Fundamentals of

Extrusion Coating and Lamination

Peter Fung
23rd September 2010

Plastics Customer Seminar

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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1
 What is Extrusion Coating?
The application of a thin polymer film onto a flat substrate
which can include...
• Paper or paperboard
• Foil
• Films (OPP, PET, etc.)

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 What is the purpose of
Extrusion Coating?
To apply a continuous, defect/inclusion free polymer layer of
a uniform thickness that adheres to the desired substrate.

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 Why Extrusion Coating?
• It is an economical way of adding additional performance
properties to the substrate.
• For example…
– Moisture barrier (keep in or out of packaging)
– Increase strength (tear, puncture, abrasion)
– Provide a heat seal layer
– Provide product resistance (oil, grease, chemical)
– Provide adhesion between substrates
– Improve substrate / package appearance

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 Extrusion Coating Process

Extruder and Die

Molten
Polymer A

Chill roll
Substrate B (Film) A two layer film of
+
A/B structure

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 Extrusion Coating Process

Molten Polymer A

Chill roll
Substrate B (Film)

A two layer film of

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A/B structure
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 Typical Extrusion Coating Structure
• PE coating / Paper / PE / Al foil / EAA / PE film
• PA / primer / LLDPE / PE sealant
• PET / ad / PA / primer / LLDPE / PE sealant
• PET / primer / LDPE / Modified EVA
• PET / ad / VMOPP / LDPE
• Paper / PE
• Fabric / PE

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 What is Extrusion Lamination?
• The same as extrusion coating except now the defect-free
polymer is used as a “glue” to adhere two substrates together
to form a single web.

• Typical laminating structures might be...

• Paper / Poly / Foil / EAA tie/ Poly
• Poly / Paper / Poly / Foil / EAA tie / Poly
• BOPP / Primer / Metallized PET / EAA tie / Poly

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 Extrusion Lamination

Substrate C (Film)

Molten Polymer A

Substrate B (Film)
A three layer film
of B/A/C structure

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 Is Extrusion Coating Different from Other
Extrusion Processes?
Yes and No
• An extruder is still used to melt the polymer.
• Polymer melt temperatures are much higher than other
extrusion processes to achieve adhesion.
• Polymers typically have a substantial amount of long chain
branching to withstand the severe extension / elongation
during the draw down process.

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 Extrusion Coating Line

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 Viscosity

Extrusion coating uses very high temperatures.

High temperatures make the polymer less viscous.
High Viscosity

Low Viscosity

150 200 250 300

Temperature ºC
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 Polymer accelerates very rapidly as it exits the
die...

-20 mil die gap

65 ft/min die lip speed

5-9 in
{ Nip
0.2-0.3
sec

1300 ft/min 1 mil coating

... like being in a plane which leaves the runway at 100 mph and
accelerates to 2000 mph in 0.3 seconds.
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 Effect of Air Gap on Neck-In
Total Neck-In (cm)
338 ºC Melt Temp.
12

10 326 ºC Melt Temp.

0
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
Air Gap
12 MI, 0.917 Density
110 Meter/Min Coating Speed, 10 GM SQ. M. CT. WT.
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 Effect of Coating Speed on
Neck-In at Various Weights
Total Neck-In (cm)

12 MI, 0.917 Density

4.5

3.5

2.5
0 50 100 150 200
Coating Speed (m/min)
318 ºC Melt Temperature
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 Coating Density vs. Resin Density
Coating Film Density (g/cc)

0.922

0.92

0.918

0.916

0.914

0.912

0.91

0.908
0.91 0.915 0.92 0.925 0.93 0.935
Initial Resin Density (g/cc)
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 Effect of Melt Temperature on Adhesion
Southwick-Perkins Bond Tester

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 Bond Strength vs. Coating Speed
Without Primer

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 Effect of Air Gap on Adhesion
325 ºC Melt Temperature

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 Effect of Air Gap on Adhesion
320 ºC Melt Temperature
Southwick-Perkins Bond Tester

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 Bond Strength vs. Electronic Treatment Intensity
on Kraft Paper
320 ºC Melt Temperature

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 Bond Strength vs. Flame Treatment Intensity on
Kraft Paper
320 ºC Melt Temperature

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 Polymer Degradation
• Dependent on time and temperature
– As time increases, degradation increases
– As temperature increases, degradation increases
• Example…
– 200º C… several hours
– 250º C… 1-2 hours
– 320º C… seconds

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 Polymer Degradation
• At high temperatures, the polymerization process
begins to reverse itself.

• Polymer chains break and form reactive sites.

• Small molecules are formed.

• Reactive sites recombine with other molecules to

form a crosslink grid.

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 Polymer Degradation

. + Oxygen

O
COH

O
C

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 Polymer Degradation

• These reactions make low molecular weight smoke and

greases and form crosslinked polymer (polymer which
doesn’t melt).
• Crosslinked polymer can result in gels if allowed to go too far.
(extrusion start-up)
• Crosslinks can affect heat seal properties.

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 Extrudate Melt Index vs. Melt Temperature
Melt Index (g/10 Min)

7
7 MI 0.917 Density
6

1
125 135 145 155 165 175
Melt Temperature ºC
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 Melt Index Change Due to Extrusion

Melt Index
5.5

4.5
5004I
4
Supplier A
3.5
Supplier B
3

2.5

2
Pellet 315 330
Extrusion Temp. ºC
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 Multiple-pass Extrusion of 7 MI LDPE and Its
Affect on Molecular Weight Distribution

Single Pass

Third Pass

Fourth Pass

14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28

Elution Volume
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 Heat Seal Strength of PE
Extrusion Coating Resins
Heat Seal Strength (lbs / in)
6 LLDPE
5.5 MI, 0.923 Density

5 LDPE
8.0 MI, 0.917 Density
4
LDPE
12 MI, 0.917 Density
3

2 LDPE
4.5 MI, 0.923 Density
1

0
95 120 145 170 195
Seal Temperature ºC
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 Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate vs. Coating
Weight
MTR (g/24 hrs/sq m at 37 ºC 90% R.H.)
40

35
0.918 Density
30

25 0.923 Density
20

15 0.930 Density

10

5
5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Coating Weight (g/sq. meter)

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 LLDPE Improves Abrasion Resistance
Abrasion Resistance (mg removed/100 Revs.)

50
Taber Abrasion Using CS-10
Wheels W/ 1000 Gram Loads LLDPE
40 5.4 MI, 0.933 Density
LLDPE W/ Slip
5 MI, 0.921 Density
30
LLDPE
5 MI, 0.921 Density

20 OPP Film

IONOMER
10
MDPE

LDPE
0

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 Hot Tack
Extrusion Coating Resins
1Mil Film on 50 lb. Kraft
Hot Tack (N/in)

6
LDPE 4012
5
4
LDPE 722
3
2 LDPE 4005
1
DOWLEX™ 3010 PE Resins
0
95 105 115 125 135 145
Temperature ºC LDPE 5004I

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 Heat Seal
1Mil Film on 50 lb. Kraft
Extrusion Coating Resins

Heat Seal Strength (lb/in)

3.5
LDPE 722
3
2.5 LDPE 4005
2
LDPE 4012
1.5
1 LDPE 5004I
0.5 DOWLEX™ 3010 PE Resins
0
95 105 115 125 135 145
Temperature ºC

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 Resins Used for Extrusion Coating
• LDPE
• EVA
• LLDPE
• Acid copolymers (EAA, EMAA, EEA and Ionomer)
• Metallocene LLDPE
• HDPE
• PP
• Others
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 Dow’s Resins for Extrusion Coating

High Density Polyethylene Resins DOWLEX™ Polyethylene Resins

Stiffness and moisture barrier Excellent heat seal strength, abrasion
resistance, downgauging, and ESCR

ELITE™ Enhanced
Polyethylene Resins
Low Density Polyethylene Resins
Excellent hot tack performance, low
Good performance across properties
taste and odor, and low seal
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initiation temperature
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 Dow Products Offering
Melt Index Density
(g/10min) (g/cm3)
Dow LDPE 722 8.0 0.918

Dow LDPE PG 7008 7.5 0.918

ELITE™ 5815 PE Resins 15.0 0.910

XUS 81841.16 6.0 0.947

NUC 8080 7.5 0.918

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 Challenges in Extrusion
Coating and Lamination
- overcome by Dow Solution Products….
Quang Vu Nguyen, PhD MBA
23rd September 2010

Plastics Customer Seminar

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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38
 LDPE Challenge No 1:
Weak mechanical and sealing properties
• LDPE extrusion
coating/lamination is produced
on high pressure (30,000 psi)
autoclave reactors
• Long and short chain branching
and random polymer
¾ Weak mechanical properties due to no tie chain and highly
amorphous
¾ Low hot tack and high heat seal initiation temperature (HSIT)
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 Solution to LDPE Challenge No 1
• Using C8 LLDPE extrusion coating/lamination grades
• High mechanical properties
due to high tie chain
concentration
• High hot tack and low HSIT
provided by short chains
originated from octene
comonomer (C8)

15 MI
ELITE™ 5815 PE Resins
0.910 g/cm3 density

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 Heat Seal Strength Comparison
(OPP film/25 µm Coating Layer)
30

25
Heat Seal Strength (N/25mm)

20

LDPE 722
15
ELITE™ 5815

10

0
90 100 110 120 130 140

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 …at different extrusion temperatures
(OPP film/25 µm Coating Layer)
35.000

30.000
Heat Seal Strength (N/25mm)

25.000 LDPE 722 @ 280 ºC

LDPE 722 @ 300 ºC

20.000

LDPE 722 @ 320 ºC

15.000
ELITE™ 5815 @ 300 ºC

10.000
ELITE™ 5815 @ 320 ºC

5.000

0.000
90 100 110 120 130 140

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 Puncture Resistance Comparison
(50 µm Monolayer Cast Film)

Puncture

180
160
140
120
100
Puncture
80
60
40
20
0
LDPE ELITE 5815

ELITETM 5815 PE Resins offer puncture resistance 5 times better than

LDPE.
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 Dart Impact Comparison
(50 µm Monolayer Cast Film)
Dart

350
300
250
200
Dart
150
100
50
0
LDPE ELITE 5815

ELITETM 5815 PE Resins offer Dart Impact 3 times better than LDPE

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 Tear Resistance Comparison
(50 µm Monolayer Cast Film)
800
700
600
500
Tear CD
400
Tear MD
300
200
100
0
LDPE ELITE 5815

ELITETM 5815 PE Resins offer Tear Resistance 3 times better than

LDPE.
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 LDPE Challenge No. 2:
Weak Bonding Strength

ELITE™ 5815 PE
Resins – 330oC
Viscosity [Pa.s]

10 LDPE 722 – 330oC

To maintain good bonding strength, the high
temperature is needed to activate the primer as well as
to oxidize the web surface. However, at high
temperature, LDPE’s viscosity is low and hence will
create processing problems.
Solving the processing by reducing temperature will
then weaken the bonding strength.
1 10 100 1,000 10,000
Shear Rate [1/s]

LDPE722 - 315 [°C] LDPE722 - 330 [°C] LDPEPG7008 - 315 [°C] LDPEPG7008 - 330 [°C]
ELITE5815 - 315 [°C] ELITE5815 - 330 [°C]

46
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 Solution to Challenge No. 2
Adhesion to OPP
(OPP film/25 µm Coating Layer)
200
Bond Strength (g/25mm)

150

100

50

0
LDPE 722 ELITE™ 5815 PE Resins

ELITETM 5815 PE Resins offer the highest bond strength to

OPP film.
47
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 Adhesion to PET
(PET film/25 µm Coating Layer)
700

600
Bond Strength (g/25mm)

500

400

300

200

100

LDPE 722 ELITE™ 5815 PE Resins

ELITETM 5815 PE Resins provide the best bond strength to

ELITETM 5815 offers thePET
bestfilm.
bond strength to OPP film.

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 Adhesion to Metallized OPP
（Metallized OPP film/25 µm Coating Layer)
600

500
Bond Strength (g/25mm)

400

300

200

100

LDPE 722 ELITE™ 5815 PE Resins

ELITETM 5815 PE Resins have the best bond strength to

metallized OPP film.
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 LDPE Challenge No. 3:
Slow Extrusion Speed

DR = V2/V1
• Increasing line speed
will build up stresses
in the molten web
• High stresses will
cause the curtain to
break
• That is the reason
why when LDPE is
used, the line speed
is limited
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 Solution to Challenge No. 3
Due to high tie chain concentration,
C8 solution resin can withstand
much higher stresses than LDPE
As a result, line speed can be much
higher without causing the curtain to
break.

At 20-30% blend of ELITETM 5815

PE Resins into LDPE
• 120m/min Æ 150m/min ELITE™ 5815 15 MI
PE Resins 0.910 g/cm3 density
• 150m/min Æ 200m/min
If you can increase 25% of your line speed at 4 machines, it is
equal to buying a new machine.
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 LDPE Challenge No. 4:
Low Stiffness

• LDPE coating can never provide the

stiffness needed in sachet and tube
due to its low density.
• Temporary solution is to blend in
HDPE to increase the stiffness. But
this solution will lower the
mechanical and sealing properties
needed.

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 Solution to Challenge No. 4
Differentiated Resin Design
XUS 81841.16 MI = 6.0 g/ 10 min
Density = 0.947 g / cm3

• Single resin replacement

• Maintain high film stiffness at low gauge
• Major component replacement of current LDPE coating
• Good web stability
• Low neck-in for moderate coating speed
• High inter-layer adhesion and good for tie layer

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 LDPE Challenge No. 5:
LDPE Shortage
Asia LDPE Supply Demand Balance Asia LLDPE Supply Demand Balance

10 16

9 14
8 12
7
10

Million MT
Million MT

6
5 8

4 6
3 4
2
2
1
0 0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Demand Capacity Fcst Production Demand Capacity Fcst Production

Asia will need to import about 2 Asia LLDPE supply-demand

million MT by 2015 because of balance is forecast to be quite
lack of sufficient new LD balanced due to several new
capacity being added in the projects coming on-stream in the
region. next 2-3 years.
54
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 LDPE Challenge No. 5:
LDPE Shortage

Various grades are sourced from

many suppliers
• Long changing time
• Process issues
• Inconsistent bonding
• Waste

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 Solution to Challenge No. 5
• Major component replacement of current LDPE coating by
using XUS 81841.16 up to 80% blend.
• Leveling the process condition by blending ELITETM 5815
PE Resins into various LDPE in order to maintain similar
viscosity of molten polymer at specific extrusion
temperature.

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 Viscosity Comparison of Different LDPE

100

At 325oC
Viscosity [Pa.s]

As all LDPE are different in viscosity, switching

from grade to grade will cause processing problem
hence:
10 • More down time
• More stabilizing time
• More material waste
• Inconsistent bonding
1 10 100 1,000 10,000
Shear Rate [1/s]

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 Leveling viscosity by
ELITE™ 5815 Polyethylene Resins

At 325oC

LDPE 1 (0.918, 9MI)

LDPE 2 (0.918, 8MI)
LDPE 3 (0.918, 8MI)
LDPE 4 (0.918, 7.5 MI)

100 1,000
Shear Rate [1/s]

Blend: 722 & 5815 [0.5] Blend:LDPE

D795C1& 5815 [0.7] Blend: ExxonmLDPE 2 & 5815 [0.87]
obil 251
LDPE 4 & 5815 [0.93]
Blend: NUC8080 LDPE
Blend: WNC 1993 & 5815 [0.8]

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 Example: A common situation
• Shear Rate: 200 (s-1) (calculated from extruder pressure)
• Extrusion temperature: 325oC • Blend A: LDPE 722 (0.920, 8 MI) (70%) + ELITETM 5815
• Line Speed 200m/min PE Resins (30%)
Running out of LDPE 722 – Currently, LDPE 1 available (0.918, 9MI)
Question: what would be the blend that can replace the current blend (A) ?

50

45

40
Answer: 74% LDPE 1 + 26% E5815
Viscosity [Pa.s]

35

30

25

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,0001,100
Shear Rate [1/s]

722 - 325 [°C] 5815 - 325 [°C] Blend: 722 & 5815 [0.5] D795C
LDPE 1 - 325 [°C]
5815 - 325 [°C] LDPE 1 & 5815 [0.74]
Blend: D795C

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 Example: At another factory, extruder run at
different pressure
• Shear Rate: 600 (s-1) • Blend A: LDPE 722 (0.920, 8MI) (70%) + ELITETM 5815
• Extrusion temperature: 325oC PE Resins (30%)
• Line Speed 200m/min • LDPE X (0.918, 9MI)

50

45

40

Answer: 65% LDPE X + 35% E5815

Viscosity [Pa.s]

35

30

25

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,0001,100
Shear Rate [1/s]

722 - 325 [°C] 5815 - 325 [°C] Blend: 722 & 5815 [0.5] LDPE X - 325 [°C]
D795C
5815 - 325 [°C] LDPE X & 5815 [0.655]
Blend: D795C

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 Summary
With Dow C8 Solution PE
• ELITE™ 5815 PE Resins
• XUS 81841.16
you can overcome the main 5 challenges of LDPE:
• Better mechanical and sealing properties
• Better bonding strength
• Faster line meaning higher output
• Higher stiffness
• Less dependant to LDPE and flexible to use different grades
of LDPE with less changes in process conditions
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 Thank You!

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NOTICE
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