title: Polyethylene nanocomposite heat-sealants with a versatile peelable character.
abstract: A novel heat-sealing performance is achieved by polyethylene (PE) nanocomposites reinforced by ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and montmorillonite (MMT). Appropriate nanocomposite design leads to hermetic seals with a general peelable/easy-open character across the broadest possible sealing temperature range. Observations of the fracture seal surfaces by infrared spectroscopy and electron microscopy reveal that this behavior originates from a synergistic effect of the EVA copolymer and the montmorillonite clay nanofiller. Namely, the combination of EVA-copolymers and MMT nanofillers provides sufficiently favorable interactions for nanocomposite formation and mechanical robustness, but weak enough interfacial adhesion to promote a general cohesive failure of the sealant at the EVA/MMT interfaces.
authors.affiliation: Polymer Nanostructures Lab - Center for the Study of Polymer Systems (CSPS), Pennsylvania State University, 325D Steidle Bldg, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 228 Steidle Bldg, University Park, PA 16802, USA. manias@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manias
authors.forename: Jinguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Kiattikhun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manokruang
authors.forename: Ponusa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Songtipya
authors.forename: Maria Mar
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Gasco