bioplastics MAGAZINE Issue 05/2010

Based on the development of a heat resistant PLA blend with 99 wt% content of PLA (see bM 01/2010) SUPLA Co Ltd from Tainan Shien, Taiwan, has developed a flame retardant PLA blend (SUPLA C1003) which meets the V0 standards of UL-94 Vertical Burning Test in 1/8”, 1/16” and even 1/32”, while its PLA content is kept as high as 90 wt% and its heat resistance (HDT) is kept to over 100 degrees C.

Telles: Mirel™ bioplastics have made major strides forward this year.

Braskem: Having presented its landmark project of building the first plant to produce green ethylene from sugar cane ethanol at the 2007 K’show, the Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem will have had its plant running for exactly three years when the K’2010 takes place in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Stefanie Kind, PhD student at the Institute of Biochemical Engineering of the Technische Universität Braunschweig, was awarded with the prestigious ‘Young Metabolic Engineer Award’

As it has almost become a habit, let’s start our ‘basics’ article with a look into Wikipedia:

Pebax® polyether block amides are plasticiser-free thermoplastic elastomers which belong to the technical polymer family.

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd: BiocosafeTM is the trade name of a biodegradable polyster resin manufactured by Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (in short XINFU).

Sukano: In order to establish long-term success, bioplastics need to provide the same processing and application performance as oil-based plastics.

bioplastics MAGAZINE and European Plastics News have decided to team up and jointly present the 5th Bioplastics Award. After having received in excess of 20 submissions for the Bioplastics Award 2010 the judging panel have reviewed them all and now publishes details of the five most promising proposals. The 5th Bioplastics Awards recognises innovation, success and achievement by manufacturers, processors and users of bioplastic materials. There are no separate categories as previously. To be eligible for consideration in the awards the proposed company, product, or service must have been developed or been on the market during 2009 or 2010. The following companies/products are shortlisted (without any ranking) and from these the winner will be announced during the 5th European Bioplastics Conference on December 1st, 2010 in Düsseldorf Germany:

At K’2010, the world‘s biggest trade show for the plastics and rubber industries which is being held in Düsseldorf, Germany from October 27th to November 3rd, 2010, bioplastics will certainly have an important role to play.

Natureplast specializes in supporting plastics converters or outsourcers who want to develop and integrate products or packaging in bioplastic.

Arkema: Biosourced plastics (as per Arkema’s definition plastics with over 20% of non-fossil carbon) already account for 30% of Arkema’s technical polymer business and call upon around two thirds of their R&D capability.

Brückner Maschinenbau from Siegsdorf, Germany offers concepts for new lines or the modification of existing lines, such as:

On September 24, in the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex (Triunfo, Brazil), Braskem inaugurated, the world’s largest ethylene-from-ethanol plant, permitting the production of 200,000 tons of green polyethylene per year.

EMS GRIVORY: The interest in bio-based products from EMS-GRIVORY has been growing steadily.

As promised (or rather as expected) we have hit a new record. This issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE is once again the biggest ever.

Quality and environmental sustainability: these are the key elements of the non-GMO biodegradable and compostable Mater-Bi® packaging for salads, the result of the collaboration between the Italian companies Novamont and Ecor.

The Japanese NEC corporation, with more than 100 years expertise in technological innovation, is newly emphasizing its responsibility and position as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people all over the world.

Take a product that has traditionally been sold as a safety necessity and then build a successful business by transforming that product into a fashion statement.

EconCore is proud to present the first 100% bio-based composite panel. Recently EconCore has optimized the patented ThermHex production technology to produce honeycomb cores and sandwich panels made from bio-based plastics.

FKuR: The results of the combined research activities of FKuR Kunststoff GmbH and Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Oberhausen in Germany are principally new special grades which are based on PLA or cellulose.

Novamont continue their development with the Second Generation Mater-Bi® products: at K’2010 they will be unveiling the first industrial cling film that is biodegradable and compostable and is made using renewable resources.

Novamont continues its development with the Second Generation Mater-Bi® products: at K’2010 (the international trade fair for plastics and rubber), taking place in Düsseldorf, Germany from October 27th to November 3rd, Novamont will be unveiling the first industrial cling film that is biodegradable and compostable and is made using renewable resources.

Pietra, from Tandus (Dalton, Georgia, USA), is the first commercial modular carpet made with Ingeo™ biopolymer in an innovative core and sheath fiber system.

Guillermo Mariotto, the artistic director of noted Italian fashion house Maison Gattinoni, has a passion for finding the balance between humans and nature.

What do Britney Spears and Clarifoil have in common? The answer is quite simple: they both know that beautiful packaging is vitally important.

PolyOne will feature reSound™ biopolymer compounds, which incorporate up to 50% bio-derived content by weight and offer increased sustainability without sacrificing performance.

Lifocolor present their BIO masterbatches based on biodegradable carrier polymers using environmentally friendly colouring systems.

The Internet information portal Material Data Center will be presented at the exhibition in the latest version.

New masterbatches made at a Clariant facility in Spain have been certified ‘OK compost’ by AIB Vinçotte.

(BUSINESS WIRE) Breakthrough Technology Offers Twist Films Made from 100% Biodegradable/Compostable Material

Lignin being the second most abundant polymer in the world is undervalued which is a by-product in the pulp-paper and lignocellulosic industries [1].

Besides their standard EPS and EPP materials Synbra will be showcasing several items produced with their newly developed BioFoam® material.

BIOTEC Biologische Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG located in Emmerich, Germany, have added a new material with the brand name BIOPLAST 200 to their product portfolio of biological natural packaging.

Over a month earlier than planned, Taghleef Industries has successfully started the production of the new NATIVIA™ film from its plant in San Giorgio di Nogaro, Italy.

The bio-plastic PROGANIC®, award winner of the first prize for Innovation for Bio based Material and application of the Year by the nova institute, has now reached full market maturity and can definitely replace nearly all conventional plastic products.

DSM: Following the successful introduction of EcoPaXX™, a bio-based Polyamide 4.10, DSM Engineering Plastics will be launching Arnitel® Eco at K 2010.

With effect from September 1st Prof. Christian Bonten took on responibility for the plastics technology institute (IKT) at the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Merquinsa, the TPU Specialty Company, will be exhibiting for the first time in Hall 6, one of the main fair halls.

NGR: An effective new technology for recycling bioplastics has been successfully developed by NGR (Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen) with its headquarters in Feldkirchen/Donau, Austria.

The Fraunhofer Pilot Plant Centre for Polymer Synthesis and Processing (PAZ) in Schkopau, Germany, is a joint initiative of the Fraunhofer Institutes for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) and Mechanics of Materials (IWM) in Halle.

A special grade of Rilsan® Arkema’s 100% bio-sourced technical polymer PA11 can be applied to spin high performance fibres.

Phoenix Packaging Group (PPG) is one of the most important packaging manufacturing conglomerates in Latin America with sales in more than 30 countries in the Americas.

Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem will supply its sugarcane ethanol-based polyethylene (PE) to multinational consumer products company Procter & Gamble‘s (P&G) cosmetics lines Pantene Pro V®, Max Factor® and Cover Girl® packaging.

BASF will be showing two new applications based on their innovative Ecovio FS:

Roll-o-Matic, Denmark, has developed a new Delta converting line, the DELTAmax, which has longer sealing sections than the conventional Delta.

The challenge faced today by manufacturers subject to consumer pressure driven by sustainable forces and the current trend of use of bio-based materials, is to offer end consumers a bioplastic that not only provides 100% recyclability and other environmentally-friendly benefits, but also complies with demanding technical requirements.

GEHR Kunststoffwerk: ECOGEHR® - Bio-based plastics, unifies today nine different materials with a content of renewable resources of 45-100%.

The Teijin Group based in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, announced earlier this year that its BIOFRONT heat-resistant PLA based bioplastic will be used in silk crepe kimonos worn by staff at Murasaki, a Japanese restaurant operated by Kikkoman Corporation in the Japan Industry Pavilion of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China.

Api: The APINAT family of soft biodegradable thermoplastic compounds from Api Spa, Italy, has been available since June 2008.

Fossil-fuel-derived plastics are non-renewable, often threaten public health, have devastating impacts on marine life, and increase reliance on imported fossil-fuel-based feedstocks in many countries.

Coperion/Cabopol: The first compounding plant for biodegradable plastics in Portugal underlines the expertise of the German Coperion GmbH in biodegradable material processing systems.

C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy) demonstrated that eco-friendly fabrics are innovative, sustainable, and fashionable at the NICE (Nordic Initiative Clean and Ethical) Fashion Summit, which took place last December in Copenhagen in conjunction with the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

DuPont: The strategy of DuPont Performance Polymers is to offer polymers that are at least 20% renewably sourced and have equal or better performance than the entirely petrochemical-based materials that they replace.

The bioresins.eu division of A&O FilmPAC is using the K’show as the opportunity to launch and present the ECOMANN range of biodegradable/compostable PHA resins.

The excellence of Italian craftsmanship and design is recognized across the world.

In addition to TPE’s, TPU’s and masterbatches API S.p.A. now produces APINAT, the first and unique soft and biodegradable thermoplastic, which is now also available made from renewable raw materials

Fasal Wood KG, Vienna, Austria, and the Institute for Natural Materials Technology (IFA-Tulln, Austria) will present their new development, Fasal BIO 322, at the Wittmann Battenfeld booth in Hall 16.