The capability will now provide food and beverage brand owners with a broader range of PET container aesthetics and performance capabilities than previously possible. For example, the process enables white or silvery colored bottles to be made without additives which can limit package recycling. Containers also have a unique surface feel and provide tactile “traction” which minimizes slipping. This process also blow molds details more prominently which enables decorations, such as embossed logos, to stand out better.
The oPTISM bottle technology provides desirable features for those brand owners looking for a distinctive new visual presence, while at the same time retaining the recycling benefits that inclusion in the clear PET waste stream offers.
In addition to white or silver, blue and green hues also can be used since those color streams already exist in traditional PET recycling. The technology also is capable of producing bottles in a variety of pastel colors (amber, yellow, pink, etc.). However, these cannot be recycled as part of the clear PET stream. Containers can be made from slightly translucent to opaque depending on the desired aesthetics and performance characteristics. Because the foam process adds stiffness, lightweighting of up to 5 percent is also feasible without significant loss of performance. Further, the technology can produce bottles with significant light barrier characteristics—up to 95 percent reduction in transmitted light. PTI’s oPTISM bottle capability is based on using the MuCell® microcellular foam injection molding technology to mold preforms, which then can be blow molded on conventional equipment.