materials | Bioplastics Right:
Metabolix is working with
processors and brand owners in a range of applications, including films, incorporating Mirel a-PHA
moulding, the use of a-PHA with PLA enables the strength and toughness to be increased substantially to produce high bio-content parts. The addition of a-PHA to PLA can be applied to various mould geometries and physical properties can be further optimised with the addition of a mineral filler.” Other biopolymer applications include fibres and
non-wovens where a-PHA modifiers can bring significant softness to PLA fibres at low loading levels to produce a soft, silky feel in woven applications. The a-PHA modifiers can also increase the strength of high flow nonwoven PLA fibres. This is claimed to be ideal for developing compostable single-use hygiene and personal care products such as wipes, and in medical products such as gauzes and surgical gowns and drapes. Metabolix adds that it is also working on developing a-PHA as a performance modifier for biodegradable polymers, such as PBS (polybutylene succinate). “The industry is working towards increasing the bio content of PBS,” says Senechal. “It is our view that a-PHA compounded with PBS will add bio-content while also preserving or extending the biodegradation profile of the material. We are working to define the benefits that
a-PHA can provide to PBS compounds.” Financing bio-based innovations is not easy,
however. In May Metabolix announced it was exploring strategic alternatives for its specialty biopolymers business and its Yield10 crop science programme due to “a challenging financing environment.” It said it had received strategic interest in its biopolymers business and was engaged in discussions with interested parties that could lead to its sale as an operating business. Italian company Bio-on is also pressing ahead with
developments in PHA. Last July, it signed an agreement with French company Cristal Union that it said would see France’s first facility for the production of PHAs from sugar beet co-products. The two companies will
Our world revolves around Magnesium Hydrotalcites (brandnames Alcamizer®
and DHT-4A®
), Magnesium Hydroxides, Magnesium Oxides, Mixed Metal Oxides and more specialty Magnesium products.
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