BOPP is bi-axially oriented and polypropylene film intended for flexible label and packaging applications. Oriented polypropylene, OPP, is a very flexible material which is derived from orienting and melting a polymer known as polypropylene. The raw material which is oil by-product tends to be still and unchanged by most of the chemical agents occurring there in daily lives. Bi-axially oriented means the polypropylene films are stretched in both machine direction and also across machine direction.
Main feature of the BOPP Films are high tensile strength, improved stiffness, good water barrier and excellent optics properties. They vary from 15 - 50 microns and most commonly are 15 - 30 microns. Such films can be coextuded or monolayer structures, and metalized, opaque, or transparent. They also have an advantage of being fully recyclable and non-toxic.
BOPP films offer excellent light barriers, humidity, aroma and UV light protection. They have greater strength at lower gauges, excellent printability, clarity and flatness. They can be easily treated with PVDC and acrylic coatings for barrier properties and better sealability.
The uses of Bopp Film in the Food Packaging Industry are many. The food packaging needs are very stringent. These BOPP films have lots of properties that are advantageous and suitable for packing the food materials. Basic applications for packing the food materials include:
• The packaging protects the nutritionals of the food until final consumption. Thus, it is wanted that the package must have sufficient barriers to moisture, light and gas.
• The package enhances the products sales appeal on shelf and also offer all statutory information. Therefore, the pack must have good printability and optical properties.
• BOPP films have outstanding clarity, gloss and transparency.
• As these films are cost-effective, hence they are widely used.