Study of barrier properties and chemical resistance of recycled PET coated with amorphous carbon through a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) process.
Many studies have been carried out in order to make bottle-to-bottle recycling feasible. The problem is that residual contaminants in recycled plastic intended for food packaging could be a risk to public health. One option is to use a layer of virgin material, named functional barrier, which prevents the contaminants migration process. This paper shows the feasibility of using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycled for food packaging employing a functional barrier made from hydrogen amorphous carbon film deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) process. PET samples were deliberately contaminated with a series of surrogates using a FDA protocol. After that, PET samples were coated with approximately 600 and 1200 Angstrons thickness of amorphous carbon film. Then, the migration tests using as food simulants: water, 10% ethanol, 3% acetic acid, and isooctane were applied to the sample in order to check the chemical resistance of the new coated material. After the tests, the liquid extracts were analysed using a solid-phase microextraction device (SPME) coupled to GC-MS.
Cruz
S A
SA
Department of Materials Engineering/Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brasil.
Zanin
M
M
Nerin
C
C
De Moraes
M A B
MA
D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D002244:Carbon