What is Solventless Lamination?

Technical Definition and Core Principles

Solventless lamination is a production process that bonds two or more base materials (such as plastic films, aluminum foil, and paper) using 100% solid adhesives. Its core breakthrough lies in completely eliminating organic solvents. Materials like polyurethane (PUR) or epoxy resin undergo chemical reactions under heat and pressure to achieve high-strength bonding of base materials. Compared with traditional solvent-based lamination, this process eliminates volatile organic compound (VOCs) emissions at the source, combining environmental friendliness, safety, and economic efficiency. It is hailed as the "green revolution" in the flexible packaging industry.  

Technical Advantages: Synergistic Upgrades in Environmental Protection, Efficiency, and Safety  

1. Zero Pollution Emissions  

Solventless lamination involves no solvent addition or volatilization throughout the process, completely solving the problem of VOCs pollution. For example, a standard production line can reduce organic solvent usage by over 100 tons annually, helping enterprises comply with the EU REACH regulations and China’s "dual-carbon" certification.  

2. Comprehensive Cost Optimization

Reduced Energy Consumption: The elimination of the drying tunnel reduces energy consumption by over 40%.  

Material Savings: Adhesive usage is only 50% of that in solvent-based processes, and no solvent recovery equipment is required.  

Improved Efficiency: High-speed production lines can operate at speeds of up to 480 meters per minute, doubling production capacity.  

3. Safety and Quality Assurance  

Eliminates fire and explosion risks, significantly improving workplace safety.  

Products have no solvent residue, meeting the strict hygiene standards for food and pharmaceutical packaging, with peel strength increased by over 30%.  

Application Scenarios: From Flexible Packaging to High-End Fields  

Food Packaging: A core process for oxygen-barrier packaging of dairy products and high-temperature retort pouches (resistant to 121°C), extending shelf life and ensuring safety.  

Medical Protection: Sterile medical device packaging and medical dialysis paper lamination, certified for biocompatibility.  

Industrial Materials: Aluminum foil lamination and lithium battery packaging film production, addressing delamination and pollution risks in traditional processes.  

Emerging Fields: Degradable packaging (such as PLA/PBAT lamination) achieves eco-friendly bonding through this process, promoting the circular economy.  

Industry Challenges and Innovative Responses  

1. Technical Barriers

Pain points such as low initial adhesion and long curing time restrict applications in heavy packaging. Innovative solutions:  

Develop fast-curing PUR adhesives, reducing curing time to 24 hours.  

Guangzhou Tongze’s patented "membrane-plate laminator" enhances initial adhesion strength, suitable for heavy packaging of rice, fertilizers, etc.  

2. Market Promotion Hurdles  

Small and medium-sized enterprises face challenges such as high equipment investment and difficult technical training. Industry strategies:  

Equipment manufacturers provide "technical trusteeship" services to lower operational barriers.  

Policy subsidies drive production line upgrades (e.g., Zhejiang’s "Green Packaging Special Fund").  

Future Trends: Intelligence and Globalization  

1. Deepening Green Technologies

R&D of bio-based adhesives (degradation rate >60%) is accelerating, with market share expected to exceed 35% by 2030.  

2. Intelligent Upgrades

AI-driven dynamic glue adjustment systems optimize coating amounts in real time, reducing waste rates to below 0.5%.  

3. Global Collaboration and Expansion

Chinese technologies are being exported to Southeast Asia (e.g., a dairy packaging plant transformation project in Thailand), with equipment exports increasing by 20% annually.  

Conclusion  

Solventless lamination reshapes the global packaging manufacturing chain with its environmental protection features, becoming a core pillar of green transformation. With technological iteration and policy-driven momentum, its application boundaries will continue to expand into high-end fields such as healthcare and new energy, providing underlying support for sustainable development. The innovative practices of Chinese enterprises are setting replicable "green benchmarks" for the world.