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Barrier Coatings

Innovative chemistries, advanced monitoring and control systems, and expert support for your barrier coating challenges.

Meet your challenges head on with our proven solutions.

The demand for sustainable paper and paperboard packaging has increased dramatically in recent years because consumers have become more mindful of the effects their buying choices have on the environment. This trend has put significant pressure on paper and paperboard packaging producers to eliminate their use of barrier coatings that employ polyethylene, paraffin-based waxes, silicones and fluorochemicals and to switch to using more environmentally friendly barrier coatings, especially in food and beverage packaging applications.

Solenis’ portfolio of barrier coatings for paper and board includes a range of products that repel water and water vapor, hot and cold liquids, and oils and greases. These barrier coatings are available as either water-based polymer emulsions or solid biowaxes and are produced using the highest level of renewable raw material content currently feasible. Most importantly, paper and board coated with these barrier coatings typically are repulpable, recyclable, compostable and biodegradeable, thereby offering paper and paperboard packaging producers a way to improve their sustainability credentials with brand owners, retailers, and consumers.

Notably, Solenis was selected in 2019 as one of 12 winners in the NextGen Cup Challenge, a global innovation competition backed by giants of the food-service industry to develop a widely recyclable and/or compostable fiber to-go cup. Solenis received the award in the Innovative Cup Liners category for its TopScreen™ barrier coatings technology.

Barrier Coatings

Solenis offers a complete range of barrier coating formulations to accommodate a variety of paper and paperboard packaging products, including paper cups, fast food wrappers and corrugated boxes. These coating formulations are easily modified to accommodate a variety of end-use requirements such as printability, flexibility and glueability.

  • Water repellent barrier coatings
  • Oil and grease resistant barrier coatings
  • Biowax-based barrier coatings
  • MOSH/MOAH repellent barrier coatings

Most of Solenis’ barrier coatings can be applied using typical paper machine coaters, off-machine coaters and printing presses. Coating formulations can be modified as required for use on a wide variety of coating applicators, including:

  • Puddle size presses
  • Metered size presses
  • Air knife coaters
  • Curtain coaters
  • Rod coaters
  • Blade coaters (bent blade)
  • Flexographic, gravure and digital printers

Solenis’ biowax-based barrier coatings can be applied during converting using existing wax applicators.

  • Application expertise
  • Diagnostic expertise
  • Laboratory analysis
    • Barrier performance
    • Deposit identification
    • Paper and board properties
  • Laboratory testing
    • Coefficient of friction (COF)
    • Contact angle
    • Oil and grease resistance (3M kit test, RP2, Cobb Unger)
    • Moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR)
    • MOSH and MOAH content and transmission
    • Printability
    • Sealability
    • Water penetration (Cobb)
  • Papermaking studies
    • Lab paper sheet coater
    • Pilot paper coater
    • Pilot size press

Innovations

Explore our latest innovations for barrier coatings for paper and board

Resources

We're here to help.

The Solenis team offers the right people, technology and expertise to solve your most complex water treatment and process improvement challenges.

Expert Support

If you have a technical question or need insights from a specialist, we can help.

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From award-winning innovation to recognized safety excellence, we bring partnership and value to every interaction.

Solenis Team Expert 2