Effect of smoothing in calender and hot stamping machine on the properties of coated paperboards for printed electronics

The methods of coated paperboards smoothing with a hot stamping machine using a smooth metal die and a conventional calender were compared. The printing roughness required for printing electrical and electronic components was achieved by both smoothing methods. The printing roughness of the coated paperboards decreased after hot stamping by 18 to 42% and after calendering by 22 to 41% depending on the grade of coated paperboard. The stiffness of coated paperboards decreased after hot stamping by only 4 to 21%, while by up to 38 to 51% after calendering. The ratio of specific stiffness and printing roughness of coated paperboards after hot stamping ranged from 2.5 to 8.1 mN. μm-2 and after calendering from 2.0 to 6.7 mN. μm-2. The stiffness of the coated paperboards decreased less after hot stamping, and that only in the printed electronics area, while after calendering the stiffness decreased significantly more in the whole profile. It can be assumed that packaging made from coated paperboards smoothed by hot stamping will have a lower weight and thus lower costs than packaging from calendered coated paperboards.