SEMINAIRE LMGP - 02.05.2023 - Dr. Frédéric Mercier

“ Atomic Layer Deposition for paper-based packaging industry”


Dr Frédéric Mercier
Head of R&D at Cilkoa
Associate Professor CNRS -SIMAP CNRS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP

Abstract

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technique finds many applications today in the fields of microelectronic, batteries and catalysts due to the intrinsic advantages of ALD like conformality, uniformity and precise control of the thickness at the atomic scale. Besides the aforementioned fields, other emerging fields can benefit from the advantages of the ALD technique to provide objects with enhanced functionalities or new products.

CILKOA is a start-up offering a solution based on the ALD technology applied on cellulosic materials like flexible paper, cardboards and molded cellulose. The cellulosic materials processed with CILKOA’s solution are up to 99,9% cellulose, with very high barrier to oxygen and water vapor, while remaining compostable, and recyclable as any paper material. Such materials can find applications in packaging industry for food ans cosmetics as an alternative to plastics.

Our recent results on enhanced functionalities of cellulosic materials provided by ALD like gas diffusion barrier, hydrophobicity, wet strength will be presented. The presentation will also include more general discussion on the acceptance of the ALD technology in the packaging industry: upscaling, food contact, end of life like compostability and recyclability.