ExxonMobil Signature Polymers has worked with LD Pack, a Chinese manufacturer specialising in flexible plastics packaging, to develop a mono-material packaging structure for frozen food.
The solution, which is said to offer an alternative to conventional laminates, uses Exceed Stiff+, Exxtra Seal and Exceed HD polymers alongside LD Pack’s converting technology to produce a machine-direction oriented PE//PE structure.
According to testing conducted by ExxonMobil, the structure achieved 100 per cent bag drop survival after frozen conditioning at minus 30°C, when dropped from a height of 3m.
Improved tensile strength
The company said the structure was tested against a reference BOPET//PE laminate.
The mono-PE structure also showed higher needle puncture resistance and improved tensile strength at low temperatures, according to ExxonMobil.
The film is designed to provide stiffness while maintaining packaging integrity during storage and transportation.
ExxonMobil said the results indicate that mono-PE structures could have potential for frozen food packaging applications where performance at low temperatures is required.
In related news, ExxonMobil recently partnered with Bandera to create a fully PE pet food pouch designed for recyclability. The pouch uses a stiff PE film that acts as a replacement for PET, without machine direction orientation (MDO) for a mono-material solution
