In the realm of adhesives, the release liner (sometimes known as the "carrier" or "backing") may be the unsung hero. Until it is needed, the pressure-sensitive adhesive is contained within this product, which is commonly a coated paper or film. Take, for example, the shiny paper on which a label or sticker is printed.
The foundation of a release liner might be made of paper, poly-coated paper, film, or even metalized film. Several businesses coat their own silicone films or sheets to create pressure-sensitive goods. Commercial producers, on the other hand, make coatings specifically for the needs of their clients, which they then sell on the "open" market.
Advantages of using release liners
1. Environmental“friendly
Unfortunately, over two-thirds of release liners are still
thrown away in landfills. Since release liners are not compostable, this
problem persists. They are not readily recyclable due to the silicones and
paper that make up the composite. However, the materials found in used
pressure-sensitive labels are high quality and can be recycled.
The global trend toward laws that encourage the reuse of
release liners continues. The European Commission's ambitious Circular Economy
Package is only one such initiative, as it establishes concrete goals for trash
reduction. The product's and the liners' impact on the environment throughout
the supply chain can be seen in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
2. Technologically advanced
Since customers care most about higher line speeds, cheaper
costs, and higher quality, silicone technology has evolved to reflect these
priorities. The Market for Pressure-Sensitive Labels - The pressure-sensitive
labels market has seen significant growth because the food and beverage sector
has rapidly expanded.
Pressure-sensitive labels are indispensable to the food and
beverage industry because they allow for incorporating product information,
regulatory information, and identification data like barcodes on packaged food,
all of which are necessary for the increasingly common practice of
long-distance shipping.
3. Hard to break or tear out
In the pressure-sensitive labeling sector, the function of
the release liner differs from that in many other fields. To ensure proper
printing, conversion, and application of labels, the release liner must be a
stable support for the label laminate. In addition, the liner must provide a
hard surface for die-cutting the
complex forms utilized in the prime label business without
enabling the die to penetrate the silicone layer, which would cause the
adhesive to cling to the liner and impair the release performance.
4. Extensive output
Label yield is increased by 30% compared to goods built with
a 2.5 mil. Kraft liner, allowing for the use of longer rolls and decreasing the
frequency with which roll changes are required. The heavy-duty polypropylene
liner allows for swifter dispensing and conversion at reduced web breaks.
The liner's thin, lightweight structure also means less
money out of pocket for shipping and packaging. Increased productivity results
from fitting more labels onto a reel, decreasing costs by reducing the number
of raw materials and transportation time required.
5.Contributes to the long-term economic health
The problem of where to put all the used siliconized liners
has been solved in a way that won't hurt the environment. For example, UPM
ProFi is a wood-plastic composite often used for outdoor decking that was made
possible thanks to the RafCycle program, which gathers and recycles ProLiner
PP30 trash for further use in manufacturing new products and other PP-based
materials.
Brand owners participating in the RafCycle program can save
money on garbage removal and disposal while demonstrating their support for
environmentally friendly packaging. UPM Raflatac's ProLiner PP30 products and
the RafCycle program are innovations that will have a meaningful impact on the
entire industry.
6. Consistently reliable
Silicone is the crucial ingredient in any good release
liner, and Evonik Goldschmidt Corporation in Hopewell, Virginia, USA, is an
industry leader in siliconizing substrates. Market manager for the Americas at
Evonik's Release Coatings division, Eduardo Gonzalez, says that the company's
simple release formulation of radiation-curable silicones is by far the
company's best seller.
The anchoring component and the quick-release silicone make
up this unique formulation. He claims that the obtained release is reliable and
stable over time.
Two UV-curable silicone release technologies are available
from Evonik. These ultraviolet-curing silicones don't require any heat to cure
(thus called "cold curing") and can be used to create release
coatings. There is a wide variety of release values available, and the latest
generation of TEGO RC silicone acrylate has you covered.
According to Gonzalez, "some of the benefits of
radiation curable silicones include the capacity to siliconize printed surfaces
with no post-curing, and an endless range of substrates (low-cost papers, all
types of films, even metalized).
Conclusion
Polydimethylsiloxane is one of the most popular and
effective polymers for paper-based release liners because it provides a little
sticky yet releasable surface (PDMS or silicone). Surface-sized coatings of
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are applied to the substrate paper, sometimes in
addition to a thin barrier coating layer.
Barrier coatings, if utilized, assist in keeping the
silicone from seeping through the form. Polyvinyl alcohol and clay are two
common examples of barrier coatings.
