Oil Resistant Heat Sealing Paper: Properties, Applications, and Maintenance

What is Oil Resistant Heat Sealing Paper?

Oil Resistant Heat Sealing Paper is a specialized packaging material engineered to withstand exposure to oils, greases, and high temperatures while maintaining excellent sealing properties. This paper is typically composed of multiple layers, including a base paper substrate (usually 60-120 gsm), a heat-sealable coating (often polyethylene or polypropylene with thicknesses ranging from 15-50 microns), and an oil-resistant barrier layer (frequently fluorochemical-treated or silicone-coated). The material demonstrates exceptional performance characteristics, including oil resistance up to 72 hours (ASTM F119-82), heat seal strength of 2.5-4.5 N/15mm (measured by ASTM F88), and temperature resistance ranging from -20°C to 180°C. Its water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) typically falls below 5 g/m²/24h (ASTM E96), making it suitable for moisture-sensitive applications.

Primary Applications

Oil Resistant Heat Sealing Paper serves critical functions across multiple industries:

Food Packaging

In the food sector, this material is extensively used for packaging greasy or oily products such as fried foods (sealing temperature typically 130-150°C), butter portions (requiring 48-hour oil resistance), processed meats (with fat content up to 30%), and cheese products. The paper's FDA-compliant formulations meet 21 CFR 176.170 standards for direct food contact, while maintaining seal integrity even when exposed to oils at temperatures up to 100°C.

Industrial Components

Industrial applications utilize the paper for packaging automotive parts (gears, bearings) with residual lubricants, where it prevents oil migration while allowing steam sterilization at 121°C for 20 minutes. The material's dielectric strength (15-30 kV/mm) makes it suitable for electrical component wrapping, particularly for oil-filled transformers or capacitors.

Medical and Pharmaceutical

Medical device packaging employs oil-resistant heat seal paper for surgical instruments that undergo lubrication (requiring ISO 11607 compliance), with sterilization compatibility (ETO, gamma, and steam at 134°C). Pharmaceutical blister pack backings use specialized grades with 0.1% extractables to meet USP &lt661> requirements.

Consumer Goods

The cosmetics industry utilizes this material for oil-based product sachets (creams, serums with up to 70% oil content), where it maintains barrier properties for 24 months at 40°C/75% RH (ICH Q1A stability conditions). Hardware packaging for lubricated tools benefits from the paper's puncture resistance (50-100 N by ASTM F1306).

Maintenance and Handling Guidelines

Storage Conditions

Optimal storage requires maintaining the material at 15-25°C with 40-60% relative humidity. Rolls should be stored vertically on conical cores (typically 3" or 6" diameter) to prevent deformation. Stacked sheets require separation with protective interleaving to prevent blocking (maximum stack height: 1 meter). The material's shelf life is typically 12-18 months from manufacture when stored properly.

Processing Parameters

For heat sealing operations, recommended parameters include:

• Sealing temperature: 120-160°C (depending on coating composition)

• Dwell time: 0.5-2 seconds

• Pressure: 0.2-0.5 MPa

• Cooling time: 1-3 seconds before handling

Conversion equipment should maintain <5% tension variation to prevent stretching (modulus of elasticity: 3-6 GPa in machine direction). Static control measures (ionized air, 45-55% RH) are recommended when running at speeds exceeding 100 m/min.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Production equipment handling this paper requires regular cleaning cycles (every 4-8 hours) using isopropyl alcohol (70% concentration) to remove oil residue buildup. Nip rollers should be cleaned with silicone-free cleaners to maintain proper traction (coefficient of friction: 0.2-0.4 μ). Anilox rolls in coating applications need periodic ultrasonic cleaning (every 250,000 linear meters) to maintain coating weights within ±5% of target (typically 5-12 gsm).

Quality Control Measures

Regular testing should include:

• Seal strength verification every 2 hours (minimum 2.5 N/15mm)

• Oil resistance spot checks (1% of production lots per ASTM F119)

• Thickness variation monitoring (<±5% across web)

• Optical inspection for coating defects (max 3 defects/m² above 0.2mm)