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Technical properties

Delamination

Also known as: delamination, layer separation, bond failure, laminate separation, tunnelling

Delamination is the separation of bonded layers in a laminated packaging material, either over time or under stress.

Delamination is the separation of layers in a laminated packaging material. It can start as small bubbles or tunnels and spread until whole layers come apart.

Common causes

  • Incomplete adhesive curing before slitting and pouch making
  • Aggressive contents: oils, acids, alcohol, spices, essential oils and fragrances that attack the adhesive
  • Heat treatments such as hot filling, pasteurisation or retort without a suitable adhesive
  • Low film surface energy, heavy ink coverage or ink-adhesive incompatibility
  • Trapped moisture or solvent, and mechanical stress from folding or heavy fills

Why it matters

Delamination is more than cosmetic. It can reduce barrier, weaken seals, cause leaks and damage how the brand looks on shelf.

Prevention

Converters check bond strength by measuring the force needed to peel laminate strips apart, choose adhesives for the application and allow proper cure time. Your part is to share full product details, including fat, acidity, alcohol and fragrance content, and to run filled sample trials, ideally including storage at elevated temperature, before full production.

Frequently asked

Can delaminated pouches still be used?

It is not recommended, as barrier and seal performance may already be compromised. Contact your converter to identify the cause.

How is bond strength measured?

Laminate strips of a set width are peeled apart on a tensile tester and the force needed is recorded.

Related terms

LaminationLamination is the process of bonding two or more films, foils or papers with adhesive to create a single multi-layer packaging material. Multi-layer structureA multi-layer structure is the stack of different films in a flexible pack, each doing a job such as print, barrier or sealing, e.g. PET/ALU/PE. Hot fillingHot filling packs a product while it is still hot, typically around 80–95 °C, and seals it at once to reduce microbial risk. Residual solventResidual solvent is the amount of printing or laminating solvent left in packaging after drying; too much can cause odour and taint. Retort pouchA retort pouch is a heat-resistant multilayer pouch that can be sterilised under pressure after filling and sealing.

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