According to reports, Japan's letterpress printing company recently developed a sample of paper cups with oxygen barrier properties produced by cellulose nanofibers (CNF), which was launched in March 2017. The company is committed to the development of paper-based containers for surface-coated cellulose nanofibers, and the development of the paper cup is the first step. It is said that it is the first time to introduce cellulose nanofiber paper cups in Japan.
Cellulose nanofibers are ultrafine fibers made by decomposing papermaking materials, plant fibers (pulp). One cellulose nanofiber has a diameter of only 3 to 4 nm (1 nm is 1 part per billion), which is equivalent to about 20,000 parts of hair, and its density is only 1/5 of that of steel, but its strength is more than 5 times. "Light and strong", "small thermal deformation" are remarkable features, and are expected to be widely used in various fields such as automobiles, home appliances, paints, and fibers. In the packaging industry, compared with the previous products, the use of petrochemical raw materials can be reduced, and it has received extensive attention in the industry.
Japan's letterpress printing last year's paper cup products focus on the oxygen barrier properties of cellulose nanofibers. Since the cellulose nanofibers are attached as a coating on the surface of the paper layer to form a barrier layer, the oxidative deterioration of the food can be prevented, and it is an environmentally friendly product. Because the product has the barrier to odor, it also has the effect of preserving and preserving the food. The company's cellulose nanofiber paper cups are mainly used for the packaging of foods such as cup noodles, cakes, ice cream, and dairy products. It is said that after the launch of all types of cellulose nanofiber paper cups, sales by 2020 are expected to reach 1 billion yen.