Development of HDPE/Graphene Nanocomposite Films with Very High Moisture Barrier

软包装，特别是塑料薄膜，占所有塑料包装的40%。它们的应用主要集中在食品、制药和电子包装中。在这些应用中，阻隔性能，特别是对氧气（氧气透过率，OTR）和水分（水蒸气透过率，WVTR）的阻隔性能，对于延长保质期和限制产品变质非常重要。这些聚合物薄膜大多是用吹膜或铸膜工艺制造的。**该项目的合作公司是NanoXplore Inc.，一家中型加拿大公司，该公司开发了石墨剥离技术以获得石墨烯，并正在寻求其应用的发展。其中一个潜在的应用是在电子封装领域，因为石墨烯可以增强屏障，特别是对氧气和水蒸气的屏障，以及聚合物的电磁屏蔽性能。另一方面，高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）被认为具有很好的水蒸气屏障。这项工作的目的是通过在HDPE薄膜中使用纳米颗粒石墨烯来改善这种水蒸气屏障。该项目的成果将为NanoXplore提供具有改善湿度和氧气渗透性的材料，并能够快速与加拿大和海外寻找工业石墨烯解决方案的客户联系。**

Flexible packaging, particularly plastic films, represent 40% of all plastic in packaging. Their applications reside mostly in food, pharma and electronic packaging. In these applications, barrier properties, particularly to oxygen (oxygen transmission rate, OTR) and moisture (water vapor transmission rate, WVTR), are of great importance for extended shelf life and to limit product deterioration. These polymer films are mostly manufactured using the blown or cast films processes. **The collaborating company in this project is NanoXplore Inc., a medium size Canadian company that developed a technology for graphite exfoliation in order to obtain graphene and is seeking the development of its applications. One of the potential applications is in the area of electronic packaging since graphene can enhance both barrier, particularly to oxygen and water vapor, and electromagnetic shielding properties of polymers. High density polyethylene (HDPE) on the other hand is known to have a very good barrier to water vapor. The objective of this work is to improve this water vapor barrier by using nanoparticulate graphene in HDPE films. The outcome of this project would provide NanoXplore with materials with improved humidity and oxygen impermeation, and the ability to rapidly engage with the customers looking for industrial graphene solutions in Canada and overseas. **