Product Application & Research Centre

Mumbai

Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Film (BOPP)

Many of the unique characteristics of polypropylene enhance its utilization in the
application of film. The main application for polypropylene film are the packaging of
food, textiles and tobacco products.

Biaxially Oriented Film (BOPP)

Biaxial orientation is a process in which a continuous cast film is heated to bring it to a

stretchable temperature and thereafter it is stretched in machine and then in transverse
direction.

Biaxial orientation of polypropylene (BOPP) film is done by two methods

Tenter frame process

Double bubble process

Tenter Frame Process

Tenter frame process is a very expensive way of processing BOPP film. However it has
become popular due to higher production rate with very thin and wide width film (Fig. 1)

Extruders
Extruders with 150 to 200 mm dia screws having L/D of 26:1 to 30:1 are more popular.

Dies
600 to 1500 mm wide coat hanger type of dies are used

The Tenter Frame Process

Casting & Quenching

The molten polymer extruded from the die is placed against a chill roll or multiple chill
rolls. The most popular being casting onto a chill roll partially submerged in a water
bath. The chill roll and water bath temperatures are generally 20 to 25 C. Usually, these
chill rolls are 1000 to 2000 mm in diameter and approximately 1000 to 1500 mm wide.
The surface of the chill roll must be very smooth; pitting or irregularities on the surface
of the roller will influence the film quality. An air knife is used to force proper contact of
molten polymer against the casting roll. The cooled web proceeds towards the machine
direction orientation section.

Machine Direction Orientation (MDO)

The base sheet is alternatively heated by passing it over the heated rollers (145 - 150C)
to achieve uniform heating of web throughout its thickness. These rollers are usually
smaller in diameter (450 to 600mm) compared to the casting drums (chilled rolls).

When the film reaches the necessary stretching temperature, it is passed over a series of
stretching rolls which are usually arranged in pairs. Each pair has a rubber nip roll to
prevent slipping of the web while stretching. These first set of nip rollers are run at a
speed similar to preheat rollers. The next set of rollers are operated at higher speeds than
the first set of nip rollers. Usually the stretch ratio is kept between 4:1 to 6:1.

From the stretching rollers, the film is passed on to a series of annealing rollers, which
are heated to a temperature, adequate to prevent shrinkage in the machine direction (MD)
of the web.

Transverse Direction Orientation (TDO)

From the machine direction orienter, the film is guided on to the chain (Fig. 3),
containing clips (Fig. 4) which close on to the film. A rail guides the chain with clips to
preheating section, where the film is heated with hot air at 160 C, slightly below the
melting point of polypropylene.

As the film leaves the preheat section of the oven, the chain diverges quite rapidly to a
ratio of 8:1 to 10:1. The film is then passed on to annealing oven where it is maintained
at 155 C, to reduce the shrinkage of the film. Usually the tenter frame run at line speeds
of 200 to 300 meters/min.

Winding
Edges of the film remain thick, as they are in the clips while the film is being stetched.
These edges are then trimmed off as the film leaves the tenter frame. The wide film is
slit into the required width by rotating knives and wound on to separate winders.

Double Bubble Process

The equipment for this process is small compared to that of tenter frame process (Fig. 5).
It is difficult to produce thin film in double bubble process. The output in term of
quantity and width of the film is also very low compared to that in tenter frame.

Extruders
Generally 50 mm to 75 mm extruders are used

Dies
Circular dies of 150 to 200 mm diameters are more popular

Quenching
The extruded tube from the die is directly taken into the quenching bath (20-25 C)
collapsed between the nip rollers located at the bottom of the quench bath. The film is
then taken up to second set of nip rollers via a drying unit. The water is stripped in the
drying unit.

Preheating
The tube in its flattened state is heated (at 150 to 160 C) either by IR heaters or hot air.
The heated tube is inflated to its new dimensions, which is usually 5 to 6 times its
original diameter. With the third set of nip rollers, the film is stretched in the machine
direction at the ratio of 5:1 to 6:1

A set of cooling rings are used to cool the inflated bubble prior to being collapsed.
Collapsed tube is slit on both the edges and the web is then separated before winding.

Effect of Processing Variables on Film Properties

Film properties depend on different processing variables, as described below

1.

Requirement :

A:

High modulus and tensile strength

B:

Low shrinkage

Tensile strength and Modulus can be improved by :

-

Lowering the temperatures of chill roll and quench water

Increasing the stretch roll temperature

Increasing the line speed

Increasing the stretch ratios

II

Lower shrinkage can be achieved by :

-

Using higher stretching temperature

Using higher annealing temperature

Requirements :

A:

Low Haze

B:

High Gloss

Haze can be reduced by

-

Lowering temperature of chill roll and quench water

Increasing the temperatures of stretching and annealing

Gloss can be improved by

-

Using higher melt temperature

Using chill roll, MD rolls and die having clean and smooth
surfaces

Repol Polypropylene Grades for BOPP Film

Repol Grade

MFI

Characteristics

(g/10min)
HOMOPOLYMER
H029SG

2.9

Good processability and

low gels

RANDOM COPOLYMER
R070EY

7.0

Contains antiblock and

slip.

Low heat seal

temperatures

Applications of BOPP Films

Following are the important features of BOPP film which make it a material of choice for
flexible packaging :

Low specific gravity which results in higher yield (m2 /kg)

Higher mechanical properties, which allow for thinner films to be made

BOPP films have by far the highest moisture barrier of all plastic films. WVRT
values at 38 C and 98% RH of different film substrates are as follows :

20 microns OPP

4.85 gms/sq.m/24 hrs

20 microns HDPE

6.25 gms/sq.m/24 hrs

25 micron Cast PP

10.00 gms/sq.m/24 hrs

25 micron LDPE

15.00 - 20.00 gms/sq.m/24 hrs

10 micron PET

45.00 gms/sq.m/24 hrs

BOPP films have good barrier to flavours and aromas, particularly at the levels of
concentration normally encountered in packaged products.

Co-extruded BOPP film with good barrier and high transparency is heat sealable as
produced i.e. without having to be coated, avoiding additional operation. The other
major advantage is, being heat sealable on both surfaces, it is possible to seal
particularly on VFFS operations with better seal integrity and a much neater pack.

BOPP films have outstanding optical properties and the gloss/transparency/sparkle

obtained are among the best available on any material.

BOPP films have extremely high strength - particularly tensile strength, puncture
resistance, bursting strength, stiffness, tear strength and abrasion resistance.

BOPP film packages also have a very crisp feel which make them definitely superior
to those made from flexible materials.

BOPP films have very high stability / performance over a very wide range of
temperatures and environmental conditions. They are not susceptible to high relative
humidity like cellophane and hence retain their properties and dimensional stability
over the entire range of conditions normally encountered by packages.

BOPP films have very high chemical resistance to fats/oils - particularly of vegetable
origin, most chemicals and many solvents. The basic material (polypropylene) is
essentially a highly compatible with most packaged products.

It is particularly

suitable for direct food contact.

BOPP films have extremely high flex crack resistance. Polypropylene is the only
basic resin that has an "integral hinge" property, in that it can be flexed any number of
times without fracture. This property is extremely important in flexible pouches
during their transit and handling.

BOPP films are eminently suitable for down stream operations. They are highly
amenable to all operations like printing, coating, lamination, metallisation and
pouching.

BOPP film can be subjected to sterilization without impairing mechanical properties

and hence has wider packaging applications.

BOPP film is heat sealable at high speeds using co-ex OPP or off-line coated film

Due to the higher stiffness of BOPP film, higher packaging speeds (50-60 m/min) are
possible

BOPP films can be vacuum metallised with high purity aluminium, to significantly
enhance barrier properties

Some of the typical applications of BOPP film are as follows :

(A)

Plain film
Industrial tape (25-40 mic)
Pressure sensitive tapes
Lamination (10-20 mic)
Book covers, brochures, catalogues, shopping bags, carton boxes, cosmetic
boxes, restaurant menus, film to film laminates (PET/BOPP/POLY)
Food packing (20-40 mic)
Laminates, metallizing
Others (12-40 mic)

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(B)

Tea chest lining, flower over-wrapping, textiles, cable over-wrappings, photo

albums, release film, biscuit inner-wraps, envelope windows, tear tapes,
metallizing, stationery

Co-Extruded film
Over wrapping (18-23 mic)
Cigarette, audio/video cassette boxes, cartons, blades, toffees and candies
General purpose (20-40 mic)
Lamination, snack food, bakeries, cosmetic, noodles, textiles, bread,
audio/video cassette, metallizing, twistwrap
Food packing (20-50 mic)
Lamination, food, chips
Super Seal (25-35 mic)
Powdery material, food grain, sugar

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BOPP Film
Trouble Shooting Guide
Tenter frame
Defect
Thickness variation

Source
-

MDO

TDO

Extruder
Surging

Splits

Foreign
particles in the
resin
Ovens
Water in the
resin
Gauge Band
Jerky chain
Oil drops on
film in oven
Dirty clips

Find source of gauge variation and fix

Lubricate rail and chain
Decrease oil flow to chain and rail and
wipe off excess oil
Wind base sheet on MDO winder and
check chain
Clean clips or remove faulty clip and
replace
Increase stretching heat of MDO

Adjust extruder heat profile

Haze bands
from MDO
Non uniform
melt

Solution
Adjust the die gap
Adjust die heat temperatures
Check screen pack or filter, change if
necessary
Check air knife position
Look for air bubbles under the sheet
Increase temperature of preheat rolls
Decrease gap between stretching rolls
Decrease speed of MDO rolls
Adjust stretching section temperatures
Examine oven for foreign objects blocking
hot air nozzles
Check melt temperature fluctuation and
pressure fluctuations
Increase back pressure by lowering
metering section temperatures
Increase first transition zone temperature
Examine for gels or dirt
Discontinue putting reclaim or repelletized
pellets in main feed
Change filter pack
Raise temperature of the preheat section of
oven
Change resin feed

12

Poor optics
High Haze
Low Gloss

Water marks

Bubbles or Voids

MDO Heats

Increase temperature of preheat rolls and

stretching rolls if haze bands are present

Low extrusion
heats
Slow cooling in
casting section
Water carryover to MDO
section
Resin air
entrapment

Raise melt temperature

Decrease casting drum temperature

Decrease bath temperature
Remove water from web before MDO

Change resin
Increase the transition zone temperature
Increase the back pressure

13

BOPP Film
Trouble Shooting Guide
Double Bubble frame
Defect
Thickness variation

Blow-outs or Bubble
breaks

Source
Die : poor flow
Polymer filter
unplugged
Unlevel water
Air draft on
bubble
Oven
Gels in film

Solution
Adjust the die gap
Adjust the die temperatures
Check screen pack or filter, change if
necessary
Adjust level of water ring or bath
Seal air leaks in enclosure around bubble

Oven heats too low, raise temperature

Plate-Out marks from mandrel -

Change filter
Change resin
Wipe off mandrel
Lower melt temperature
Raise mandrel temperature
Change resins

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