MATERIALS | BIOPLASTICS


Right: The Biofast project has devised a way to speed up biodegradation tests of


compostable plastics


Project coordinator Kevin O’ Connor, professor in the school of biomolecular and biomedical science at University College Dublin, added: “ReBioCycle will scale up and demonstrate bio-based biodegradable plastics recycling technologies.”


Testing time A Spanish research project, called Biofast, has devised a way to carry out biodegradation tests of compostable plastics more quickly. The project partners – including coordinator


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Aimplas, the MATS Research Group at Valencia University and materials company Prime Biopolymers – developed and validated a new protocol that combines specific bioplastic formulations, various oxidative pre-treatment technologies and compost enrichment to speed up biodegradation. The MATS group applied abiotic pre-treatment technologies – including plasma and UV irradiation, as well as hydro- and chemo-thermal degradation – to biopolymers,. The impact of the oxidative pre-treatments was evaluated in terms of the short- and medium-term stability of the materials’ structure, morphology and functional performance. Prime Biopolymers prepared several compositions of compostable biopolymers that are currently used on the market, while Aimplas analysed factors that affect biodegradation. This led to a strategy to speed up the process based on increasing the potential of the biotic and abiotic components involved in composting. “This is an important step towards a circular economy model in which bioplastics can be rapidly broken down and valorised,” said the partners. “The protocol developed could be adopted on a large scale to promote more sustainable and efficient practices in the treatment of compostable bioplastic waste.” Aimplas is also involved in a project to use a waste product from the brewing industry as a bioplastics precursor. Brewers’ spent grain (BSG), which is rich in


Above: The Polymeer project aims to develop new bio-based polymers from brewer’s spent grain


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fibre and protein, is typically used as low-value animal feed or discarded in landfills. BSG could be used as a feedstock for bioplastics, but applications are limited by poor mechanical properties and lack of scalability. The Polymeer project aims to develop new bio-based polymers, copolymers and polymer blends based on BSG. The materials produced will be aimed at three targeted applications: mulch films suitable for agricultural use; textile for the


FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | January/February 2025


automotive industry; and tertiary packaging films for industrial purposes. All products will be designed to be recycled or biodegraded in specific environments.


Over 48 months, the project will attempt to optimise the conversion of BSG into bio-based building blocks. It will also assess the life cycle sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of these solutions. The project, supported by a €4.9 million Horizon


grant, has 14 partners in eight countries – including Spain, Italy, Croatia and Denmark.


Conference highlights Delegates at the recent Bioplastics conference – organised by AMI – also learnt about new bioplastics materials and applications. Ramani Narayan, a professor at Michigan State University, told delegates that radioactivity is key to validating the bio-based carbon content of a bioplastic. This is through ‘carbon dating’ – the same technique used to determine the age of ancient artefacts. Similarly, a molecule derived from organic


matter – such as biomass – will be faintly radioactive, due to the presence of carbon-14 molecules. There will be no carbon-14 molecules in petroleum, as they are millions of years old and will have decayed into stable carbon-12 molecules. “Biobased carbons will have the same C-14


radioactivity as plant biomass – providing a tracer,” said Narayan This can be used to verify the bio-based nature


of bioplastics using a technique called accelerometer mass spectrometry (AMS) – which measures the proportion of C-14 molecules. This is achieved through a standardised test (ASTM D6866/ISO 1660 part 2).


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IMAGE: AIMPLAS


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