Barrier coatings play a critical role in protecting products and achieving target shelf life, but evaluating their performance, especially on paper-based substrates, can be challenging. This session will cover the fundamentals of permeation and how key metrics such as Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR), Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR), and Carbon Dioxide Transmission Rate (CO₂TR) support material selection and package design.
While PET and PP films allow for more consistent barrier testing, paper-based materials introduce complexity due to porosity, moisture sensitivity, and substrate variability. These factors can impact diffusion pathways, coating performance, and test reproducibility across materials such as metallized layers, SiO₂, and emerging sustainable barrier coatings.
The session will also explore the limitations of film-level testing and the importance of whole-package evaluation, considering the combined impact of substrates, coatings, adhesives, seals, seams, and closures on shelf life.
Attendees will learn how to interpret permeation data, select appropriate testing methods, and apply results to improve packaging design and shelf-life predictions. Featuring case studies and testing insights, this session is designed for R&D, QC, packaging engineering, and materials teams in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Key takeaways
· A clear lens on permeation — what drives it, and why coated barriers may behave differently than what you expect.
· Practical strategies to produce reliable, accurate, and repeatable data in multilayer and coated film testing, with paper-based systems as the toughest (and most nuanced) case.
· Why the real answer isn’t in the film—it’s in the finished package, where shelf life is won or lost.