On October 20, it was announced that Eurobrillance, Plastigraf Trevigiana, NatureWorks, and Form iQ have collaborated to develop an innovative bio-based paperboard packaging solution. This solution combines grease resistance, barrier properties, and heat-sealability, making it suitable for demanding food packaging applications.
At the heart of this collaboration is the CellShield® Protopia™ barrier technology. Developed jointly by Eurobrillance and Plastigraf Trevigiana-leveraging NatureWorks' polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers-this initiative demonstrates a full value-chain approach to creating high-performance, fiber-based packaging by integrating expertise in renewable materials, coating and lamination technologies, and industrial thermoforming.
Two Technical Pathways for Flexible Packaging Solutions
CellShield Protopia offers two technical approaches to achieving barrier performance: lamination and dispersion coating. Both methods utilize PLA derived from renewable resources and can be tailored to meet specific packaging performance requirements and end-of-life disposal needs.
Lamination Process: This method uses a compostable, water-based adhesive to bond an ultra-thin, bio-based biaxially oriented polylactic acid (BOPLA) film onto a paperboard substrate. The ultra-thin film provides heat-sealability and enhanced barrier protection while minimizing material usage-an ideal solution for applications such as thermoformed trays and food packaging.
Dispersion Coating Process: This approach employs a water-based coating derived from PLA to provide barrier protection for paper and paperboard. The coating can be applied in thin layers using existing coating equipment; it offers a lightweight solution that is easily scalable for mass production, making it well-suited for frozen food packaging and products with a short shelf life.
Together, these two technologies address the diverse requirements for both rigid and flexible packaging, while facilitating the development and implementation of recyclable and compostable packaging products. End-to-End Collaboration: From Material R&D to Finished Packaging
This collaboration integrates technical strengths across the entire packaging value chain: Eurobrillance and Plastigraf Trevigiana provide coating and lamination technologies, NatureWorks supplies renewable biopolymers, and Form-iQ contributes expertise in thermoforming and industrial processing.
The project team has successfully demonstrated that these technologies can be used to produce thermoformed paperboard trays that meet the stringent barrier performance and production efficiency requirements of industrial-scale manufacturing.
Forming trials indicate that the material's production speed is comparable to that of traditional PET-laminated paperboard; a container with a depth of 35 mm can be formed in approximately 0.2 seconds, achieving an average of 27 molding cycles per minute.
These results underscore the significant value of developing materials and manufacturing processes in tandem-a strategy that effectively bridges the gap between material innovation and the practical, real-world application of packaging solutions.
