Alu PVDC Blister Packaging

Alu PVDC blister packaging is a high-performance packaging solution that combines the advantages of aluminum foil (Alu), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), forming a packaging system with excellent barrier properties. This packaging form is primarily used for products sensitive to environmental factors and plays an irreplaceable role, especially in the pharmaceutical field.

Aluminum-PVDC blister packaging is a common packaging solution, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. It combines aluminum foil with a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) film coated with PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride). This combination offers excellent barrier performance, effectively resisting moisture, oxygen, and other environmental factors, making it highly suitable for protecting sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals.

After applying the PVDC coating, the protective performance of PVC is instantly enhanced, with moisture resistance improved by 5 to 10 times, balancing both barrier properties and cost.

We focus on providing high-quality Alu PVDC blister packaging to ensure excellent moisture, oxygen, and contamination protection for pharmaceuticals during the packaging process. We use premium materials that offer high transparency and excellent mechanical properties, suitable for the efficient packaging of various pharmaceuticals. We are committed to providing customized packaging solutions to enhance product quality and market competitiveness.

What is Alu-PVDC Blister Packaging?

Alu-PVDC blister packaging consists of a PVC base film coated with PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), sealed to an aluminum foil backing. PVC provides necessary formability and strength, while the PVDC coating significantly enhances the barrier against oxygen, moisture, and other external factors.

Alu PVDC Blister Packaging Composition and Structure

• Base Material: A multilayer film, usually made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coated with high-barrier polymer PVDC. Compared to standard PVC, this structure offers improved resistance to moisture and oxygen penetration.
• Lidding Material: A heat-sealable aluminum foil that provides additional protection against light, moisture, and oxygen.

Example Structure:

• PVC (200–300 µm)
• PVDC Coating (40–120 g/m²)
• Aluminum Foil (20–30 µm)

Alu PVDC Blister Specifications

Alu PVDC Blister Thickness Specifications

The thickness specifications of Alu PVDC blister packaging primarily involve three parts: PVC base material, PVDC coating, and aluminum foil:

Alu PVDC Blister Roll Specifications

Alu PVDC blister packaging materials are usually supplied in roll form. The specification parameters include:

Width Specifications:

• PVC film width: 50–1200mm
• Aluminum foil width: 50–800mm
• Composite rigid sheet width: ≤1500mm

Roll Diameter and Weight:

• Roll diameter: ≤800mm
• Core inner diameter: 76mm or 152mm
• Weight: 10kg to 20kg per roll (customizable according to customer requirements)

Material Properties of Alu PVDC Blister Packaging

• Barrier Performance: The combination of PVC, PVDC, and aluminum foil forms a strong barrier, effectively resisting moisture, oxygen, and other contaminants, thus maintaining product integrity and extending shelf life.
• Protection: This packaging is especially suitable for protecting moisture-sensitive medications, vaccines, and other products that require controlled environments.
• Visibility: Transparent PVC material allows for visual inspection of the internal product.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Compared with other high-barrier packaging solutions like Alu-Alu blisters, aluminum-PVDC packaging offers good protection with better cost performance.
• Versatility: It can be used for a variety of products, including tablets, capsules, and other pharmaceuticals, as well as over-the-counter drugs and even some food items.

Thermoformability of PVC

As the base material for Alu PVDC blister packaging, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has excellent thermoforming properties, which is one of the key reasons for its widespread application.

Thermoforming Principle:

PVC is a thermoplastic material that softens and deforms when heated to a certain temperature (typically 100–150°C). At this point, it can be shaped through vacuum forming or pressure forming to conform to the mold shape. After cooling, it retains the molded shape. This property enables PVC to be formed into various complex blister shapes to meet different packaging requirements.

Forming Advantages:

Wide forming temperature range and large operating window

Good melt flow, capable of filling fine mold structures

Fast cooling speed, high production efficiency

Good dimensional stability after forming, not easily deformed

High Barrier Performance of PVDC

Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) is widely recognized as one of the best packaging materials in the world in terms of comprehensive barrier performance and plays a key role in Alu PVDC blister packaging.

Molecular Structure Characteristics:

PVDC is a thermoplastic polymer with a softening temperature of 160–200°C and a head-to-tail linear polymer chain structure. It has strong intermolecular cohesion, high crystallinity, and hydrophobic chlorine atoms in the molecular chain that prevent hydrogen bond formation, making it difficult for oxygen and water molecules to move within the PVDC matrix. This results in excellent oxygen and moisture barrier properties.

Environmental Adaptability:

Compared with other high-barrier materials, one of PVDC’s most notable advantages is that its barrier performance is unaffected by ambient humidity. While EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer) has superior oxygen barrier properties, its performance drops sharply in high humidity environments. In contrast, PVDC can maintain stable barrier performance under various humidity conditions.

Barrier Function of Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is another key component in Alu PVDC blister packaging, providing excellent physical barrier properties.

Physical Structural Characteristics:

Aluminum foil is made from 99% pure electrolytic aluminum through rolling and has a highly dense metallic crystal structure. This structure grants it the following properties:

Barrier Properties:

Light Blocking: Aluminum foil offers 100% blockage of light, especially ultraviolet rays.

Gas Barrier: Aluminum foil completely blocks gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, with a gas transmission rate of zero.

Moisture Barrier: Aluminum foil has excellent moisture barrier properties, with a water vapor transmission rate close to zero.

Alu PVDC Blister Packaging Applications

Alu-PVDC blister packaging is mainly used for:

• Pharmaceuticals: Suitable for tablets, capsules, and pills sensitive to humidity, without requiring the extreme protection of Alu-Alu packaging (e.g., non-effervescent drugs).
• Medical Devices: For small devices that require moderate barrier protection.
• Tablets and Capsules: Protects solid dosage forms from environmental factors.
• Over-the-Counter Drugs: Ensures product integrity and extends shelf life.
• Nutritional Supplements: For packaging dietary supplements and vitamins.

This packaging solution is widely favored in both hospital settings and consumer markets due to its effectiveness and reliability.

Applications of Alu PVDC Blister Packaging in the Pharmaceutical Field

Suitable Types of Medicines for Alu PVDC Blister Packaging

Thanks to its outstanding barrier and physical protection properties, Alu PVDC blister packaging is widely used in the pharmaceutical field and is particularly suitable for the packaging of the following types of medicines:

Moisture-Sensitive Medicines:

Antibiotics (e.g., penicillin, cephalosporins)

Vitamins (e.g., B vitamins, vitamin C)

Calcium-zinc compound supplements

Traditional Chinese medicine powders and granules

Oxidation-Sensitive Medicines:

Some active ingredients in medications can easily undergo oxidative reactions with the oxygen in the air and lose effectiveness. The high oxygen barrier property of Alu PVDC blister packaging and the complete light-blocking function of aluminum foil can effectively slow down these reactions. Applicable medications include cardiovascular drugs, enzyme-based drugs, hormone-based drugs, etc.

Advantages of Alu PVDC Blister Pharmaceutical Packaging

The widespread use of Alu PVDC blister packaging in the pharmaceutical field is mainly due to its significant advantages compared to other packaging formats:

Other Application Fields of Alu PVDC Blister Packaging

Alu PVDC Blister for Food Packaging

With its excellent barrier and physical protection properties, Alu PVDC blister packaging also finds wide applications in the food packaging sector.

Main application scenarios:

• Meat products: ham, sausages, fresh meat, cured meat, and pickled meat
• Baked goods: biscuits, wafers, mooncakes, bread, and cakes
• Dairy products: cheese, butter, and cream
• Dried and snack foods: tea, coffee, nuts, dried fruits, and snacks
• Ready-to-eat foods: microwave meals, instant foods, soups, and sauces

Alu PVDC Blister Packaging for Other Industrial Applications

Beyond food and pharmaceuticals, Alu PVDC blister packaging is also widely used in other industrial sectors, including cosmetics and personal care products, electronic product packaging, military supplies packaging, chemical product packaging, and hardware product packaging.

Alu PVDC Blister Packaging Application Advantages

HC offers a range of PVC/PVDC films suitable for the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Manufacturing Method of Alu PVDC Blister

• Thermoforming: PVC film is heated and molded into cavities using molds.
• Product Filling: The product (e.g., tablets) is placed into the formed cavities.
• Sealing: The cavities are sealed with aluminum foil to form an airtight seal.

Alu-PVDC blister packaging strikes a balance between protection, visibility, and cost-effectiveness, making it a popular choice for widespread application, especially in the pharmaceutical field.

As a high-performance packaging solution, Alu PVDC blister packaging, with its excellent material characteristics and flexible processing capabilities, has found wide applications in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, electronics, and other sectors.

Comparison with Other Blister Types

Limitations of Alu PVDC Blister Packaging

• Environmental Impact: PVC and PVDC are less recyclable than aluminum, posing challenges to sustainability.
• Barrier Limitations: Although PVDC performs better than PVC, it cannot match the near-zero permeability of Alu-Alu packaging, making it unsuitable for highly sensitive drugs such as effervescent tablets.

Alu-PVDC blister packaging provides a robust and reliable solution for protecting pharmaceuticals. It combines the formability of PVC with the superior barrier properties of PVDC, ensuring drug efficacy and safety throughout the shelf life. Due to its compliance with industry standards and compatibility with existing packaging equipment, it remains a preferred choice for pharmaceutical manufacturers.