bioplastics MAGAZINE Issue 06/2014

Up until now Dutch designer Michiel van der Kley was mainly known for his furniture designs.

The Dutch company DUS Architects from Amsterdam have developed a 3D printer that is ten times as big as a conventional 3D printer. The giant printer is called the KamerMaker (the Room Builder).

For the second time (following the exciting 2012 awards) the prestigious Bioplastics Award was again given to two winners. And this year, both winners come from the packaging sector.

No other plastic product has ever created such public debate and worldwide legal action.

Fabrication Network – BioFabNet

Kodak achieves near 100 % biocontent with chemical color biotoner In September 2012, Kodak (Rocherster, New York, USA) entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) with Diamond Research Corporation (DRC) of Ojai, California to develop biobased monochrome and color toners for digital printers and copiers.

Solvay Specialty Polymers (the Solvay Group headquartered in Brussels, Belgium) recently introduced a new family of Kalix® high-performance polyamides (HPPAs) for structural components used in mobile healthcare (mHealth) electronic devices.

Application of bioplastics in Thailand’s natural rubber plantations

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall (in Berlin, Germany), the IfBB – Institute for bioplastics and biocomposites at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Hanover, Germany manufactured 20,000 balloon clips from bioplastics for balloons made of natural rubber.

NatureFlex™ certified renewable and compostable cellulose based films from Innovia Films are helping a Dorset based organic coffee company expand their distribution.

Corbion Purac, the Netherlands-based global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives and lactides, has decided to act on what its CEO Tjerk de Ruijter recently described as an “attractive demand outlook for PLA, albeit at a lower growth pace than previously assumed”.

Loyal, long time readers of bioplastics MAGAZINE have already learned some details of my private life.

Biobased plastics, made from renewable resources, are nowadays well-known materials in the packaging industry in many countries.

Among the major bioplastics polylactic acid (PLA) attracts the developer by its wide potential for use in various applications such as injection, extrusion, blow moulding, fibres/textiles, and even foaming.

The Bioplastic Factory sees a growing demand for bioplastics at large companies.

Evonik Industries (Germany) has received a food contact substance notification (FCN) for its family of PA1010 polyamides.

Staff of the Federal Trade Commission has sent out letters warning 15 undisclosed marketers of oxodegradable plastic waste bags that their oxodegradable, oxo biodegradable, or biodegradable claims may be deceptive.

DTR Medical (Swansea, UK), a leading manufacturer of single-use surgical instruments, has specified Sorona® (partly biobased PTT Polytrimethylene terephthalate) for six components in its new Cervical Rotating Biopsy Punch.

Producing affordable bio filaments for 3D printing

The U.S. Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced a grant of up to $2.5 million to NatureWorks, one of the world’s leading suppliers of bioplastics, in support of the company’s ongoing reseach collaboration with Calysta (Menlo Park, California, USA).

Plant-based plastics are already a popular choice for 3D printing because they are much easier to work with during processing, and are food safe and odour free.

Celluloscrub™ XLS exfoliator from Lessonia (Saint Thonan, France) is a 100 % renewable and biodegradable white scrub that provides the same high performance of polyethylene (PE) beads.

Measuring only eight microns (µm) thick, Natural Shield transparent film bags are currently the thinnest bags made out of Ingeo™ PLA. Fully 70 % of the Natural Shield film consists of Ingeo.

NatureWorks will introduce in 2015 new grades of high performance Ingeo™ PLA specifically formulated for professional and consumer 3D printing applications.

German bioplastics specialist FKuR Kunststoff and Helian Polymers, a leading Netherlands-based provider of 3D printing filaments, marketed under the ColorFabb brand name, recently started to collaborate on the development of novel PLA/PHA blends for 3D printing.

Proponents of the sustainability movement can point to the Brundtland Commission and Report as an important step in defining sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

On October 27, US-President Barack Obama announced biobased materials as one of three emerging technologies for US competitiveness.

Not exactly a bioplastic, but nonetheless an interesting biobased and biodegradable packaging, PaperFoam is a commercially attractive, environmentally friendly packaging material that is produced by an innovative company was established in 1998 in Barneveld, the Netherlands.

The Institute for Natural Materials Technology (IFA-Tulln) has many years of experience in injection molding and extruding PLA.

In order to take advantage of 3D printing as a comparatively inexpensive and creative option, special materials are needed which must be formulated specifically to match customer applications.

The new Convergreen Ingeo™ PLA based film from Argentinian Packaging manufacturer Converflex S.A. continues to interest candies and chocolates manufacturers in Argentina as an outer twist wrap.

Merseburg University develops procedures and devices

A 70 % biobased PA 410 (EcoPaXX by DSM) lightweight multi-functional crankshaft cover came top in the Powertrain category at the Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division Innovation Awards Competition and Gala in Detroit on November 12.

Challenges for making bioplastics 3D printable