speciality films using recycled polyester
film is all set to replace the top and bottom substrates of and green PET that will bolster our commitment towards
the conventional cold formed Alu–Alu laminate to a whole the environment.”

Plastics News | March 2017 50