MATERIALS | BIOPLASTICS
Right: Café chain Tous les Jours has started using straws made of PHA from CJ Biomaterials
that began with CA1270P. PHA is made by fermenting sugar from plant feedstocks, has US FDA food contact approval and is certified as biobased by the USDA’s BioPreferred programme. “This shows how we can rapidly develop and
trial PHACT PHA compounds that meet market demands for specific performance attributes, such as softer, more durable straws that can also achieve marine degradability certification,” said Senechal.
Lignin polymer Swedish Greentech company Lignin Industries has announced €3.9 million in new funding to support the commercialisation of Renol, its pat- ented thermoplastic made from lignin – a naturally abundant organic polymer found in plants. The company said it has secured significant
commercial interest since emerging last year and is collaborating with numerous customers in sectors such as consumer electronics, home accessories and appliances, and construction. Founder Christopher Carrick said the company’s
proprietary process upcycles lignin into a sustain- able, high-performance bio-based thermoplastic. He said that the abundance of feedstock and the ability to fit within existing plastics processes is ena- bling adoption.
Bio-based milestone Polyolefins producer Braskem is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its I’m Green bio-based polyethylene (PE) portfolio, and further developing it with a 37% expansion in production capacity at its green ethylene unit in Brazil. Walmir Soller, CEO, said: “The expansion of our bio-ethylene unit in 2023 was a significant step forward in our mission to support the industry and brand owners on the sustainability journey, and it
Right: Bioprocess, led by Aimplas, intends to raise the physical properties of bioplastics
brings us closer to our goal of becoming carbon- neutral by 2050.” Braskem’s sugar cane-sourced ethylene is said to
offer the same quality and versatility as fossil-based products, but with the added benefit of capturing around 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide for every tonne produced. Total production capacity for green ethylene now stands at 275,000 tonnes/yr.
Bioplastic boost Aimplas is leading a project called Bioprocess, which aims to improve the mechanical and barrier properties of bioplastics. It aims to produce films for high-performance
flexible packaging in sectors such as food, cosmet- ics and detergents. The research involves two other companies: Potato Bioplastics, which makes bioplastics from renewable sources; and Gaviplas, a flexible film manufacturer. “We have adopted the one-step approach for making films from natural polymers, as it offers advantages of efficiency, sustainability and product quality – and preserves the natural properties of the materials,” said Alicia Naderpour, a packaging researcher at Aimplas.
Another goal is to enhance the properties of bioplastics by orienting polymer chains without compromising their biodegradability or composta- bility. Aimpas applied machine direction orienta- tion (MDO) extrusion to various commercial bioplastics to make flexible biodegradable or compostable films.
It has also developed new formulations of
natural polymers – such as polysaccharides and ani- mal and plant proteins – to assess their mechanical and barrier properties after non-oriented sheet extrusion and MDO extrusion. The natural materials
16 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | July/August 2025
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: AIMPLAS
IMAGE: CJ BIOMATERIALS
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