Metal Packaging: From Monolithic Containers to Hybrid Architectures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Packaging Technology
• Sustainable Manufacturing

Background:

• Metal packaging is crucial in food, pharma, and cosmetics due to its protective properties and recyclability.
• Diverse metal packaging architectures exist, including aluminum, tinplate, TFS/ECCS, stainless steels, MMCs, and laminates.
• Material design significantly impacts packaging performance, including formability, barrier properties, and longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of metal-based packaging architectures from a materials and systems perspective.
• To link material composition, microstructure, processing, and surface engineering to functional performance.
• To discuss safety, regulatory, and circularity considerations in metal packaging design.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on metal packaging materials and systems.
• Analysis of material properties, processing techniques, and surface engineering approaches.
• Evaluation of safety, regulatory compliance, and end-of-life management.

Main Results:

• Detailed examination of various metal packaging architectures (alloys, TFS/ECCS, MMCs, laminates).
• Discussion on the shift towards BPA-free coatings and the use of nanostructured surfaces.
• Assessment of ion migration, corrosion, and coating integrity against regulatory standards (EU, FDA, ISO).

Conclusions:

• Metal packaging design requires a holistic approach, integrating material selection, processing, performance, and sustainability.
• The recyclability of aluminum and steel contrasts with challenges in managing coated metals and laminates.
• Advanced metallic and hybrid architectures are key to ensuring functional reliability and life-cycle sustainability in packaging.