Corrosion study of CA-PVD coated perforation cutter blades of different metallurgies used for liquid shampoo packaging

Abstract

Perforation cutters must tackle aggressive corrosion and wear while filling sachets/pouches containing shampoo liquids and conditioners. The present work aims to enhance the durability of the perforation cutters through the application of PVD coatings. Further, this study investigates the role of surface energy and wettability to understand the corrosion behavior of different cutter metallurgies (SS420, D2, and HSS M2) and different coatings in shampoo liquids and conditioners. Two PVD coatings, namely Titanium Nitride (TiN) and Chromium Nitride (CrN), were chosen for this work. The most popular FMCG hair shampoo and conditioner combination in South Asia was selected for the study. The coated cutters were exposed to 20% concentration by volume of different shampoo solutions and their corrosion rates were compared with uncoated cutters. The CrN-coated SS420 specimen exhibited the most significant improvement in corrosion resistance with low wettability compared to all other specimens tested in various solutions. In contrast, the uncoated M2 specimen suffered the most severe corrosion with high wettability in various solutions. An inverse correlation was observed between wettability and corrosion resistance for the various specimens. The findings of this study give a better understanding of the corrosion of perforation cutters by shampoo liquids, elucidating the impact on their longevity and providing insights into the potential benefits of PVD coatings for enhancing their durability.