Metabolix is launching its new line of amorphouspolyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) grades to be used as performance additives for PVC and PLA. Production of the new materials is underway at a U.S. pilot plant and will ramp up to 600,000 pounds annual nameplate capacity during 2016. 

Performance Additives for PVC and PLA 

Biokunststoffe

Amorphous PHA 

BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, is expanding its range of high performance foam products with the innovative, certified compostable particle foam ecovio EA. The product is predominantly biobased and, like all of the grades under the ecovio brand, it supports the biological cycle through its certified compostability. 

ecovio EA 

Schaumstoffe und Vorprodukte

Compostable Particle Foam with High Bio-Based Content 

Orange peels and carbon dioxide – that is all it took for researchers from Bayreuth University to make their new bioplastic. In addition to being organic, PLimC is said to feature the same properties as conventional plastics in terms of performance and variety of applications. 

Bioplastic PLimC from Orange Peels and Carbon Dioxide 

Polycarbonat

Technik Trend

kunststoffe-international.com

Orange Shell, Green Core 

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Willich, Germany, has developed a new technology for the production of compounds which can be processed into flexible packaging films with particularly low thickness and, at the same time, high puncture resistance. Films made from Bio-Flex FX 1120 and Bio-Flex FX 1130 are suitable for food contact and compostable according to EN 13432. Depending upon the type, the proportion of renewable raw materials is more than 50%. The processing of both FX types of Bio-Flex corresponds largely to standard PE processing. 

For Thin and Puncture Resistant Compostable Film Bags  

Folien

Verpackungsmaterial

Bio-Flex FX Series 

Excellent performance properties combined with low environmental impact were the main requirements made on new polyamide 6.10 grades developed for usage in media resistant pipe system in the automotive industry. Current application examples are pneumatic brake lines for trucks and, developed by Fiat Chrysler Automobile, tank breather hoses for passenger vehicles. 

Air Brake Pipes and Tank Breather Hose Made of Bio-Based Polyamide 6.10  

Polyamide

Extrusion

Naturally Effective 

A 7-layer micro blown film line that can produce not only narrow-width polyethylene film but also barrier and high-barrier blown films will be presented by Polyrema GmbH & Co. KG, Troisdorf, Germany. This machine can also serve as a semi-laboratory and production machine for developing formulations and laminates. The advantage of the micro blown film line is that it supports simple upscaling to larger production lines, thereby saving on development costs. 

Polyrema 

Blasfolienextrusion

Seven Layers for both Laboratory and Production 

adidas has partnered with AMSilk for the first premium innovation footwear made using silk biopolymers. The adidas Futurecraft Biofabric prototype shoe features an upper made from 100% Biosteel fiber, a nature-based and completely biodegradable high-performance fiber, developed by the German biotech company AMSilk. 

First 100% Biodegradable Performance Shoe 

Futurecraft Biofabrics 

Tough, elastic and resilient: Its outstanding properties make spider silk equally interesting to biologists and product designers. A German company has been successful in producing this fiber artificially. The material is named “Biosteel”, and it is designed for applications in high-tech textiles, for example in the areas of sports, medicine and military.  

Bionic High-Performance Fiber Biosteel 

Faserverarbeitung

Fasern

Nature as a Role Model: Artificial Spider Silk for Textiles 

In order to protect their offspring from being eaten by predators near the ground, green lacewings deposit their eggs on the underside of leaves – on the ends of stable silk threads. These so-called egg stalks are only around 15 micrometers thick and can easily hold the weight of the eggs. In order to produce these impressive fibers, the green lacewing excretes a protein secretion onto the leaf. The egg is then laid in the droplet and perpendicularly pulled out from the leaf. The resulting silk thread then hardens in the air. 

High-Grade Rigid Fiber for Lightweight Plastics 

Medizintechnik

Biofibers Made from Green Lacewing Silk 

With single serve drinks systems continuing to grow in popularity, there is an increasing requirement to balance the demand for capsules with sustainable packaging solutions. RPC Bebo, Bremervörde, Germany, has developed an innovative coffee capsule material that is able to be industrially composted while still delivering long-term protection of the contents and being able to withstand the high pressurised operation of coffee machines. 

Compostable Capsule Retains Coffee Quality 

Bebo B2nature 

FKuR GmbH, Willich, Germany, has developed new Bio-Flex blends for the production of low gauge films which will biodegrade completely in garden compost at low, variable temperatures. 

Grocery bag made from the translucent Bio-Flex FX 1803 (© FKuR)  

Bio-Flex Home Compost Compounds 

Kunststoffe, bioabbaubar

For Home Compostable Films  and Packaging 

Synbra Technology bv, Etten-Leur, Netherlands, is currently finalizing the certification of the world’s first particle foam to receive a Carbon Neutrality verification in compliance with the PAS 2060 standard. BioFoam is a PLA-based particle foam made from renewable resources. 

The First CO2-Neutral Foam in the World 

Polystyrol

BioFoam 

In case of thermoset Sheet Molding Compounds, the density of the resin paste can be reduced up to 22 % by replacing conventional filler materials such as calcium carbonate with bio-based filler materials – with consistent mechanical properties. This was proved on filler materials, which are by-products of plant-based oils and timber production.  

Bio-Based Filler Materials for Sheet Molding Compound Applications 

Duroplaste

Additive

Füllstoffe für Kunststoffe

Sustainability Depending on the Details 

Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN/USA, the world’s leading producer of cellulosic materials, introduces Trēva, a versatile, cellulose-based thermoplastic that marries high-level performance and sustainability. 

Trēva is suitable for applications like eyeglass frames, wearable electronics, headphones, and many other personal devices that come in direct contact with the skin (© Eastman) 

Bioplastics for Skin Contact 

Excellent Chemical Resistance 

Taiwanese company Sungo introduces the Ludavi drink bottle which is made of the transparent Trogamid Terra biopolymer by Evonik Industries and stands out for its trendy look and high-quality material that makes it virtually indestructible. 

Microcrystalline Biopolymer 

Unbreakable Drink Bottle 

Food Packaging Made from Renewable Raw Materials

A food packaging solution developed by Neste, Mitsui Chemicals and Prime Polymer has been awarded the Japanese Eco Mark certification.

Neste, Mitsui Chemicals and Prime Polymer, a subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals, are working together to provide more sustainable food packaging solutions for CO-OP, a brand of the Japanese Consumers Co-operative Union (JCCU). In the first phase of the collaboration, bio-based raw materials will replace fossil ones in the production of the packaging material for a seaweed snack. Going forward, the companies intend to introduce bio-based raw materials also to packaging for further products. 

Neste provides renewable Neste RE, a feedstock for polymers that is made entirely from bio-based raw materials. Through Mitsui Chemicals and the company’s subsidiary Prime Polymer, the feedstock is processed into renewable polypropylene under the brand name Prasus, which is then turned into food packaging for JCCU. The packaging made with renewable materials comes with the same quality and performance as previously, when it was produced from fossil feedstock. The sole differences lie in the reduced carbon footprint of the packaging and the replacement of fossil materials during its production. A mass balancing approach is applied to allocate the renewable material to the plastic packaging. The seaweed snack packaging is the first packaging made with renewable plastics via mass balancing that has received the Japanese Eco Mark certification.

Neste Oyj  

https://www.neste.com

CO-OP’s seaweed snack now comes in plastic packaging made with renewable materials.

2023-11-21 Neste

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

issue 08/2023

issue 07/2023

issue 06/2023

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