BIOPLASTICS | MATERIALS


This can also be fed into a mass balance calculation, he added.


Blend improvement Akanksha Patel, a polymer scientist at CJ Biomaterials, explained how the company’s PHA biopolymer can be used to create a new range of packaging materials in combination with PLA. “Our strategy is to use our Phact A1000P amorphous PHA to enable easier processing and superior performance of PLA-based blown, cast and biax films,” she said. The company prepared two PHA/PLA blends –


one clear (CA1270P) and one mineral-filled (CA1240PF) – which were compared with pure PLA material. The new formulation led to films with a


reduction in torque and pressure, relative to PLA control. This led to easier extrusion and improved downstream web handling. In addition, there was a 10-20% increase in output rate relative to the PLA control for any given screw speed. “Early plastication of A1000P appears to


promote faster solids-melt transition of PLA,” she said. Both grades were industrially compostable –


while CA1240PF had good potential to be home compostable, she said. In addition, both were processable using MDO to create oriented films for shrink wrap applications.


Market outlook Heather Nortz, manager of sustainability and materials at the Plastics Industry Association in the US, told delegates that US production and use


of bioplastics still lags behind the global average. While bioplastics account for around 1.5% of global production, this figure is about 0.6% in the US. Projected to 2028, bioplastics will account for 2% of global production – and 1% of US production. However, while exports of bioplastics from the


US are expected to remain stable to 2028, imports are expected to accelerate. In that time, global production of bioplastics is expected to triple – from around 2 million tonnes in 2023 to more than 7m tonnes in 2028: Asia currently accounts for around half of all bioplastics production – but will exceed 70% by 2028, she said. n The next Bioplastics conference is held in Cleveland, USA on 26-27 August this year. For more details, contact Annabel Kerr on +1 610 478 0800 (annabel.kerr@amiplastics.com).


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.european-bioplastics.org � https://emiratesbiotech.com � www.toray.com � www.pttgcgroup.com/en/home � www.lummustechnology.com � www.rwdc-industries.com � https://peference.eu � www.sleever.com � www.carbios.com � https://www.cjbiomaterials.com � https://tekni-plex.com � www.aimplas.es � www.amiplastics.com � https://msu.edu � www.plasticsindustry.org


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