Date of Award

12-2022

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Chemical and Paper Engineering

First Advisor

Alexandra Pekarovicova, Ph.D. (Co-Chair)

Second Advisor

Paul D. Fleming III, Ph.D. (Co-Chair)

Third Advisor

Lokendra Pal, Ph.D.

Keywords

Packaging applications, paper printing and packaging materials, pressure sensitive adhesive, printing and imaging technologies, sustainability and circular economy, sustainable inks and coatings

Abstract

To support circular economy and sustainability, the use of suitable material in paper, printing, and packaging industries, for several types of industrial printing material and printed product applications, plays a significant role for end user applications. Several types of packaging printing materials, specifically those finished with different printing technologies and exposed to different environmental conditions are targeted.

The purpose of this research study is to improve design and evaluation for paper, printing, and packaging material sustainability in end-user applications, to deal with the addressed sustainability issues brought by the paper, printing and packaging products end user groups. As the impacts on sustainability from printing and packaging consumable materials are found from the various industrial sectors, to reduce the packaging printing material related risks and waste during usage, and end-user applications of the products can be an effective way to improve the packaging printing material sustainability.

This research combines both theoretical research and the empirical practice of paper, printing and packaging consumable materials for printing and packaging applications used in various industrial products. By undertaking a critical examination of sustainable design and evaluation techniques for packaging printing consumables product development in manufacturing segment, this study aims to develop a design and evaluation method for a sustainable printing and packaging consumables, such as sustainable ink and pressure sensitive label (PSL) materials used and stored in different environmental conditions as well as use of suitable raw materials by replacing the petrochemical based component with sustainable and biodegradable materials in various printing and packaging consumable materials.

Firstly, this study explores the effects of sustainable soy water-based ink formulations on the packaging printing parameters in replacement of petrochemical based ink formulation, and how it will help to achieve the sustainability in packaging printing material applications, which will support to the circular economy.

Then it will be necessary to identify the relationship between the impact of environmental factors on material design, product, and end user applications, and how that material properties and environmental conditions analyses will help to consider the sustainability concerns to reduce the material wastage and support the circularity.

Finally, with the help of material and application testing analyses, creating an integrated sustainable evaluation framework to assess the sustainability of the packaging printing materials, technologies and applications will help to enhance sustainability. Considering the impact from the selected material manufacturing related risks along with the wastage, material incompatibility and improper selection and usage of the product will lead to a sustainable future.

In conclusion, supporting the circular economy is essential to driving product and packaging sustainability at every stage of the product life cycle.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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