The document discusses Topas® cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) developed for food packaging, highlighting their high aroma barrier, low extractables, and regulatory compliance with FDA and EU standards. COC is produced at a large scale in Germany, offering significant moisture and gas barrier properties, which extend product shelf life and reduce flavor loss. Additionally, the document outlines the comparative advantages of COC over polyethylene in maintaining food quality and safety.

1. 2005 PLACE
Conference September
27-29 Las Vegas,
Nevada
TOPAS Cyclic Olefin Copolymers in
Food Packaging – High Aroma Barrier
Combined with Low Extractables
Presented by:
Randy Jester
Associate Engineer

2. TOPAS® COC
A New Addition to the Ethylene Copolymer Family
 Polyolefin Resin
 Amorphous
 Clear and Colorless
 High Purity
 High Moisture Barrier
 Good Chemical Resistance
 Easy to Process
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3. Production Plant in Oberhausen, Germany
 Production plant on stream
since Oct 2000
 30 000 tons / year production capacity
 Backward integrated in Norbornene
 Largest Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC)
plant in the world
Large scale production of COC enables the production
of a cost competitive product for use in packaging
applications
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4. COC - Synthesis and Structure
H 2C CH2 +
 Readily available raw
Ethylene Cyclopentadiene Norbornene materials
 Highly efficient catalyst
+ H 2C CH2  Low usage
 Catalyst removed as part of
Metallocene process
Catalysis
 High purity product
( )(
m
)
n
 Amorphous
 Crystal clear
COC
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5. COC is Amorphous
The COC molecule is a chain of small CH2-CH2 links
randomly interspersed with large bridged ring
elements
It cannot fold up to make a regular structure, i.e., a
crystallite
NB NB NB NB
COC has no crystalline melting point, but only a glass
transition temperature, Tg , at which the polymer goes
from “glassy” to “rubbery” behavior
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6. COC - Basic Properties
Glass transition temperatures, °C(°F)  Glass Clear, Transparent
 Glass clear, Transparent
33 - 180 (91 – 356)
 Sterilizable via Steam, EtO,
Modulus of elasticity, N/mm2 (kpsi) gamma, beta (E-beam)
1260 – 3200 (180 – 460)
 Resistant to Alcohols, Acids,
Tensile strength, N/mm2 (kpsi) Bases, Polar Solvents
25 - 63 (3.6 - 9.1)
 High Purity, Low Extractables
Density, g/cm3
1.02  Low Water Transmission Rate
Water uptake, %
(WVTR)
< 0.01  Biocompatible
WVTR, g-mil/100 in2 × day (38°C/90%RH)
0.24 – 0.49  Halogen-free
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7. COC – Regulatory Status
 FDA Regulation 21 CFR 177.1520 (3.9)
 COC FDA Food Contact Notification (FCN #75) became effective
August 22, 2000, covers films, sheets, and articles made therein
from and molded articles for repeated use.
 COC FDA Food Contact Notification (FCN #405) became
effective May 20, 2004, expands #75 to cover all applications,
including bottles.
 FDA Drug Master File, DMF# 12132, established.
 FDA Device Master File, MAF# 1043, established.
 The monomers are listed in the EU Directive 2002/72/EG
 Norbornene has a SML = 0.05 mg/kg.
COC can meet all major regulatory requirements for
food contact and medical use
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8. 23C/50%
TOPAS® COC - Barrier Properties
10 000
Oxygen Barrier [cm3·mil/100 in2·atm·d]
1 000 LDPE EVA12 PCL
HDPE PC
BOPP Cellulose Acetate
100 PP PS PVC
® COC plasticized
TOPAS PVC hard
10 PET PA 6
PCTFE Starch
PEN
1
PAN MXD
PVdC Cellulose
0.1 EVOH
LCP
Sources: Permeability Properties of Plastics and Elastomers, Massey, 2nd Edition; various datasheets; internal data
0.01
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1 000 10 000
Water Vapor Barrier [g·mil/100 in2·atm·d] 38C/90%
COC can extend the shelf life of products
due to its very high moisture barrier
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9. COC in LLDPE blends can reduce gas/vapor transmission
rates by 70 – 90% at blend levels as low as 80%. This blend
level typically achieves >90% of the barrier of 100% COC.
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10. Reduced Flavor Scalping
Scalped d-Limonene
1400.00
1195.08
1200.00 1110.76
Concentration (ng/cm2)
Purge & Trap-Thermal
1000.00
Desorpt ion-GC-M S
Analysis Dat a
800.00
600.00
400.00
200.00
0.00
100% COC 100% LLDPE
Scalping of d-Limonene by COC is similar to that of LLDPE,
indicating that the solubility of d-Limonene in COC is similar to that
of LLDPE
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11. Factors Affecting Permeability
 Permeability (normalized transmission) is the product of
diffusivity (kinetic factor) and solubility (thermodynamic
factor).
 The similar levels of equilibrium scalping indicate that
solubility of d-limonene is similar in LLDPE and COC.
 This information indicates that the primary factor affecting
the reduced permeability of COC is diffusivity.
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12. Glassy vs. Rubbery State
 The COC grades in this study have Tg’s in the 68-80oC
range, well above the measurement conditions. LLDPE on
the other hand has a Tg of –128oC and is in a rubbery state.
 Polymers in the rubbery state typically have a higher free
volume due to a high level of molecular mobility, which
increases diffusion rates of permeants.
 Polyethylene and COC are both non-polar materials and
would in general have similar solubility parameters for most
permeants.
 It can be generalized that for many permeants, COC will
produce an improved barrier as compared to polyethylene
since it will typically be in the glassy state under use
conditions.
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13. Reduced Extractables
Elevated temperature (60oC for 24 hours) extraction shows that COC has
significantly lower extractables than LLDPE including about 50% lower
oligomer levels which can produce off tastes in food
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14. Conclusions
 COC has better aroma barrier than polyethylene and can reduce
aroma/flavor loss from food when it is utilized as a barrier layer in food
packaging.
 COC can also reduce the transmission of objectionable odors to
surrounding areas and should have utility in disposable food storage
bags.
 Low extractables in COC reduces the possibility of generating an “off-
taste” in water or susceptible foods when used as a contact layer or just
under a seal layer in packaging.
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