Markus Piwko, Jörg Faber, Carsten Deus, Andreas Steinbach, VON ARDENNE GmbH, Dresden, Germany
Recyclable mono-materials are essential for enhancing sustainability in the packaging industry, making vacuum-coated barrier layers with minimal thickness increasingly significant. Among the various deposition technologies, Electron Beam - Physical Vapor Deposition (EB-PVD) stands out alongside thermal evaporation methods, providing complementary advantages for the deposition of SiO_x barrier layers at a high-volume, cost-effective scale. These SiO_x coatings are anticipated to facilitate new applications, such as retort and hot filling, due to their superior resistance to mechanical elongation and humidity.
Advanced and reliable vacuum equipment, combined with appropriate process development and control, is crucial for achieving specific layer properties while ensuring techno-economic benefits, requirements best met by experienced equipment manufacturers. This presentation will elucidate the distinctions and synergies between electron beam and thermal boat evaporation for SiO_x and AlO_x coatings, while also introducing key performance indicators for the resulting mono-material films. Moreover, insights into new developments in equipment and process technology, along with a techno-economic analysis, will be shared. This information will empower film makers, converters, and brand owners to better understand the opportunities and limitations of barrier coatings deposited via electron beam compared to thermal evaporation techniques.