DuPont transforms design dreams to Surlyn® reality at Luxe Pack 2010

Highlights of the DuPont exhibit, to be found at D1 in Ravel Hall, include the Surlyn® Design Center, which aims to provide brand owners and designers with the inspiration and practical advice required to achieve new and innovative designs in Surlyn® for their packaging. New technologies portrayed at the stand will include Surlyn® 3D overmolding and new techniques for the cost-effective production of effects such as marble and natural textures.

A spectrum of colors

The colorful effects and luxurious appearance achievable with caps molded from Surlyn® is perhaps best illustrated by the cap of the new ‘Oriens’ fragrance from Van Cleef & Arpels, a brand of Inter Parfum, Inc. The bottle’s designer, Joël Desgrippes, modeled its appearance on the design of a ring from the company’s own jewelry collection, with the faceted, Surlyn® cap mimicking the pink-orange-green spectrum of the tourmaline gem set within the ring. Key to achieving this effect is the clarity and magnifying effect of the DuPont material. The three different colors lacquered on the surface of the Surlyn® are reflected by the metallic insert set deep within the thick-molded cap, producing a shimmering sense of depth and luxury. Further criteria for the selection of Surlyn® include the material’s high compatibility with the ingredients contained within the fragrance, as well as the possibility to integrate a very small injection gate which could be easily hidden behind the one of the leaves in the cap’s design. “The cap is a genuinely beautiful creation and we are proud to have worked with the molder Lisi Cosmetics on its development. Thanks to their material knowledge and command of the injection molding process, we have created a cap of extreme quality,” confirms Marion Trossat, packaging developer at Inter Parfum.

New effects in Surlyn®

Among the many eye-catching special effects achievable in Surlyn®, to be presented at Luxe Pack 2010, is the creation of caps and jars with a marble-like appearance. The patented technology behind this effect is the inclusion of a different-colored nylon 6 in the Surlyn® resin, as Prosper Zufferey processing expert at DuPont, explains. “The difference in melt temperatures between Surlyn® and nylon 6 allows us to use different colors to create colored veins within the injection molded part.” Further depth can be added by creating a glass marble effect, achieved by co-injection molding a transparent Surlyn® outer shell with the Surlyn®/nylon compound.

The production of molded packaging elements in Surlyn® with new, highly-creative textures such as leather or wood provides a further example of the design freedom achievable with Surlyn®. The desired texture for the finished part is finely laser-engraved within the tool cavity and can be precisely replicated by Surlyn® from the tool, without any need for secondary operations, thanks to the material’s easy flow characteristics and low rate of shrinkage.

DuPont™ Selar® PA – a high barrier resin for cosmetic containers

Luxe Pack 2010 will also mark the commercial introduction of two new grades of Selar® PA amorphous nylon, Selar® PA 3426R and Selar® PA 7003, targeted for use as a high barrier resin in cosmetic containers such as those for nail polish and waterproof mascara. Cosmetics such as these can require their containers to provide high barrier performance in terms of water vapor, oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as high chemical resistance, scratch resistance and gloss effect. New impact-modified Selar® PA 7003, for instance, combines all of these attributes with an increase in impact resistant versus incumbent materials. Accordingly, the potential benefits for container manufacturers adopting the new resins are a reduction in wall thickness and production costs.

DuPont Cosmetic Solutions brings DuPont’s “Miracles of Science” to the world of beauty and personal care by expanding the possibilities of its comprehensive range of materials and technologies, and by fostering partnerships focused on technology and consumer insight. Its primary aim is to develop new and differentiated cosmetic solutions that meet brand owners’ and designers’ needs for innovation while enhancing the consumer experience and bring more fun, emotion and well-being.

DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers is a world-class manufacturer of high-performance resins and films for a variety of packaging and industrial applications. Its best-known ethylene copolymer products include Surlyn® resins for packaging and industrial applications, Bynel® coextrudable adhesives, Selar® PA amorphous polyamide barrier resins, Nucrel® acid copolymers, Elvax® EVA copolymers, Elvaloy®, Elvaloy® AC, Entira™ , Biomax® PTT and Fusabond® modifiers.

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food, building and construction, communications, and transportation.

The DuPont Oval, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, and Surlyn® are registered trademarks or trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

Editorial contact:
DuPont
Birgit Radlinger
Tel.: 0049 6102 18-2638
Email: Birgit.Radlinger@dupont.com