Thermal effects on the gas transmission properties of ionomers used in food packaging applications

Polyethylene-based ionomers, due to the presence of ionic aggregates, display a time-dependent crystalline morphology if submitted to thermal treatments. As a consequence gas permeability, which is strongly affected by physical morphology, is also found to be time dependent in previously thermally treated ionomer samples. The effect of sample exposure at 65°C and of successive ageing at 35°C on gas transmission properties of three different ethylene-acrylic acid ionomers (characterized by a different amount of acrylic acid groups, percentage of neutralization and type of counterions) has been investigated. In particular the changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide permeabilities due to thermal treatments at 65°C and subsequent ageing at 35°C have been monitored. X-Ray diffraction analysis and differential scanning calorimetry have been used to elucidate these changes in transport properties.