RECYCLABLE, THERMOFORMABLE PAPER BASE WEB

1 . A thermoformable paper base web, comprising:

an outer paper layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface of the outer paper layer defines an exterior-facing surface of the paper base web;

an inner paper layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface of the inner paper layer laminated to the second surface of the outer paper layer;

a first bonding layer between the outer paper layer and inner paper layer, the first bonding layer joining the second surface of the outer paper layer to the first surface of the inner paper layer;

a polymer layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface of the polymer layer defines an interior-facing surface of the paper base web, and wherein the first surface of the polymer layer is joined to the second surface of the inner paper layer; and

said outer and inner paper layers together comprise at least 80% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web and less than 100% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web.

2 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the first bonding layer is attached directly to the second surface of the outer paper layer and the first surface of the inner paper layer.

3 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer and an extruded resin layer.

4 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of monolayer film and a multilayer film.

5 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer is attached directly to the second surface of the inner paper layer.

6 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second bonding layer between the inner paper layer and the polymer layer, the second bonding layer joining the second surface of the inner paper layer to the first surface of the polymer layer.

7 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 6 , wherein the second bonding layer is attached directly to the second surface of the inner paper layer and the first surface of the polymer layer.

8 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 6 , wherein the second bonding layer is an adhesive layer and the inner paper layer is laminated with the polymer layer via the adhesive layer.

9 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of a barrier film layer and a nonbarrier film layer.

10 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the outer paper layer and the inner paper layer, which may be the same or different, each comprise paper having a basis weight in the range of 50 GSM to 300 GSM.

11 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a first coextruded film comprising a first polyolefin layer, a second polyolefin layer, and a first barrier layer disposed intermediate the first and second polyolefin layers, wherein the first barrier layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinylidene di-chloride (PVcD), polyamide, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH); and

a second coextruded film comprising a second barrier layer having a barrier outer surface coupled to the second surface of the inner paper layer and a barrier inner surface opposite the barrier outer surface, and a third polyolefin layer coupled to the barrier inner surface.

12 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 11 , wherein the first and second barrier layers comprise EVOH and the first, second, and third polyolefin layers, which may be the same or different, comprise a polyethylene-based polymer.

13 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 11 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of:

an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive selected from the group consisting of a high viscosity adhesive having a viscosity in the range of 300 cP to 500,000 cP at 50 degrees C.;

a high solids content adhesive having a solids content in the range of 15% to 100% by weight; and

an extruded polyolefin resin layer.

14 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 11 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a third coextruded film comprising a fourth polyolefin layer, a fifth polyolefin layer, and a third barrier layer disposed intermediate the fourth and fifth polyolefin layers, wherein the third barrier layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinylidene di-chloride (PVcD), polyamide, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH); and

a fourth coextruded film comprising a fourth barrier layer having a barrier inner surface coupled to the first surface of the inner paper layer and a barrier outer surface opposite the barrier inner surface, and a sixth polyolefin layer coupled to the barrier outer surface and the second surface of the outer paper layer.

15 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 14 , wherein the third and fourth barrier layers comprise EVOH and the fourth, fifth, and sixth polyolefin layers, which may be the same or different, comprise a polyethylene-based polymer.

16 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein the paper base web is thermoformable to a depth of between 1 mm to 153 mm.

17 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein said outer and inner paper layers together comprise at least 85% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web and less than 100% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web.

18 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein said outer and inner paper layers together comprise at least 90% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web and less than 100% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web.

19 . The thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 , wherein said outer and inner paper layers together comprise at least 95% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web and less than 100% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web.

20 . A method for producing a thermoformable paper base web, comprising:

laminating an outer paper layer to an inner paper layer with a first bonding layer therebetween, the outer paper layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface of the outer paper layer defines an exterior-facing surface of the paper base web;

the inner paper layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface of the inner paper layer facing second surface of the outer paper layer; and

attaching a polymer layer to the second surface of the inner paper layer, the polymer layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface of the polymer layer is joined to the second surface of the inner paper layer and the second surface of the polymer layer defines an interior-facing surface of the paper base web;

wherein the outer and inner paper layers together comprise at least 80% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web and less than 100% by weight of the thermoformable paper base web.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the first bonding layer is attached directly to the second surface of the outer paper layer and the first surface of the inner paper layer.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer and an extruded resin layer.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a high viscosity adhesive having a viscosity in the range of 300 cP to 500,000 cP at 50 degrees C.;

a high solids content adhesive having a solids content in the range of 15% to 100% by weight; and

an extruded polyolefin resin layer.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the step of attaching the polymer layer to the second surface of the inner paper layer is performed by a process selected from the group consisting of adhesive lamination and extrusion lamination.

25 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of attaching the polymer layer to the second surface of the inner paper layer includes applying a second bonding layer between the inner paper layer and the polymer layer, the second bonding layer joining the second surface of the inner paper layer to the first surface of the polymer layer.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the second bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer and an extruded resin layer.

27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the second bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a high viscosity adhesive having a viscosity in the range of 300 cP to 500,000 cP at 50 degrees C.;

a high solids content adhesive having a solids content in the range of 15% to 100% by weight; and

an extruded polyolefin resin layer.

28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the second bonding layer is attached directly to the second surface of the inner paper layer and the first surface of the polymer layer.

29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the polymer layer is applied to the second surface of the inner paper layer using a method selected from the group consisting of an extrusion coating process and a coextrusion coating process.

30 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of monolayer film and a multilayer film.

31 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of a barrier film layer and a nonbarrier film layer.

32 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of a barrier film layer and a nonbarrier film layer.

33 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a first coextruded film comprising a first polyolefin layer, a second polyolefin layer, and a first barrier layer disposed intermediate the first and second polyolefin layers, wherein the first barrier layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinylidene di-chloride (PVcD), polyamide, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH); and

a second coextruded film comprising a second barrier layer having a barrier outer surface coupled to the second surface of the inner paper layer and a barrier inner surface opposite the barrier outer surface, and a third polyolefin layer coupled to the barrier inner surface.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the first and second barrier layers comprise EVOH and the first, second, and third polyolefin layers, which may be the same or different, comprise a polyethylene-based polymer.

35 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of:

an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive selected from the group consisting of a high viscosity adhesive having a viscosity in the range of 300 cP to 500,000 cP at 50 degrees C.;

a high solids content adhesive having a solids content in the range of 15% to 100% by weight; and

an extruded polyolefin resin layer.

36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the first bonding layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a third coextruded film comprising a fourth polyolefin layer, a fifth polyolefin layer, and a third barrier layer disposed intermediate the fourth and fifth polyolefin layers, wherein the third barrier layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinylidene di-chloride (PVcD), polyamide, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH); and

a fourth coextruded film comprising a fourth barrier layer having a barrier inner surface coupled to the first surface of the inner paper layer and a barrier outer surface opposite the barrier inner surface, and a sixth polyolefin layer coupled to the barrier outer surface and the second surface of the outer paper layer.

37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the third and fourth barrier layers comprise EVOH and the fourth, fifth, and sixth polyolefin layers, which may be the same or different, comprise a polyethylene-based polymer.

38 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising modifying one or more of the second surface of the outer paper layer, the first surface of the inner paper layer, the second surface of the inner paper layer, and the inner surface of the polymer layer with a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of flame treatment, corona treatment, ozone treatment, and plasma treatment.

39 . A thermoformed packaging article formed from the thermoformable paper base web of claim 1 .

40 . A thermoformed packaging article formed by the method of claim 20 .