Innovia Films Limited

Lucy Cowton

Jonathan Hewitt

Florian Chapalain

Stephen Moore

Paul Barker

Christopher Meek

The present application concerns a coated film comprising a substantially biodegradable substrate having a biodegradable coating thereon at a coat weight of not more than 12 gsm, as well as useful articles sealed inside a package at least partly comprising such a film, and also a process for producing a coated film comprising providing a substantially biodegradable film substrate and applying a biodegradable coating to the substrate at a coat weight of less than 12 gsm by means of a hot melt coating step.

Biodegradable film

There is described a substantially planar self-supporting sheet (preferably an thermoplastic film e.g. formed from a polyolefin such as BOPP) comprising on at least one side thereof a substantially continuous adherent coating, thereon to create a barrier to oxygen, the coating comprising nano-particles, the sheet characterized in that: (a) the nano-particles form a substantially continuous phase on the sheet; and/or (b) the nano-particles are present in an amount of at least about 20% by dry weight of the coating; and/or (c) the coating is substantially free of polymeric binder, synthetic hydrophilic resin and/or a resin with a hydrophilic/hydrophobic character. The coated sheets have a high oxygen barrier, with preferred OTR values (at 23&#xb0; C. and 0% RH)&#x3c;10 cm/m/day. Preferred nano-particles are biopolymers such as starch and the coating is preferably substantially free of wax which has been found to reduce oxygen barrier effectiveness. Coatings components of small molecules or oligomers such as biomonomers (e.g. sucrose) have also been found to enhance oxygen barrier properties of a particulate coat whether the particles are micrometer or nanometer sized. Coating compositions, coated films, coating processes and packaged articles are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Wigton, United Kingdom

Lucy Cowton