New packaging plastic that protects as good as aluminium foil

SINGAPORE: Tera-Barrier Films (TBF) Pte Ltd, a spin-off company from A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering's (IMRE), has invented a new plastic film using a revolutionary nano-inspired process that makes the material thinner but as effective as aluminium foil in keeping air and moisture at bay.

The stretchable plastic could be an alternative for prolonging shelf-life of pharmaceuticals, food and electronics, bridging the gap of aluminium foil and transparent oxide films.

The new plastic by TBF has one of the lowest moisture vapour transmission rates (mvtr), preventing air and moisture from penetrating the layer. The plastic has an air and moisture barrier that is about 10 times better than the transparent oxide barriers, which are currently being used to package food and medicines owing to its uniquely encapsulated nanoparticle layer. The film has been validated by a number of companies and potential commercialisation partners.

TBF's 700nm encapsulated nanoparticle barrier films - which are thinner than a strand of human hair - have high transparency and are also stretchable, features not possible with aluminium-based packaging material.

Inorganic barrier thin films are highly transparent but have lower barrier property and are not stretchable. TBF's films will allow see-through packing and a longer shelf-life for a wide range of products from high-end electronics to perishable goods. Stretchability is another attractive feature in facilitating simple packaging processes.