Case Study: Oxygen Barrier Properties of Recycled PET Bottles

Recycling plastic bottles is vital for environmental protection, but it can affect their oxygen barrier properties, making them less suitable for oxygen-sensitive products. Our case study on PET bottles with varying amounts of recycled material found that increasing the recycled content from 25% to 50% only slightly reduced their oxygen barrier. This suggests that using more recycled material does not significantly compromise the bottles' performance.


The Problem

The growing trend of recycling waste plastic bottles requires an understanding of how reclaimed materials affect a product's performance. For PET bottles, a crucial metric is their ability to act as an oxygen barrier. High oxygen permeability can compromise the quality of packaged goods, limiting the use of recycled materials in food and beverage containers. This study aims to quantify that effect by testing bottles with varying percentages of recycled content.

The Test

Two types of PET bottle samples were tested: one containing 25% recycled material and another with 50% recycled material. The testing was conducted using the coulometric method, a standard approach for measuring the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of packaging materials, as outlined in standards such as ASTM F1307-02.

The test conditions were set at a temperature of 23∘C and a relative humidity of 100% RH to simulate the environment of liquid-filled bottles. The samples were meticulously sealed onto a special container-supporter to prevent leakage, then placed in the test instrument for analysis.

The Instrument

The test was performed using Labthink C230H Oxygen Transmission Rate Test System, which employs a coulometric sensor to measure OTR. This system is designed to test both film/sheet samples and container samples. Key features of the instrument include:

  • High precision: A resolution of 0.001cm3/(m2⋅day) and a container sample test range of 0.00005−1cm3/(pkg⋅day).
  • Automated control: The system automatically controls and monitors temperature and humidity within a range of 10−55∘C and 5−100% RH.
  • Versatility: It can test up to three samples simultaneously and is compatible with a wide range of materials, including various plastic films, sheets, and containers like bottles and barrels.
  • Data integrity: The system features a DataShieldTM data protection system to ensure secure data management.

230H Oxygen Transmission Rate Tester

 The Results

The test yielded the following results for the oxygen transmission rates:

  • 25% Recycled Material: 0.01792cm3/(pkg⋅day)
  • 50% Recycled Material: 0.01907cm3/(pkg⋅day)

The findings showed that the OTRs for both samples were very similar, with the bottle containing 25% recycled material having a slightly better oxygen barrier property.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that increasing the recycled content in PET bottles from 25% to 50% only slightly diminishes their oxygen barrier properties. The minimal difference suggests that recycled content, within this range, does not significantly compromise the bottles' ability to protect oxygen-sensitive products.

This case study also serves as a testament to the effectiveness of Labthink C230H Oxygen Transmission Rate Test System. Its precise, automated, and easy-to-use nature makes it a reliable tool for manufacturers to ensure the quality and performance of packaging materials, supporting the broader goal of increasing sustainability in the industry.

As the demand for functional packaging materials grows, testing methods are evolving to ensure a more comprehensive evaluation of packaging films. Labthink encourages collaboration with packaging industry companies for quality control! Visit the website www.labthink.com to learn more!

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Water Vapor Permeability is Critical for OLED Displays and How to Measure it

Image
OLED is extremely sensitivity to water vapor, even microscopic amounts of moisture can lead to rapid degradation, causing unsightly dark spots, short circuits, and significantly shortening the display's lifespan. This is why the OLED Display Water Vapor Transmission Rate Test is so important. The impact of WVTR testing extends far beyond mere measurement; it directly influences the quality, longevity, and market viability of OLED products. Ensuring OLED Device Lifespan and Performance: OLED components are extremely vulnerable to moisture. Water vapor ingress causes metal electrodes to oxidize and organic layers to degrade, leading to critical issues like dark spots and short circuits.To achieve an OLED device lifespan of at least 10,000 hours, the industry recognizes a critical WVTR target of 1 x 10 ⁻⁶ g/(m ²· day). This tester precisely measures and verifies that encapsulation materials meet this stringent requirement. Optimizing Materials and Processes: By testing the ...
Read more

Container Closure Integrity (CCI) testing - methods and instruments

Image
Container Closure Integrity (CCI) testing is performed within the pharmaceutical, biotech, and food and beverage industries, primarily to ensure product sterility and prevent contamination, maintain product quality and stability, identify packaging defects, and meet regulatory requirements. Regulatory bodies like the FDA (in the United States) and similar agencies worldwide have stringent requirements for container closure systems, particularly for sterile and pharmaceutical products. These regulations mandate that manufacturers demonstrate the integrity of their packaging to ensure product safety and efficacy. There are various instruments used for Container Closure Integrity (CCI) testing, employing different methods to detect leaks. Such as vacuum decay testers, pressure decay testers, High Voltage Leak Detection (HVLD) instruments, and mass extraction leak detectors, these instruments employ deterministic methods which provide quantitative, objective results. Probabilistic methods ...
Read more