CLAIMS
1.
A method of crosslinking a coating layer on a container, the method
comprising:
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applying a coating material on a preform to form a coating layer, the coating
material comprising a compound having at least a first ethylenically unsaturated
moiety and a crosslinking initiator;
blow molding the preform into the container;
exposing a surface of the coating layer to actinic radiation; and
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crosslinking the first ethylenically unsaturated moiety with a second
ethylenically unsaturated moiety.
2.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the step of blow molding precedes the step of
exposing a surface of the coating layer to actinic radiation.
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3.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the actinic radiation is UV radiation.
4.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the first ethylenically unsaturated moiety
comprises an acrylic group.
5.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the compound comprises a polyurethane.
6.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the compound comprises an alkoxylated
acrylate.
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7.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the coating material comprises a gas-barrier
material.
8.
The method of Claim 7, wherein the gas-barrier material comprises one or
more of PVOH, EVOH, copolymers or terpolymers of PVOH and EVOH, a phenoxy-type
thermoplastic, or blends thereof..
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9.
The method of Claim 1, wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomers are
about 30 weight percent relative to the total weight of the coating material.
10.
A method of producing a coated container, the method comprising:
applying a coating material on a preform to form a coating layer, the coating
material comprising a UV-sensitive photoinitiator and a compound selected from the
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group consisting of an acrylic monomer, an acrylic grafted polyurethane, or a
polycarbonate-containing polyurethane polymer;
blow molding the preform into a container; and
curing the coating layer with UV irradiation.
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11.
The method of Claim 10, further comprising applying a gas-barrier material to
the preform to form a gad-barrier layer.
12.
The method of Claim 11, wherein the step of applying a gas-barrier material
precedes the step of applying a coating material to form a coating layer.
13.
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A method of forming a container having multiple coating layers from a
preform with a substrate layer, the method comprising:
applying a first coating to a preform;
drying the first coating to form the first coating layer;
applying a second coating to the first coating layer;
drying the second coating to form the second coating layer, wherein at least
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one of the first or second coatings comprises a compound having an ethylenically
unsaturated moiety capable of crosslinking upon exposure to actinic radiation, and
wherein at least one of the first or second coating layers has a permeability to oxygen
and carbon dioxide less than the substrate layer;
exposing the first and second coatings to actinic radiation; and
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crosslinking the layer comprising the compound.
14.
A container having a substrate layer for contacting foodstuffs; the container
further comprising a gas barrier layer, the gas barrier layer comprising a semi-interpenetrating
polymer network, the semi-interpenetrating polymer network comprising a gas-barrier
material selected from the group consisting of PVOH, EVOH, co- or ter-polymers of PVOH
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and EVOH, a phenoxy-type themoplastic, and combinations thereof, and the curing product
of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
15.
The container of Claim 14, wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is
selected from the group consisting of acrylic monomers and acrylic grated polyurethanes.
16.
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The container of Claim 15, wherein the acrylic monomer is an alkoylated di-
or tri-acrylate compound.
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17.
The container of Claim 15, wherein the acrylic monomer is a di- or tri-acrylate
compound.
18.
The container of Claim 14, further comprising a top-coat layer, the top coat
layer comprising the cured product of acrylic monomer, an acrylic grafted polyurethane, or a
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polycarbonate-containing polyurethane polymer.
19.
A preform comprising:
a substrate layer and a gas barrier layer, the gas barrier layer comprising a gas-
barrier material having a permeability to oxygen and carbon dioxide less than the
substrate layer, a first UV curable ethylenically unsaturated moiety, and a first UV
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photoinitiator, the first moiety capable of forming a semi interpenetrating polymer
network with the gas barrier material upon exposure to UV radiation.
20.
The preform of Claim 19, wherein the UV curable ethylenically unsaturated
moiety comprises one or more of an acrylate monomer or an acrylic grafted polymer.
21.
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The preform of Claim 19, further comprising a top coat layer, the top coat
layer comprising a second UV curable ethylenically unsaturated moiety and a second UV
photoinitiator, the second moiety capable of crosslinking upon exposure to UV radiation.
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