METALLIZED PAPER – TRANSFER METALLIZING A BETTER CHOICE
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What is metallizing?
Metallized materials are produced by melting and vaporizing a metal (usually aluminium) in a vacuum while passing a web or paper or film around a chilled roller and over the point of vaporization. The vaporized molecules then collect on the cool web, so providing the paper or film with a metallic finish. It can be carried out by direct metallizing onto the material surface, or by transfer metallizing where the vaporized metal particles are attracted in the vacuum chamber to a very smooth plastic carrier web and then transferred to the chosen substrate under pressure.
Direct Metallizing[DM]
When direct metallizing paper, the paper is first primed to seal the paper surface and give an improved smoothness to the surface, vacuum metallized by the process, described above and then re-moisturised to replace the moisture lost in the vacuum processing and post-coated with a print receptive lacquer.
Transfer Metallizing[TM]
The process has four elements:
- Coating (of a carrier film with a release lacquer)
- Metallizing (onto the release lacquer on the carrier film)
- Laminating (the carrier film with paper)
- Splitting (the carrier film from the metallized paper) – with in-line Corona Discharge Treatment.
The lacquer which allowed the separation of the carrier film from the product remains totally on the transfer metallized product, protecting the metal and acting as a print receptive surface. The carrier film, after splitting, becomes available for re-use.
During the splitting process, the lacquer surface (The release lacquer) is Corona Discharge Treated to enhance print receptivity. This treated surface is stable for over 6 months when stored under appropriate conditions.
The process is very difficult to achieve in that one requires 100% adhesion of the lacquer to the carrier film during coating, metallizing and laminating and then 0% at splitting process. Thus the intimate relationship between the lacquer and the carrier film is of prime importance.
Essentially on each substrate is a conversion of about 3 g/m2 of lacquer and 3 g/m2 of adhesive, and the paper does not go into the metallizing chamber (as is the case with direct metallizing).
FORMULATIONS
RELEASE LACQUER
FORMULA - A
Saran Resin F-310 (DOW) = 80 parts
VMCH (DOW) = 20 parts
MEK = 300 parts
Coating Thickness ~ preferably 2.5 GSM
Drying Temperature ~ 70 degree centigrade
FORMULA - B
Neocryl B-811(DSM coating resins, Netharlands) = 70 parts
Vinnol H 40/55(Wacker Polymer) = 30 parts
MEK = 210 parts
Ethyl Acetate = 90 parts
Coating Thickness ~ preferably 2.5 GSM
Drying Temperature ~ 70 degree centigrade
LAMINATION
Use Lamination Adhesive, ADCOTE-340 OF DOW OR EPS-71 OF HERBERTS
Coating thickness ~ preferably 2.5 – 3.0 GSM
Drying temperature ~ refer manufacturer
SPLITTING
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Embossed Metallized paper.
Splitting to be carried out after 72 hours of Aging.
TRANSFER METALLIZING offers several benefits to the end user.
- The process itself is almost self-monitoring as far as defects are concerned. If there is a coating defect during stage one such as a scratch mark etc., the metal will be deposited on the uncoated film at this spot and will not be separated from the carrier film, consequently the final product is defective, but of far more importance, the carrier film will be destroyed making it unusable for further processing. Likewise with the lamination stage, if again there is a defect - no adhesive spot - when the paper is separated from the complex it will not remove the lacquer and metal from this spot – again a defective product and an unusable carrier film is the result.
- TM products have the highest reflectivity in that the metallized layer reproduces the very smooth carrier film and not the relatively rough paper underneath, as is the case with DM, where the metal molecules are deposited directly on the rougher substrate.
- In TM, the lacquer which allowed the separation of the carrier film from the product remains totally on the TM product and protects the metal coating and acts as a print receptive surface.
- It is an extremely versatile process in that by only changing the substrate; completely different products can be produced – from 46 g/m2 to over 300 g/m2 and also transfer metallized non-paper substrates.
- Any finished product created using Transfer Metallizing, has 6 g/m2 of lacquer and adhesive, making the metallized paper considerably stronger than the original substrate and stronger than direct metallized products as they do not have the layer of adhesive and lacquer.
- Independent research carried out by TNO (NL) studying the recyclability of Transfer Metallized papers and Boards showed that “… 10% of Transfer Metallized Paper in domestic waste paper has no significant effect on the properties or appearance of the recycled paper products from it.” Likewise the PTS study concluded that “Transfer Metallized Papers and Boards used in applications such as gift-wrap, laminates and flexible packaging can be part of the normal household waste used paper stream and as such can be collected and recycled.”
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What is metallized paper?
Metallized paper has a microscopically thin layer of aluminium (approximately 20-30 nm thick) evaporated onto its surface. The layer of aluminum gives the paper a bright, glossy surface which is visually appealing – meaning it’s ideal for packaging and labels.
Despite the addition of the aluminum layer, our products remain a paper material from a technical standpoint – because the aluminum layer is so thin, it doesn’t change the overall composition of the material.
While metallized papers were originally used for packaging because they offered shelf appeal, they also offer other benefits, namely some advantageous barrier properties, excellent resilience and approval for some direct food contact packaging. Metallized paper is recyclable and an excellent alternative to metallized PET films for brands looking to reduce plastic.
Common misconceptions about metallized paper:
It’s important to know that metallized paper isn’t anything like aluminum foil or aluminum paper laminate. Our products retain the texture and tactility of paper, with the addition of the very smooth, silver surface – imagine a kind of ‘mirror effect’ on a paper substrate.
Metallized paper producers – like AR Metallizing – typically aren’t printers or converters. We are specialists in our field, and we produce large rolls of metallized paper. Printing and converting functions are carried out by trusted partners on the supply chain who create the packages or labels for end-users.
We manufacture metallized paper in a single color: silver. It’s easy to make any type of metallic hue or shade by printing in transparent inks over the top of our papers, but we don’t produce in different colors.
How is metallized paper made?
We apply a base varnish to paper to increase gloss level and seal the pores inherent with the paper. The base varnish creates a very smooth surface for us to metalize.
After pre-coating, we metallized the paper. A microscopically thin layer of aluminium, approximately 20-30 nanometers thick, is evaporated on paper in a vacuum chamber.
When the paper has been metallized, we carry out post-coating and roll-finishing, which provides a degree of abrasion resistance and a printable surface onto the metallized substrate.
For more metallized paper supplierinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.