BIOPLASTICS | FORMULATION AND COMPOUNDING
Right: Bio-Fed’s latest biode- gradable M-Vera
compounds are designed for production of thermoformed sheet
market for the latest M-Vera compounds from KD Feddersen group company Bio-Fed. Designed for production of extruded sheet, the compostable GP4001, GP4003 and GP 4005 materials are PLA-based and can be processed as mono and multi-layer structures. The company says that the GP4001 grade is suitable for production of coffee capsules and offers a renewable content of around 70%. It is certified suitable for home composting to EN13432 up to a thickness of 1.1mm. Biodegradable materials are also being investi-
underway that are expected to deliver commercial- scale solutions and products for the displacement of virgin and synthetic materials. “One such example is our involvement in an ongoing EU Horizon2020 project, in which we are collaborating with international partners to create new value chains for spent coffee grounds with a particular focus on bio-oils to bio-plastics.” The WaysTUP! Project runs until 2023 and is designed to showcase a portfolio of new processes converting urban biowaste from different feedstocks into biobased products. One aspect being looked at is how oils extracted from spent coffee could be converted into raw material for production of PHAs.
Capsule compounds Staying with coffee, Vancouver, Canada-based processor Nexe Innovations is working with Ingeo PLA from NatureWorks on a project to replace traditional single-use plastics with fully composta- ble alternatives. Zac Hudson, Chief Scientific Officer at the company, says compounds of Ingeo and plant fibre are being used to produce fully com- postable coffee capsules that are compatible with Keurig single-serve brewing systems. The capsules composted in as little as 35 days during field trials conducted at a biofuels facility. Nexe commercialised its first capsule earlier this
year via its subsidiary Xoma Superfoods. Xoma produces beverages for the health and wellness market as “keto” coffee, mushroom coffee, and a coffee with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) from coconut oil. A second product line for Nespresso capsules is set to launch soon. Hudson says Nexe aims to partner with large
coffee brands to offer a sustainable single-serve option for consumers. “This technology platform can be readily applied to other products calling out for a sustainable solution, such as meat and fish trays, eyeglass frames, disposable facemasks, or cosmetics packaging,” according to Hudson. Coffee capsules are also one of the potential
36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | September 2021
gated as components in multilayer packaging films, which provide very good technical performance but are difficult to manage at end-of-life. Late last year, BASF and Swedish packaging manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs said they had cooperated to develop a new type of home-compostable paper-polymer laminate for flexible packaging.
Laminate structure The multi-layer film laminate consists of three basic components: BillerudKorsnäs‘ConFlex Silk paper, a sealing layer of BASF’s home compostable and part bio-based Ecovio polymer, and a joining layer of BASF’s water-based adhesive Epotal Eco 3675 X. As all parts of the multi-layer laminate are food- contact approved, it could be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted barrier properties that are suitable for items such as cookies, ice cream, cereal bars and dairy items as well as wrappers for fresh fish, meat and cheese. All components in the laminate are certified home-compostable according to applicable European schemes. It also contains a high share of renewables and offers performance features similar to conventional multi-layer packaging, including puncture resistance, good printability, excellent heat-seal properties and processability on
Above: This home-compostable paper/polymer laminate consists of three basic components: ConFlex Silk paper from BillerudKorsnäs and layers of Ecovio polymer and Epotal adhesive from BASF
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: BIO-FED
IMAGE: BASF
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