1. Ascend Nylon Film Polymer Presentation

2. Agenda Welcome Film Barrier Requirements Nylon Film Characteristics
Blown vs. Cast
Film Material Selection
Property Comparisons
Mono vs Multi-layer Films
Ascend Nylon film Polymers
Nylon Film Market
Growth Areas for Nylon Films
Summary
Graphs
Resources

3. Barrier Requirements Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Moisture Grease / Oil Aroma
UV Light

4. Typical Polymer Requirements for Food Packaging
Oxygen / Moisture barrier
0.5-1 cc-mil/ 100 in2-day atm O2
0.5 g/100 in2 - day H2O
Shrink Characteristics
Toughness
Flex crack resistance
Puncture resistance
Abrasion resistance
Sealability and Strength
Low temperature properties
Clarity

5. Nylon Film Characteristics
Oxygen barrier
Toughness, tear and puncture/pin resistance
Resistance to flex and stress cracking
Heat resistance
Chemical resistance
alkalies, alcohols, ethers, ketones, hydrocarbons and oils
Transparent
Easily printed

6. Film Barrier Chart Permeability
Source: Schwarz Packaging Systems

7. Film Polymer Property Comparison

8. Nylon Properties
Source: Nylon Plastics Handbook. Permeabilities are in cc/m2/atm/day
Nylon 66 offers the highest melting point with the best moisture/oxygen barrier characteristics of all the common nylons.
It may require a combination of different nylons to achieve the desired film characteristics

9. Comparison of Properties of Nylon 66 and Nylon 6
The majority of the differences between nylon 66
and nylon 6 are due to crystallinity.

10. Nylon Monolayer Film High Temperature Applications
Toughness/Puncture Resistance
Resistance to Oils/Greases/Fats
Reynolds Oven Bags are made with Ascend Nylon

11. Nylon Blown Film Blow Up Ratio: 1.5::1 to 3::1 Extruder Screw
L/D 24::1 or Greater
Compression Ratio: 3.5::1 or Greater

12. Blown vs. Cast Nylon Films
The difference in properties between blown and cast film are due largely to crystallization differences.
The rapidly quenched cast film has smaller and fewer crystals than the relatively slow quenching blown film.

13. Typical Layered Co-ex Film Construction
Ascend Nylon
for Oxygen/Aroma
Barrier
Polypropylene
for Moisture
Barrier
Ionomer
for sealing
“Tie” Layer
Adhesive to bind
layers of different
materials

14. Roles of Co-ex Film Components
Nylon
Toughness
Some gas barrier capability
PVDC / EVOH
Primary oxygen barrier
EVA / LDPE / Ionomer
Sealing
LLDPE / PP
Moisture barrier
Co-ex Films Offer a “Blend” of Polymer Properties

15. Co-Extruded Film Examples
Fresh Meats
PVDC/LLDPE/EVOH/Nylon
High Oxygen Barrier
Good Shrink Characteristics
Puncture/Abrasion Resistance
Low Temperature Strength
Cheese
Nylon/EVOH/PE
CO2 Breathability
O2 & H2O Barrier

16. Nylon 6 Nylon 6 is made from caprolactam
Caprolactam is a commodity chemical.
Easy to polymerize
“Cheap” but LOTS of competition

17. Nylon 66
Nylon 66 is made from Adipic Acid and Hexamethylene Diamine (HMD)
Only a handful of Companies are Basic in Nylon 66 Intermediates
Solutia, DuPont, Asahi, BASF, Rhodia
+ H2O
water

18. Film Material Selection
Typically the end user specifies film performance criteria as opposed to film construction
Example: High temperature, low oxygen & water vapor permeability
Film Producers then develop a film to meet the given performance criteria
Need for Film Producers & Resin Suppliers to Work Closely Together in Developing New Applications

19. Nylon Film Polymers Heat Stabilized: 66J, 66R, 76HF
Neat: 63A, 66B, 67B, 76F
Blown Film Line

20. Extrusion Grades 6,6 Based: 260oC MP 63A 65A 66B, 66J 66R 67B (New)
Copolymer Based: 216oC MP
75F
75HF

21. Extrusion Grade
- High Viscosity to Give High Melt
Strength for Profile Extrusion and Film
Applications (Mono and multi layer bi
axial orientation)
Nylon 6,6
63A: 80 RV 6,6 Designed for Cast Film. Meets FDA for direct food contact. Offers high tensile strength and elongation
65A, 65B: 125 RV 6,6 for Cast Film, Monofilament, Bristles, Sheet

22. Extrusion Grade Cont. 6,6 Cont.
66B, 66J: RV 6,6 for Profile Extrusions and Blown Film Meets FDA for direct food contact. High tensile strength and elongation
66R: Same as 66J but contains Slip agent to Provide Easier Opening Bags. FDA approved for direct food contact.
66B (T1119): Nucleated product for improved transparency and strength. Currently under development.
67B: High viscosity for applications requiring higher melt strength RV.

23. Extrusion Grades 6,6/6 Copolymer
75F/75HF: RV Designed for Blown Film Applications Requiring: Transparency, Toughness, and Soft Hand.
Low modulus, good tensile strength, excellent elongation and transparency properties.

25. Relative Viscosity Conversion Table
Note: Formic Viscosities Determined Via Solutia Method at 25C
Sulfuric Viscosities Determined Via Various Methods
Due to Differences in Methods, Please Use the Column that Gives You the “Closest Fit”

26. Nanocomposite Film Nylon 6,6 or 6,6/6 polymer base
Good 285oC
Improvements in:
barrier properties
toughness
stiffness
dimensional stability
heat resistance

27. North American Market Nylon Film Resin Use by Application
Source: Peppin & Associates

28. Nylon Film Market
Split between nylon 6,6 and nylon 6, including copolymers
Cast or blown
Uni- or bi-axially oriented
Can be co-extruded with other polymers in a layered construction
No need for tie layer against acid copolymers
Coated/metallized/laminated
Thermoformable to produce cavities

29. Market Growth of Nylon Packaging Film: 10%/yr

30. Growth Areas for Nylon Films
North America - 5-6%/Yr
Continued Growth in smaller portion cheese packs
Growth in meat packaging
Europe - 5-6%/Yr
Barrier films for cheese and meats
Thinner but higher performance co-extruded films to reduce packaging costs

31. Summary
The difference in properties between blown and cast film are due largely to crystallization differences.
Need for Film Producers & Resin Suppliers to Work Closely Together
Typically the end user specifies film performance criteria as opposed to film construction
Nylon 66 offers the highest melting point with the best moisture/oxygen barrier characteristics of all the common nylons
Co-ex Films Offer a “Blend” of Polymer Properties
Markets are split roughly 60/40 between co-extruded and monolayer films
Growth in Nylon Films is projected at 5-6%/Yr

34. Resources Equipment Manufacturers Viscosity Conversion Chart
Articles on Films
Ascend Product Data