materials development | Compounding bioplastics
PLA and PBAT (such as BASF’s Ecoflex), and also on fossil-based plastics (including polypropylene, polyethylene, EVA and polystyrene), all containing at least 40% algae. Properties are suitable for a variety of end-use applications, including cosmetic containers, packaging, horticultural/agricul- tural products, as well as film, sheet and non-wovens. Solaplast compounds can be used directly or as a masterbatch. Hunt says that the company is creating interest
Plastisud is producing these heat resistant thermoformed food trays using FKuR’s Bio-Flex F 6611
among companies that are looking both for biode- gradable products, and also companies that want to use durable materials with reduced carbon footprints.
A major challenge in processing algae is the smell.
“We incorporate additives to scavenge and eliminate odour,” Hunt says. “The finished product is odour-free.” Naturally the colour is green, brown or black, but with added pigments, custom colours can be created. Until now, Algix has been using toll compounders to produce its materials, but it is installing its own line based on a 73-mm extruder in Meridian, Mississippi. It has already sold material to potential customers as far away as Germany, Japan, and Brazil.
More information Edwin Tam of Teknor Apex will give a presentation on “Challenges in
compounding and
processing bioplastics” at the Compounding World Forum 2014
which takes place on 10-11 Decem- ber in Philadelphia, PA, USA. For details,
visit
http://bit.ly/CWF2014.
Click on the links for more information: ❙
www.natureworksllc.com ❙
www.metabolix.com ❙
www.proviron.com ❙
www.takemoto.co.jp/en/ ❙
www.wacker.com ❙
www.dow.com/additives/ ❙
www.clariant.com ❙
www.polyone.com ❙
www.teknorapex.com ❙
www.purac.com ❙
www.biotec.de ❙
www.fkur.com ❙
www.plastisud.com ❙
www.algix.com ❙
www.rtpcompany.com ❙
www.tecnaro.de ❙
www.toray.com ❙
www.unitika.co.jp/e/ ❙
www.novamont.com ❙
www.floreon.com ❙
www.amiplastics.com
Algae-based
compounds from Algix can be produced in custom colours
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