A sealing station configured to heat seal a wall made from heat-sealable film material, preferably metal-free heat-sealable film material, onto one another wall of heat-sealable material, e.g. another wall of heat-sealable film material, to create a sealed seam. The sealing station comprises an impulse sealing device comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein at least the first jaw comprises at the respective front surface thereof at least one, e.g. a single elongated, impulse heatable member that extends along the respective front surface and that is covered by a heat-resistant non-stick covering.

There is provided a co-injection-molded multilayer structure having a barrier layer and outer layers laminated on both sides of the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer is made of a resin composition comprising an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) and an alkali metal salt (B) of a higher fatty acid having a melting point of 250° C. or lower; a content of the alkali metal salt (B) in the barrier layer is 50 to 1500 ppm in terms of metal atoms; and the outer layers are made of a resin composition comprising an unmodified polypropylene (E) and a maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene (F) having a lower melt viscosity than that of the unmodified polypropylene (E). Although it has no adhesive layers, the co-injection-molded multilayer structure exhibits excellent adhesiveness between the barrier layer made of an EVOH resin composition and the outer layer made of a polypropylene resin composition.

An ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition contains: (A) an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer; (B) a styrene derivative; and (C) an iron compound; wherein the iron compound (C) is present in an amount of 0.01 to 5 ppm on a metal basis based on the weight of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition. The ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition has ultraviolet absorbability even without a known ultraviolet-absorbing agent blended therein, and is excellent in heat stability and reduced susceptibility to coloration.

A melt-formable ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition contains: (A) an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer; (B) an alkali metal compound; and (C) an iron compound; wherein the weight ratio of the alkali metal compound (B) to the iron compound (C) on a metal basis is 10 to 100,000. The viscosity of the melt-formable ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition decreases with time during melt forming, rendering it excellent in long-run formability.

A multilayer foam film comprising high density polyethylene for direct and non-direct food contact and aseptic packaging application is disclosed. In an embodiment, the film has a bulk density of less than 0.962 gr/cm.sup.3 wherein more than 50% of the cells in the foam layer are closed cells. In an embodiment, the foam films are thick (generally more than 8 mils thick) and have a bending stiffness value of more than 18, in Taber stiffness unit configuration according to TAPPI/ANSI T 489 om-15, and the ratio of the mass per unit area (the mass of a unit area of the film in gram per meter-squared (gr/m.sup.2)) over the stiffness value in Taber unit configuration is equal to or less than 13. In an embodiment, the film has a very smooth surface with a smoothness value of less than 25 in Sheffiled smoothness unit configuration according to TAPPI T 538. The described foam film can have a water vapor transmission rate value of less than 1 gr/m.sup.2/24 hr, according to ASTM E398-13. The described foam film can have an oxygen transmission rate value of less than 10 cc/m.sup.2/24 hr, according to ASTM D3985.

This invention generally relates to polyethylene or ethylene/α-olefin copolymer based co-extruded, multi-layer films or sheets—rigid or flexible—for thermoforming into shaped containers such as packaging containers. Inter alia, the rigid films have improved barrier properties, toughness, and snapability. Particularly, the films of the present invention comprise one or more stacks of polypropylene layers. In one embodiment, the polypropylene layers in the stack are provided such that any two adjacent layers have different microstructures that provide a interface or interphase between the two layers with likely different microstructures and/or crystallinity. The overall polypropylene stack structure assists in disrupting the transport of oxygen, thereby providing a laminate or structure, for example a rigid film or sheet, with enhanced oxygen-barrier properties. The invention also relates a process for preparing shaped articles such as containers from such films, and to such shaped articles—rigid or flexible—both filled and unfilled.

A method of making multilayer foam sheet from recycled polyester sources, which may be used for packaging applications. The method comprises a co-extrusion system comprising at least two single screw extruders. A low I.V. polyester feedstock comprising up to 100% of the polyester flakes from recycled sources with an intrinsic viscosity (I.V.) of lower than 0.8 dL/g as measured by ASTM D4603-18 is directly being fed into the extruders. Supercritical physical blowing agent is introduced into the melted polyester feedstock in at least one of the extruders wherein the processing temperature is in the range of 15% lower than the melting temperature and 15% higher than the melting temperature. Then, coextruding the feedstock from the extruders of the co-extrusion system through a flat sheet die to make a multilayer foam sheet, wherein at least one layer is a foam layer comprising low I.V. polyester.

Disclosed are preforms which incorporate improvements in the region of the neck and upper segment of the body to allow the production of lightweight containers, such as bottles suitable for containing water or other beverages. In accordance with certain embodiments, the improvements include a thinner neck finish area than conventional bottles, where the thinner area is extended into the upper segment of the body portion below the support ring. Reducing the thickness in these areas of the bottle allows for less resin to be used in forming the preform and bottle.

Problem to be solved: To provide an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition which is excellent in impact resistance even without a resin other than an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer blended therein. Solution to the problem: Use an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition contains: (A) an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer; (B) an aliphatic carboxylic acid metal salt; and (C) a sorbic acid ester; wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid metal salt (B) contains a metal moiety selected from the group consisting of long Periodic Table 10.sup.th to 12.sup.th element metals; wherein the sorbic acid ester (C) is present in an amount of 0.0001 to 10 ppm based on the total amount of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A), the aliphatic carboxylic acid metal salt (B), and the sorbic acid ester (C).

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. The deflection can include curling the spacer at or near the peripheral edge. The methods can be performed incrementally and/or in a reciprocating fashion.