To: Professor Harvey Lipkin

From: Knox's Knockoffs
Tori Bailey, Arthur McClung III, Raquelle Thigpen, Nzinga Tull, Curtis Sharif

Subject: Bottle Survey

Date: May 20, 1998

These are the results from a random bottle survey on the configuration of the tubing in the bottle: straight and rigid, angled flexible, or rigid with slant.

To: Professor Harvey Lipkin

From: Knox's Knockoffs
Tori Bailey, Arthur McClung III, Raquelle Thigpen, Nzinga Tull, Curtis Sharif

Subject: Materials Selection

Date: May 20, 1998

MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES

-Injection molding
-Blow molding
-Extrusion

COMMON PLASTIC CONTAINER RESIN MATERIALS:

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

HDPE is the most widely used resin for extrusion blown plastic bottles. This material is economical, impact resistant, and provides a good moisture barrier. HDPE is compatible with a wide range of products including acids and caustics but is not compatible with solvents. It is usually supplied in FDA approved food grade.

HDPE is naturally translucent and flexible. The addition of color will make HDPE opaque although not glossy. Adding extra weight to the bottle will yield a rigid container.

While HDPE provides good protection at below freezing temperatures, it cannot be used with products filled at over 160 F or products requiring a hermetic seal.

High Gloss High Density Polyethylene

High Gloss HDPE is a special HDPE copolymer resin designed to yield a glossy surface. Like HDPE, this material is FDA approved. The amount of gloss achieved is dependent upon the color chosen with white being the least reflective.

Post Consumer Resin (PCX)

PCX is a blend of reclaimed post consumer natural HDPE primarily from milk and water containers and specially formulated virgin resin. The recycled material is first cleaned and ground and then recompounded directly into uniform pellets along with prime virgin material especially designed to build up environmental stress crack resistance.

PCX has no odor but does exhibit a slight yellow tint in its natural state. This tint can be hidden by the addition of color. PCX is easily processed and inexpensive. However, it cannot come into direct contact with food or pharmaceutical products. PCX can be produced in a variety of recycled content percentages up to 100%.

Biopol

Biopol is technically a family of linear polyesters of three hydroxybutyric and three hydroxyvaleric acids produced in nature from the fermentation of sugars by the bacterium Alcaligenes Eutrophus. The significance of this is Biopol is produced naturally by renewable agricultural resources, and most importantly, it is fully biodegradable.

Biopol is stable when stored in air and is quite stable when stored even in humid conditions. Degradation to carbon dioxide and water will occur only when the polymer is exposed to microorganisms found naturally in soil, sewage, river bottoms, and other similar environments. The rate of degradation is dependent on the material thickness and the amount of bacteria present. Landfill simulations over a 19 week period show test bottles experienced a weight loss ranging from 30% with oxygen present to 80% with no oxygen present. The fact that Biopol decomposes more rapidly without oxygen present is significant because oxygen is not present in modern landfills.

The initial commercial application for Biopol is packaging for products such as shampoos and cosmetics with injection molded closures and extrusion blow-molded bottles. The cost of Biopol is directly related to the supply of the very unique material.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

PVC is naturally clear, has extremely good resistance to oils, and has very low oxygen transmission. It provides an excellent barrier to most gases and its drop impact resistance is also very good. This material is also very chemically resistant, but it is vulnerable to solvents. PVC is a semi-rigid material which, when produced on extrusion blow-molding equipment, can accommodate handled designs.

PVC is available in different grades depending on its application. These grades include general purpose grade, food grade, and fragrance-guard perfume grade. The occurrence of the blue tint in clear PVC can be modified by controlling the toner levels in each of these grades. PVC is also available in a rigid injection blow molding grade.

General Purpose PVC exhibits poor resistance to high temperatures and will distort at 160 F, making it incompatible with hot filled products. New PVC grades are able to withstand temperatures up to 190 F and can be hot filled. Since it provides a good oxygen barrier, PVC is an excellent choice for salad oil, mineral oil, and vinegar. It is also commonly used for shampoos and cosmetic products.

Barex

Barex is a rubberized compound which provides excellent compatibility with solvents. It is similar in nature to PVC and can be produced on equipment used for PVC blow molding.

Barex is an excellent material for automotive additives, insecticides, lighter fluid, dry cleaning products and all products containing toluene, xylene, trichloroethane, benzene, and most solvents. Barex is not compatible with ketones (acetone or methyl ethyl ketone).

This material has a slight brownish tint in its natural state, but is glossy when produced in colors. This material exhibits poor drop impact resistance at temperatures below freezing and can-not be subjected to temperatures above 150 F.

Barex costs approximately 10% more than PVC and is a special order material subject to minimum run quantities.

Nyalene

Nyalene is a proprietary name for the combination of Nylon (Selar) with HDPE in ratios from 5-20 % by weight. This combination, known as nylon alloying, produces a bottle similar in appearance to HDPE with exceptional barrier properties to hydrocarbons and aromatic solvents. Nyalene also resists penetration by oxygen and carbon dioxide and is excellent for use with insecticides, photographic chemicals, agricultural chemicals, household cleaners, waxes, paint
thinner and gasoline.

Nyalene is available on a stock basis in many sizes. Nyalene can be decorated without regard to heat sensitivity. It is a moderately expensive material.

Polycarbonate (PC)

Crystal clear, strong and rigid, polycarbonate is autoclavable, non-toxic, and unbreakable. FDA approved for Food and Drug applications, this resin is the toughest of all thermoplastics, but is soluble in various organic solvents.

Polycarbonate is ideal for high temperature applications and can also withstand low temperatures. It is commonly used as 5 gallon water bottles and reusable 8 oz. school milk containers.

Lexan is GE's tradename for Polycarbonate. PC is an expensive material.



Glycol modified Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETG)

PETG: is a durable material with excellent gloss, clarity and sparkle desired for clear bottles. PETG can be processed via conventional extrusion blow molding methods, generally on machines designed to process PVC.

Applications, include shampoos, soaps, and detergents. PETG exhibits a good impact strength and gas barrier. The chemical resistance of PETG is fair and compatibility testing is recommended, especially with products that contain alcohol.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

PET is an excellent material for use in orientation blow molding (stretch blow molding). It is commonly used for carbonated beverage bottles. Oriented PET provides very good alcohol and essential oil barrier properties, generally good chemical resistance (although acetones and ketones will attack PET) and a high degree of impact resistance and tensile strength. The orienting process also serves to improve gas and moisture barrier properties.

This material does not provide resistance to high temperature applications (max. temp. 160 F). However, heat-set PET creates a container which will accept a 195 F hot fill and exhibit the clarity of other PET containers. This process provides an alternative to glass for products such as juice.

To: Professor Harvey Lipkin

From: Knox's Knockoffs
Tori Bailey, Arthur McClung III, Raquelle Thigpen, Nzinga Tull, Curtis Sharif

Subject: Preliminary Comparison

Date: May 20, 1998

Basis: Current Model (2-D)

Assumptions:
a) The container is cylindrical
b) The container has uniform thickness on all edges
c) The diameter of the container is D, ie. R=D/2

New Models:
Cone (2-D)

Assumptions:
a) The base of the nipple will reach the same depth as the sides
b) The nipple will be a half sphere

c) The inclination is uniform around the container


Difference from current model

The dimensions that need to be defined are:
a) The inclination angle of the funnel,
b) The radius of the nipple, r

BILT (2-D)

Assumptions:
a) The inclination of the slope is the same as the funnel
b) The base of the slope is at the same thickness as the edges

Difference from current model

The dimensions that need to be defined are:
a) The angle of inclination,

Note: The inclination angle is the same for both models.

Analysis:
The 2D areas will be found, then integrated around the cirlce.

Cone






Thus,

BILT


And,

We have been considering an inclination of 50, an experimental diameter of 9cm, and experimental nipple radius of 0.25cm.

These values yield the following volume displacements from the current model: