Barrier laminate structure for packaging beverages

1. A laminated packaging material comprising:

a paperboard substrate, having an inner surface and an outer surface;

an outer layer of heat-sealable polyolefin polymer coated on said outer surface of said paperboard substrate;

a polyamide layer coated on said inner surface of said paperboard substrate; a tie layer coated on the inner surface of said polyamide layer; and

a blown-film layer comprising an outer layer of polyolefin polymer, a tie layer, a first layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, a second tie layer, a second layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, a third tie layer and a second and final layer of polyolefin, said blown-film layer being coated on the inner surface of said tie layer coated on the inner surface of said polyamide layer; and an innermost layer of polyolefin coated on said final layer of polyolefin of said film layer.

2. A laminated packaging material according to claim 1 wherein each of said tie layers comprises an ethylene based copolymer modified with maleic anhydride functional groups.

3. A laminated packaging material according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said tie layers comprises an ethylene based copolymer modified with maleic anhydride functional groups.

4. A laminated packaging material according to claim 1 wherein said ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer comprises 25–48 mole % ethylene.

5. A container for alcoholic beverages, said container being constructed from a laminate according to claim 1 .

6. An oxygen and humidity barrier laminate structure blank for producing an oxygen and humidity impermeable container constructed from a laminate according to claim 1 .

7. The material according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises low density polyethylene.

8. The material according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said tie layers comprises anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene.

9. The material according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second polyolefin polymer layers of the blown-film layer comprises low density polyethylene.

10. The material according to claim 1 , wherein the polyamide layer comprises nylon.

11. The material according to claim 1 , wherein

at least one of said tie layers comprises anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene;

at least one of the first or second polyolefin polymer layers of the blown-film layer comprises low density polyethylene; and

the polyamide layer comprises nylon.

12. A laminated packaging material according to claim 1 comprising from the outer surface to the inner surface contacting the container's contents:

a) a first layer of polyolefin in a coating weight of 8–20 lbs/3 msf coated on said exterior surface of said paperboard substrate;

b) a paperboard substrate with a basis weight of 100–300 lbs/3 msf having an interior and an exterior surfaces;

c) a layer of polyamide in a coating weight of 2–10 lbs/3 msf applied onto said interior surface of said paperboard substrate;

d) a tie layer in a coating weight of 5–20 lbs/3 msf applied onto said interior surface of the polyamide layer;

e) a blown-film layer comprising a first polyolefin layer of 5–20 lbs/3 msf, a first tie layer of 3–5 lbs/3 msf, a first ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer layer of 2–5 lbs/3 msf, a second tie layer of 3–20 lbs/3 msf a second ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer layer in an amount of 2–5 lbs/3 msf, a third tie layer in an amount of 3–5 lbs/3 msf, and a second polyolefin layer in an amount of 5–20 lbs/3 msf; and

f) a second and innermost layer of polyolefin in an amount of 5–15 lbs/3 msf coated on said interior surface of the film layer.

13. A container for alcoholic beverages, said container being constructed from a laminate according to claim 12 .

14. The material according to claim 12 , wherein the first layer comprises low density polyethylene.

15. The material according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of said tie layers comprises anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene.

16. The material according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first or second polyolefin polymer layers of the blown-film layer comprises low density polyethylene.

17. The material according to claim 12 , wherein the polyamide layer comprises nylon.

18. The material according to claim 12 , wherein

at least one of said tie layers comprises anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene;

at least one of the first or second polyolefin polymer layers of the blown-film layer comprises low density polyethylene; and

the polyamide layer comprises nylon.

19. The material according to claim 12 , wherein the first layer comprises low density polyethylene;

at least one of said tie layers comprises anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene;

at least one of the first or second polyolefin polymer layers of the blown-film layer comprises low density polyethylene; and

the polyamide layer comprises nylon.

20. A process for improving the oxygen and humidity barrier properties of a laminate comprising the steps of

a) coating an outer layer of polyolefin onto the outer surface of a paperboard substrate,

b) coating a layer of polyamide onto the inner surface of the paperboard substrate,

c) coating a tie layer on the inner surface of said polyamide layer,

d) applying a blown-film layer comprising a first polyolefin polymer layer, a tie layer, a first interior layer of EVOH, a second tie layer, a second interior layer of EVOH, a third tie layer, and a second interior layer of polyolefin polymer, and

e) coating a polyolefin layer on said last mentioned polyolefin layer of said blown-film layer, which polyolefin layer comprises the innermost and beverage contact layer.

21. A laminated packaging material comprising:

a paperboard substrate, having an inner surface and an outer surface;

an outer layer of heat-sealable polyolefin polymer coated on said outer surface of said paperboard substrate;

a polyamide layer coated on said inner surface of said paperboard substrate; a tie layer coated on the inner surface of said polyamide layer; and

a blown-film layer comprising:

(a) an outer layer of polyolefin polymer,

(b) a tie layer;

(c) a first layer comprising at least one of:

polyethylene terephthalate, amorphous polyamide, semi-crystalline polyamide, oxygen scavenging EVOH, EVOH nanocomposite, a blend of EVOH with at least one polyolefin, a blend of EVOH with at least one low density polyethylene, a blend of EVOH with at least one polyamide, and a blend of EVOH with at least one polyethylene terephthalate;

(d) a second tie layer;

(e) a second layer comprising at least one of:

polyethylene terephthalate, amorphous polyamide, semi-crystalline polyamide, oxygen scavenging EVOH, EVOH nanocomposite, a blend of EVOH with at least one polyolefin, a blend of EVOH with at least one low density polyethylene, a blend of EVOH with at least one polyamide, and a blend of EVOH with at least one polyethylene terephthalate;

(f) a third tie layer and a second and final layer of polyolefin;

said blown-film layer being coated on the inner surface of said tie layer coated on the inner surface of said polyamide layer; and

an innermost layer of polyolefin coated on said final layer of polyolefin of said blown-film layer.

22. A container for alcoholic beverages, said container being constructed from a laminate according to claim 21 .