An innovative adhesive developed by tech innovator Battelle and snack giant Mondelēz International combines high self-adhesion with low tack for a product that is easy to use, easy to apply, consistent, and only sticks to itself.
“Unlike traditional Pressure Sensitive Adhesives, the new Low Tack Adhesive (LTA) is not messy, tacky, or expensive. For example, it won’t pick up crumbs from crackers or cookies that make traditional adhesives ineffective,” says Cindy Conner, senior market manager in consumer, industrial, and medical products at Battelle. “All consumers need to do is press it together to create an effective and consistent seal that stands the test of repeated cycles of opening and reclosing.”
The adhesive can be pre-applied to packaging film using conventional printing and coating technologies, followed by curing with ultraviolet energy. It is cost-effective to manufacture and apply and can be easily introduced into existing packaging operations. The developers of the technology believe LTA can be customized for a variety of applications needing higher strength as a cost-effective alternative to traditional hook and loop closures.
Because food package reclosability is seen as a significant market opportunity for LTA, Battelle and Mondelēz are working to establish favorable regulatory compliance status for the technology. While regulatory compliance for food packaging is not yet a reality, the adhesive can potentially be applied to the full range of non-food consumer products packaging including facial tissue or wet wipe packs, makeup containers, trash bags, produce packaging, personal care products, detergent packaging, and snack bags, among others.
Battelle and Mondelēz International will present a case study on how they co-developed and are commercializing this proprietary breakthrough in technology for package reclosability at CoDev 2015 on February 10 in Scottsdale, Arizona. CoDev is a conference that promotes open innovation by connecting products and businesses with customers and partners.
“We’re excited about the benefits this new adhesive brings to the market,” says Stu Stein, director of Open Innovation at Mondelēz International. “We see endless opportunities across packaging types for it to enhance and extend product integrity cost effectively while offering greater convenience to consumers.”
