VTT and Aalto University develop plastic-like packing material
vtt The new plastic-like material is manufactured using nanofibrillated cellulose.The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University have developed a method in which a transparent plastic-like material can be manufactured using birch fibril pulp. The wood-based packing material can be manufactured on a large scale using technology developed for the purpose.
The manufacturing costs for the nanofibrillated cellulose film are moderate and it is suitable for use in food packaging to prevent spoilage.
Fibril cellulose film is usually manufactured through pressurised filtering, which is challenging due to the gel-like nature of the material. Additionally it is difficult to achieve an even surface on the film.
The new method involves coating plastic films with the fibril cellulose in such a way that its spreading and adhesion to the plastic can be controlled. The films are dried using various techniques to ensure that they do not shrink and that the end result is even. The finer the nanocellulose material used, the more transparent the film.
So far fibril cellulose film has been manufactured using VTT’s test equipment and the method is now fully ready to enter industrial production. It is possible to manufacture the film using pre-existing equipment, without significant additional investments.
VTT and Aalto University have applied for a patent for the manufacturing technology. The invention was created as part of the Finnish Centre for Nanocellulosic Technologies project entity formed by UPM, VTT and Aalto University.
ML
