Lining Compounds and Sealants

Overview

In light metal packaging terms, ‘compounds’ and ‘sealants’ both represent means of obtaining an hermetic seal between a metal end component or closure and the package which it is closing. This may be a can body or glass or plastic jars and bottles. The term ‘lining compound’ tends to be used in end components which are double seamed onto metal bodies and ‘sealant’ or ‘gasket’ where used into caps and closures for non-metallic packaging. There are varying physical and chemical demands between the different applications requiring different formulations of compound. These requirements, in addition to forming a durable seal, may be:

• ­adhesion to substrate,
• the right flow characteristics under conditions of end/closure application and any subsequent product processing (sterilisation or pasteurisation),
• inertness to packed product – particularly food and beverage products,
• ability to be applied at high speeds.