MATERIALS | BIOPLASTICS
consisting of vinyl acetate-based polymer resins and polylactic acid. They have the same effect as pure vinyl acetate-based resins but are easier to handle – making them easy to process. Two of the grades – Vinnex LA 2540 and 2640 – are
for the production of highly transparent, biodegrad- able films. Both grades increase melt strength, allowing optimised extrusion. With their higher melt strength, the two grades reduce the necking – con- striction of the extrudate – that is observed in many biodegradable polyesters. In blown film extrusion, they stabilise the extruded polymer bubble, making high process speeds possible. The masterbatch carrier is a polylactic acid
Above: Wacker’s new additive masterbatches are used to modify biodegradable polyesters
in industrial compost, soil (ambient), and marine environments. Modifying PLA with amorphous PHA is said to lead to improvement in mechanical properties, such as toughness, and ductility, while maintaining clarity. It also allows adjustment of the biodegradability of PLA and can potentially lead to a home compostable product.
“Plastic pollution is a major global concern,” said
Seung-Jin Lee, head of biomaterials at CJ CheilJe- dang, the parent company of CJ Biomaterials. “To successfully address this, it is critical to introduce new solutions that will have a real impact by improving the biodegradability and compostability of plastic.”
Modified polyesters Wacker showcased several new additive master- batches for modifying biodegradable polyesters at K2022. The products are pelletised polymer blends
produced from renewable raw materials. The actual active component is the vinyl acetate-based polymer resin. The ready-to-process masterbatches have an active ingredient content of 40%, while the polylactic acid content is 60%. Grain size is around 3mm, allowing the dry blend to be smoothly dosed. Wacker also presented results of an in-house
study, showing that using a combination of silicone and polymeric additives creates more benefit – when processing bioplastics – than when using just one. Both enhance the processing and material properties of bioplastics. The tests show that the additives can be readily combined, yielding benefits in optimally adjusted processing and product properties, and improved effectiveness.
Biopolyesters can be difficult to process without suitable additives. Wacker chose PLA and polybu- tylene succinate (PBS) as representatives of biodegradable plastics for the tests. The company observed that Vinnex and Genioplast comple-
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IMAGE: WACKER
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