The Italian glass group Bormioli Luigi has installed new sputtering equipment at its Parma plant. This surface treatment adds to the advantages of metallization a controlled metal deposit guaranteeing the recyclability of the glass.
Lancôme's La Vie est Belle l'Extrait bottle is a limited edition created by Bormioli Luigi using sputtering, a technology in which the Italian company has recently invested. "Thanks to sputtering, we were able to create a transparent metallic bottle that stands out for its mirror effect, its special hue and the gradient of the color, which creates a difference in opacity between the top and bottom of the bottle."explains Emanuela Fava, R&D Manager at Bormioli Luigi.
Sputtering involves applying the decoration in a vacuum, using a physical process that differs from metallization. Selected metals such as steel, gold, silver or copper are transformed under the effect of a gas and deposited on the surface of the bottle in the form of micro-fragments whose thickness can be controlled. A final external lacquering phase deposits a protective layer, offering the possibility of adding color and gradient effects.
"We have invested 2 million euros in a complete line dedicated to sputtering, encompassing the entire process. Sputtering brings flexibility, possible color effects and control over the thickness of metal deposits until a transparent version is obtained. This transparency is of interest not only for its aesthetic effect, but also to ensure that the final product can be recycled, as it makes the glass recognizable by optical sorting".stresses Emanuela Fava.
Sputtering makes it possible to combine aesthetic effects with recyclability. Bormioli Luigi has optimized this surface treatment technology, historically used for plastic packaging, while working on the raw material to achieve the expected levels of resistance and compatibility. The sputtering technique promises products the same brilliance and resistance to shocks, scratches and juices as those produced by vacuum metallization.
Yaël Zajac
