Xylophane AB

Xylophane AB is a start-up company, which is developing a renewable oxygen barrier for packaging. Oxygen barriers are useful for packaging of sensitive products such as food and pharmaceuticals that degrades upon contact with oxygen. The oxygen barrier prevents oxygen from penetrating the packaging and prolongs shelf life of the packed product. Today, materials such as the synthetic plastic EVOH and aluminium foil dominate the market. However recycling of those materials incorporated in a multilayer structure is complicated. In addition, prices of crude oil and metals are expected to increase further in the future, which increases the prices of the EVOH and aluminium foil. Therefore, packaging industry has a great interest in finding renewable, cost efficient and functional alternatives.

Xylophane AB’s oxygen barrier is based on the biopolymer xylan and additives which are mixed together and dissolved in water. The solution is coated onto paper, board or plastics in a solution / dispersion coating process. The water is then dried off and a thin layer of the material remains. The drying process is very critical to accomplish a functional oxygen barrier.

Master Thesis

The master thesis focuses on the drying process of the oxygen barrier layer. Parameters such as drying effect and IR wave length will be studied as well as their effect on material properties. The aim of the project is to find an optimal processing window, which in the future could be used in industrial up-scaling. Methods that will be used are solutions/dispersion coating, IR drying, microscopy and oxygen transmission rate measurements.

This master thesis is suitable for students in mechanical engineering specialized in materials / polymer science.

Start: January 2007

Interested? Please contact:

Lisa Eriksson
Tel. 031-772 80 55
lisa.eriksson@xylophane.com