Montmorillonite for starch-based barrier dispersion coating — Part 2: Pilot trials and PE-lamination

•Scale up of starch-nano-composite to pilot scale•Oxygen transmission rate below 100 (ml/m2 ∗ 24 h) with 3 g/m2 coat weight on paper•Synergistic oxygen transmission effects with PE-extrudation

Montmorillonite, Mt, have been shown to improve the barrier properties of thermoplastic starch coatings. In this paper, it is shown that it is possible to scale-up a recipe containing poly(ethylene glycol)-plasticized starch and a citric acid-dispersed Mt to pilot scale and to achieve water vapor barrier properties which are comparable to those achieved in laboratory scale. The results are compared with those obtained with two commercial synthetic barrier dispersions. The combination of a polyethylene film laminated on top of a 3 g/m2 starch-based coating showed the potential to give also oxygen barrier properties to the multilayer structure when applied on a paper substrate.