Krehalon - Flexible Barrier Packaging
environment
22nd July 2008
Technically Better With Less Packaging
21st July 2008
PGA (Polyglycolic Acid) Resin
PGA (Polyglycolic Acid) Resin
21st July 2008
PGA is a polyester resin which offers high gas barrier to both CO2 and O2, controllable hydrolysis and excellent mechanical strength. This unique combination of properties makes PGA ideally suited for high performance packaging and industrial applications.
Today, the targeted application for PGA is multilayer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for carbonated soft drinks and beer. Since PGA offers a gas barrier 100 times higher than that of PET, it is possible to reduce the amount of PET used in these bottles by more than 20 percent, while maintaining the equivalent barrier against CO2 loss.
Perhaps most importantly, PGA's unique hydrolytic properties make it highly compatible with widely practiced industrial PET recycling processes, ensuring the material does not interfere with the purity and quality of recycled PET. In another packaging application, PGA multi-layer designs have been shown to enhance the gas and moisture barrier of bio-based polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA). Through expanded use in biodegradable applications, PGA will further contribute to environmental conservation.
In addition, Kureha is working with several development partners to commercialise industrial applications that utilise the easily controllable hydrolysis rate and excellent mechanical strength of PGA.
Construction of the plant in West Virginia USA, is scheduled to start in early 2008, with polymer production to begin in early 2010.