TOPAS Advanced Polymers' New COC Film Grade

MATERIALS:  A new film extrusion grade of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) from TOPAS Advanced Polymers Inc. extends the commercial glass transition temperature range down to 33C. TOPAS 9903D-10 is the company’s latest film extrusion resin which delivers a unique combination of low-temperature shrinkage, sealing, and high stiffness for a range of shrink films and sealant films for the consumer packaging industry.

The new material is used to enhance polyolefin formulations for a range of monolayer and multilayer packaging film applications including shrink film, shrink sleeves and shrink labels for bottles and other consumer packaging, and in improved sealant films for stand-up pouches.

In polyolefin blends containing 5 to 50 percent of the new COC, low-temperature shrinkage and stiffness were improved significantly, resulting in better downstream processing. In multilayer sealant films, the new material provides excellent low-temperature sealing and high stiffness for stand-up pouches.

TOPAS 9903D-10 boosts the performance of ultra linear-low-density PE which is typically used in applications that require low-temperature shrinkage. Higher stiffness is a key benefit, resulting in improved web handling and printing operations. Shrinkage is also enhanced, but unlike most stiff polymers, shrink force is actually reduced by the COC resin so packages are less likely to distort or crush when wrapped.

TOPAS 9903D-10 COC resin has a melt flow index of 0.9 which is similar to that of LLDPE grades that are used for shrink films. The material’s tensile modulus of 100,000 psi increases when the film is oriented.

TOPAS COCs are amorphous polymers that offer high transparency, outstanding moisture barrier, high rigidity and strength, excellent biocompatibility and good electrical insulation properties. This unique combination of properties has led to TOPAS COC applications in such areas as medical devices, food and pharmaceutical packaging, optics and electronics.

- Edited by Liz Taurasi