Pharmaceutical PTP aluminum Foil
Pharmaceutical PTP (Push-Through-Package) aluminum foil is a specialized type of packaging material used primarily in the pharmaceutical industry for blister packaging. This type of foil is designed to protect medications from environmental factors such as moisture, light, and oxygen, ensuring the stability and integrity of the pharmaceutical products.
- Uses: blister packaging for drug capsules, tablets, etc.
- Features: Excellent gas resistance, moisture resistance, light resistance drug resistance, chemical stability, hygiene, Good heat sealing with PVC, PvDC, in the range of 130°C~200°C
| Item | Content |
| Structure | OP/Printing Ink/Aluminum/VC |
| Purpose | Usually sealed with cold aluminum or PVC, PVDC, used for food or pharmaceutical packaging. |
| Main Products | Printed aluminum foil, unprinted aluminum foil |
| Thickness | 0.024mm - 0.030mm |
| Width | 80mm - 1000mm |
| Roll Diameter | 275mm - 500mm |
What is PTP foil?
The common metal material used in pharmaceutical packaging is aluminum foil, usually referred to as pharmaceutical packaging aluminum foil or PTP aluminum foil. PTP aluminum foil originates from the English term "Press-Through Packaging, " which refers to packaging done through pressure. The formal name in the industry is pharmaceutical packaging aluminum foil, and it is also known as blister packaging aluminum foil.
PTP aluminum foil, also known as blister foil or push-through foil, is a rapidly developing soft packaging material widely used in the packaging of food, health products, and pharmaceuticals, particularly for blister packaging of capsules, tablets, and pills.
Structure of Pharmaceutical PTP Aluminum Foil
The structure of pharmaceutical PTP aluminum foil consists of a protective layer (OP), an aluminum foil layer (AL), and a heat-seal coating. PTP aluminum foil can be either unprinted or printed, with printed aluminum foil available in single-sided or double-sided prints.
The specific structure includes: a protective layer (OP), an outer printed layer, bare aluminum foil, an inner printed layer, and adhesive (VC), among others. The aluminum foil used for blister packaging is tightly sealed on pharmaceutical plastic PVC hard sheets, which is why it is also referred to as lid material.
Typically, PTP aluminum foil uses 8011-H18 or 8011-O aluminum foil as raw materials.
Characteristics of PTP Aluminum Foil
PTP aluminum foil has a variety of excellent characteristics that make it widely used in pharmaceutical packaging.
- Oxygen Barrier: PTP aluminum foil has excellent oxygen barrier properties, effectively preventing oxygen permeation and protecting medicines from oxidation, thereby extending their shelf life.
- Light Barrier: The dense structure of aluminum foil effectively blocks light, preventing light-sensitive medicines from being affected by light exposure, ensuring the stability of the drugs.
- Moisture Barrier: PTP aluminum foil has good moisture resistance, preventing moisture intrusion and protecting medicines from humid environments, maintaining their quality.
- Easy Puncture: The surface treatment of the aluminum foil makes it easy to puncture during use, facilitating medication retrieval for patients or medical staff, enhancing usability.
- Convenient Medication Retrieval: The blister design allows for easy extraction of each medication, reducing loss and improving user experience.
- Clean Surface: PTP aluminum foil undergoes strict cleaning during production to ensure its surface is free of contaminants, meeting hygiene requirements for pharmaceutical packaging.
- Uniform Color: The production process of aluminum foil ensures consistent coloration, which does not affect the appearance and packaging effect of the medicines.
- No Spots: High-quality PTP aluminum foil has a smooth surface without spots, scratches, or other defects, ensuring the aesthetics of pharmaceutical packaging.
- Flat and No Pinholes: The production process of aluminum foil ensures a flat surface without pinholes, further enhancing its moisture and oxygen barrier properties.
Uses of PTP Aluminum Foil
Typically sealed with cold aluminum or PVC, PVDC, for food or pharmaceutical packaging. Below is a table showcasing the uses of PTP aluminum foil:
| Use | Description |
| Pharmaceutical Packaging | Airtightness and moisture barrier: Effectively prevents moisture, oxygen, and light from affecting the drugs. Chemical resistance: Resists various drug components to ensure safety. Easy tear design: Convenient for use and prevents cross-contamination. |
| Food Packaging | Single portion packaging: Suitable for small doses of medicine, candies, chocolates, coffee, etc., keeping them fresh. Multi-layer packaging: Composed with PVC or PVDC to enhance barrier properties and extend shelf life. |
| Sealing Materials | Cold aluminum sealing: Combined with PVC or PVDC, sealed using cold sealing technology to prevent contamination. Heat sealing: Suitable for products requiring high-temperature sealing. |
| Other Applications | Medical device packaging: Used for disposable medical devices to ensure sterility. Electronic product packaging: Serves as moisture-proof and anti-static protective material. |
| Environmental Friendliness | PTP aluminum foil is recyclable and meets environmental protection requirements, gaining increasing market favor. |
PTP Blister Foil
PTP blister foil is primarily used for heat sealing with PVC, PVDC-coated PVC, PP, cold-formed foil, and high barrier mesh, widely applied in blister packaging for pharmaceuticals and food.
Advantages of PTP Blister Foil
- Excellent sealing strength: Outstanding sealing performance with PVC, PVC/PVDC, PET, PP, PE, and high barrier substrates.
- Strong print adaptability: Suitable for primer systems for online and offline printing, compatible with water-based and UV inks, achieving perfect printing results without fading after sealing.
- Flexible printing options: Available in single-sided or double-sided printing based on customer requirements.
- Low-temperature sealing capability: Meets the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry and high-speed processing.
- Strong barrier properties: Provides excellent barriers to moisture, oxygen, light, and ultraviolet rays, effectively protecting the contents of the packaging.
Applications of PTP Blister Foil
PTP blister foil can be used for blister packaging of tablets, pills, capsules, and candies. Its excellent oxygen, moisture, leakage, and contamination prevention properties help effectively protect the packaged products.
Characteristics of PTP Blister Foil
The excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of PTP aluminum foil make it suitable for high-speed pharmaceutical packaging production lines at both low and high temperatures. Its non-peeling heat seal coating ensures superior thermal sealing performance with plastic substrates such as PVC, PVDC/PVC, and PP.
PTP Blister Foil Printing Options
PTP aluminum foil is available in various printing forms, including:
Below is a table displaying the printing forms of PTP aluminum foil:
| Printing Form | Description |
| Plain Foil | No printing, retains the natural color of the aluminum foil. |
| Printed Foil | Available for single-sided or double-sided printing, including monochrome, two-color, and multi-color printing. |
| Colored Foil | Available in single-sided gold, double-sided gold, green background, and various colored backgrounds. |
| Anti-Counterfeiting | Includes invisible writing, patterns, and printing on both sides to enhance security and recognition. |
Pharmaceutical PTP aluminum alloys
| Application | Alloy | Temper | Thickness(mm) | Width(mm) | Typical Products |
| PTP Drug Packaging Aluminum Foil | 8011 aluminum foil | H18 | 0.016-0.5 | 200-1600 | Capsules cover plate, etc. |
| Blister Medicine Aluminum Foi | 8021 aluminum foil | O | 0.04-0.065 | 200-1600 | blister packaging, etc. |
| Pharmaceutical Packaging Aluminum Foil | 8021 aluminum foil, 8079 aluminum foil | O | 0.016-0.2 | 200-1600 | high-end medicine packaging |
| Drug Cover Aluminum Foil | 8011 aluminum foil | H14, H16 | 0.016-0.5 | 200-1600 | oral liquid aluminum plastic composite cap , infusion bottle aluminum plastic cap, etc. |
| Medicinal Aluminum Foil Gasket | 1060 aluminum foil | O, H18 | 0.014-0.2 | 200-1600 | drug packaging gasket |
Thickness tolerance of aluminum foil for PTP
| Thickness(t) /mm | Thickness tolerance /mm | |
| High precision grade | Standard grade | |
| 0.018-0.100 | ±4%t | ±6%t |
Width tolerance of aluminum foil for PTP
| Width /mm | Width tolerance /mm |
| ≤800.0 | ±1.0 |
| >800.0 | ±1.5 |
Mechanical properties of aluminum foil for PTP
| Grades | Temper | Thickness/mm | Tensile strength/Mpa | Elongation/% |
| 1235 | O | 0.018-0.025 | 40-100 | 1 |
| >0.025~0.040 | 50-110 | 4 | ||
| >0.040-0.100 | 55-110 | 8 | ||
| 1100, 1200, 1235 | H18 | 0.018-0.100 | ≥135 | - |
| 1100, 1200 | O | 0.018-0.025 | 40-100 | 1 |
| >0.025-0.040 | 50-110 | 3 | ||
| >0.040-0.100 | 55-110 | 6 | ||
| 3003 | O | 0.018-0.025 | 80-130 | 1 |
| >0.025-0.040 | 80-130 | 4 | ||
| >0.040-0.100 | 80-130 | 8 | ||
| 8006 | O | 0.018-0.025 | 80-140 | 1 |
| >0.025-0.040 | 85-140 | 2 | ||
| >0.040-0.100 | 90-145 | 6 | ||
| H18 | 0.018-0.100 | ≥180 | 1 | |
| 8011, 8011A, 8079 | O | 0.018-0.025 | 55-105 | 1 |
| >0.025-0.040 | 60-110 | 4 | ||
| >0.040-0.100 | 60-120 | 8 | ||
| H18 | 0.018-0.100 | ≥150 | 1 |