MATERIALS | BARRIER FILM


biobased material to create compostable packag- ing with barrier properties.


“By combining our Ingeo biopolymer with


Brückner’s biax technology and Sukano’s S/AB surface additive, we’ve opened the door to a new generation of ultra-thin, cost-effective barrier films,” said Roger Tambay, chief growth officer at Nature- Works. “This makes it possible to reduce thickness while still delivering sealability, barrier perfor- mance and lamination strength.” Sukano’s new Antiblock masterbatch – intro-


Above: MVera from Bio-Fed can be used to make home- compostable coffee capsules


can be used as a separate layer in multilayer films or as a blend partner with PE or PP. Applications range from film capacitors to packaging for food and medical devices. Vacuum-metallised cast films are often used in multilayer packaging thanks to their high barrier properties. However, the relatively low stiffness and strength of pure PE or PP substrates can cause cracks to form in the ultra-thin metal layer applied to them. This allows oxygen and moisture to penetrate the packaging, reducing the shelf life of the contents. Blending with Vivion 8210XT raises stiffness without compromising flexibility, to cut the risk of cracking. This may allow for the use of more material-efficient films with lower thicknesses. In addition, the CBC can be used to optimise the film’s tear propagation resistance – an important convenience feature for easy-open applications.


Starch choice At the latest Bioplastics event, organised by AMI, Kuraray explained how its starch-based Plantic material can be used to make thermoformed barrier packaging. Tom Black, director of international business for


Plantic at the company, said the polymer is made from starch sources that contain high amounts of amylose – a linear polysaccharide. Plantic has similar properties to PET, he said – with the ability to be thermoformed on standard equipment at 120-130°C.


At the same time, barrier properties are “compa-


rable to that of conventional barrier resins”, he said. Its oxygen barrier is similar to that of EVOH, while the moisture barrier is comparable with nylon 6. Potential applications include cheese and meat packaging. It also has high puncture resistance – making it suitable for items such as bone-in meat.


Compostable barrier Sukano, Brueckner and NatureWorks have teamed up to develop a masterbatch and a


20 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | March 2026


duced at K2025 last year – raises the performance of Ingeo Extend 4950D, enabling efficient process- ing of BOPLA films on existing BOPP equipment. This allows customers to produce high-perfor- mance, compostable films with up to 7x transverse direction stretch, offering smoother processing, good printability and enhanced optical properties.


Coffee time Bio-Fed, part of Akro-Plastic, has developed a bio-based compound for coffee capsules that is home-compostable and has a high oxygen barrier. MVera GP1065 has been developed to protect


the aroma of coffee and extend the shelf life of coffee in capsules. This is accomplished through enhanced barrier properties, with much lower oxygen permeability than previous materials. The food compliance of the biocompound has been confirmed in accordance with EU 10/2011 and the FDA. Its translucent beige colour can also be adapted to meet specific colour requirements. One advantage in terms of sustainability is the home compatibility, which allows it to be disposed of in domestic compost and uses the natural fertilising properties of coffee grounds in the biological cycle. With a bio-based content of over 98%, the partial carbon footprint is reduced compared to fossil-based plastic.


Fish film Suedpack says that its SkinPro and Multifol Extreme films can be used to package fish and seafood products. This can be challenging because fish products can be delicate, have high moisture content and have sharp edges (such as for mussels). SkinPro is a new generation of films with good- quality optics for demanding seafood applications, it says. Developed specifically for shrimp skewers, salmon fillets and whole fish, it is a visually appeal- ing vacuum skin packaging system using a skin top web and matching bottom web. The thin top web wraps around the product and can handle even protrusions, sharp or pointed contours and extreme


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IMAGE: BIO-FED


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