MATERIALS | BIOPLASTICS
Aiming for all-plastics biodegradability
Spanish plastics technical institute Aimplas has been working on a European project to develop chemical and biotechnological pretreatments capable of converting synthetic plastics to biodegradable materials. The work is part of the BioICEP project (Bio Innovation of a Circular Economy for Plastics), project, which commenced in February 2020. Pretreatments being examined by Aimplas include microwave-assisted thermochemical degradation, which it says has yielded promising results by turning non-biodegradable plastic waste such as LDPE into easily biodegradable materials that totally degraded in less than 28 days. It has
also studied depolymerisation of polyamides and use of reactive extrusion technologies to change the polymer structure to improve biodeg- radation.
The final proposed solution involves three technologies that are said to enhance, accelerate or increase degradation of plastics beyond current levels. The first consists of chemical disintegration processes to reduce molecular weight, including a new microwave- based technology. The second involves biocatalytic digestion with improved enzymes while the third process employs optimised microbial strains. �
www.aimplas.net
IMAGE: AIMPLAS
systems could have in a study focusing on unfilled PLA and chalk-filled polybutylene succinate (PBS). PLA is known for its rigidity and brittleness and low rate of crystallisation. It also displays poor thermal stability while its high melt viscosity and low melt strength make processing difficult. PBS, by contrast, exhibits mechanical properties similar to those of polyolefins and is a flexible, tough material with high tensile strength. The biopolyesters used in the screening were compounded on a KraussMaffei ZE-25 twin-screw extruder then pelletised and processed into various test specimens, including injection-mould- ed panels, flow spirals, blown film and compression moulded panels. These were tested and assessed in accordance with industry standards and com- pared using non-additivated biodegradable polyesters as references. According to Wacker, the results showed that the Vinnex and Genioplast
Right: Drinking straws from Dongil Platech extruded in a PLA/PHA bioplastic blend from CJ Biomaterials
Left: The BioICEP project aims to find ways to convert traditional polymers to biodegradable materials
additives complement each other and exert a greater influence when employed in combination rather than separately. Processing properties and material properties were said to benefit greatly. South Korean company CJ Biomaterials, which is a subsidiary of food ingredients producer CJ CheilJedang and a significant producer of PHA, has partnered with cosmetics company Riman Korea to create PHA/PLA blends for packaging its Incellderm skincare products. The company says PHA can be used to improve the functional characteristics of a broad range of polymers, where they can be applied to increase biorenewable content. They are also said to work well as modi- fiers with biopolymers such as PLA, where they can help accelerate biodegradation and improve functional performance. The PHA/PLA blend material will be used to package Riman’s Incell- derm Active Cream EX, Dermatology First Package Booster EX, and Vieton Oil Mist, which between them account for sales of more than 5.4m unit/yr. The company has also teamed up with Dongil
Platech to develop a drinking straw using PLA and its PHACT marine biodegradable bioplastic. The use of plastic straws and their presence in the environ- ment is causing concern around the world and generating interest in alternative solutions.
Novel performer CJ Biomaterials claims to be only producer worldwide of amorphous PHA (aPHA). This is a more rubber-like version of PHA that offers fundamentally different performance characteris-
36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | November 2023
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: CJ BIOMATERIALS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62
