Predicting the Performance of Ionomer Films in Heat Seal Processes, 2002 PLACE Conference Proceedings
The heat-seal performance of a flexible plastic package depends on the sealing bar temperature, packaging line
speed, film thickness and properties of the sealant resin. For a given sealant, thinner films reach their ultimate seal
strength at lower bar temperatures and faster line speeds than thicker films. A model is developed that relates these
factors to the amount of molecular penetration that develops at the heat-seal interface of ionomer films. A critical
value of the penetration is found that corresponds to the ultimate heat-seal strength in laboratory heat-seal data. The
results point to how laboratory data may be used to predict the sealing performance of ionomers on high-speed
packaging lines.