bioplastics MAGAZINE 01-2011 by bioplastics MAGAZINE

ISSN 1862-5258

January / February

01 | 2011

Highlights Automotive Applications | 20 Foam | 28 Cover-Story ‘Green Airbag‘ | 12 1 countries

bioplastics

magazine

Vol. 6

... is read in 9

Basics Lignin | 54 Personality Jim Lunt | 58

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Editorial

dear readers Issue number 25, well that’s only the first anniversary that we’re celebrating this year. With our next issue, and physically at interpack 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany in May, we will celebrate our fifth birthday! We are already looking forward to it. But before that next “mega event”, let’s take a look at this current issue. Again our automotive issue brings you information on the latest developments in this important market sector. It starts with our cover-story on the airbag cover that was already briefly introduced at K’2010. The second highlight is bioplastics foams. From particle foams (or bead foams) to open cell PLA/PBAT foams and PUR foams based on wood feedstock, we cover a broad range of topics. This issue features more rather ‘scientifically based’ articles than previous issues. Some readers have asked for that, but please let us know what you prefer… more scientific papers or more ‘market oriented’ articles. At least we want to try to keep a good balance. And then we have two new episodes in the never-ending story of labels, marks and symbols. The USDA ‘BioPreferred’ programme now offers a voluntary biobased label. At a recent conference a delegate commented that this is all too complicated. As a matter of fact the ‘Final Rule’ for this label, published in the Federal Register is about 24000 words long (for comparison: The Ten Commandments are about 300 words and the US Declaration of Independence approx.. 1500 words…). And then there is Cereplast, calling for design proposals for a new bioplastics symbol in a public competition. What is your opinion about this approach? Enough food for thought … Again, I hope you enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE

Sincerely yours Michael Thielen

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

BiopolymerComposites based on Lignin and Cellulose 22 A Comparative LCA of Building Insulation Products

Bioplastics in Durable Goods 23

Vegetable Oil Based Plastics Produced Loss-Free 24 Biodegradable Foams Containing Recycled Cellulose 34

Biodegradable PLA/PBAT Foams 36

Assessment of Life Cycle Studies on Hemp Fibre Composites 26 A Foam Veteran‘s View on Biopolymer Foam 39

Industrial Trials of E-PLA Foams 40

Look out for pines 42

Particle Foams from Thermoplastic Starch – Waiting for Technology? 28 30

Biomaterials Based on Chitin and Chitosan 48

PLA Composites with Field Crop Residues 52

Basics of Lignin

Jim Lunt

DuPont Photo by Philipp Thielen

Materials

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A certain number of copies of this issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE is wrapped in a compostable film sponsored by Minima Technology

Biodegradable PLA/PC Copolymers for Automotive Applications

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Automotive

01|2011Jan/Feb Foam

From Science & Research

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News

Demand For Degradable Plastics to Grow Further The degradable plastic industry has been on the verge of commercial success for decades. However, demand growth was limited because most degradable plastics were too expensive, were unavailable in large enough quantities or had performance drawbacks that limited them to niche markets. This situation began to change in the early 2000s, as interest in environmentally friendly products gained strength, boosted by the efforts of major users like Wal-Mart. At the same time, the availability of biodegradable plastics increased significantly due to expansions by key producers. These and other trends are presented in Degradable Plastics, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Clevelandbased industry market research firm.

US degradable plastic demand (annual growth) 2004-2009

103.6

120,0%

2009-2014

100,0% 80,0%

8.4 10.8

9.6 9.6

4.6 4.6

20,0%

14.9 11.2

14.4 16.6

40,0%

22.4 20.5

60,0%

r he Ot

PH A

ba se

e m

d ba se

llu lo s

ro le u Pe t

A PL

St ar ch

ab gr ad De

These positive trends are expected to continue. The demand for degradable plastics in the USA alone is forecast to rise 16.6% per year to 147,000 tonnes (325 million pounds) in 2014, valued at US$380 million. Opportunities will reflect continued capacity growth, efforts to reduce pollution and US reliance on petroleum products, and consumer demand for sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging and manufactured goods. Polylactic acid (PLA) and starch-based plastics currently dominate the market and both products are expected to see strong growth. PLA will register the faster gains, over 20% per year through 2014, due to increased availability, greater processor familiarity and performance enhancements that will expand potential applications. Starch-based resins will benefit from the introduction of improved resin grades, blending with other biopolymers and an increasing number of suppliers. Opportunities are expected in compostable yard and kitchen bags, foodservice disposables and various types of packaging.

Pl as t an ic d

0,0%

The strong outlook for degradable plastics is prompting the development of new products. One of these is polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). While sales of PHA were negligible in 2009, rapid growth over the next ten years should boost the product up among the leading types of degradable plastics. Growth is predicated on significant capacity increases, competitive pricing and the development of grades capable of replacing polyolefins in higher performance injection molded articles as well as in foodservice disposables, nonwovens, containers and bottles. The full report (202 pages, published 08/2010) is available through the bioplastics MAGAZINE bookstore at www.bioplasticsmagazine.com.

US degradable plastic demand (recalculated to metric tons and rounded by bM)

2004

150000

160000

2009

2014

140000

15900 0 450

1800 2700 4500

r Ot he

se ro le u

e lo s llu Pe t

se d ba

A St ar ch

gr ad

ab le P De la m stic an d

7200 9000 11000

5400 8600 13650

63500 11300 22600 38500

20000

25000

40000

9000

60000

35000

80000

68500

100000

tonnes

120000

www.freedoniagroup.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

News

Ciao, Ciao, Plastic Bag The Italians are said to account for more than a fifth of the plastic bags used in Europe: the Italian environmental group Legambiente estimates about 20 billion plastic bags per year are used. But since the beginning of this year the use of plastic bags has changed completely: A new law bans bags that are not biodegradable and shop owners are instructed to use bags made from cloth, paper or other biodegradable materials. Environment Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo regards the new law as great achievement - the mass of garbage can be reduced, littering is less and the environment is improved in general, she says. Existing stocks can continue to be used without a fine being levied, but the shops will have to reorganize their packaging. With this decision Italy falls into line with some other countries that ban or at least reduce the usage of plastic bags. Surcharges on such bags are known for example in Belgium, Germany or Ireland, a measure that cut the usage in some countries by more than 50%. Other countries forbade very thin plastics bags, as for example in China, Great Britain and South Korea. Only few countries dared to ban plastic bags completely so far. In 2003 South Africa started, Tanzania and Rwanda followed, also pointing out the potential the death risk for animals swallowing plastic bags or getting trapped in them. In the U.S. the bans work on a local level. Since 2007 plastic bags are banned in supermarkets and drug stores in San Francisco, the first U.S. American city that introduced such a law. In the meantime other cities followed. But Italy is definitely the first European country to ban plastic bags completely. The Italian law is based on a decision in December 2006 and should have come into effect in January 2010. Intense opposition by the industry delayed the law by a year. And the industry is still opposed: The EuPC, the Trade Association representing the European Plastics Converters based in Brussels, Belgium, has complained to the European Commission. They regard the Italian decision as a ‘short-sighted view’ and claim that the ban ignores Europe’s existing Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Furthermore the EuPC says that plastic packaging is in fact perfectly well recyclable and reusable. After all the plastics industry reached a turnover of about 800 million Euros per year with such plastic bags, according to calculations by the Italian publication ‘il sole 24 ore’. They further state that the reorganisation of the machines, in order to produce new bag types, costs about 50,000 Euros per machine. This fact, plus the forecast, that more and more people will change for bags of their own, causes the industry to expect some remarkable losses. In the end they fear the loss of jobs. However, environmental organisations and the bioplastics industry are pleased with the decision. Frederic Scheer, CEO and Founder of Californian bioplastics manufacturer Cereplast, attacks the argument of reusability in his blog: Only 45 minutes is a plastic bag’s life, he writes; this means simply that it is

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

thrown away rather than being used once again. In contrast to the usage time of a plastic bag it takes 77 million years to generate one drop of fossil fuel, he continues. Cem Özdemir, politician of the German Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) recently said to bioplastics MAGAZINE that “we must find alternatives, away from oil and pollution towards sustainability. A successive abolition of plastic bags would be a simple but very effective initiative.” For a long time plastic bags were seen as an alternative to paper bags in order to save deforestation. But the wind has changed, because of littering and the not-so-simple plastic bag recycling. The Italian agricultural association Coldiretti has stated that the production of plastic bags in Italy used around 430,000 tonnes of fossil oil. In addition they complain about the long resistance of the material: once thrown away the bags take either 400 years to decompose or they produce harmful gases in incineration plants. Coldiretti points out that a hundred socalled ecofriendly bio shopping bags can be produced with half a kilo of maize or one kilo of sunflower oil. These bags are said to be stable at least for half a year. Consumers have varied reactions. Many of them (not only in Italy) obviously feel good with the new law. In Austria the news-portal www.nachrichten.at/umfrage asked in a web based poll if plastic bags should be forbidden in Austria too. An intermediate result (as per mid January) was that 76% of the voters endorsed this approach and 21% were against it. However some consumers nevertheless fear that other bags won’t be stable enough and will be much more expensive. The awareness that the ban is for real, and the alternatives for customers, seem to be the key elements for the success of the new law. BSL

www.eupc.org www.coldiretti.it http://cereplast.com/blog

News

PLA Compound with Engineering Plastics Properties Purac from Gorinchem, The Netherlands has developed a PLA compound with heat stability and impact strength comparable to ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). This material utilizes stereo-complex technology which is based on Purac’s unique L-Lactide and D-Lactide monomers for the second generation PLA. The new PLA compound performs at a comparable level to ABS in injection moulding applications. “Purac’s L-Lactide and D-Lactide monomers now create solutions for high value added applications. We are proud that we have achieved this milestone, as it will further enhance the application of PLA in semi-durables and consumer goods”, says Dr. Kees Joziasse, Manager of Purac’s Innovation Center for PLA. Purac will continue to develop PLA applications for use in automotive, electronics and electrical appliances together with its technology and business partners in the bioplastics value chain. These sustainable solutions are welcomed by industrial stakeholders and consumers because of their performance and eco-profile. Purac is currently building a 75,000 tonnes per year Lactide plant in Thailand which will enable its partners to bring new products to the market. The plant is scheduled to start production in the fourth quarter of 2011. www.purac.com

Erratum We sincerely apologize, but in our latest issue (06/2010) we mixed up two pictures. And since this is about oxo-degradable bags, this is again more important to be corrected here. On page 44 the two pictures ‘Samples 3 and 4’ (oxo) and ‘Samples 5 and 6’ have to be exchanged. These are the correct captions: Samples 3 and 4

Samples 5 and 6

Leading Industry Event End of last year, European Bioplastics organised its industry conference already for the fifth time. On 1 and 2 December, over 360 experts from all around the globe came together in Düsseldorf to exchange information and insights about new bioplastic materials and products. Hence, European Bioplastics was able to tie in with the success of last year’s record-breaking event. “Despite the temporal proximity to other important plastics events, the European Bioplastics Conference has definitively established itself as the leading business forum for the bioplastics industry”, said Andy Sweetman, Chairman of European Bioplastics. This year, more than 70 percent of the participants came from Europe, almost 20 percent from Asia, and the better part of the remaining 10 percent from North and South America. Besides numerous speeches focusing on new products and applications for bioplastic materials, 28 exhibitors showcased a variety of their samples at the conference. Many products introduced in the presentations could be seen and examined at the exhibition. Another highlight of this year’s event was the Bioplastics Award 2010, which was conferred for the first time during the European Bioplastics Conference. Presented by bioplastics MAGAZINE and European Plastics News the 2010 award went to EconCore, a company offering core technologies with regard to cost efficient honeycomb panels and components. The jury based its decision on the potential to considerably reduce weight and materials needed in construction as a result of the consistently applied sandwich structure with its cost effective core. The products of EconCore would contribute decisively to more sustainable construction. European Bioplastics’ Managing Director, Hasso von Pogrell, was very satisfied with the course of the conference: “The demand for exchanging information, creating networks and forming cooperations obviously increases with the opportunities offered. Our association and the annual conference provide an optimal platform to do so,” he concluded. www.european-bioplastics.org bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

News

Production of Biodegradable Film Doubled Finnish packaging material producer Plastiroll Oy from Ylöjärvi believes that biodegradable materials will become increasingly common in the packaging industry. Therefore, Plastiroll has invested in a new bio production line that came on stream last autumn. The new line doubles the company’s production capacity and supports an increased range of products. Plastiroll has produced biodegradable applications since 1997 and the new investment required the construction of an extension to the existing film plant. About 1,400 square metres of new production space was constructed with the total value of the investment amounting to over four million euros. The new plant follows Plastiroll’s principle of energy efficiency; the heat generated in the production process is recovered and used to heat the whole building.

Multilayer solution creates new opportunities The new products are based on a multilayer solution in which several biomaterials are combined. Kari Laukkanen, Plastiroll’s managing director, explains that different layers can be clear, opaque, black, coloured, slippery, sticky, matte, shiny, etc. By combining the right mixtures it is possible to create stronger products with a better tolerance of grease, water vapour and gases. Kari Laukkanen explains, “Before, we were only able to produce so-called mono films and our ability to influence their barrier properties was rather limited. Thanks to the new production technology, we are now able to provide our clients with more tailored solutions.” Laukkanen mentions completely clear biodegradable film as an example.

The biodegradable nature of Plastiroll‘s packaging materials make them highly suitable for fresh foods such as bakery and salads.

For the food industry, retail and farming Biodegradable materials are best suited to products with a short shelf life, such as bakery and vegetables. Piia Heikkinen, Plastiroll’s export manager, confirms that demand for new biodegradable materials has been keenest within the food and farming industries. “For example, we have had a new bread bag under development for years. With the old technology, we couldn’t always meet the high standards of the market. Today, however, the physical properties of our new ecological biomaterials are no different from traditional plastic films,” she says. Plastiroll is one of the leading producers of biodegradable films in Europe. In the Plastiroll product family, biodegradable packaging materials belong to the Rock series. Plastiroll also produces various other packaging materials. The Classic series contains traditional polyethylene coatings and laminates. The third series, called Jazz, consists of paper and cardboard based compostable structures. Plastiroll has two production plants, both located in Finland. Employing around 70 people, the company has a turnover of around 25 million euros. www.plastiroll.com

Novamont goes North America

www.novamont.com

Novamont S.p.A, based in Novara, Italy, expands its presence in North America with a new company Novamont North America, Inc. headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut. Novamont is an international company based in Italy, with operations across Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Novamont has strongly contributed to the development of the composting industry in North America, including the formation of the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). “The North American composting market has grown significantly in the past decade, and is now ready to make a big step forward due to higher environmental sensitivity, and increased attention on the economics of waste diversion,” says Tony Gioffre, President of Novamont North America. Gioffre is the former President of BPI, and remains active as a BPI board member. Novamont considers North America to be a strategic area of development and will make significant investments to expand its presence at all levels. The company’s objective is to build an integrated system of agriculture, industry and environment, applying its innovative chemical technologies, fostering a model of truly Sustainable Development. This concept involves as a prospective a biorefinery integrated in the North American territory, and full support of Novamont’s network of partners and stakeholders. The formation of a legal American entity is a major step in Novamont’s strategic development plan in this area of the world, and constitutes a step forward for the composting industry in North America. MT

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

News

Chinese PHA gets EU Food Approval The biodegradable, compostable plastic, ECOMANN PHA, from Bioresins.eu was approved recently for use in contact with foodstuffs under Commission Directive 2002/72/EC (and its amendment 2007/19/EC). The EU seal of approval enables the Buckinghamshire (UK) based supplier to more actively pursue European food and drink manufacturers.

Reshaping an Industry ‘Bioplastics – Reshaping an Industry‘, organized by Jim Lunt (Jim Lunt Associates LLC) and Yash Khanna (InnoPlast Solutions, Inc) attracted no less than 220 delegates and speakers from eleven countries (North America, Europe and Asia) to Las Vegas on Feb. 2 and 3. In the Caesars Palace Hotel, the conference was opened by a keynote speech of Ed Thomas, Materials design Director, Global Apparel at Nike sharing their point of view and activities in terms of sustainability with the audience.

“The green light by the EU corroborates what we’ve already discussed with major brand owners but it was good to get official authorization from the SGS test house,” says Mike Hughes, general manager of Bioresins.eu. The versatile polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is derived from GM-free, non-food maize starch grown in China and represents one of the best opportunities to date for large volume packagers to include in their products up to 100% sustainable content plus the potential to home compost. ECOMANN PHA drew massive interest from brand owners last fall at K2010. www.bioresins.eu

In the first session about the first generation of bioplastics different presentations informed about meeting the challenge for durable applications. This was followed by session two about the next generation – durable bioplastics. It was about the so-called drop-in biobased PE, PP, Polyamides, PTT, TPE etc. that are not biodegradable, but meant for durable applications. A session about brand owners and investors perspectives was opened by a speaker of Coca-Cola. The second day started with a session on biobased building blocks such as succinic acid, biobutanol or glucaric acid. The conference ended with presentations about labeling and regulatory issues. MT www.reshapinganindustry.com

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

News

‘Make Your Mark’ Competition Bioplastics manufacturer Cereplast, Inc., from El Segundo, California, USA recently started a design competition, ‘Make Your Mark,’ for a symbol that represents ‘bioplastics’. Initially starting to be a symbol for Cereplast products only, this (yet another) new symbol shall indicate that a product is made from ‘green’, bio-based material, not petroleum-based material. “Cereplast‘s competition represents our commitment to educating and helping consumers make smarter purchasing decisions that help preserve and protect our environment,“ said Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast. “We want to build a bridge between consumers and companies committed to a cleaner planet, and give consumers the option to choose more sustainable products. We hope that this will create a strong element of consumer pull which will accelerate the pace of bioplastic development globally. We strongly encourage forward-looking companies to join us in this effort. And we would be happy to invite others to work along with us. Companies are increasingly looking at bio-based plastics made from renewable resources like corn, wheat, and algae as an alternative to petroleum-sourced plastics. The bioplastics symbol will enable consumers to easily identify products made from bioplastics, similar to the globally recognized recycling symbol.“ The ‘Make Your Mark’ bioplastics symbol contest is only open to legal residents of the United States. “Simply for practical reasons,” as Nicole Cardi, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Cereplast explained to bioplastics MAGAZINE, “to make this an international contest, we would have to hire law firms in every country. This would have made it very complicated. It’s not that we wouldn’t value the potential designs that people from other countries would have submitted …”. The voting, however, is open to anyone around the globe. Visit www.iizuu.com/cereplast, and use the ‘Contest’ tab to vote for a design. Entrants are required to submit a symbol design that, when stamped on a product, will clearly serve as an indication that the product is made from bio(based)plastics. This new symbol will serve in a similar fashion to how the recycling symbol is used to identify products that are made from recycled materials and/or are recyclable. The symbol must be created to include three variations to symbolize the end of life options for the product: a general bioplastics symbol; a version identifying compostability; and a version indicating recyclability. The deadline for ‘Make Your Mark’ design entries is March 4, 2011. The judges will select the top three designs (from the publicly selected top 50) and the winner will be announced on Earth Day Eve, April 21, 2011 in Los Angeles. The designer of the winning bioplastics symbol will receive $25,000. “We could have hired a design firm to create a symbol for us, but we decided on the competition,” said Nicole, “because this creates a much higher awareness of the whole subject of bioplastics.” After the first announcement Cereplast received a lot of press inquiries from traditional media focused on the general public – not only from the trade press. “The interest is tremendous and it really creates awareness on the end consumer side,” she says. And Nicole added that Cereplast is indeed planning to underline the whole initiative with end consumer communication, to educate the public about alternatives to oil based plastics and how to identify them. “And a number of top designs schools made this contest part of their curriculum, this makes the students think about sustainability etc. Something they will take to their jobs after their exams.” Being asked whether there are any plans to connect the symbol to any certification scheme, such as the ASTM 6866 (biobased carbon content) and – within this context to any threshold below which the symbol shall not be applied, Nicole explained: “Well, initially the symbol is just for us, for Cereplast, our partners and our products. But eventually we shall think about the question of making it available to others too, we haven’t decided yet. Then we will of course think about certification, but not yet”.

www.iizuu.com/cereplast

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

At the website mentioned above, visitors can also see all previously submitted proposals as well their ranking. We show just a few (without any rating or preference from our side). It’s a pity that the contest is open for designers aged 18 and older only. Seven year old Jacob insisted that his father uploaded his design proposal, see yourself… MT

USDA Launches Biobased Product Label On January 19, 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s (USDA) ‘BioPreferred’ program announced that a final rule to initiate a voluntary product certification and labeling program for qualifying biobased products to be published in the Federal Register [1] the day after. This new label will clearly identify biobased products (including biobased plastic products) made from renewable resources, and will promote the increased sale and use of these products in the commercial market and for consumers. “Today‘s consumers are increasingly interested in making educated purchasing choices for their families,“ said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. “This label will make those decisions easier by identifying products as biobased. These products have enormous potential to create green jobs in rural communities, add value to agricultural commodities, decrease environmental impacts, and reduce our dependence on imported oil.“ Biobased products are those composed wholly or significantly of biological ingredients – renewable plant, animal, marine or forestry materials. The new label indicates that the product has been certified to meet USDA standards for a prescribed amount of biobased content. This can be as low as 7% for carpets or as high as 95% for mulch and compost materials [2]. For finished biobased products that are not within the designated product categories (…), USDA has lowered the applicable minimum biobased content (…) to 25% percent [1]. With the launch of the USDA biobased product label, the BioPreferred program is now comprised of two parts: a biobased product procurement preference program for Federal agencies, and a voluntary labeling initiative for the broad-scale marketing of biobased products. Through implementation of the BioPreferred program, USDA has already designated approximately 5,100 biobased products for preferred purchasing by Federal agencies. The new label will make identification of these products easier for Federal buyers, and will increase awareness of these high-value products to consumers in other markets. USDA estimates that there are 20,000 biobased products currently being manufactured in the United States and that the growing industry as a whole is responsible for over 100,000 jobs. Biobased products include biobased plastic products, but also other products such as detergents, cleaners, lubricants, stationery (e.g. wooden pencils) and much more. MT [1] www.biopreferred.gov/files/BP_Label_Final_Rule_01_20_11.pdf [2] www.biopreferred.gov/files/BioPreferred_product_categories_ October_2010_FINAL.pdf

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Coverstory

Finding of research project between Takata-Petri and DuPont: No technical limitations to the use of renewably-sourced TPC-ET for the production of airbag covers (development model pictured)

A Bio-Cover for the Airbag Article contributed by Udo Gaumann, Takata-Petri, Aschaffenburg, Germany Thomas Werner, DuPont, Neu-Isenburg, Germany

Table 1. Comparison of basic material properties of Hytrel DYM 250 and its equivalent renewably-sourced grade of Hytrel RS PROPERTY

Melting point Melt flow rate

Testing method

Unit

ISO 11357

Hytrel RS renewablysourced 220

°C

1.16

MPa

365

375

MPa

188

193

Density

ISO 1133 g/10 min @ 2.15 kg/240 °C ISO 1183 kg/m3

Tensile properties @ 23 °C

ISO527 – 5A bar

Tensile strength Elongation at break Tensile modulus Tensile properties @ –40 °C

ISO527 – 5A bar

Tensile strength Elongation at break Tensile modulus Hardness, Shore D Charpy impact strength

Hytrel DYM250S BK497 219

MPa

244

247

MPa

440

406

ISO 868 ISO 179 1eA

@ 23 °C

kJ/m2

@ –40 °C

kJ/m2

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

ngineering polymers that are either partially or entirely based on renewably-sourced raw materials provide a fully-functional alternative to their fossilfuel based counterparts. This is confirmed by testing conducted by the tier 1 automotive supplier Takata-Petri AG in cooperation with the material supplier DuPont on an airbag cover made from a renewably-sourced grade of thermoplastic elastomer. In light of the automotive industry’s efforts to increase the use of bio-based materials, Takata-Petri, a global leader in the production of steering wheels and vehicle safety systems, is actively seeking new alternatives to traditional polymers. Within the area of airbag systems, it is the airbag cover that lends itself the most to this challenge. It brings with it a complex set of requirements, including the requirement that it breaks open almost instantly when the air bag inflates within milliseconds after an impact. For a number of years the company has been using engineering polymers from DuPont for this application. It is for this reason that it also turned to the material producer for assistance in its quest to find more environmentally-neutral alternatives. Acting as a pioneer in this area, DuPont currently offers the broadest range of renewably-sourced engineering polymers. Takata-Petri’s requirements for any potential replacement materials were clear: the properties and processing performance should be at least equal to, if not better than, those of the conventionally-used material.

Renewably-sourced TPC-ET as an alternative? DuPont was very early in its research into the use of renewable resources as the basis for polymer production. One result of this research was the commercialization as early as K2007 of a series of renewably-sourced engineering polymers including DuPont™ Hytrel® RS (RS: Renewably Sourced). This thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPC-

Coverstory

Internal testing by the producer showed the material to have comparable base properties to its conventionally-produced counterpart. At the same time, Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) revealed it to have considerably improved behavior with regard to CO2 emissions und the use of non-renewable energy. DuPont therefore suggested that the polymer specialists at Takata-Petri test the new Hytrel RS grade for its potential use in airbag covers.

Image 1. The comparison of the shear stiffness of fossil-fuel based and renewably-sourced Hytrel, dependent on testing temperature, reveals an almost complete correlation. Modulus Comparison 10000

Shear Stiffness [MPa]

ET) contains a renewably-sourced polyether diol as its soft segment. The hard segments of Hytrel RS consist of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), as is the case with the purely fossil-fuel based Hytrel.

As part of the cooperation described in this article, DuPont was able to modify a previously-developed grade of Hytrel RS in such a way that it corresponds to the DYM 250 grade in terms of its properties. Tests carried out at DuPont of the basic mechanical properties revealed, even in this special case, only a minimal difference between the conventional and the new, renewably-sourced grade of Hytrel RS, which is based on 35 % renewably-sourced content (table 1, images 1 and 2).

Proven practicality

100

-60 -40 -20

100 120 140

Temperature (°C)

Image 2. The comparison of the force versus time paths of fossil-fuel based and renewably-sourced Hytrel during an instrumented impact penetration test at –70 °C reveals no significant variations. Instrumented impact penetration test @ -70°C

5000

Hytrel DYM250

4000

Hytrel RS

Force (N)

3000 2000 1000 0 -1000 -2000 -3000

0 1

5 Time (ms)

Image 3. The differences in the pressure versus time plots for the fossil-fuel based and renewably-sourced Hytrel are within the tolerance limits for charge fluctuations.

Using the results of the standard material testing carried out at DuPont as a basis, Takata-Petri was also able to establish a match in those properties relevant to the application. Areas of investigation included processability, paintability, outgassing and behavior during airbag deployment.

1000

800

Pressure (bar)

Processing behavior during injection molding was largely identical for both materials. Image 3 shows the pressure versus time plots recorded at the nozzle tip during the timedistance-controlled mold filling process (holding pressure: pressure-controlled). At constant machine settings and the same shot weight, there are almost identical curves, which demonstrates that this Hytrel RS grade, in the eyes of the processor, can be used without any problems as a drop-in replacement product for the fossil-fuel based grade.

Hytrel RS

1000

10 -100 -80

A ‘replica’ of Hytrel DYM 250 The airbag cover is a highly sensitive component for a number of reasons. Not only must it meet exacting safety requirements, but, as a visible component, it must also fulfill the highest demands in terms of its surface appearance. Amongst the safety aspects is the defined breaking open of the airbag cover, within just a few fractions of a second, along the designated, integrally-molded tear seams when the airbag is deployed. When doing so, there should be no risk at all of any fragments breaking off from the cover, even at the lowest of ambient temperatures. For serial applications, Takata-Petri uses the hitherto standard TPEs Hytrel DYM 250 or DYM 350, which have been specially developed for this application to exhibit a specifically optimized balance between stiffness and low temperature ductility, yet differ, amongst others, with regard to their e-modulus.

Hytrel DYM250

600

400 Hytrel DYM250 Hytrel RS 200

Time (s)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Coverstory Airbag deployment trials, carried out with these samples (Image 4) at 85 °C and at –35 °C, also confirm the similarity of the two material grades: the opening forces were the same, and the inflation times were within the OEM-specified requirement of 3 to 5 ms in both cases. The tear lines were identical, and there was no sign of any flying particles during testing of any of the covers made of Hytrel RS, regardless of temperature.

Image 4. The cover must break open in a defined manner, without any form of flying particles and should provide minimal resistance to the inflating airbag. The renewably-sourced Hytrel was able to fulfill these requirements in the same way as the fossil-fuel based grade.

Further testing at Takata-Petri investigated paint adhesion. A water-based coating was applied to the sample parts under normal production conditions before carrying out an assessment of their scratch resistance. Following hydrolysis storage (72 h at 90 °C ± 2 °C and ≥ 96 % r. h.) there was no change in terms of color and touch. The samples withstood the cross cut test according to standard EN ISO 2409, and met requirements relating to scratch resistance according to the VW standard PV 3952 with the outcome: no laceration of the coating through to the substrate. A Takata-Petri boiling test also revealed no changes in surface properties. A dimensional check was carried out following the coating process. In both cases, the results were within the admissible tolerances for the conventional Hytrel DYM 250 grade.

Successful trial of renewably-sourced nylon On the basis of the unexceptionally positive test results of the airbag cover made of renewably-sourced Hytrel, Takata-Petri is currently evaluating the airbag inflator retainer as a further component within the airbag system where a fossil-fuel based material could be replaced. To date it is produced using a 40 wt.% glass-fiber reinforced grade of nylon (PA) 6.

Image 5. Renewably-sourced Zytel RS nylon is highly suitable as a material for the production of airbag inflator retainers, for instance.

DuPont has also developed a special, renewably-sourced, glass-fiber reinforced and impact-modified Zytel® RS1) for this application. It is able to at least match the basic properties of the standard PA 6 grade in terms of stiffness, impact resistance, strength, dimensional stability and warpage resistance, or, in some cases, due to its lower moisture absorption compared to PA6, shows even superior performance. As illustrated by tests carried out on sample parts (Image 5) to date, the new, renewably-sourced PA is highly suitable for the production of inflator retainers. It may also be assumed that the superior mechanical properties associated with the advantages in moisture absorption could possibly enable a further optimization of wall thickness. 1) The Zytel RS nylon family from DuPont includes products based on PA1010 and PA610 as well as their copolymers and blends with other polymers. Zytel RS consists up to 98 % of plant-based raw materials. The basis for the raw material is provided in most cases by sebacic acid, which is extracted from the castor-oil plant.

Our cover girl Claudia is ready to get behind the wheel of renewably-sourced polymers. “I had never thought about biobased plastics before, the need for truly sustainable solutions is one of the most important challenges today,” she says…

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Automotive

Development of Biocomposites for Automotive Engineering By Stephan Kabasci Pia Borelbach Frauhofer UMSICHT

he European Research Project ECOplast is dedicated to the research into novel biocomposite materials based on renewable resources for applications in automotive engineering. The project consortium incorporates 13 partners coming from 5 European countries and is led by the Spanish Galician Automotive Technological Centre (CTAG). An increasing ecological awareness along with new legislation has boosted the demand for products with a high ecological image. The automotive industry in particular has set a target to improve its carbon balance, along with increasing the use of biomaterials in automobiles. The characteristics of bioplastics which are available nowadays have to be adapted to meet the requirements of the automobile industry. Within the framework of this 4 years ECOplast project, researchers from science and industry are aiming to develop novel thermoplastic biomass-based composites through the conception and modulation of new molecular architectures in polylactic acid (PLA), through the improvement of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) properties, adapting their structure and nature to automotive specifications, and through the synthesis of a new protein-based copolymer using silk-like crystalline and elastine-like flexible blocks. The technical performances of the developed base biopolymers will be enhanced by means of addition of natural fibres and wood based reinforcements modified to guarantee optimal composite properties and processing, the development of new fibrilar natural nanofillers to optimize stability during processing, mechanical and thermal resistance etc. and organic mineral fillers to minimize the moisture absorbency and to improve dimensional stability. Another important objective of the project will be the adaptation of conventional processing techniques (polymers compounding, injection moulding and thermoforming) and other novel techniques to these new biocomposites. The challenge here will be to overcome the problem of properties

distortion because of the extreme thermal conditions, the moisture absorbency and the machine degradation due to corrosion reactions and accelerated by the gases generated inside the screw. The main innovation in ECOplast project will be to find the perfect equilibrium between the optimization of novel base biopolymers, new fillers and fibres functionalization to reduce deviations of base biopolymers from standards, and optimum processing design to avoid the deterioration of mechanical performances and to allow a wide processing window in order to meet the automotive requirements. The partners involved in the project are:  Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia (CTAG), Spain (coordinator)  Asociación de Investigación de Materiales Plásticos y Conexas – AIMPLAS, Spain  PIEP Associação – Polo de Inovação em Engenharía de Polímeros, Portugal  Biomer, Germany  FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Germany  Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Energietechnik UMSICHT, Germany

Sicherheits-

und

 Grupo Antolín – Ingeniería S.A., Spain  Megatech Industries Amurrio S.L. (MEGATECH), Spain  NanoBioMatters R&D (NMB), Spain  Pallmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co, Germany  PURAC, Netherlands  University of Minho (UMINHO), Portugal  VTT – Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland www.ecoplastproject.eu

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Automotive

Automotive Bioplastics Design Challenge Article contributed by Markus Götz Biopolymers/Biomaterials Cluster Executive cluster manager BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH Stuttgart, Germany

Nylon-5,10 - Ventilation nozzle for car interiors (Photo: BIOPRO/Bächtle)

“T

urning away from petrol and towards renewable resources” – this sentence might sound simple, but its implementation is not nearly so simple. Biomass does not benefit from the same level of subsidies for material use as it does for energetic use nor is its material use backed by legal regulations (e.g. biofuel quota act). In certain market segments, biomass for material use also faces huge obstacles when it comes to entering the market. This is a particular issue in the field of bio-based plastics, which only become marketable when their characteristics are at least equal to those of their petrochemical counterparts.

‘Bioplastics Design Challenge’ A number of bio-based plastics with the required properties are already available on the market. However, the end-user sectors are still very cautious as far as the application of bio-based materials is concerned since the switch from fossil fuel-based production to biomass-based production requires numerous changes to be put in place. In addition, the adaptation to new processes is also associated with high costs. However, predicted future developments make it necessary to focus on the shift from fossil to biological resources – not just because of the finiteness of fossil resources. However, it is not enough just to focus on research into the biotechnological implementation of biomass into plastics components (monomers) and demonstrate its feasibility. A lot more than this is required. In order to support bioplastics on their rocky road to marketability, the German Biopolymers/Biomaterials cluster has initiated the ‘Bioplastics Design Challenge’ on behalf of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of the government of the German Federal State of BadenWürttemberg. To facilitate the market introduction of biobased materials, the ‘Bioplastics Design Challenge’ aims to increase the plastics manufacturing industry and the end user sectors’ awareness of sustainability as well as to strengthen innovation dynamics.

Joint challenges to enable change The ‘Bioplastics Design Challenge’ is not a competition in the traditional sense, but is conceived as a joint challenge whose goal is to facilitate the shift of plastics production from fossil fuel-based materials to bio-based materials. The challenge targets developers, designers, bioplastics manufacturers and processors as well as all other interested parties. Through the interaction of many actors along the value creation chain, it will be possible to thoroughly test the materials at a very early stage and facilitate their early technical implementation. The ‘Bioplastics Design Challenge’ will present numerous different biomaterials to interested users and subsequently test them, taking into

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Automotive

account important aspects such as processability, surface properties and ageing resistance, aspects that are not frequently the targets of initial research, but which have a crucial influence on the products’ marketability and market potential. In return, the user sector will provide the bioplastics producers with valuable information about the products’ expected market acceptance as well as feedback about the biomaterials’ unexplored optimisation potentials. An annual ‘Theme Day’ will be held to promote wider public awareness of bio-based materials and to illustrate the future application of biomaterials in the individual application sectors.

The automotive sector in the ‘Bioplastics Design Challenge’ The ‘Automotive Bioplastics Design Challenge – abdc’ initiated in summer 2010 represents the first of several ‘Bioplastics Design Challenges’. The one-year cooperation will evaluate and further develop design aspects of commercially available biomaterials and biomaterials under development with regard to their suitability for automotive sector applications. Users will be able to select materials from a broad range of bioplastics and biomaterials for component parts on the basis of technical and designrelated decision criteria. Design samples and prototypes will then be produced and the material will be evaluated in terms of subsequent requirements with regard to the production of serial products. The registration to ‘abdc’ is still possible. Well over 100 individuals have already registered for the ‘Automotive Bioplastics Design Challenge’, including bioplastics manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, their suppliers, engineering and design offices with an interest in the automotive sector as well as design students. A webbased partnering platform and partnering workshops will support the establishment of project partnerships and the

Motor engine cooling fan and housing module made from Nylon-5,10 (Photo: BIOPRO/Kindervater)

collaboration between the participants. The platform offers a comprehensive and clear overview of profiles, offers and requests of all the actors involved, thereby enabling the interactive development and implementation of project ideas. In addition, the participants are able to provide platform users with information on project ideas and experiences (with regard to processability, technical suitability, design aspects, etc.). The results of the ‘Automotive Bioplastics Design Challenge’ will be presented at the upcoming ‘Bioplastics in the automotive sector of the future’ theme day.

‘Bioplastics for automotive engineering of the future’ theme day The theme day will be held on June 10, 2011 in Stuttgart, Germany. The public exhibition is part of ‘Automobile Summer 2011’, an event organised by the Baden-Württemberg government to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the automobile. The exhibition will give visitors an overview of biobased materials used in the serial production of cars as well as an outline of the history of bio-based car components. The presentation of state-of-the-art bioplastics that are close to entering serial production or that are currently in development will be the highlight of the day. If anyone owns such novel biomaterials or prototypes or has access to historical or currently used bio-based car parts, the organizers would be delighted if these could be made available for exhibition on June 10, 2011. Providing exhibits is not connected to participation in ‘abdc’. The submission deadline for contributions will be April 6, 2011.

www.bio-pro.de/abdc/ abdc@bio-pro.de

This article is an excerpt from a more comprehensive article in Biowerkstoff Report March 2011, published by nova-Institut, Germany

Nylon-5,10 - gas pedal (Product: Robert Bosch GmbH, Photo: Philipp Thielen)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Automotive

oyota Motor Corporation (TMC) continues to develop various advanced environmental technologies aimed at producing vehicles for a society where people live in harmony with the earth, or ‘Sustainable mobility’.

(Photo: Mytho88 / Wikimedia)

Ecological Plastic for Toyota’s Sai

Another key environmentally-friendly technology incorporated in the Sai hybrid sedan in 2009 was a newly developed Ecological plastic1 to achieve exhaustive environmental performance. It is used for approximately 60% of the total interior area. Though the Sai uses more environmentally friendly plastic than any other vehicle in the world, TMC believes that it is important to increase the availability of such technologies in the marketplace and that the ecological plastics can have a positive impact on the environment only if they are widely used for mass production cars like the Sai. Because plants play a role in either type, ecological plastic emits approximately 30% less CO2 during the product life cycle (from manufacture to disposal) than plastic made solely from petroleum; it also helps reduce petroleum use. Table1 shows the ecological plastic in the Sai. This ecological plastic adequately meets the heat-resistance and shock-resistance demands of vehicle interiors through the use of various compounding technologies, such as those allowing molecular-level bonding and homogeneous mixing of plant-derived and petroleum-derived raw materials. And being equal to conventional plastics in terms of quality and productivity means that it can be used in production vehicles. TMC became the first automaker in the world to use ecological plastic for the spare tyre cover in interior parts when it launched the Japanese market ‘Raum’ model in 2003 (see bM 01/2007). It was also adopted for upholstery material such as roof head lining and pillar cladding for the first time in the world in the Sai. TMC intends to pursue research and development and practical applications that result in the expanded use of ecological plastic in vehicle parts. MT 1 Ecological Plastic: The collective name of plastics developed by TMC for automobiles and that use plant-derived material and are more heat- and shock-resistant, etc., than conventional bio-plastics. www.toyota.com

Table 1. Materials used in the Sai Material kinds

Where used

Blended raw materials Plant-derived

(Photo: Tennen Gas / Wikimedia) 18

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Petroleum-derived Blending method

Injection molding material

Scuff plates, cowl Polylactic acid side trims, finish (PLA) plate, tool box

Polypropylene (PP)

Upholsterymaterial (Knits)

Roof head lining, sun visors, front pillars, center pillars, roof side garnishes

Plant derived polyester

Polyethylene Blend fiber terephthalate(PET)

Upholsterymaterial (Nonwovens)

Luggage door trims, luggage side trims

Polylactic acid (PLA)

Blending PLA Polyethylene fiber and PET terephthalate(PET) fiber

Base material

Door trims

Polylactic acid(PLA) and Kenaf fiber

(Not used)

Form material

Seat cushion

Polyol derived from castor oil

Polyol, isocyanate, Molecular level etc. blend

Finely dispersed PLA within PP

Bond the kenaf fiber with PLA

(Photos: Toyota / Lexus)

Automotive

Welcome to the Darker Side of Green

ybrids don’t always have to be about flowery, sunshine-filled days in the park, says the Lexus CT200h website. However, sunshine is needed for the production of Toyota’s new Bio-PET. Last fall Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced plans to make vehicle liner material and other interior surfaces from a new ‘Ecological Plastic’ that features the world’s first use of bioPET. Starting with the luggage-compartment liner in the Lexus CT200h scheduled to be introduced this spring, TMC plans to increase both the number of vehicle series featuring the new material, as well as the amount of vehicle-interior area covered by it, and intends to introduce a vehicle model in 2011 in which Ecological Plastic will cover 80 percent of the vehicle interior. The epoch-making bio-PET-based Ecological Plastic — developed with Toyota Tsusho Corporation — is characterized by: enhanced performance, such as heat-resistance, durability performance or shrink resistance compared to conventional bio-plastics and performance parity with petroleum-based PET. Secondly bio-PET shall offer the potential to approach the cost-per-part performance of petroleum-based plastics through volume production. And last but not least the it shall be used in seats and carpeting and other interior components that require a high level of performance unattainable by hitherto Ecological Plastic.MT www.lexus.com

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Automotive

Biodegradable PLA/PC Copolymers for Automotive Applications Article contributed by Maurizio Penco, Arifur Rahman University of Brescia Steven Verstichel, Bruno De Wilde Organic Waste Systems Patrizia Cinelli, Andrea Lazzeri University of Pisa

www.forbioplast.eu www.unibs.it www.ows.be http://materials.diccism.unipi.it

ith environmentally-friendly products becoming the norm, research and development of biopolymers, in addition to their versatile applications in durables - particularly automotives, invoke high expectations from the industry as well as consumers. However, we are yet to witness a scenario where the production of biopolymers is appropriate to the demand and their prices are competitive with the petrochemical-based polymers. For instance, the application of Poly(lactic acid) PLA and other biopolymers in the automotive sector (especially interiors) requires the products to meet the high quality standards of mechanical strength, a low degree of degradation by sunlight, resistance to abrasion, a high durability and a high thermal resistance. Although PLA has certain limitations new materials and modifying agents are expanding both its reach and applications. Efforts are focused on boosting mechanical and thermal properties so biopolymers can be effective alternatives to less costly commodity materials.

(a)

Especially for automotive application a new biodegradable copolymer has recently been patented: The copolymer is based on Poly(lactic acid) and Polycarbonate (PC) and has been developed within the Forbioplast project (No. KBBE212239), funded by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission. The objective of the development was to find a material for automotive applications that has not only high thermal stability and high durability but is also biodegradable.

(b)

PLA is a well-known biodegradable polymer that can be produced from renewable resources such as corn. The other component, PC, is a lightweight, high-performance material that possesses a unique balance of toughness, dimensional stability, optical clarity, high heat resistance and excellent electrical resistance. The new material, having a segmented copolymer structure (PLA-b-PC) has been prepared by reactive melt mixing in the presence of a specific catalyst. The presence of a segmented copolymer structure has been observed by analysing the molar mass distribution in sizeexclusion chromatography (Fig. 1).

Figure 3: Micrographs showing morphology of pure PLA/PC (20wt%PC) copolymer (a) and fibre (30wt%) containing composites (b).

A significant maintenance of mechanical strength across the glass transition temperature (Tg) is an important concern

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Automotive Figure 1: Molar mass distribution of PLA, PC and the copolymer. 1.8

One of the most interesting characteristics of the new PLA/ PC copolymer is its degradability in composting facilities. Preliminary results for PLA80/PC20 copolymer and PLA80/ PC20 with additional 20% fibre show complete degradation after 110 days of controlled composting (ISO 14855). After a phase lag of 20 days (typical for PLA) the biodegradation began and reached an absolute biodegradation at a level of 96.6% and 92.7%, respectively (Fig. 4). According to the European standard EN 13432 on compostability of packaging, a material fulfils the requirement on biodegradation when the percentage of biodegradation is at least 90% in total or 90% of the maximum degradation of a suitable reference item (e.g. cellulose) after a plateau has been reached for both reference and test item within a test duration of 180 days. Since pure PC is not biodegradable, copolymer blending with PLA might provide a useful method for biodegrading postconsumer recycled PC, when, after several reuses, material degradation prevents further recycling. The new class of biodegradable PLA/PC copolymer blends, originally developed for lightweight components in automotive applications and construction materials, may - as a result of the findings - be used in a wide range of other applications such as cell phones, portable electronics, medical devices, sporting goods, toys and multiple use packaging, to name just a few.

dw/cLog (M)

1.2

0.9

0.6

0.3

0.0 1.0E+03

1.0E+04 1.0E+05 Molecular Weight (g/mol)

1.0E+06

Figure 2: Variation in storage modulus for different PC content (wt%) in PLA/PC copolymer (a) and improved modulus for fibre containing PLA/PC copolymer (20wt% of PC) (b). 3,5

(a)

Modulus at 60°C modulus at room temperature

3 Storage Modulus (GPa)

The PLA/PC copolymer has a multi-phase structure with two glassy phases and one crystalline phase. Thermal analysis reveals a higher melting point (170 °C) for the PLA/ PC copolymer in comparison with pure PLA (150 °C). The presence of a second high Tg glassy phase increases the heat distortion resistance in comparison with standard PLA. The decrease of storage modulus above the glass transition temperature of PLA is compensated by the PC segment in the copolymer. Due to the presence of shorter PLA segments with respect to the molar mass it is expected that the copolymer produces high crystallization rates. The crystallization kinetics of the PLA/PC copolymer is in fact much faster than for PLA (copolymer: half time of crystallization t1/2 = 5.5 min; PLA: t1/2 = 105 min). This can play a significant role in the processing of this new material.

PCcoPLA (50/50) PLAcoPLA (50/50) 5% Cat

2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 0

PC Content (%) 6 Storage Modulus (GPa)

It is important to note here that, among the different range of compositions, the 20 wt% PC containing PLA/PC copolymer exhibited significant improvement in overall mechanical properties and 30 wt% fibre was incorporated into PLA/PC copolymer to further improve its mechanical properties. The morphology analysis (Fig. 3) shows a homogenous structure in the PLA/PC copolymer and good interfacial adhesion between PLA/PC copolymer matrix and wood fibres.

PLA (Brabender 250°C) 1.6

(b)

5 4 3 2 1 0 0

Fibre Content (wt%)

Figure 4: Evolution of biodegradation of PLA80/PC20 and PLA80/PC20 reinforced with additional 20% fibre, in comparison with pure cellulose and lignocellulose fibres. Cellulose

PLA/PC (80/20) + 20% fibres

PLA/PC (80/20)

Fibre

110 100 90 Biodegradation (%)

for automotive materials. The PLA/PC copolymer indeed showed good maintenance (in terms of storage modulus) at high temperatures (Fig. 2a). Moreover, the addition of wood fibres to the PLA/PC copolymer significantly improved the mechanical properties (Fig. 2b).

PC (Brabender 250°C)

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 -10

100

110

Time (days)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Materials The palm rest of the Fujitsu Eco-keypad is injection molded by the German company Amper-Plastik using 100% bio-based ARBOFORM. This material is 100% biobased and 100% biodegradable. Its haptics is pleasant and warm.

edding 24 highlighter: Cap and barrel made from ARBOFILL with 70% renewable resources

Biopolymer Composites based on Lignin and Cellulose Article contributed by Lars Ziegler Jürgen Pfitzer Helmut Nägele Benjamin Porter Technaro GmbH Isfeld-Auenstein Germany

ECNARO is a producer of high-quality thermoplastics from renewable resources. One of the main raw materials is lignin, which is the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose. More than 20 billion tons of lignin are created by photosynthesis each year in nature. Lignin can be obtained as a by-product of the pulp and paper industry and the volume arising worldwide is about 50 to 60 million tons per year. Lignin can be extracted also from wood bark or straw (see comprehensive ‘basics’ article on pages 54ff) Mixing lignin with natural fibres like e. g. flax, hemp, wood or other fibre plants and natural additives produces thermoplastic composites. These granules made from 100% renewable resources are marketed under the brand name ARBOFORM® (arbor, Latin = the tree). A series of granted patents led to the European Inventor Award 2010. Arboform® is sustainable, independent from crude oil, reduces environmental impacts and offers new markets for agriculture and forestry business. It combines two big industrial sectors: Wood industry can provide three dimensional parts in an economic way and plastics processors can substitute their materials by an ecological alternative. It can be considered as ‘liquid wood’. Arboblend® is a family of 100% biodegradable blends of biopolymers like lignin or lignin derivatives and/or other biopolymers like polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, starch, natural resins and waxes, cellulose, additives and natural fibers – depending on the grade. Its mechanical properties are comparable to those of ABS. Arbofill® compounds are made from plastics and natural fibers like wood, hemp, flax, sisal, bagasse from sugarcane, bamboo, coir fibre from coconut husk, etc. This combination offers sustainable and aesthetical materials with good mechanical and thermal properties at very competitive costs. All products can be processed by injection moulding, extrusion, calendering, blow molding, thermoforming or compression moulded into parts, semi-finished product, sheet, film or profiles.

www.tecnaro.de

Today’s series applications can be found in toys, automotive, furniture, electronics, music instruments, packaging, office, building and construction industries as well as in funeral business, agriculture and forestry.

Bavarian State Forestry and the designer Jochen Rümmelein are using thermoformable ARBOBLEND for their forest signs.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

COZA bios line covers more than 40 different household products are injection moulded from ARBOFILL with FDA approval.

IMM and Sony: Loudspeakers made from ARBOFORM. Excellent design and optimized sound behavior due to injection moulded free form geometries.

Materials

ow, with its research, development, and application engineering indicating a clear and concise path to market, a Nebraska (USA) company, Laurel BioComposite, LLC, anticipates commercial production of LignoMAXX to commence in 2012. LignoMAXX, a resin extender based on lingo-cellulosic biobased feedstock, can be blended in significant inclusion rates with both thermoset and thermoplastic resins with the end product displaying favorable characteristics in specific applications, such as being 11% lighter weight and 11% stronger. These are excellent attributes for products in the durable goods sector, such as construction elements including shower walls, vanity tops, and related plastic goods, as well as shipping pallets and automobile body panels. Additional advantages for the manufacturer are its superior dispersion index and its density modulus which can create more parts at the same weight loading. Higher inclusion rates, compared to simple biobased fillers, along with the sequestering of carbon and displacement of crude oil, also means that manufacturers utilizing LignoMAXX could find their end products qualifying for the (US) Federal BioPreferred Program or assisting them in becoming LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

Bioplastics in Durable Goods

Whereas nearly any type of ligno-cellulosic biomass can be processed through the conversion technology being utilized, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) has been selected as the initial feedstock.DDGS is readily available and abundant throughout central United States, further assuring that the company will be able to provide their product in consistent and adequately large quantities to meet the volume requirements of the durable goods plastic industry. With over fourteen years of collective research and development, Laurel BioComposite is ready to pursue the construction of its Nebraska plant. The internal testing, as well as the commercial testing performed by industry experts, indicates that LignoMAXX is ready to add both value and sustainability to an ever-growing range of biobased commercial products. The patented process of converting ligno-cellulosic biomass into a plastic resin enhancer was developed by LignoTech Limited of Ashburton, New Zealand.Production involves processing cellulosic material at a predetermined moisture and of a consistent size and then subjecting it to a high pressure steam environment where the plant-derived material undergoes a molecular change. The hydrolysis products thus created, when repolymerised with heat and pressure, form a strong, water-resistant matrix.

Shipping Pallet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 40% LignoMAXX

The process has been successfully demonstrated in a pilot plant, in operation since the 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s, utilizing DDGS sent there from three different Nebraska ethanol facilities. Inital testing on the processed material from the pilot plant was done at Scion, a New Zealand Crown Research Institute and bio-material research facility. Production in the first Laurel BioComposite plant is estimated to be around 18,000 tonnes (40 million pounds) annually of the LignoMAXX powder for thermoset applications, with future plants, already part of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansion plan for 2013, producing both the powder and LignoMAXX pellets for thermoplastic applications. MT www.laurelbiocomposite.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Materials

Vegetable Oil Based Plastics – Produced Loss-Free

research group at the University of Konstanz, Germany, has developed a new approach to transforming fatty acids from vegetable oils into monomers for the production of thermoplastics. Prof. Dr. Stefan Mecking, chair of Chemical Material Science, explains the secret of the transformation like this: “Erucic acid and oleic acid both contain a reactive double bond in the centre. Previous polymerization methods using this bond produced branched materials with an irregular structure - barely useful for thermoplastics”. Alternatively, half of the molecule is “wasted” as a lateral chain. The development by his assistant Dorothee Qinzler now manages to make the whole molecule, loss-free, available as a monomer backbone: “Her method uses a catalytic method to let the double bond selectively shift to the end of the molecule where it is converted into an ester group. Now both molecule ends have reactive ester groups ready to be polymerized”. A characteristic of the new linear monomer is its ability to form plastics with a defined structure – in contrast to plastics made of erucic or oleic acid without any preliminary changes. The new material type shows high melting points and a good crystallinity and therefore it is well suited for thermoplastic processing. According to the scientists, the new polymer is best comparable to polyethylene regarding its crystal structure. The scale-up of the reaction should be technically quite feasible. Mecking says: “The reaction principles like carbonylation or polycondensation are already proven on a large industrial scale”. In addition the basic material that Quinzler uses is by no means exotic or purely academic: Erucic acid and oleic acid are two lowcost fatty acids available from a variety of sources, such as canola (rapeseed) or crambe. These plants can be grown in different climatic regions and therefore would be appropriate for a lot of different countries, especially for those with very limited access to raw materials such as crude oil or basic chemicals. Quinzler and Mecking do not regard plastics from renewable resources as a universal problem-solver for raw material supply. As Mecking states, even renewable resources are not available in unlimited quantity and quality but they do at least contribute to the total required raw material supply. “In the same manner that we do not use one single energy source, we won’t use one single raw materials source”, Mecking says. “We will always use a mix of resources, always using that resource which is best suited to the application”. He points out that plastics cover a wide range of applications and therefore a wide range of qualities – something one single type of plastic will never be able to provide. For that reason Mecking does not target specific applications for the new material yet. “Currently we are in contact with the industry for future use of the material indeed, but first we should carry out application trials to show for which application area the material has the best properties”. It is a realistic guess to say that the material is biodegradable and so this topic is a further focus for the team. The work in Konstanz has not ended yet. The group, grown in the meantime by three more assistants, wants to find out more about the new materials and their properties and wants to refine the catalytic step in the reaction in order to improve the yield. Even if some basic research is still needed, the current findings are very promising for future applications. BSL www.chemie.uni-konstanz.de/agmeck/

Reaction principle: The fatty acid ester (above) contains two reactive groups: An ester group (blue) and a double bond (green). Using carbon monoxide and methanol in the presence of a catalyst, the double bond shifts to the end of the molecule where it is transformed into an ester group. This molecule with two reactive ester groups (blue) now reacts to linear polymers. (source: University of Konstanz)

X=1 or 5

catalyst + CO + methanol

ROOC

( )x

polymer

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

COOR

( )x

COOR

Materials

Assessment of Life Cycle Studies on Hemp Fibre Composites Article contributed by Juliane Haufe and Michael Carus nova-Institut, HĂźrth, Germany

emp fibres are very suitable replacements for a variety of fossil-based materials. In this study, hempbased reinforced plastics are compared to non-renewable materials like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (PP-GF) regarding their environmental impacts on climate change and primary energy use. The analysed products are compared based on their functionality. The assessment encompasses the extraction of raw materials, where applicable the cultivation of crops, the processing of materials and transports.

hemp-based composites, accounted for carbon storage

hemp-based composites, not accounted for carbon storage

Hemp fibre reinforced plastics are materials that are composed of a polymer and hemp fibres from which the composite receives its stability. Hemp fibre reinforced plastics are mainly used in the automobile industry for interior, but also exterior, applications, and also for the production of furniture or other consumer products. The material shows favourable mechanical properties such as rigidity and strength in combination with low density. The material, moreover, does not splinter and leaves no sharp edges (which is an important characteristic especially in the case of automobile accidents). The majority of the currently produced applications are manufactured using thermoplastics and thermoset compression moulding for which the natural fibre fleece and the polymer material are heated and pressed. A wide range of natural fibre automobile interior applications are produced in this way, including door panels and car boot trims, rear shelf and roof liner panels, dashboards, pillar trims, seat shells, under-bodies and other parts. Another, currently less common, processing technique is injection moulding which is expected to quickly gain market shares in the near future.

fossil-based composites

100%

80%

60%

40%

Hemp fibre/PP vs. PP composite

* Hemp/PP vs. GF/PP battery tray

Hemp fibre/PTP vs. GF/PES bus exterior panel

Hemp fibre/PP vs. GF composite

Hemp fibre/Epoxy vs. ABS automotive door panel

20%

Hemp fibre/PP vs. GF/PP mat

GHG emissions in %: fossil- and hemp-based composites compared

*: no information available

Figure 1: GHG emissions expressed in percent for the production of fossil-based and hemp-based composites for a number of studies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where available showing the effects of biogenic carbon storage (PTP: Polymer material made of Triglycerides and Polycarbon acid anhydrides, PES: Polyester)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Six of the LCA studies included in the analysis of hemp fibre reinforced plastics are depicted in the chart. All of the hemp fibre reinforced plastics examined show energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) savings in comparison with their fossil-based counterparts. The chart shows the considerable savings that are achieved when the functionally-equal hemp-based composites are used instead of fossil-based composites. Because internationally no agreement has yet been made on whether or not to include the storage of biogenic carbon in product-based life cycle assessment, both methods have been included in this study.

Düsseldorf, Germany 12 – 18 May 2011

Therefore without accounting for biogenic carbon storage, GHG savings range between 12 and 55%. When biogenic carbon storage is taken into account savings between 28 and 74% can be reached. Even larger savings can be reached: Because of the higher density of glass fibres for example, a weight reduction of the application can be achieved when hemp fibres are used. This can result in considerable GHG and energy savings during use.“ Also, hemp fibre reinforced plastics contain to a smaller or larger extent fossil-based resources. In order to decrease the use of fossil energy and mitigate GHG emissions, inputs of fossil-based materials should be reduced as much as possible or replaced by bio-based plastics. At the current time those fully bio-based composites are only used in the Japanese automotive industry.

WE DON’T HAVE UNLIMITED RESOURCES. LET’S USE THEM SENSIBLY. Solutions ahead! www.interpack.com

Result: Hemp fibre reinforced plastics show considerable energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) savings in comparison with their fossil-based counterparts. The full study ‘Hemp Fibres for Green Products – An assessment of life cycle studies on hemp fibre applications’ will be available at www.eiha.org by March 2011. www.nova-institut.de

The study was financed by: www.eiha.org www.drbronner.com www.hempflax.com www.bafa-gmbh.de

Sources of information for the graph:

j Pervaiz, M. and M. M. Sain. 2003. Carbon storage potential

in natural fiber composites. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 39:325-340. k + l Boutin, M.-P., C. Flamin, S. Quinton, and G. Gosse. 2006. Etude des caractéristiques environnementales du chanvre par l’analyse de son cycle de vie. L‘ Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Lille, France. m Wötzel, K., R. Wirth, and M. Flake. 1999a. Life cycle studies on hemp fibre reinforced components and ABS for automotive parts. Die Angewandte Makromolekulare Chemie 272:121-127. n Müssig, J., M. Schmehl, H. B. von Buttlar, U. Schönfeld, and K. Arndt. 2006. Exterior components based on renewable resources produced with SMC technology-Considering a bus component as example. Industrial Crops and Products 24:132145. o Magnani, M. 2010. Ford Motor Company‘s Sustainable Materials. 3rd International Congress on Bio-based Plastics and Composites, 21st of April 2010, Hannover, Germany

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Postfach 10 10 06 40001 Düsseldorf Germany Tel. +49 (0)2 11/45 60-01 Fax +49 (0)2 11/45 60-6 68 www.messe-duesseldorf.de

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam

Particle Foams from Thermoplastic Starch – Waiting for Technology? Article contributed by Robin Britton Consultant and Part-Time Lecturer at Loughborough University, UK

TPS Loose Fill (iStockphoto)

eaders of bioplastics MAGAZINE will be familiar with thermoplastic starch (TPS) materials and the various methods which have been employed to render them more easily processed and water resistant, though for some applications, their sensitivity to water is an advantage. One such is the well-known loose fill packaging ‘beans’ or ‘chips’ and extruded foam profiles, which have very low density, good cushioning power and easy disposal, either by dissolution in water or by composting. In other applications, where more durability is required, a greater degree of water resistance is desirable. There is a much larger market (several million tonnes per year) for lowdensity moulded packaging ‘cushions’ which is currently dominated by expanded polystyrene (EPS) particle foams – these low density beads are easily moulded into quite complex shapes, but disposal after they have served their protective purpose is a significant problem. EPS is widely recycled, but collection and transport of used consumer packaging can be so costly as to be uneconomic. Synbra Technology bv, with its BioFoam® development, is already addressing this issue (see pages 30ff), but could there be an opportunity here for TPS?

EPS Protective Packaging

Particle foam , generic picture, no TPS (iStockphoto)

The conventional processes for expanding and moulding particle foams rely on steam, a cheap and very controllable source of heat with a high energy density. (See, for example, [1] for more detail.) In EPS manufacture, millimetre-scale beads of polystyrene impregnated with a blowing agent (usually pentane) are expanded in stirred vessels fed with steam at controlled pressure and densities down to as low as 10 g/l can be achieved. Once matured to stabilise the internal pressure, the ’prepuff’ beads are fed into a mould and more steam piped in. This creates further expansion and fuses the bead surfaces together to produce a strong moulded part. Expanded polypropylene and polyethylene are expanded rather differently because they retain blowing agents much less well, but are moulded in a similar way to EPS. From the point of view of current moulders of protective packaging, an ideal ’green’ particle foam material would be a drop-in replacement for EPS. That is, it should be delivered in a dense form, be expandable in their existing steam expanders and moulded in their existing steam moulding machines. Any changes will be seen as barriers to innovation, as they are likely to add cost and require investment. Although the packaging industry is aware that such an ideal material is unlikely to exist, and that barriers are there to be surmounted, the smaller the adaptations required, the easier will be the process of introduction of a new mouldable packaging particle foam.

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Foam

Particle foams from TPS – where is the technology today? Water contained within thermoplastic starch beads is used successfully as an environmentally friendly and cheap blowing agent for packaging ’chips’ - when the material is heated quickly enough, the water boils and foams the material before it can be driven off. In order to make useful moulded products, the challenge is to produce foamable beads which can be easily moulded (fused), and also to improve the durability of the moulded products. The steam which is the heat source in EPS processing is the enemy here – it tends to degrade or ’burn’ the pre-puffed TPS rather than expanding and fusing the beads together. The challenge of making expandable TPS which can be moulded has been addressed in recent years, but so far without commercial success. In 1998, a group from the Institute for Agrotechnical Research at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands applied for a patent using microwaves to expand and fuse starch beads in one step [2]. Their idea was to condition thermoplastic starch beads to a water content around 15%, and coat them with a plasticiser which could also act as an adhesive. The beads were then placed in a non-metallic mould and heated in a microwave oven – the water in the beads was thereby heated to produce steam which expanded the beads and fused them, with the help of the adhesive, to yield a moulded part. Although this approach is clearly practicable, there is no record of the patent being granted. With microwave heating technology now considerably more advanced, this method would appear worth revisiting – moulds must be non-metallic, and the oven must be large enough to contain the products to be made but neither issue should be an insuperable problem. More recently, BASF took a different approach in a US patent [3] applied for in 2003. Rather than using water as the blowing agent, their method uses more conventional hydrocarbons or alcohols as blowing agents (propane, butane, pentane, methanol, ethanol, propanol). The thermoplastic starch is also blended with a biodegradable copolyester (Ecoflex®) to give it more heat and moisture resistance. The blend components are compounded together in an extruder, the blowing agent injected into the barrel as a final step before the material is pelletised under pressurised water (to prevent expansion before the beads have cooled and solidified). These beads, ready impregnated with the blowing agent, can later be expanded and moulded in standard EPS equipment. The proportions of copolyester to starch claimed in the patent cover a wide range, from 1:9 to 9:1 – as the proportion of starch is increased, the material becomes less expensive but more water sensitive, less ductile and less easily processed – the copolyester is a soft, flexible, biodegradable (but not biobased) material. As with the Dutch microwave process of [2], this technology does not yet appear to have been successfully commercialized.

Yet another approach to making TPS foamable and potentially mouldable was described by a group from the US Agricultural Research Service in a paper of 2007 [4]. Their blend formulations included, as well as water, sorbitol or glycerol and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) as a biodegradable thermoplastic binder. The blends were extruded as pellets or mixed together and milled to small particles, then expanded by heating for 20 seconds or more at 190-210°C. Higher water contents, up to 25%, meant lower expansion temperatures as the material was more plasticised. The purpose of this study was to assess how different types of starch and other additives affected the foam density, so moulding of the expanded beads was not attempted, but there seems no insuperable reason why it should not be possible, using microwave or even steam processes.

So what stands in the way of TPS particle foams? The key issues are the formulation of the material (selection of the right balance of plasticisers, blowing agent and foam nucleating agents, plus possibly waterproofing additions), the optimization of the expansion process and development or adaptation of the moulding process. Finally, of course, the solutions found must also be economical for the purchasers of protective packaging – a package is no more than a temporary expedient to ensure that the more valuable product within it reaches the end user in good condition, and as such is seen as a cost to be minimized as far as possible. The need to reduce the water sensitivity of thermoplastic starch, in order to improve its processability and durability has been addressed by a number of different companies in recent years, though as yet no-one seems to have developed particle foams. There is a wide range of blends using starch and hydrocarbon-based polymers (for example the MaterBi materials from Novamont), whose water resistance and biodegradability can be tailored to fit both process and application. It can only be a matter of time before such blends are considered for use as particle foams, and practical solutions found? In conclusion, therefore, we can say that moulded foam products based on starch are likely to become technically feasible as development effort is applied. The protective packaging market is both very large and ripe for more sustainable alternatives to EPS, EPP and EPE, so we can expect ‘market pull’ to bring new products forward in the coming years - starch-based systems should be able to take their share. References: [1] Britton, R.N.; Update on Mouldable Particle Foam Technology; iSmithers 2009 [2] World Patent Application WO98/51466A1 [3] US Patent US657330308, 2003 [4] Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2007, 55 (10), p3936

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam

A Comparative LCA of Building Insulation Products

ynbra has together with the Sustainable Development Group of AkzoNobel conducted an ex-ante Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of BioFoam production from lactide produced from cane sugar in Thailand by Purac (Borén and Synbra 2010). An LCA allows holistic and quantitative environmental impact evaluations of economic systems, and facilitates relating environmental impacts to a functional unit. With the goal to probe which of the materials BioFoam®, expanded polystyrene foam (EPS foam), polyurethane foam (PUR foam) and mineral wool (as produced today under average European conditions) that are most often used as thermal insulation products for buildings from an environmental point of view, a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of these materials has been performed by AkzoNobel. This model has been made to supply prospective customers a full LCA on their particular application and to compare it with insulants when used in insulation and with EPS cardboard when used as packaging. This is subject of another comparison. BioFoam; is a polylactic acid based foam material that can be used as an alternative to traditional insulation materials. It has passed stringent stability tests on fire resistance moisture resistance, fungus resistance and attack by pests such as termites see cadre 2 and at use temperatures below 60°C does not degrade to any significant extend even after many years of exposure. The functional unit of this LCA is the thermal resistance of 5 m2 K/W and the following environmental aspects are assessed: renewable and non-renewable energy use, abiotic resource depletion, global warming, acidification, photochemical oxidant formation, eutrophication and farm land use. The study focuses on the insulating and environmental properties of the insulation products per se, and the studied system includes the production, delivery and disposal (incineration with or without energy recovery, landfill with or without energy recovery, industrial composting or recycling) of the insulation products. The delivery and disposal is modelled for average European conditions. An external critical review has been carried out to validate that the methodology, data, interpretation and report of this LCA complies with the ISO 14040 standard series. •

PUR foam and mineral wool as produced under average European conditions. It has been performed according to the ISO standards on LCA (ISO 14040 and 14044). The focus is on the production and disposal (recycling, incineration with or without energy recovery and composting) of the materials. Figure 1 presents a simplified flowchart of the studied system of this LCA. As the study focuses on the environmental properties of the insulation products per se, the application and use stages are excluded, and no regard is taken to situations which impose different demands concerning ancillary material and energy inputs in the application and future demolition and disassembly of insulated buildings, and it is noted that the conclusions may not be valid for such situations. The system boundaries are defined by a system expansion approach as recommended by the ISO standards, meaning that only the activities affected by an additional demand of insulation product are included. This approach is best combined with marginal production data, however the difference between marginal and average production data for the activities in scope of this assessment is considered to be minor and therefore average production data has been applied for all activities for reasons of practicality. With regard to technical and temporal boundaries all industrial activities are modeled as if they would take place today within the current infrastructure. The application, use and final disposal of the insulation products is accounted for to take place in Europe. Where applicable average European LCA data has been applied for these activities. The functional unit is defined in the ISO 14040 standard as ‘the quantified performance of a product system for use as a reference unit in a life cycle assessment study’. The key performance aspect of thermal insulation products is that they are used for limiting the transfer, or conduction, of thermal energy, or heat. Thermal resistance, R, is the resistance of a material to the conduction of thermal energy, and is a measure of a material’s insulating capacity. According to Schmidt et al. (2004) the thermal resistance measured in m2 K/W has been generally accepted as an adequate functional unit for LCAs of thermal insulation products. In this LCA the materials are compared on the basis of 1 m2 of insulating material with an insulating capacity/thermal resistance of 5 m2 K/W. •

•

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam Article contributed by Jan Noordegraaf Peter Matthijssen Jürgen de Jong Peter de Loose Synbra Technology bv Etten Leur, The Netherlands.

The mass of an insulation product, m, required to achieve a certain thermal resistance can be defined according to:

Table 1. Properties of the studied materials

•

λ (mW/m•K)

ρ (kg/m3)

m (kg/F.U.)

t (cm)

BioFoam

3,6

EPS Foam

3,6

PUR Foam

5,2

Rock Wool

120

25,2

Material

m = R λ ρ A (1) •

Where R is the material’s thermal resistance 5 m K/W; λ is the material’s thermal conductivity (the property of a material that indicates its ability to conduct heat) measured as W/(m K); ρ is the material’s density measured as kg/m3; A is the area in m2, here 1 m2; K is degree Kelvin; W is Watt. 2•

•

Table 2 and 3 presents the cradle-to-gate results for the production of the insulation products from 100% primary raw materials. Note that the CO2 sequestration associated with the cultivation of sugar cane for PLA production is accounted for, see cadre1.

Based on this formula the mass of the studied materials that must be installed in order to achieve the functional unit, i.e. a thermal resistance of 5 m2 K/W, can be calculated (table 1). Knowing the mass and the area, the associated thickness, t, in cm, of the insulating product can also be calculated. •

Table 2. Results for the production of 1 kg of the insulation products BioFoam

EPS Foam

PUR Foam

MWool

116

102

Renewable Energy Use (gross calorific value) (MJ)

1.0

1.5

2.7

Abiotic Resource Depletion (kg Crude Oil-Equiv.)

1.3

2.4

2.1

0.6

Non-Renewable Energy Use (gross calorific value) (MJ)

Global Warming Potential (GWP 100 yrs)(kg CO2-Equiv.)

2.2

4.6

4.2

1.6

Acidification Potential (kg SO2-Equiv.)

0.028

0.012

0.017

0.009

Photochem. Oxidant Formation (kg Ethene-Equiv.)

0.0028

0.011

0.0019

0.0008

Eutrophication Potential (kg Phosphate-Equiv.)

0.013

0.0013

0.0031

0.0011

2.1

0.4

Farm Land Use (m /yr) 2

Table 3. Results for the production of the amounts of the insulation products needed to fulfil the functional unit (see table 1) Land use due to farm land resp. wood use in transport pallets BioFoam

EPS Foam

PUR Foam

MWool

Non-Renewable Energy Use (gross calorific value) (MJ)

222

418

529

687

Renewable Energy Use (gross calorific value) (MJ)

202

Abiotic Resource Depletion (kg Crude Oil-Equiv.)

4.6

8.7

10.6

13.9

Global Warming Potential (GWP 100 yrs)(kg CO2-Equiv.)

8.1

16.6

21.8

41.3

Acidification Potential (kg SO2-Equiv.)

0.10

0.04

0.09

0.22

Photochem. Oxidant Formation (kg Ethene-Equiv.)

0.010

0.039

0.010

0.020

Eutrophication Potential (kg Phosphate-Equiv.)

0.045

0.005

0.016

0.029

7.6

0.013

9.8

Farm Land Use (m /yr) 2

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Foam

With regard to recycling, the efficiency and use of take back schemes determines the recycling rate, and as of now there are apart for EPS no comprehensive take back schemes in place for most of the insulation products. From the results section it is evident that recycling should be pursued for environmental impact mitigation and that high recycling rates significantly reduce the environmental impact of BioFoam and EPS foam; a consequence of reduced demand for virgin lactide and expandable polystyrene. Whereas efficiency improvements of energy recovery from waste mainly achieves significant reductions for non-renewable energy use, abiotic resource depletion and global warming potential, improved recycling rates result in significant impact reductions in all impact categories.

insulation products can in general be ranked, starting with the most favourable alternatives, in the following order: BioFoam, EPS foam, PUR foam and mineral wool. It is evident that BioFoam can be recommended for insulation as an alternative to the other insulation products for reducing impact on climate change and dependence on fossil resources and for promoting the use of local and renewable resources.

The study demonstrates that an LCA provides an adequate analytical framework for the quantitative comparison of insulation products from an environmental impact perspective. The following aspects have been identified as key with regard to the environmental performance of insulation products:

 EPS foam has the lowest contribution to acidification, however the highest contribution to photochemical oxidant formation.

 Insulating properties determining the material amounts required to achieve the insulating capacity  The environmental impact associated with the production of the insulation products  Post consumer treatment of the insulation products It is clear that one insulation product cannot be unambiguously classified as the most environmentally benign alternative, as this depends on the relevance assigned to the different environmental impact categories. However, considering only non-renewable energy use, abiotic resource depletion and global warming potential the

Cadre 1 LCA results Cradle-to-gate impacts of 1 kg lactide based PLA which is the amount of PLA needed to produce 1 kg of BioFoam using the Purac Sulzer polymerisation process.

 BioFoam has the highest eutrophication potential and renewable energy demand, the second highest acidification potential and requires use of farm land.  BioFoam and PUR foam have the lowest photochemical oxidant formation potentials.

 Mineral wool performs worst in 4 out of 8 impact categories, and not well in any impact category, due to that significantly more material is needed relative the other insulation products and has a significant land use related to mining.  With regard to post consumer treatment BioFoam is the most flexible product, and is the only product which may be deliberately composted  Recycling of EPS foam and BioFoam into new insulation products leads to significant environmental impact reduction and should in general be pursued to the extent possible. This is very difficult for PUR foam and Mineral wool which mostly are incinerated or end up in landfill respectively.

Cadre 2 Critical test passed by BioFoam

Lactide based PLA needed for BioFoam

Flame retardant properties

EN 119252:2002

Meets Euroclass E for 30-40kg/m3 Test report R0529 Effectis (TNO) dd 22-4-2010

Non-Renewable Energy Use

38,642 MJ

Flame retardant properties

DIN 4102-1

Meets all the requirement of class B2 No after burning observed.

Renewable Energy Use

55,763 MJ

Fire propagation properties

ECE R44/02

Tested in line with the automotive directive. TNO Effectis October 2009 Suitable for automotive usage

0,9488 kg CO2-Equiv.

Termite and pest control

EN 117/118 High and Low density samples not attacked by termites, BioFoam is not a digestible feedstock Report TNO Delft 22-7-2010

0,026551 kg SO2-Equiv.

Other properties

ISPM 15

No fungi, bacteria, splinters, rusty nails Hygienic, suitable for export without additional treatments

Mould formation

ISO 4833

Aerob mesofil colony forming units < 50 CFU after 3 weeks , better than EPS. Determined by Siliker Food safety and Quality solutions report 5-3-2010

Unit

Resources

0,79534 kg Crude Oil-Equiv.

Carbon Footprint incl CO2 sequestering Acidification Photochemical Oxidant Formation Eutrophication

Other key observations are:

0,0025805 kg Ethene-Equiv. 0,012426 kg Phosphate-Equiv.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam Figure 1. Flowchart of the studied system. EOL = End-of-life. T = Transport

Compost as Soil Conditioner

Electricity

Steam

Raw material for low grade applications Raw material for production of insulation product

Carbon Footprint, Global Warming Potential for a functional unit with Rc 5

Global Warming Potential (GWP 100 years) incl. biotic CO2 [kg CO2-Equiv.] Carbon dioxide Methane

Carbon dioxide (biotic) Methane (biotic)

BioFoam

EPS Foam

PUR Foam

Mineral Wool

8,1

Carbon dioxide (Sequestred) Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) Production

RockWool

PUR Foam

EPS Foam

Bio Foam

Bio Foam -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44

Production 0

Global Warming Potential (GWP 100 years) [kg CO2-Equiv.]

Land Use for a functional unit of Rc 5

Land use (Farming & Forestry) [m yr] 2â&#x20AC;˘

BioFoam

EPS Foam

Mineral Wool

7,56

0,013

9,8

Occup. as Convent. arable land Occupation, arable, non-irrigated Occupation, forest, intensive Occupation, forest, intensive, normal Occupation, forest, intensive, short-cycle

RockWool

EPS Foam

Bio Foam 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10

Land Use (Farming & Forestry) [m2.year]

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam

Biodegradable Foams Containing Recycled Cellulose Article contributed by M. Avella M. Cocca M. E. Errico G. Gentile Istituto di Chimica e Tecnologia dei Polimeri Pozzuoli (Na), Italy

olymer foams are found virtually everywhere and are used in a wide variety of applications such as thermal and acoustic insulation, energy dissipation, shock protection, packaging, etc. due to their specific properties [1]. The growing use of foams, particularly in the packaging sector, is causing serious problems concerning their disposal. In this respect numerous attempts have been focused on the development of biodegradable materials. Interest in environmentally friendly materials has stimulated development of foams from biodegradable and renewable resources, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), poly Îľcaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA) and starch, to replace expanded polystyrene (EPS) [2]. With this aim, composites based on eco-friendly polymers filled with natural fibres are emerging materials, attracting the attention of many industrial sectors [3]. Natural fibres are widely used as reinforcements in thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers due to their wide availability, low cost and high specific properties [4]. Moreover, it is worth mentioning the positive environmental benefit gained by the use of such materials [5]. Furthermore, in recent years the recycling of cellulose-based materials has attracted great interest because it represents one of the most promising waste disposal strategies [6]. In this paper, results of tests on foams consisting of biodegradable polymers and recycled cellulose-based materials, derived from industrial scrap, are briefly presented. In particular, two families of materials were developed.

Figure 1. PVOH based foams.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

In the first, recycled multilayer cartons (MC), produced from cellulose and low density polyethylene (80/20 wt/wt), were used as a direct source of cellulose reinforcement in PVOH based foams. These foams (Fig. 1) were produced by an innovative and eco-friendly methodology based on a modified overrun process. This process was able to generate a pore structure, without the need for chemical agents or chemical reactions, by entrapping air into the polymer/filler aqueous dispersion during the high speed mixing. The resulting foams were characterized by a dual-pore structure consisting of large pores due to the air entrapped into the polymer matrix and small pores due to the water removal during freezedrying, as can be seen in the SEM micrographs of foam

Foam

samples (Fig. 2). Swelling tests revealed a progressive decrease in the swelling ratio with the increase of MC content. This behaviour was ascribed to interactions occurring between PVOH and MC phases which involve the formation of hydrogen bonds between the free hydroxyl groups of PVOH and those on cellulose chains. Improvements of the compression properties and thermal stability were recorded in all PVOH/MC foams. These findings can be also considered as a result of a good interaction between filler and polymer.

PVOH

PVOH-MC 70-30

PVOH-MC 60-40

PVOH-MC 40-60

Figure 2 Scanning electron micrographs of PVOH based foams

In the second system chestnut shell (CS) was used as cellulose reinforcement in Starch/PCL foams. Starch/ PCL (80/20 wt/wt) based foams were prepared by a baking process which involves heating of starch, water, and additives into a mould. During heating the water vaporizes, acting as a foaming agent. Pictures of the resulting foams are shown in Fig. 3. The starch/PCL based foams were characterized by a thin surface ‘skin’ of approximately 150 µm in thickness, and an internal region characterized by a cellular structure with large pores up to 1 mm in size. Morphological analysis (Fig. 4) revealed that the cellular structure was almost preserved up to 20 wt% content of chestnut shell. Chestnut shell was able to decrease the rate of water absorption of starch/PCL foams while its possible reinforcement effect is still under investigation.

Figure 3 Starch/PCL based foams Starch/PCL

Starch/PCL-CS 95-5

Starch/PCL-CS 90-10

Starch/PCL-CS 80-20

www.ictp.cnr.it References [1] S.Cotugno, E. Di Maio, G. Mensitieri, L. Nicolais, S. Iannace, Biodegradable foams - Handbook of Biodegradable Polymeric Materials and Their Applications, American Scientific Publishers, (2006). [2] P. D. Tatarka, R. L: Cunningham, J Appl Polym Sci 67 (1998), 1157. [3] R. M. Rowell, A. R. Sanadi, D. F. Caulfield, R. E. Jacobson, Utilization of natural fibers in plastic composites: problems and opportunities - Lignocelluloisc-plastic composites. Leao AL, Carvalho FX, Frollini E, editors, (1997). [4] M. Avella, L. Casale, R. Dell’Erba, B. Focher, E. Martuscelli, A Marzetti, J Appl Polym Sci 68(7), (1997) 1077. [5] A. K. Mohanty, M. Misra And G. Hinrichsen, Macromol. Mater. Eng. 276/277 (2000), 1. [6] C. A. Ambrose, R. Hooper, A. K. Potter, M. M. Singh, Resour Conserv Recycling 36 (2002) 309.

Figure 4 Scanning electron micrographs of Starch/PCL based foams.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam

Biodegradable PLA/PBAT Foams Article contributed by Srikanth Pilla, George K. Auer, Shaoqin Gong University of Wisconsin, USA Seong G. Kim, Chul B. Park, University of Toronto, CA

PLA+0.5%Talc

Ecovio

Ecovio+0.5%&Talc

PLA+55%PBAT

PLA+55%PBAT+0.5%Talc

Volume Expansion Ratio

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

130

140

150

Die Temperature (°C)

Figure 3: Open Cell Content vs Temperature PLA

PLA+0.5%Talc

Ecovio

Ecovio+0.5%&Talc

PLA+55%PBAT

PLA+55%PBAT+0.5%Talc

Open Cell content (%)

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 125

130

135

140

145

Die Temperature (°C)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Introduction As a biodegradable and biobased polymer, polylactide (PLA) has attracted much interest among researchers world-wide in recent times; however, its commercial application is still limited due to certain inferior properties such as brittleness, relatively high cost, and narrow processing window. Certain drawbacks can be overcome by copolymerizing lactide with different monomers such as ε-caprolactone [1-4], trimethylene carbonate [5] and DL-β-methyl-δ-valerolactone [6] and by blending PLA with poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) [7], poly(εcaprolactone) (PCL) [8-12] and many other non-biodegradable polymers [13-19]. Though the blended polymers exhibited certain improved mechanical properties compared to non-blended parts, immiscible polymer blends may lead to less desirable properties that were anticipated from blending. Thus, compatibilizers are often used to improve the miscibility between the immiscible polymer blend.

Figure 2: Volume Expansion Ratio vs Temperature PLA

n this study, a unique processing technology viz. microcellular extrusion foaming, was used to produce biodegradable foams that could potentially replace existing synthetic foams thereby reducing carbon footprint and contributing towards a sustainable society.

150

155

Foamed plastics are used in a variety of applications such as insulation, packaging, furniture, automobile and structural components [20-21]; especially, microcellular foaming is capable of producing foamed plastics with less used material and energy, and potentially improved material properties such as impact strength and fatigue life [22]. Also compared to conventional foaming, microcellular foaming process uses environmentally benign blowing agents such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2) in their supercritical state [23]. Microcellular process also improves the cell morphology with typical cell sizes of tens of microns and cell density in the order of 109 cells/cm3 [23]. Additionally, compared to conventional extrusion, the microcellular extrusion process allows the material to be processed at lower temperatures, due to the use of supercritical fluids (SCF), making it suitable for temperature- and moisture-sensitive biobased plastics such as PLA. Solid PLA components processed by various conventional techniques such as compression molding, extrusion and injection molding have been investigated by many researchers [24-25]; however, foamed PLA produced via microcellular technology has been a recent development. Pilla et al. [26-29] and Kramschuster et al. [30] have investigated the properties of PLA based composites processed via microcellular injection molding and extrusion foaming. Mihai et al. [31] have

Foam investigated the foaming ability of PLA blended with starch using microcellular extrusion. Reignier et al. [32] have studied extrusion foaming of amorphous PLA using CO2; however, due to very narrow processing window of the unmodified PLA, a reasonable expansion ratio could not be achieved. In this study, PLA/PBAT blends have been foamed by the microcellular extrusion process using CO2 as a blowing agent. Two types of blend systems were investigated: (1) Ecovio®, which is a commercially available compatibilized PLA/PBAT blend (BASF); (2) A non-compatibilized PLA/PBAT blend at the same PLA/PBAT ratio (i.e., 45:55 by weight percent) as Ecovio. The effects of talc,compatibilization and die temperature on the cell size, cell density, volume expansion and open cell content were evaluated.

Effects on Cell Size and Cell Density Representative SEM images of the cell morphology of different formulations are shown in Figure 1. From the figure, it can be noted that the addition of talc has decreased the cell size. This shows that talc has acted as a 500 μm nucleating agent thereby reducing the cell size. Thus, as more cells started to nucleate, due to excess nucleation sites provided by talc, there PLA was less amount of gas available for their growth that lead to reduction in cell size. Also, the addition of talc significantly increased the melt viscosity, which made it difficult for PLA the cells to grow, leading to smaller + cell sizes [33]. Also, from Figure 1 0.5% Talc it can be observed that the cell size of the compatibilized blends (both Ecovio and Ecovio-talc) is much less than that of the non-compatibilized ones (PLA/PBAT and PLA/PBATEcovio talc). Thus it can be concluded that compatibilization has reduced the cell size. This might be due to increase in the melt strength of the blend as a result of the compatibilization [34]. In general, as shown in Figure 1, the addition of talc has increased the cell density because of the heterogeneous nucleation. In a heterogeneous nucleation scheme, the activation energy barrier to nucleation is sharply reduced in the presence of a filler (talc in this case) thus increasing the nucleation rate and thereby the number of cells [35]. While comparing the compatibilized and non-compatibilized samples, it can be observed that the cell density

Figure 1: Representative SEM Images of Various Formulations

Temperature Increase 130°C

140°C

150°C

Ecovio + 0.5%Talc

PLA + 55% PBAT

PLA + 55% PBAT + 0.5%Talc bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Foam is the much higher for Ecovio samples (i.e. both Ecovio and Ecovio-talc). Thus as seen in cell size, compatibilization had positive effect on the cell morphology of the foamed materials, i.e., increasing the cell density. This is in agreement with the published literature [36].

Effects on Volume Expansion Ratio (VER) Volume expansion ratio denotes the amount of volume that has proportionately expanded as a result of foaming. Figure 2 presents the volume expansion ratio with respect to temperature. The addition of talc has decreased the VERs of PLA and non-compatibilized PLA/PBAT blend. This is due to increase in stiffness and strength of the polymer melt. For Ecovio, the addition of talc had no significant effect on VER. While comparing the non-filled and talc filled compatibilized and non-compatibilized PLA/PBAT blends, it can be inferred that non-compatibilized PLA/PBAT blends possesses higher VER in comparison to compatibilized blends. Thus, compatibilization had a negative effect on the VER which could be due to increase in the melt strength of the compatibilized blends [37].

Effects on Open Cell Content (OCC) The open cell content illustrates the interconnectivity between various cells. A highly open cell structured foam can be used in numerous industrial applications such as filters, separation membranes, diapers, tissue engineering etc. Figure 3 shows the variation of open cell content (OCC) with temperature. In general, the open cell content is governed by cell wall thickness [37]. As per the cell opening strategies discussed in [37], higher cell density, higher expansion ratios, creating structural inhomogeneity by using polymer blends or adding cross-linker and using a secondary blowing agent, all decrease the cell wall thickness thereby increasing the OCC. Some of them work in conjunction with the other. With the addition of talc, the OCC decreased for PLA and noncompatibilized PLA/PBAT blend which might be attributed to an increase in stiffness and strength of the talc filled samples. For Ecovio, the OCC increased with the addition of talc. Thus, talc had a varying effect on the OCC of PLA and its blends (compatibilized and non-compatibilized). In the analysis of OCC for compatibilized and non-compatibilized blends, it can be inferred that compatibilization has reduced the OCC significantly among non-filled blends but increased the OCC slightly among talc filled blends. Further investigation is required to study the varied effects of compatibilization on the OCC of blends. In summary, biodegradable PLA/PBAT foams have been successfully produced using CO2 as a blowing agent. Two types of blends systems have been investigated, compatibilized and non-compatibilized. The effects of talc and compatibilization have been studied on different foam properties such as cell morphology, volume expansion, and open cell content. The financial support from National Science Foundation (CMMI-0734881) is gratefully acknowledged.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

References 1 D.W. Grijpma, G.J. Zonderwan, A.J. Pennings, Polym. Bull. 25 (1991) 327-333. 2 R.H. Wehrenberg, Mater. Eng. 94 (1981) 63-66. 3 M. Hiljanen-Vainio, T. Karjalainen, J.V. Seppala, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 59 (1996) 1281-1288. 4 M. Hiljanen-Vainio, P.A. Orava, J.V. Seppala, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 34 (1999) 39-46. 5 B. Buchholz, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Med. 4 (1993) 381-388. 6 A. Nakayama, N. Kawasaki, I. Arvanitoyannis, J. Iyoda, N. Yamamoto, Polymer. 36 (1995) 1295-1301. 7 L. Jiang, M.P. Wolcott, J. Zhang, Biomacromolecules. 7 (2006) 199-207. 8 S. Aslan, L. Calandrelli, P. Laurienzo, M. Malinconico, C. Migliaresi, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Med. 35 (2000) 1615-1622. 9 M. Hiljanen-Vainio, P. Varpomaa, J.V. Seppala, P. Tormala, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 197 (1996) 1503-1523. 10 G. Maglio, A. Migliozzi, R. Palumbo, B. Immirzi, M.G. Volpe, Macromol. Rapid Commun. 20 (1999) 236-238. 11 G. Maglio, M. Malinconico, A. Migliozzi, G. Groeninckx, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 205 (2004) 946-950. 12 J.C. Meredith, E.J. Amis, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 201 (2000) 733-739. 13 Y. Wang, M.A. Hillmyer, J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 39 (2001) 2755-2766. 14 C. Nakafuku, M. Sakoda, Polym. J. 25 (1993) 909-917. 15 A. Malzert, F. Boury, P. Saulnier, J.P. Benoit, J.E. Proust, Langmuir. 16 (2000) 1861-1867. 16 A.M. Gajria, V. Davé, R.A. Gross, S.P. McCarthy, Polymer. 37 (1996) 437-444. 17 L. Zhang, S.H. Goh, S.Y. Lee, Polymer 39 (1998) 4841-4847. 18 M. Avella, M.E. Errico, B. Immirzi, M. Malinconico, E. Martuscelli, L. Paolillo, L. Falcigno, Angew. Makromol. Chem. 246 (1997) 49-63. 19 M. Avella, M.E. Errico, B. Immirzi, M. Malinconico, L. Falcigno, L. Paolillo, Macromol. Chem. Phys. 201 (2000) 1295-1302. 20 V. Kumar, N.P. Suh, Polym. Eng. Sci. 30 (1990) 1323. 21 D.F. Baldwin, N.P. Suh, C.B. Park, S.W. Cha, US Patent # 5334356 (1994). 22 C.B. Park, N.P. Suh, Polym. Eng. Sci. 36 (1996) 34-48. 23 D.F. Baldwin, D. Tate, C.B. Park, S.W. Cha, N.P. Suh, J. Jpn. Soc. Polym. Process. 6 (1994) 187. 24 M. Hiljanen-Vainio, J. Kylma, K. Hiltunen, J.V. Seppala, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 63 (1997) 1335. 25 M.A. Huneault, H. Li, Polymer. 48 (2007) 270-280. 26 S. Pilla, A. Kramschuster, A., S. Gong, A. Chandra, L-S. Turng, Int. Polym. Proc. XXII (2007) 418-428. 27 S. Pilla, A. Kramschuster, J. Lee, G.K. Auer, S. Gong, L-S. Turng, Compos. Interfaces. (In Press) (2009) 28 S. Pilla, S.G. Kim, G.K. Auer, S. Gong, C.B. Park, Polym. Eng. Sci. 49 (2009) 1653-1660. 29 S. Pilla, A. Kramschuster, L. Yang, S. Gong, A. Chandra, L-S. Turng, Mat. Sci. Eng. C. 29 (2009) 1258-1265. 30 Kramschuster, A., Pilla, S., Gong, S., Chandra, A., and Turng, L-S., International Polymer Processing, XXII (5), 436445 (2007) 31 M. Mihai, M.A. Huneault, B.D. Favis, H. Li, Macro. Biosci. 7 (2007) 907-920. 32 J. Reignier, R. Gendron, M.F. Champagne, Cell. Polym. 26 (2007) 83-115. 33 L.J. Lee, C. Zeng, X. Cao, X. Han, J. Shen, G. Xu, Compos Sci. Technol. 65 (2005) 2344-2363. 34 X. Wang, H. Li, J. App. Polym. Sci. 77 (2000) 24-29. 35 G. Guo, K.H. Wang, C.B. Park, Y.S. Kim, G. Li, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 104 (2007) 1058-1063. 36 C. Zepeda Sahagún, R. González-Núñez, D. Rodrigue, J. Cell. Plast. 42 (2006) 469-485. 37 K. Kimura, T. Katoh, S.P. McCarthy, SPE ANTEC Tech. Papers 54 (1996) 2626-2631. www.engr.wisc.edu

Foam

im Fogarty, a foam industry veteran, and his sons Dave, Bill, and Matthew, are the owners of Plastic Engineering Associates Licensing, Inc.(‘PEAL‘), a company which specializes in licensing high technology foam feed screws & processing know-how for the extrusion of foamed polymers such as polystyrene, polyethylene and polylactic acid. “A familiar refrain we hear when we ask our potential customers about their interest in extruding biodegradable & compostable foam food trays is ‘we don’t see it in our marketplace’; We are very fortunate to have a father that has worked exclusively in the foam polystyrene industry as a chemical engineer for nearly 50 years. Jim was a first hand witness to the markets movement away from pulp and toward foam containers.” states Bill Fogarty, the company’s Vice President. Jim Fogarty offers his perspective: “For me, the market parallels are quite similar to what I saw in the transition of the market from pulp to foam trays. Back in the early 1960’s, the pulp guys said ‘polystyrene foam will never make it’ and ‘polystyrene foam is too difficult to make.’ More often than not, we would hear ‘polystyrene foam is too expensive’ and ‘we don’t see it in our market’. It’s incredible how similar it is to today’s objections to biopolymer foam,” “None of the pulp container manufacturers are in the foam container business today. The pulp guys never saw it coming. Every one of them watched as their market shrunk and eventually they lost it all to polystyrene foam. Today, the market is transitioning from petroleum based resins to sustainable, renewable biopolymer resins like NatureWorks’ Ingeo™. And if you are a foam food packaging company, and you wait to get into the biopolymer foam game, it may very well be too late for you. Your market won’t wait for you to catch up to the competition,” “Ideally, any foamed biopolymer food or meat tray should have the same cost as a polystyrene tray, the same appearance, and the same performance characteristics. With respect to the performance and appearance characteristics, at least with regard to cold case foam applications, we are identical to polystyrene foam and in some ways, better than polystyrene foam. NatureWorks tells us that at US$80 a barrel oil, their Ingeo™ resin is cost competitive with polystyrene. For my money, I’m betting on oil being more expensive tomorrow than it is today and today’s oil price is in the US$80 to 90 range.” Fogarty stated. “When an industry veteran like Jim speaks about the foam market, we pay attention. Jim has truly done it all in the foam industry, from manufacturing, applied Research and Development, consulting, equipment design, inventing, polymerization, green-field foam plants, you name it and Jim has done it. And with 50 years of experience, he’s seen it all, too. We know he is spot on about the inevitability of biopolymers in the foam industry” states Bill Fogarty.

A Foam Veteran‘s View on Biopolymer Foam

European Plastic Packaging Conference 2011 Düsseldorf, May 9 -10, 2011, prior to Interpack

sustainable

economical

www.turboscrews.com

www.ecopack-conference.com

organized by

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Foam

Fig 1: Moulded E-PLA body torso.

Fig 2: Moulded E-PLA Underfloor Insulation Block – showing some distortion when moulding parameters are not well optimised

Fig 3: Moulded E-PLA Helmet

Industrial Trials of E-PLA Foams

he Biopolymer Network E-PLA technology uses commercially available polylactic acid (PLA) grades and carbon dioxide as blowing agent to make expanded PLA beads via a proprietary process which has won several awards for innovation. Recently this technology has moved into more widespread production trials using existing polystyrene (EPS) plants. These trials, together with performance tests, have demonstrated that the potential of expanded PLA is more than just an alternative to EPS. While the basic mechanical and thermal insulation properties of E-PLA are similar to those of EPS there are other attributes for E-PLA which allow a potentially wider range of applications other than commodity packaging. For example, EPLA foam products, as well as being renewably resourced, are likely to be readily composted according to international standards if so desired.

Large scale trials

Fig 4: Moulded E-PLA Fish Box

Fig 5: Moulded E-PLA Protective Packaging (for an Electrical (Whiteware) Appliance)

Industrial scale trials were performed at several EPS molding manufacturers located in New Zealand and in Europe and USA. The figures show examples of moulded products which have included wig stands, body torsos, helmets, underfloor insulation blocks, appliance protective mouldings, fishboxes, automotive parts and laminated sandwich composite structures. When moulding thicker wall structures control of temperature and pressure is important. When parameters are set up ‘as for EPS moulding’, they can be potentially relatively harsh for an unmodified E-PLA moulding, since the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PLA (about 55ºC) is much lower than for PS (about 95ºC). This can result in difficulty to mould thick articles in particular. The challenge is to make the centre fuse without having the outside shrinking. A torso moulding (shown) was more readily moulded as it was relatively thin (~2 cm). The torsos exhibited very good fusing with a good surface finish. In another trial, for underfloor insulation blocks (thicker parts), as with others, pre-expansion of impregnated

Fig 6: Moulded E-PLA car seat part

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Article contributed by Jean-Philippe Garancher Kate Parker Samir Shah Stephanie Weal Alan Fernyhough All Biopolymer Network/Scion, Rotorua New Zealand

commercial PLA beads using commercial equipment, was straightforward. Expansion and moulding parameters were adjusted to attain the desired density and indeed very low bulk densities were easily achieved. As observed in previous trials control of temperature and times throughout was important to achieve good mouldings. If not optimised some distortions can occur (see Figure 2). However, again, this trial produced articles successfully molded using existing commercial EPS equipment. These industrial scale trials are clearly very promising and other trials have produced other parts. See figures 3-6 for other examples of E-PLA mouldings produced at various sites. They show the potential of using the EPLA technology developed by the Biopolymer Network on existing EPS machinery with minor some adaptations. Many of the initial issues encountered such as nonuniform fusing of thick articles, cooling/de-moulding, can be overcome through either material modifications and/ or optimisation of the various overall integrated process parameters, based on an understanding of the effects of process and material variables on quality and performance. These results indicate that the Biopolymer Network E-PLA technology is a serious alternative to EPS, can be moulded on the same processing equipment without necessitating major modifications, and indeed that ‘E-PLAs‘ will have applications beyond EPS - and beyond packaging.

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Acknowledgements The authors wish to acknowledge:  The Biopolymer Network Ltd., collaboration between AgResearch, Plant and Food Research and Scion, for their support.  NZFRST for funding (BPLY 0801 contract).  Various foam moulders who have contributed to this work

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Foam

Look Out for Pines Tall oil (liquid rosin) as source for PUR and PIR foams

he abundance of hydroxyl-containing materials in nature makes them an apparently obvious fit as the polyurethane industry seeks to incorporate bio-renewable materials into its products. Hence the EU 7th FP Forbioplast project (Forest Resource Sustainability through Bio-Based-Composite Development), coordinated by Prof. Andrea Lazzeri, comprises one research area that looks into the use of tall oil as a renewable source in rigid polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam production and also into natural fibers as a reinforcement material. Nowadays, most raw materials still used for the production of polyurethane chemicals are products of petrochemical origin. Renewable resources could provide not only a sustainable material source but also a stable material price. A part of the raw materials needed for the production of bio-based PUR foams can be obtained from renewable resources such as different types of vegetable oils or tall oil, a by-product of pulp production.

Article contributed by Dr. Ugis Cabulis, Mikelis Kirpluks Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry Riga, Latvia Prof. Andrea Lazzeri University of Pisa Pisa, Italy

Table1: Characteristics of two PUR foams obtained from tall oil. Density, kg/m3

Compressive strength, MPa

0.15

0.25

Youngs modulus, MPa

3.0

4.3

Closed cell content, %

Water abs. 7 days, vol.%

2.2

1.7

Figure 4: Filled T-piece for cars. Rigid PU, content of renewable materials = 24%.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

The forest biomass represents abundant, renewable, nonfood competition and a low cost resource that can play an alternative role to petroleum resources. The production and use of the forest biomass energy is ‘greenhouse gas’ neutral, while the expansion of plantation forestry is a positive benefit to greenhouse gas reduction through increasing forests as a carbon sink. Consequently the Forbioplast project, for example, aims at the general assessment of forest resources for the production of bio-based products, the development of improved technologies with regard to the present industrial synthesis of polyurethane and the scale-up of such processes or the replacement of glass fibers and mineral fillers with wood-derived fibers in automotive interiors and exterior parts, and the development of biodegradable polymer/wood derived fiber composites for applications in the packaging and agriculture sectors. One topic of the research activity is focused on the use of wood, pulp and paper mill by-products (bark, chips, sawdust, black liquor and tall oil) as raw materials for the production of polyurethane foams by an innovative sustainable synthetic process with reduced energy consumption. A technology of the synthesis of polyols with the hydroxyl value 200 – 360 mg KOH/g from different grades of tall oil by way of esterification or amidization has been developed. PUR and PIR foams were obtained and their physical, mechanical and thermal characteristics were tested (see table 1). The maximum content of renewable resource in ready foams is 26%. In contrast to PUR and PIR foams, which are obtained from the polyols synthesized from petrochemical products, the polymeric matrix of these foams is characterized by the absence of ester and ether groups in the polymeric main chain, as well as the presence of long saturated and unsaturated fatty acid C12 – C22 side chains. This peculiarity of the chemical structure ought to promote the decrease in the water absorption of these foams, so that the thermal insulation would be of a high performance for a long term. For the same reason, the foams should be more stable to hydrolysis. Apart from this, long side chains are capable of screening the polar urethane and isocyanurate groups and

Foam Fig. 1: Compression strength and Young’s modulus of PU foams filled with cellulose fibers. Foam density 25 – 30 kg/m3.

promoting the intermolecular plasticization of the polymeric matrix. As a result of this plasticization the friability of the PIR foams should decrease.

On the other hand, the foams with a density >200 kg/m3, obtained in a closed mould, show an increase in compression strength and Young’s modulus (Fig.3) with the optimum filler concentration in ready foams of 3 - 6%; in this case, the renewable materials content is about 30%. Polyol synthesis, based on tall oil, is an environmentally friendly process with low energy consumption and the obtained polyols are competitive with those synthesized from petrochemical raw materials. Further process optimization for machine production of filled foams is one target of future work, as well as the selection of the optimum fibers from cellulose, wood and modified cellulose fibers. Current activities aim at modifying fibers by enzymes in order to improve the fiber / PU matrix adhesion. This will lead to the improvement of the mechanical characteristics of rigid foam even at low and medium densities. Finally, the polyol synthesis, foam preparation and PU filling process remains an area for investigation regarding improved processing for further scalingup and industrialization.

σ,MPa

0.1

0 0

Filler content, % Young modulus, MPa

E,MPa

Parallel foaming Perpendicular foaming

2 1 0 0

Filler content, %

Figure 2: Compression strength and Young’s modulus of PU foams filled with cellulose fibers. Foam density 40 – 45 kg/m3. Compression strength, MPa

σ,MPa

0.3

0.2

0.1

Parallel foaming Perpendicular foaming 5

Filler content, % Young modulus, MPa

8 6

Parallel foaming Perpendicular foaming

2 0 0

Filler content, %

Figure 3: Compression strength and Young’s modulus of PU foams filled with cellulose fibers. Foam density 220-250 kg/m3.

Compression strength, MPa

2 1.5 1 0.5

0 0

This work is supported by European Community grant FORBIOPLAST No.KBBE- 212239

Parallel foaming Perpendicular foaming 5

Filler content, % Young modulus, MPa

E,MPa

www.forbioplast.eu www.kki.lv http://materials.diccism.unipi.it

Parallel foaming Perpendicular foaming

0.05

E,MPa

Figure 1 shows that compressive strength and Young’s modulus for lightweight foams decrease with increasing filler content. At the same time, there are no significant changes in the closed cell content and water adsorption. For PU foams with a density 40 - 45 kg/m3 (figure 2), compressive strength is in balance and does not depend on the filler concentration; there is a slight increase in the Young’s modulus in the direction parallel to foaming. Both thermoinsulation PU foam series are closed cell foams. The renewable raw material content in the foam formulations could reach 35%.

0.15

σ,MPa

When using biopolymers as a matrix a logical consequence is to reinforce them with natural fibers (NF). Along with it come the advantages of significant weight and cost savings and the replacement of petrochemical raw materials. The NF properties are affected by many factors such as variety, climate, harvest, maturity, and degree of retting. For this reason four different NFs were tested: cellulose, wood, flax and modified cellulose. Whereas the graphics only present PU foams filled with cellulose fibers, the trends for other NFs are similar. The samples for the tests were obtained by hand-mixing. The main characteristics of the cellulose NF used are humidity – 4.5%; free OH-content on the surface – 320 mgKOH/g; aspect ratio – 263 mm / 64mm = 6.7.

Compression strength, MPa 0.2

25 0

Parallel foaming Perpendicular foaming

Filler content, %

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Application News

Natural Snacks in High Barrier Film Based in East Sussex, UK, Infinity Foods has been owned and operated as a workers’ co-operative for over 30 years and is one of the UK‘s leading wholesale distributors of organic and natural foods. They have now decided to use high barrier NatureFlex™ NK by Innovia Films to wrap its range of snack packs.

Make it a Happy Meal Spondon, Derby (UK) based Clarifoil, a company of the Celanese Group has made millions of children very happy. The new movie series ‘Shrek’ gave Mc Donald’s the idea of packing 3D glasses into their traditional ‘Happy Meal’ boxes. The packaging design had to incorporate 3D glasses into a Happy Meal box without hindering handling in the restaurant. The lead-time was also immensely tight just 8 weeks to include design and production of some 12 million cartons. The ingenious design solution led to the packaging winning a number of awards. The designers specified the use of Clarifoil’s acetates because the requirements were exceedingly complex. The glasses were to be used by children and they had to be simple to handle, whilst being made of material that can have direct contact with food as well as offering transmittance values suitable for computer screens and printed cartons. The health and safety regulations which had to be adhered to were immense as the glasses had to gain approval as a toy. Marion Bauer, Marketing, Clarifoil comments: “At Clarifoil we listen closely to our customers and develop products that give greater options. No challenge is too big. We thrive on finding the right solution for specifiers.” The resulting packaging exceeded all expectations and even better, the 3-D lenses can also be recycled as they consist of a thin acetate film, combined with recycled paper. Now these glasses can be integrated into any type of carton, at very low cost.

Kieran Gorman of Infinity, stated: “At Infinity Foods we are always looking for ways to limit our environmental impact and carbon footprint. For example, our catalogues are printed on paper from sustainable forests using no chlorine in manufacture and some of our transport fleet runs on bio-diesel. So opting for a film such as NatureFlex is a logical progression for us. Our products are available across the UK and Ireland and can be found at specialist retailers across Europe and as far a field as Asia. We are currently only packing our new snack packs in NatureFlex but are looking to start using the film across the whole range.” For the creation of the pack design, Infinity Foods collaborated with packaging consultant, Andy Skinner of Aboxhigh, who said: “Having supplied Infinity Foods for over 15 years and being fully aware of the company’s ethos on the environment, NatureFlex has filled the void we have been waiting for. NatureFlex is one of the most exciting products I have been involved in within my 35 years experience in the packaging industry. The high visual shelf appeal of the packs, coupled with sustainability and reduction in carbon footprint fulfills all the criteria that Infinity Foods require.” The resulting pack has helped to re-brand the range of handy size snack products including Organic Milk Chocolate Buttons, Organic High Energy Trail Mix and Hot Chilli Cashew Nuts. The NatureFlex NK used in this application provides the best moisture barrier of any biopolymer film currently available, it is 45µm thick and is flexo printed by Modern Packaging. MT

www.innoviafilms.com www.infinityfoods.co.uk

Clarifoil acetate is made from sustainable, GM free wood pulp from Sustainable Forestry Initiative managed forests, so that it has low impact on the environment throughout its life cycle. It is fully home compostable which is unheard of with competitive films that can only be composted as 50°C plus. It doesn’t emit any noxious or hazardous by-products and it adheres to the compostability criteria EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 as well as the OK Compost Home and US Composting Council standards. MT www.clarifoil.com

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Infinity Foods snack packs are wrapped in compostable, high barrier NatureFlex™ NK from Innovia Films

Application News

Biopolastic Components in Cutting Dies Compostable School Milk Cups Austria‘s farmers have been supplying schools and Kindergardens with millions of portions of school milk since 1995 directly from their farms and thereby are significantly contributing to the nutritional health of children. A negative result of this activity and a major disadvantage to the environment is the enormous amount of plastic waste which is created, and in addition the waste of resources. The project ‘Compostable school milk cups / school milk packaging’ is currently replacing approx. 10 million of the traditional polystyrene cups (plastic cups) with their aluminium lids and plastic straw with compostable cups, lids and straws, based on renewable biodegradable and compostable materials, namely Ingeo™ PLA by NatureWorks This idea is to replace about 100 tonnes of polystyrene and about 20 tonnes of aluminium through renewable biodegradable and compostable materials in Austrian schools alone. The advantage is a huge reduction of usage of fossil resources - significant cost savings in disposal or composting, the positive example for the children in these schools and the cost savings for the environment due to the elimination of aluminium use and the dramatic reduction in the production of CO2 . This Austrian initiative is currently Europe‘s most modern milk packaging idea and a role model and leader for the future of environmentally friendly packaging. MT Reported by Ewald Kapellner, BioBag Austria, Linz Austria www.biobag.at

At the special show on ‘Sustainable Production and Packaging’ within the framework of FACHPACK 2010, last fall in Nuremberg, Germany, the Heilbronn, Germany, based company Karl Marbach GmbH & Co. KG presented its green philosophy called ‘marbagreen’. This includes, among other things, the fact that Marbach, world market leader in cutting dies for the packaging industry, will switch step-by-step from plastic components for their dies to bioplastics. “Which we see as a very good thing!“, says Marketing Manager Tina Dost. The big advantage of the brand-new, biodegradable bioplastic that we use is that it is manufactured from 100% renewable raw material. Marbach cutting dies are being used for pharmaceutical packaging, packaging for cigarettes, cosmetics, food and much more. Since Fachpack 2010, Marbach has been replacing the die‘s plastic edge protectors with new ones made of a bioplastic material from Tecnaro. Further areas of application such as stabilizers for stripping tools, spring elements for pressure plates, handles for rotary tools for corrugated board die-cutting, as well as straighteners for blank separation, are also conceivable. Material tests are currently in full swing. In recent years Marbach’s customers have been more and more faced with ecological matters such as climate-neutral printing and carbon footprint issues. Consequently Marbach started to look into ecological sustainability at a very early stage in order to support their customers. The result was the first ‘green’ dieboard on the market - the Marbach greenplate. Based on the ‘marbagreen’ concept more ecologically sustainable projects followed. Replacing petrol-based plastics with resource-saving bioplastics is one of these projects. The Tecnaro material was chosen because it is obtained as by-product of paper production Testing has shown that this bioplastic material perfectly meets the company’s technical and design requirements. For Marbach, the most important aspect is resource-saving. Unlike normal plastics, no finite resources are used for the production of this bioplastic, which is obtained as by-product of paper production. This is how natural resources can be purposefully protected, “and,” says Tina Dost, “we, as a company, contribute to maintaining living conditions for future generations.”MT www.marbach.com

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Application News

Hemp Waves (2009/2010): Flax fiberboard, Hemp fiberboard, Chipboard, Masonite, Homasote, non-toxic acrylic paint, non-toxic glue, eco-friendly wood stain

Foam Trays in Seattle On July 1, 2010, the city of Seattle, Washington, USA,legislated that all single-use foodservice packaging used within the city must be compostable or recyclable. According to a City of Seattle news release, the new foodservice packaging requirements savedSeattle from sending 6,000 tons of plastic and plasticcoated paper single-use food service ware and leftover food to landfills every year. Shadow Shades (2009/2010): Chipboard, Masonite, domestic poplar, non-toxic glue, non-toxic acrylic paint, non-toxic wood stain

Artist Looking for Bioplastic Sheet Justin Kovac from Johnson City, New York, USA calls himself an Eco-Artist. His wall sculptures are developed from abstract drawings he renders, and are constructed using primarily eco friendly materials. Justin’s beliefs in sustainability drive his commitment to using environmentally friendly practices in the development of his unique pieces. Justin is presently working in media which includes MDF, chipboard, Masonite, wood substrate materials, etc; however he is also looking to produce a new line of work made from the bioplastic materials. Pieces that are currently in the conceptualization state may look similar to those pictured on his website. Manufacturers of bioplastics sheet material who are interested in supporting Justin with material or cooperate with him are invited to contact him. MT www.justinkovac.com.

At the same time, foam trays made from Ingeo PLA became available for packaging meat, fish, fresh produce, and poultry. Brad Halverson, vice president of marketing at Metropolitan Market, a large regional food retailer, said, “This is a revolutionary step to cut down on landfill waste.Our Seattle customers will now be able to redirect an estimated one million meat trays per yearto community composting facilities.” The new bioplastic foam trays used by Metropolitan Market were developed by foodservice packaging suppliers and distributors Kenco and BunzlR3,working with the manufacturerPactiv, Lake Forrest, Illinois. The trays are being marketed under the name EarthChoice™, a Pactiv brand that covers nearly 80 sustainable packaging products, including cups, hinged-lid containers, plates, and straws, for disposable food service needs. The EarthChoice Ingeo trays are tinted brown to help the authorized composter, Cedar Grove Composting, Seattle, ensure that the correct trays enter its processes. The trays are certified compostable to both Cedar Grove’s own composting standard and to ASTM 6400. The brown tint colorant is also Ingeo based. Mark Spencer, business manager for emerging materials and sustainability, Pactiv, said that the EarthChoice foam trays offer similar performance characteristics to the polystyrene trays they replace. The EarthChoice trays can be used in freezers down to -18˚C and up to 41˚C. Pactiv reports the trays offer exceptional strength and performance characteristics and can be used in both handwrapping and machine-wrapping applications. MT www.pactiv.com.

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Application News

Biodegradable iPhone Case “iNature is the only case for the iPhone 3G/3GS and iPhone 4 which is totally biodegradable,” say a press release by API Spa. iNature, a registered trademark in Italy, the EU, the USA as well as many other countries, is the result of a partnership between BIOMOOD Srl and API Spa who have combined to bring together eye-catching Italian design and innovative research into eco-friendly materials. The iNature case is made entirely from APINAT, a bioplastic developed and produced by API Spa who are the leading Italian producer of thermoplastic compounds. Apinat is a range of fully recyclable and biodegradable bioplastics in aerobic environment following EN 13432, EN 14995 and ASTM D6400 standards. Apinat offers a level of flexibility and softness far beyond anything else available in the bioplastics market which has enabled API to register an international patent for this exceptional material. This kind of performance is what led Biomood to choose API as the ideal partner for the production of their innovative, unique collection of biodegradable iPhone cases. The iNature case is designed to fit your iPhone snugly and protect it from bumps and scratches while guaranteeing easy access to all buttons and controls. The case even gives off a pleasant aloe/lemon scent. iNature cases are available in a vast range of nontoxic biodegradable colours containing no heavy materials or other dangerous substances in line with EN standard13432. The iNature project aims for zero environmental impact and each part of the product is designed to be 100% biodegradable, including all packaging and display materials. The box is made from recycled cardboard and the inks are water-based so once disposed of it is totally biodegradable. MT

www.apinatbio.com www.inature.it

Possible applications are bags for potato chips

Compostable Adhesive As producer of Epotal® Eco, BASF shall forthwith be able to offer the first compostable water-based adhesive certified by the German Technical Inspection Agency TÜV. “Biologically degradable adhesives will play a decisive role in the future when it comes to developing compostable packaging materials,” says Cornelis Beyers from Marketing Industrial Adhesives. Epotal Eco is particularly suitable for the production of multi-layer films for flexible packaging materials based on biodegradable plastics. Possible applications are bags for potato chips or chocolate bar wrappings. There is growing demand for efficient and at the same time sustainable raw materials in the packaging industry. “In the past, we received, again and again, inquiries for biodegradable adhesives but were unable to satisfy them,” confirms Merle Dardat, Product Manager at DIN Certco, a certification company of the TÜV Rhineland Group and of the German Standard Institute (DIN). DIN Certco has now issued the registration notice for Epotal P100 Eco certifying the product as a biodegradable additive. A rotting test in composted soil showed that after 70 days only, 90 percent of Epotal Eco is broken down, thus fulfilling the standard EN 13432. The molecule structure of the product resembles the one of naturally occurring polymers. Microorganisms are able to convert them into carbon dioxide, water and biomass with the help of enzymes. The best results are achieved in industrial composting facilities since they offer ideal conditions for microorganisms. After the decomposition process, Epotal Eco leaves no toxic residuals und shows no negative impact on the environment. Apart from its compostability, Epotal Eco offers all benefits of waterbased adhesives, which are an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to solvent-based and solvent-free products. They are free from toxic components and are suitable for food packaging. In addition, multi-layer films, which are produced with the help of water-based plastics, can be processed immediately. This helps the packaging industry to save time and money. MT www.basf.com

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From Science & Research

Biomaterials Based on Article contributed by Marguerite Rinaudo Centre de recherches sur les Macromolécules Végétales (CNRS) affiliated with Joseph Fourier University Grenoble, France

hitin (poly-β -(14)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) is a natural renewable polysaccharide of major importance first identified in 1884 (Fig. 1). This biopolymer is widely synthesized in a number of living organisms and, considering the amount of chitin produced annually on a world scale, it is the second most abundant polymer after cellulose [1,2]. Despite the widespread occurrence of chitin, it seems that up until now the main commercial source of chitin comes from crab and shrimp shells. In industrial processes chitin is extracted from crustaceans by acid treatment to dissolve calcium carbonate followed by alkaline extraction for the solubilisation of proteins. In addition a decolourisation step is often applied to remove the residual pigments and obtain a colourless product. These treatments need to be adapted to each chitin source due to differences in the ultrastructure of the initial sources. The resulting chitin needs to be graded in terms of purity and colour since residual proteins and pigments can cause problems for further utilization (thermal treatment, allergic reactions….). After partial deacetylation under strong alkaline conditions chitosan is obtained, which is the most important chitin derivative in terms of applications and availability. Chitosan is a random copolymer of β-(14)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and β-(14)-D-glucosamine (Fig. 1). Depending on the utilization, these polymers may be processed in different forms such as sponge, bead, film, fibre, solution, aerosol, or gel, as soon as soluble systems can be obtained; they may also be mixed with other natural or synthetic polymers to obtain blends or composites with original properties.

Chitin characterization and main properties. Chitin is a semi-crystalline polysaccharide in which the chitin chains are tightly held by a number of inter-chain and intra-chain hydrogen bonds; this is the reason for good physical performances but also for difficulties in processing (just as cellulose, chitin is infusible and difficult to solubilise) [1]. The question of their solubility is a major problem in view of the development of processing and uses of chitin. The mostly used solvent for a long time was DMAc/LiCl; this solvent is also used to determine the molecular weight of chitin [1]. CaCl2.2H2O-saturated MeOH as well concentrated phosphoric acid, lithium thiocyanate or NaOH at low temperature were also proposed. From solution, chitin is able to be regenerated (in water or other non-solvents) under the different forms (casting of films and extrusion of fibres) or mixed with cellulose or other polymers to obtain blends (interesting blends may be developed after solubilisation of cellulose and chitin in common solvents) [3,4]. The main difficulties with chitin are the quality and reproducibility of the samples supplied, but also the difficulty to solubilize.

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From Science & Research

Chitin and Chitosan Chitin, as other polysaccharides including cellulose, have good film and fibre forming properties; in addition, the good stability of chitin-based materials is promoted by the establishment of an H-bond network between extended chains. Chitin adds original properties to the new materials as being biocompatible, non-allergic, biodegradable, nontoxic, with antimicrobial activity and low immunogenicity, deodorizing, moisture controlling; it is also insoluble in water whatever the pH, with some hydrophilic character. Recently, a short review presented the applications of chitin and chitosan-based nano-materials [5]. Chemical modifications are performed using the same methods as for cellulose or other polysaccharides (reaction on the â&#x20AC;&#x201C;OH positions).

Chitosan characterization and main properties. Chitosan results from the deacetylation of chitin under alkaline conditions or by enzymatic hydrolysis in the presence of a chitin deacetylase. It becomes soluble in aqueous acidic media (pH<6) when the average degree of acetylation is lower than 0.5 by protonation of the -NH2 function on the C-2 position of the D-glucosamine repeat unit. Due to the semi-crystalline nature of chitin and depending on

the deacetylation conditions, the solution properties of a chitosan depend not only on its average DA but also on the distribution of the acetyl groups along the main chain. Due to the semi crystalline morphology of chitin, chitosans obtained from solid state deacetylation, have a heterogeneous distribution of acetyl groups along the chains which will control the physical properties. Homogeneous samples are obtained by alkaline treatment of chitin in homogeneous conditions. The reacetylation of a highly deacetylated chitin also provides homogeneous samples. Soluble chitosan can be characterized by liquid or solid phase NMR for chemical structure determination and steric exclusion chromatography or viscosity for the molecular weight determination [1]. It can be processed by regeneration of the insoluble form in water or slightly alkaline conditions under different forms (casting for film, extrusion for fibre, freeze drying for foamâ&#x20AC;Ś.). An interesting property of chitosan is that chemical modifications (including copolymerization) are specifically performed on the â&#x20AC;&#x201C;NH2 functions in C-2 position of the glucosamine unit. This may change the solubility and the physical properties going to smart materials with pH, temperature or external salt response. Crosslinking is also used to stabilize the materials.

Figure 1. Repeat units of chitin and chitosan obtained from crustaceous shells. DA is the degree of acetylation of D-glucosamine units.

Chitin

+ NaOH

Chitosan

OH O

O HO

NH O

NH2

NH O

(1-DA)

and/or

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From Science & Research (a)

Main applications of chitin and chitosan.

(b)

The current main development is in biomedical and biopharmaceutical applications as wound-dressing material, artificial skin (blended with collagen), excipient and drug carrier in film, foam, gel or powder forms taking into account the biocompatibility, biodegradability, physiological inertness, affinity for proteins and mucoadhesivity [6,7]. Mixed with nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite they are used in tissue engineering to generate bone. Chitosan, being the only cationic pseudo-natural polymer, may be used in aqueous solution to clarify and purify industrial waste water. In the paper industry it is used as a filter aid and sizing agent, wet end additive (increasing the wet strength), pulping additive, surface treating agent and fibre binder. It also improves the gas barrier properties of paper. It is used in the textile industry for its antibacterial properties. These polysaccharides are also used, or potentially usable, in the food industry, biotechnology, agriculture, cosmetics products, membrane filter technology, textile industry etc [1].

Figure 2. SEM views of chitin foam lyophilized after freezing at -20ﾂｰC overnight: (a) surface; (b) cross section. Scale bar =100 mm. Reprinted in part from [8] with the permission from ACS (2011)

References [1] M.Rinaudo, Chitin and chitosan: Properties and applications, Prog. Polym. Sci., 31, 603-632 (2006) [2] M.Rinaudo, Main properties and current applications of some polysaccharides as biomaterials, Polym. Int., 57(3), 397-430 (2008) [3] S.Hirano, Wet-spinning and applications of functional fibers based on chitin and chitosan, in Natural and synthetic polymers: challenges and perspectives, W. Arguelles-Monal (Ed.). Macromol Symp. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim,Germany, 168, 21-30 (2001) [4] C.K.S.Pillai, W.Paul and C.P. Sharma, Chitin and chitosan polymers : chemistry, solubility and fiber formation, Prog. Polym. Sci., 34, 641-678 (2009) [5] R.Jayakumar, D.Menon, K.Manzoor, S. V. Nair and H. Tamura, Biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan based nanomaterials. A short review, Carbohydr. Polym., 82(2), 227-232 (2010). [6] Khor E, Lim LY, Implantable applications of chitin and chitosan, Biomaterials 24, 2339-2349 (2003) [7] Ravi Kumar M N V, Muzzarelli R A A, Muzzarelli C, Sashiwa H, Domb A J. Chitosan Chemistry and pharmaceutical perspectives Chem Rev., 104, 6017-6084 (2004) [8] S.Tokura, H.Tamura, K.takahashi, N.Sakairi, and N.Nishi, ACS Symposium series 737 (Chapter 6, pp 85-97), Polysaccharides applications-Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals, Edited by M.A.El Nokali and H.A.Soini, American Chemical Society 1999

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In solid state, cross-linked chitosan foams are useful as cosmetic wipes and pads, as a base material for cosmetic packaging or microbial barrier in wound dressing capable of absorbing wound exudate. Gelatin-chitosan or starch-chitosan foams were also prepared. Chitosan and derivatives with a film structure were used for preservation of foods against microbial deterioration or as an additive in deacidification of fruit and beverages, emulsifier agents, thickening and stabilizing agents, colour stabilization, and as dietary supplements. Mixed with starch, it was proposed as a disposable packaging material, possibly reinforced with cellulosic fibres. Blends or composites with chitin or chitosan on one side and cellulose, poly(caprolactone)(PCL), poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA), polyalkylene glycol, PET, PHB, PA6 and PA66, PAN, polypropylene treated by corona discharge on the other side are mentioned in the literature. In these materials, cellulose, chitin or chitosan are introduced as nano-fibres to reinforce mechanical properties or blended with the second polymer from mixed solutions. The main interest in the presence of chitin, chitosan or their derivatives (such as carboxymethylated-chitin and 窶田hitosan) is to introduce a new material with antimicrobial quality (especially for packaging of food and agricultural products), some hydrophilic and biocompatibility characteristics for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications), biodegradability when used in a pure form or in mixture with another biodegradable polymer. www.cermav.cnrs.fr

From Science & Research

PLA Composites with Field Crop Residues

Article contributed by Calistor Nyambo Amar K. Mohanty Manjusri Misra

ield crop residues such as, cereal straws, corn and soy stalks are widely available in large quantities and are normally discarded as waste or used as animal feed.These field crop residues contain cellulose based fibers [1] and their utilization in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; composites has potential for generating extra revenue for farmers. Using field crop residuesmight be another way of making affordable injection molded biocomposites with specific desired mechanical performance.

University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada

Our recent studies have focussed on the use of field residues, shown in Figure 1 (i.e. wheat, corn and soy stalks), and their hybrids as a principle source of fibers for making affordable and sustainable bio-based polylactide (PLA) composites [2]. We estimated the cost of the field crop residues to be around $0.15/kg. Varying amounts of ground fibers from 10 to 40 wt % were successfully incorporated into the PLA matrix. It was found that the addition of the field crop residues slightly reduces the tensile strength and significantly increases the elastic modulus. The mechanical performance of the different types of these fibers and their hybrids at 30 wt % loading in PLA were similar as shown in Figure 2. This is an important finding since it may mean that agricultural residues can be substituted for each other without compromising mechanical performance in the event of fiber shortages. Automotive part makers have raised some concerns regarding the supply chain of natural fibers. Therefore, the development of multiple compositeformulations using hybrid fibers might be another important way of reducing concerns from automotive part makers since many formulation options will be available in the event that one type of fiber is temporarily out of supply.

Figure 1: Field crop residues (a) Corn stalks; (b) Soy stalks and (c) Wheat straws

Figure 2: Tensile properties of (a) PLA with (b) 30 wt % of agricultural residue, (c) 30 wt % hybrid fibers (i.e. 10 wt % each of wheat, corn and soy stalks) and (d) 30 % fiber compatibilized with PLA-g-MA. Tensile strength

Tensile modulus 8

80 70

Tensile strength, MPa

50 4

40 30

20 10

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Tensile modulus, GPa

The hydrophilic nature of agricultural fibers presents another problem in natural fiber composites. Natural fibers tend to agglomerate as the loading is increased and this may lead to poor dispersion in bioplasticthereby decreasingthe mechanical performance of the composite. Various fiber surface treatments techniques and coupling agents have been developed for improving the fibermatrix adhesion [3]. The use of maleic anhydride grafted polymers like polypropylene-grafted with maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) is one of the best example. Unfortunately, PLA grafted with maleic anhydride (PLA-g-MA) is not yet commercialized but synthetic routes have been reported

From Science & Research (a)

in literature [4]. Upon, the additionof 5 wt % of PLA-g-MA, which was prepared via reactive extrusion, the tensile strength of wheat straw increased by about 20 % matching that of the neat PLA as shown in Figure 2. This is a good result because compatibilized composites have low cost since they are filled with 30 wt% inexpensive fibers; whilst having better stiffness than the neat PLA and comparable tensile and flexural strength.

(b)

Figure 3: SEM images for PLA with (a) 30 wt % biomass and (b) with 30 % biomass compatibilized with PLA-g-MA

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images presented in Figure 3 showed less evidence of fiber fracture and pull-out in the compatibilized composites than in the uncompatibilized composites which suggest good fibermatrix adhesion. The PLA composites were found to have low densities (1.3 g/cm3) and no enhancements in the heat deflection temperature, (HDT) were observed. Stereocomplexation (blending the two different stereoisomers of PLA i.e. D-PLA, and L-PLA) is one of the most promising techniques that has been developed for improving the heat resistance of PLA. One of the advantages of using PLA is that it is 100 % biodegradable and recyclable. The biodegradation of PLA is influenced by several factors such as moisture level, temperature and pH. Since the fibers are hydrophilic, they tend to absorb water which is essential for the hydrolysis of the ester groups on the PLA chains to form oligomers which can easily be attacked by bacteria. It was found that the PLA/agric residues composites biodegrade faster than the neat PLA [5]. This result is also important since it may mean that the PLA composites can alleviate shortages of landfills since they can easily biodegrade. Prototype composite panels are presented in Figure 4. It was observed that the PLA/agro residue fibers can easily be tinted with a pigment to give certain desired colour. We estimated the costs for these composites to be around $0.95/lb and this is lower than our estimate cost for polypropylene/glass-fiber at $1.10/lb.

Acknowledgements Financial support from 2008 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; University of Guelph Bioproducts program, NSERC- Discovery grant program individual (Mohanty) is greatly appreciated. The authors gratefully thank Elora Farms in Guelph for kindly providing all the agricultural residues.

Figure 4: Prototypes plaques of the PLA/30 % wheat straw composite panels prepared via extrusion followed by compression molding (a) without (b) with pigment.

www.bioproductsatguelph.ca

References [1] US Department of Energy http://www.eere. energy.gov/biomass/progs/search1.cgi [2] Nyambo, C.; Mohanty, A. K.; Misra, M.Biomacromolecules. 2010, 11, 1654 [3] Mohanty, A. K.; Misra, M.; Drzal, L. T. Compos. Interfaces2001, 8, 313. [4] Carlson, D.; Nie, L.; Nayaran, R.; Dubois, P. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.1999, 72, 477. [5] Pradhan, R.; Misra, M.; Erickson, L.; Mohanty, A.K. Bioresource Technology.2010, 101, 8489.

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Basics

Basics of Lignin Article contributed by Hans-Peter Fink Johannes Ganster Gunnar Engelmann Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research Potsdam-Golm, Germany

ignin is one of the most frequently occurring natural polymers in the world and the main one with aromatic rings. Nature uses lignin as the glue to build its sophisticated strong and yet flexible composite structures found in tree trunks and grass stalks. The elongated wood cell walls, mainly consisting of strong cellulose fibrils and hemi celluloses, are glued together by lignin which contributes to the compression strength of the composite. Moreover, the rather hydrophobic lignin is known to protect the structure from adverse environmental influences such as fungal attack. Industrially, lignin figures mainly in the pulp and paper industry. There, however, processes are optimized for extracting cellulose, and lignin is basically used for generating heat for the pulping process. This situation is clearly unsatisfactory in a sustainable economy and serious attempts have been, and are being made, to utilize lignin for various alternative applications.

Structure of lignin Lignin is built up of the three phenylpropane derivatives: p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol (s. Fig. 1). These constituents are irregularly linked at various positions in the molecules, resulting in an extended network. The resulting linking patterns and the monomer ratios dominate the properties of natural lignin in general and depend on the lignin source. The main sources are softwood, hardwood and grasses [1]. Figure 1: Phenylpropane-based monomers of lignin, p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol

Softwood lignins are almost exclusively made from coniferyl alcohol. Typical raw materials are cedar, cypress, fir, hemlock, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, and thuja; containing between 25 and 35 % of lignin. Hardwood lignins are dominated by mixtures of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols in varying amounts. Sources are ash, aspen, beech, birch, elm, eucalyptus, hickory, maple, oak, poplar or walnut, with lignin contents of about 20 to 25%. The lignin composition of grasses is characterized by pcoumaryl- and coniferyl alcohols. The lignin content ranges between 15 and 20%. Further influences working on the lignin structure are the growing conditions of the plants, i.e. the climate, the place of growing and last but not least the part of the plants. The lignin structure of a crown is not the same as the lignin structure of the stock of the tree, for instance.

Figure 2: Proposed model structure of spruce lignin according to Freudenberg [2].

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During the industrial pulping processes the natural lignins, having huge molecular weights at the start, are degraded into smaller fragments - in many cases down to ranges of 3000 to 4000 Daltons. A proposed model structure for degraded spruce lignin is presented in Fig. 2. Obviously, lignin is a substance of high complexity and, moreover, high structural variability.

Basics

However, lignin-based products with defined properties can only be made from lignins with reproducible characteristics (e.g. solubility, glass transition temperature) and, ideally, reproducible average composition and purity, hydroxyl number, and molecular weight. Therefore, structure characterization plays an important role in lignin product design. To elucidate the composition, spectroscopic methods can be advantageously applied. As an example, solid state CP/MAS 13C-NMR spectra of a softwood and a hardwood lignin are presented in Fig. 3. The differences are clearly visible, in particular in the range between 160 and 100 ppm chemical shift displaying the electronic environment of the ring carbons. In such a way, softwood and hardwood species can be differentiated.

Lignin extraction Up to now lignin is commonly known for being a by-product of cellulose pulping processes which are run on a scale estimated to be 175 million tons of pulp per year worldwide. To separate and isolate cellulose from wood as the main product, different pulping processes were developed over the past almost 150 years. The two classical pulping processes, sulphite and sulphate (Kraft) pulping, work with H2SO3 and Na2S, respectively, lignin ending up in the so-called brown and black liquors, respectively. Lignins produced in sulphite pulping are known as lignosulphonates which are water soluble and typically contain 5 – 9 % sulphur, while in the sulphate process water insoluble Kraft lignins with 2 – 3 % sulphur are formed. The percentages of the classical pulping processes of industrial relevance are given in Figure 4 [3] showing the overwhelming dominance of the Kraft process. While lignosulphonates are marketed for various applications (see below), Kraft black liquor is locally combusted in the pulp mill’s recovery plant to produce heat for the process and for sale. An increase in pulp production in connection with optimized processes can bring the capacity of the recovery plant to its limit and alternative lignin uses can become of interest. First, however, lignin must be isolated from the black liquor. For this purpose, the so called LignoBoost process, now owned by Metso [4], was developed in the last decade and uses pressurized CO2 for lignin precipitation. The demonstration plant in Bäckhammar, Sweden, is run by Innventia and has a capacity of 8,000 tons per year [5]. Sulphur-free lignins are of interest for applications in the materials sector. Several methods have been developed [6]. A classification can be made with respect to the liquid medium used in the pulping processes. The Soda-Anthrachinon procedure works with aqueous sodium hydroxide solution and uses Anthrachinon to stabilise the cellulose during pulping. Alcell processes use only organic solvents such as methanol or ethanol. The Organocell procedure was developed as a

Figure 3: 13C-NMR spectra of a hardwood and softwood lignin sample

sulphate pulping sulphite pulping others

89% 6% 5%

Figure 4: Global pulp production by category [3].

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Basics

combination of the methanol and sodium hydroxide routes. The application of acidic agents, especially organic acids like acetic and formic acid, is characteristic for the Acetocelland Formacell processes. The Milox procedure additionally uses oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide in combination with formic acid for lignin degradation.

others tanning agents spud mud cement mineral color dyeing factory dust binder paper additive pesticides chipboard building stones concrete coal briquets animal food 0

part of application (%)

Figure 5: Applications of lignosulphonates [10]

In recent years biorefinery concepts have become most popular. In the context of lignin sourcing, biorefineries using lignocellulose feedstock for cellulose bioethanol production (2nd generation bioethanol) could play an important role in providing sulphur-free and structurally tailored lignins. A current example is provided by the Canadian company Lignol, which is running a biorefinery ready for commercialisation based on the Alcell process [7]. The three main products of wood pulping, i.e. cellulose, lignin, and mixed sugars are converted to fuel ethanol, HP-LTM lignin, and thermal energy, respectively. Larger biorefinery projects for lignocelluloses with a focus on the valorization of lignin have also been set up in the Netherlands (LignoValue [8]) and Germany (CBP Leuna [9]).

Applications Lignin is mainly used as an energy supply for the processes run in the pulp mills. However, roughly a million tonnes per year is sold in the form of lignosulphonates for the various applications shown in Fig. 5. The actual uses of isolated lignins apart from lignosulphonates are at a much lower, often pilot scale, level and can be divided into three main categories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; energy, materials, and chemicals.

Figure 7: Printed circuit wiring board (green card) from lignin containing epoxy resin [15]

Pellets made from lignin can be used as a solid fuel analogous to wood pellets but with a much higher calorific value, as demonstrated with lignin from the LignoBoost process [11]. An example of the use of lignin as a substitute of phenol in phenol-formaldehyde resins is provided by ProtobindTM, a sulphur-free lignin from annual plants (10,000 tonnes/a [12]). With the tendency to higher phenol prices, the use of lignin can be an economically viable biobased alternative. The properties of such thermosets and composites loaded with 20-30% of sulphur-free lignin are comparable or marginally better than those of the standard materials as demonstrated by the Dynea company [13]. Similar effects can be anticipated for resins of the same group, i.e. amino and melamine resins. Indulin AT is a commercial Kraft pine lignin from MeadWestvaco and is ideal for use in a wide range of polymeric applications where solid dispersants or adsorption properties are required [14].

Figure 8: EcoPump (Gucci) with heel made from Arboform

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

In the nineteen-nineties IBM developed a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;green-cardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Fig. 7), a printed wiring board made from an epoxy resin containing up to 60% of lignin [15]. Although there was an

Basics

advanced product development market transfer was not accomplished. A lot of attempts have been made to use lignin as polyols for polyurethanes (PU) [16]. Depending on the PU-forming isocyanates, the material properties range between very brittle and soft. Most typical applications are foams. In nature lignin acts also as a protecting agent and neutralises aggressive intermediates like free radicals [17]. These effects are interesting to protect polymers of PE-, PPor PVC-type. Blending of such polymers with lignin give hope for longer life cycles of the ensuing products [18]. In general, material development using lignin is a challenging area where well-defined and adapted lignin properties are required. From the branched complex chemical structure, applications in and for cross linking systems, i.e. resins and thermosets, seem to be the natural choice. However, thermoplastic applications have also been attempted with remarkable success. Thermoplastic lignin-containing products are produced by the German company Tecnaro GmbH [19] with an annual capacity of 3000 tonnes for their three production lines Arboform®, Arboblend®, and Arbofill® (see page 22). Mixtures of lignin and natural fibres are thermoplastically processed in a similar way to conventional thermoplastics for their ‘liquid wood’ Arboform. Sectors of application are jewellery, toys, souvenirs, furniture, consumer articles, automotive interiors, and even Gucci shoes (Fig. 8). Presently, there is a strong market demand for carbon fibres, mainly driven by the aircraft and automotive industries. The usual precursor, apart from cellulose and mesophase pitch, is polyacrylonitrile (PAN) [20]. The possibilities of using lignin to produce a precursor fibre have been studied intensively by several groups. However, the carbon fibre’s mechanical properties achieved so far [21] are in the range of high performance cellulose fibres, such as rayon tire cord yarn. One prominent example for the conversion of lignin, lignosulphonates, or Kraft lignins into a pure chemical substance is vanillin (s. Figure 6) [22]. The production capacity is in an order of magnitude of 1500 tonnes/a. Degradation of lignin and further transformation steps to vanillin are achieved by chemical reactions. Biotechnological processes are also possible but there is no industrial scale production at the moment [23]. The efficiency of lignin as bio-based feedstock depends not only on its application as oligomer and polymer but also success in lignin degradation and the production of platform chemicals and building blocks with defined structures and high degree of purity complete the material concept. Just this combination has the high potential to stimulate lignin utilization today and in the future.

Figure 5: Structure of vanillin

CHO

OCH3 OH References [1] ACS Symposium Series 742 Lignin: Historical, Biological, and Materials Perspectives; edited by: W. G. Glasser, R. A. Northey, and T. P. Schultz, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2000. [2] Freudenberg, K. und A.C. Neish (1968): „Constitution and Biosynthesis of Lignin.” Springer Verlag. Heidelberg-Berlin-New York [3] Toland J, Galasso L, Lees D, Rodden G, in Pulp Paper International, Vol. Paperloop, 2002, p. 5. [4] http://www.metso.com/pulpandpaper/recovery_boiler_prod. nsf/WebWID/WTB-090513-22575-6FE87 [5] http://www.innventia.com/templates/STFIPage____8733. aspx [6] http://gruberscript.net/Zellstoffscript/14Alternative_ Aufschlussverfahren.pdf [7] http://www.lignol.ca [8] http://www.biobased.nl/lignovalue [9] http://www.igb.fraunhofer.de/www/gf/cbp-leuna/start. en.html [10] K.H. Kleinemeier in O.Faix und D. Meier (Hrsg) 1st European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and Pulp, 1990, Verlag M. Wiedebusch, Hamburg 1991 [11] http://www.innventia.com/templates/STFIPage_8734.aspx [12] http://www.indiamart.com/alm-pvtltd [13] Elke Fliedner, Wolfgang Heep und Hendrikus W. G. van Herwijnen, „Verwendung nachwachsender Rohstoffe in Bindemitteln für Holzwerkstoffe”,. Chemie Ingenieur Technik 2010, 82, 1161-1168 [14] www.mwv.com [15] Lora, Jairo H., and W. G. Glasser. 2002. Recent Industrial Applications of Lignin - A Sustainable Alternative to Nonrenewable Materials. Journal of Polymers and the Environment 10 (1/2), 39-48. [16] C. Ciobanua, M. Ungureanua, L. Ignata, D. Ungureanub and V. I. Popa; “Properties of lignin–polyurethane films prepared by casting method”, Industrial Crops and Products 20 (2004) 231–241 [17] XUEJUN PAN,* JOHN F. KADLA, KATSUNOBU EHARA, NEIL GILKES, AND JACK N. SADDLER, ” Organosolv Ethanol Lignin from Hybrid Poplar as a Radical Scavenger: Relationship between Lignin Structure, Extraction Conditions, and Antioxidant Activity”, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2006, 54, 5806-5813 [18] Nitz et al., Kunststoffe 91 (2001), 98-101 [19] www.tecnaro.de [20] E. Bittmann, “Das schwarze Gold des Leichtbaus”, Kunststoffe 2006, 76-82 [21] J.F. Kadla et al., „Lignin-based carbon fibers for composites fiber applications“; Carbon40 (2002) 2913-2920) [22] Hocking, M. B., J. Chem. Educ., (1997) 74, 1055 [23] https://noppa.tkk.fi/noppa/kurssi/ke-40.9920/luennot/KE40_9920_vanillin_from_lignin.pdf

www.iap.fraunhofer.de

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Personality

Jim Lunt bM: Dear Dr. Lunt, when and where were you born?

bM: What is your biggest achievement (in terms of bioplastics) so far?

JL: I was born in 1947 in St. Helens, Lancashire, UK

JL: When I Joined Cargill in 1993 to work on PLA with Pat Gruber, there were very few people involved in this effort. I am one of the founder members of what was then called EcoPLA. I am also a founder member of Cargill Dow and Natureworks LLC. By 2005 the company had grown to around 240 people and the product was renamed Ingeo PLA. At Cargill we developed the initial prototype products and developed the infrastructure for 12.000 ton and eventually a 150.000 ton plant. I am a joint recipient of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for work in this area.

bM: Where do you live today and since when? JL: In 1981 I moved to Canada then to Massachusetts in 1990 and in 1993 to Minneapolis, MN, USA where I still live today. bM: What is your education? JL: I obtained my PhD in Plastics Processing at the University of Liverpool, UK. bM: What is your professional function today? JL: I am the Vice President Sales & Marketing for Tianan Biologic Material Co. Ltd., I am also an independent consultant in biomaterials. bM: How did you ‘come to’ bioplastics? JL: I started my career in the UK in 1964, developing oil based plastic composites designed to displace metals. Early in the 1990’s we saw a growing concern around the end-oflife of traditional plastics which were ending up in landfills or as litter. While working at Nova Corp. we focused on making plastics UV-degradable. The initiative unfortunately failed due to a perception that it would encourage littering, which of course was not the intent. We were concentrating on how to collect and convert the material back to monomers when we learned of Cargill’s interest in producing a compostable plastic called polylactic acid (PLA) bM: What do you consider more important: ‘biobased’ or ‘biodegradable’? JL: I’ve seen a continuing transition in biopolymers since the early days. Initially, focus was on compostability, this moved to encompass renewable content, and finally to overall sustainability, effect on human health and environmental impact. This transition is primarily due to societal changes, lack of a composting infrastructure and the need for higher performance in many durable plastics applications. Many compostable plastics still end up in landfills. There is a growing demand for durable plastics based on renewable resources. Today around 12% of all bioplastics are for durable applications. This may increase to 40% in 2030 (as stated by European Bioplastics).

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

bM: What are your biggest challenges for the future? JL: To enable Tianan, one of my largest clients, to be recognised as a reputable supplier of PHBV products with unique properties and then to scale-up. Many people still don’t think well about Chinese producers - but China is developing extremely fast! I am motivated to do my best in whatever I undertake and continue to learn, this is my personality. bM: What is your family status? JL: I am happily married. We have 34 year old daughter (Freelance Art Director/Designer), married and living in Minneapolis, and also a 40 year old son (Engineer) married and living with his family in Calgary, Alberta. My son has two children. bM: What is your favourite movie? JL: Star Trek series, followed closely by Milcho Manchevski’s ‘Before the Rain’. bM: What is your favourite book? JL: ‘The Long Walk’ by Slavomir Rawicz and ‘Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage’ by Alfred Lansing. bM: What is your favourite (or your next) vacation location? JL: I prefer Europe. I spent wonderful days in the area of Colmar/Straßburg (France). Also the UK of course since I am British by birth. bM: What do you eat for breakfast on a Sunday? JL: Healthy things like cereals, grains and raisins with yoghurt! bM: What is your ‘slogan’? JL: Never look back, always forward, learn and have fun at the same time! bM: Thank you!

Event Calendar

Feb. 22-24, 2011 Sustainability in Packaging Orlando, Florida, USA www.sustainability-in-packaging.com

May 23–24, 2011 5th Bioplastics Markets The Langham, Hong Kong

March 01,2011 Linking Bio-based Materials to Renewable Energy Production The Geological Society, London

March 7-8, 2011 IV International Seminar on Biopolymers and Sustainable Composites Sorolla Palace Hotel - valencia (Spain)

Jun 30 - Jul 01, 2011 Nachhaltige Verpackung, Grüne Logistik, Biokunststoffe deuschsprachiges Seminar BUTTING-Akademie, Burg Knesebeck, Germany

www.polimerosbiodegradables.com / info@polimersbiodegradables.com

www.wertstoffberatung.de/

March 15-16, 2011 4th International Congress on Bio-based Plastics and Composites 4. Biowerkstoffkongress 2011 Maternushaus, Cologne, Germany

Sept. 25-29, 2011 8th European Congress of Chemical Engineering and 1st European Congress of Applied Biotechnology (together with ProcessNet Annual Meeting 2011 and DECHEMA‘s Biotechnology Annual Meeting) Berlin, Germany

www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de

March 22 – 23, 2011 Bio-based Chemicals Rotterdam, The Netherlands

www.dechema.de

Oct. 17-19, 2011 GPEC 2011 (SPE‘s Global Plastics Environmental Conference) The Atlanta Peachtree Westin Hotel, Atlanta, GA, USA

www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com/biochem

March 22 – 24, 2011 World Biofuels Markets Rotterdam, The Netherlands

www.4spe.org

Feb. 20-22, 2012 Innovation Takes Root 2012 Omni ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA.

www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com

March 29 – 30, 2011 Bioplastics Compounding and Processing 2011 International industry conference on the profitable use of bioplastics The Hilton Miami Downtown, Miami, Florida, USA

www.innovationtakesroot.com

You can meet us! Please contact us in advance by e-mail.

www.cmtevents.com

www.nnfcc.co.uk

magnetic_148,5x105.ai 175.00 lpi 45.00° 15.00° 14.03.2009 75.00° 0.00° 14.03.2009 10:13:31 10:13:31 Prozess CyanProzess MagentaProzess GelbProzess Schwarz

www2.amiplastics.com

c i t e n tics g s a a l P M for

March 30 – 31, 2011 3. Fachtagung: Biopolymere in Folienanwendungen Würzburg/Germany www.skz.de

April 6-7, 2011 Envase Sustenable MEXICO Hotel Camino Real, Mexico City, Mexico

• International Trade in Raw Materials, Machinery & Products Free of Charge

www.elempaque.com/seminarios

April 06-07, 2011 Plastics in Automotive Engineering VDI, Rosengarten, Mannheim, Germany www.vdi-wissensforum.de

• Daily News from the Industrial Sector and the Plastics Markets

April 12 - 13, 2011 4. BioKunststoffe 2011 (Tagungsveranstaltung) Hannover www.hanser-tagungen.de

May 9-10, 2011 ecoPack systems Düsseldorf, Germany www.petnology.com

• Buyer’s Guide for Plastics & Additives, Machinery & Equipment, Subcontractors and Services.

CMY

May 12-18, 2011 interpack 2011 Düsseldorf, Germany interpack.com

May 18-19, 2011 Eco-friendly Plastic Materials and Machinery Conference China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, PR China www.chinaplasonline.com

• Current Market Prices for Plastics.

er.com lastick www.p

• Job Market for Specialists and Executive Staff in the Plastics Industry

sional Profes Fast • • te a d Up-to-

Suppliers Guide 1. Raw Materials 10

100

110

120

130

140

150

Showa Denko Europe GmbH Konrad-Zuse-Platz 4 81829 Munich, Germany Tel.: +49 89 93996226 www.showa-denko.com support@sde.de

Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd. Gaotang Industrial Zone, Tianhe, Guangzhou, P.R.China. Tel: +86 (0)20 87215915 Fax: +86 (0)20 87037111 info@ecopond.com.cn www.ecopond.com.cn FLEX-262/162 Biodegradable Blown Film Resin!

PSM Bioplastic NA Chicago, USA www.psmna.com +1-630-393-0012 1.5 PHA

Division of A&O FilmPAC Ltd 7 Osier Way, Warrington Road GB-Olney/Bucks. MK46 5FP Tel.: +44 1234 714 477 Fax: +44 1234 713 221 ® Natur-Tec - Northern Technologies sales@aandofilmpac.com 4201 Woodland Road www.bioresins.eu DuPont de Nemours International S.A. Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA 2 chemin du Pavillon Tel. +1 763.225.6600 1218 - Le Grand Saconnex Fax +1 763.225.6645 Switzerland info@natur-tec.com Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11 www.natur-tec.com Fax: +41 22 580 22 45 plastics@dupont.com Telles, Metabolix – ADM joint venture www.renewable.dupont.com 650 Suffolk Street, Suite 100 www.plastics.dupont.com Lowell, MA 01854 USA Tel. +1-97 85 13 18 00 1.1 bio based monomers Transmare Compounding B.V. Fax +1-97 85 13 18 86 Ringweg 7, 6045 JL www.mirelplastics.com Roermond, The Netherlands Tel. +31 475 345 900 Fax +31 475 345 910 info@transmare.nl PURAC division www.compounding.nl Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21 1.3 PLA Tianan Biologic 4200 AA Gorinchem No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd, The Netherlands Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800 Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695 Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2 Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604 Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0 www.purac.com Shenzhen Brightchina Ind. Co;Ltd enquiry@tianan-enmat.com PLA@purac.com www.brightcn.net www.tianan-enmat.com 1.2 compounds www.esun.en.alibaba.com 2. Additives / bright@brightcn.net Secondary raw materials Tel: +86-755-2603 1978

Taghleef Industries SpA, Italy Via E. Fermi, 46 33058 San Giorgio di Nogaro (UD) Contact Frank Ernst Tel. +49 2402 7096989 Mobile +49 160 4756573 frank.ernst@ti-films.com www.ti-films.com 3.1.1 cellulose based films

INNOVIA FILMS LTD Wigton Cumbria CA7 9BG England Contact: Andy Sweetman Tel. +44 16973 41549 Fax +44 16973 41452 andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com www.innoviafilms.com 4. Bioplastics products

alesco GmbH & Co. KG Schönthaler Str. 55-59 D-52379 Langerwehe Sales Germany: +49 2423 402 110 Sales Belgium: +32 9 2260 165 Sales Netherlands: +31 20 5037 710 info@alesco.net | www.alesco.net

1.4 starch-based bioplastics 160

170

180

API S.p.A. Via Dante Alighieri, 27 36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy Telephone +39 0424 579711 www.apiplastic.com www.apinatbio.com

190

200

210

220

Cereplast Inc. Tel: +1 310-676-5000 / Fax: -5003 pravera@cereplast.com www.cereplast.com European distributor A.Schulman : Tel +49 (2273) 561 236 christophe_cario@de.aschulman.com

230

Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients ZAC „Les Portes de Riom“ - BP 173 63204 Riom Cedex - France Tel. +33 (0)4 73 67 17 00 Fax +33 (0)4 73 67 17 10 www.biolice.com

Jean-Pierre Le Flanchec 3 rue Scheffer 75116 Paris cedex, France Tel: +33 (0)1 53 65 23 00 Fax: +33 (0)1 53 65 81 99 biosphere@biosphere.eu www.biosphere.eu

Sukano AG Chaltenbodenstrasse 23 CH-8834 Schindellegi Tel. +41 44 787 57 77 Fax +41 44 787 57 78 www.sukano.com 3. Semi finished products 3.1 films

Huhtamaki Forchheim Sonja Haug Zweibrückenstraße 15-25 91301 Forchheim Tel. +49-9191 81203 Fax +49-9191 811203 www.huhtamaki-films.com

240

250

260

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH Siemensring 79 D - 47 877 Willich Tel. +49 2154 9251-0 Tel.: +49 2154 9251-51 sales@fkur.com www.fkur.com

270

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Grace Biotech Corporation Tel: +886-3-598-6496 No. 91, Guangfu N. Rd., Hsinchu Industrial Park,Hukou Township, Hsinchu County 30351, Taiwan sales@grace-bio.com.tw www.grace-bio.com.tw

Postbus 26 7480 AA Haaksbergen The Netherlands Tel.: +31 616 121 843 info@bio4pack.com www.bio4pack.com

www.earthfirstpla.com www.sidaplax.com www.plasticsuppliers.com Sidaplax UK : +44 (1) 604 76 66 99 Sidaplax Belgium: +32 9 210 80 10 Plastic Suppliers: +1 866 378 4178

Cortec® Corporation 4119 White Bear Parkway St. Paul, MN 55110 Tel. +1 800.426.7832 Fax 651-429-1122 info@cortecvci.com www.cortecvci.com Eco Cortec® 31 300 Beli Manastir Bele Bartoka 29 Croatia, MB: 1891782 Tel. +385 31 7005 011 Fax +385 31 705 012 info@ecocortec.hr www.ecocortec.hr

Suppliers Guide Simply contact:

NOVAMONT S.p.A. Via Fauser , 8 28100 Novara - ITALIA Fax +39.0321.699.601 Tel. +39.0321.699.611 www.novamont.com

WEI MON INDUSTRY CO., LTD. 2F, No.57, Singjhong Rd., Neihu District, Taipei City 114, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel. + 886 - 2 - 27953131 Fax + 886 - 2 - 27919966 sales@weimon.com.tw www.plandpaper.com

MANN+HUMMEL ProTec GmbH Stubenwald-Allee 9 64625 Bensheim, Deutschland Tel. +49 6251 77061 0 Fax +49 6251 77061 510 info@mh-protec.com www.mh-protec.com 6.2 Laboratory Equipment

MODA : Biodegradability Analyzer Saida FDS Incorporated 3-6-6 Sakae-cho, Yaizu, Shizuoka, Japan Tel : +81-90-6803-4041 info@saidagroup.jp www.saidagroup.jp 7. Plant engineering

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH Holzhauser Str. 157 - 159 13509 Berlin Germany Tel. +49 (0)30 43567 5 Fax +49 (0)30 43567 699 sales.de@thyssenkrupp.com www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com

President Packaging Ind., Corp. PLA Paper Hot Cup manufacture In Taiwan, www.ppi.com.tw Tel.: +886-6-570-4066 ext.5531 Fax: +886-6-570-4077 sales@ppi.com.tw

8. Ancillary equipment

4.1 trays

Siemensring 79 47877 Willich, Germany Tel.: +49 2154 9251-0 , Fax: -51 thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de

5. Traders 5.1 wholesale

9. Services

6. Equipment

Tel.: +49 02351 67100-0 European Bioplastics e.V. Marienstr. 19/20 10117 Berlin, Germany Tel. +49 30 284 82 350 Fax +49 30 284 84 359 info@european-bioplastics.org www.european-bioplastics.org

suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com Stay permanently listed in the Suppliers Guide with your company logo and contact information. For only 6,â&#x20AC;&#x201C; EUR per mm, per issue you can be present among top suppliers in the field of bioplastics.

10.2 Universities

For Example:

Michigan State University Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Professor Ramani Narayan East Lansing MI 48824, USA Tel. +1 517 719 7163 narayan@msu.edu

Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 MĂśnchengladbach Germany Tel. +49 2161 664864 Fax +49 2161 631045 info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

University of Applied Sciences Faculty II, Department of Bioprocess Engineering Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Josef Endres Heisterbergallee 12 30453 Hannover, Germany Tel. +49 (0)511-9296-2212 Fax +49 (0)511-9296-2210 hans-josef.endres@fh-hannover.de www.fakultaet2.fh-hannover.de

10 35 mm

Minima Technology Co., Ltd. Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City, Taichung County 411, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Tel. +886(4)2277 6888 Fax +883(4)2277 6989 Mobil +886(0)982-829988 esmy325@ms51.hinet.net Skype esmy325 www.minima-tech.com

Roll-o-Matic A/S Petersmindevej 23 5000 Odense C, Denmark Tel. + 45 66 11 16 18 Fax + 45 66 14 32 78 rom@roll-o-matic.com www.roll-o-matic.com

30 35

Sample Charge: 35mm x 6,00 â&#x201A;Ź = 210,00 â&#x201A;Ź per entry/per issue

Sample Charge for one year: 6 issues x 210,00 EUR = 1,260.00 â&#x201A;Ź The entry in our Suppliers Guide is bookable for one year (6 issues) and extends automatically if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not canceled three month before expiry.

6.1 Machinery & Molds

FAS Converting Machinery AB O Zinkgatan 1/ Box 1503 27100 Ystad, Sweden Tel.: +46 411 69260 www.fasconverting.com

nova-Institut GmbH Chemiepark Knapsack Industriestrasse 300 50354 Huerth, Germany Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40 Fax: +49(0)2233-48-14 5 10. Institutions 10.1 Associations

Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic Container Industry 284 Pinebush Road Cambridge Ontario Canada N1T 1Z6 Tel. +1 519 624 9720 Fax +1 519 624 9721 info@hallink.com www.hallink.com

BPI - The Biodegradable Products Institute 331 West 57th Street, Suite 415 New York, NY 10019, USA Tel. +1-888-274-5646 info@bpiworld.org

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/11] Vol. 6

Companies in this issue Company

Editorial

A&O Filmpac AIMPLAS AkzoNobel Alesco API BASF Bio4Pack BioBag Austria Biomer BIOMOOD bioplastics24 Biopolymer Network BioPro Bioresins.eu Biosphere BPI Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen Cargill CBP Leuna Cereplast Clarifoil CNRS Coca-Cola Coldiretti COZA CTAG DIN Certco DuPont Ecomann Econcore ecoPack Systems Edding EuPC European Bioplastics European Industrial Hemp Association European Plastics News FAS Converting FH Hannover Fischer Automotive Systems FkuR FkuR Fraunhofer IAP Fraunhofer UMSICHT Freedonia Fujitsu Grace Bio Grupo Antolin Gucci Hallink Huhtamaki IMM Infinity Foods InnoPlast Solutions Innovia Films Istituto di Chimica e Tecnologia die Polimeri Jim Lunt Associates Joseph Fourier University Grenoble Karl Marbach

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Kingfa Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry Laurel BioCompostite Lexus LignoTech Lignovalue Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients Mann + Hummel McDonalds MEGA TECH Messe Düsseldorf (interpack) Michigan State University Minima Technology NanoBioMatters NatureWorks Natur-Tec nova-Institut Novamont Organic Waste Systems Pactiv PIEP Plastic Engineering Associates Licensing Plastic Suppliers Plasticker Plastiroll President Packaging PSM Purac Robert Bosch Roll-o-Matic Saida Scion Shenzen Brightchina Showa Denko Sidaplax Sony Sukano Synbra Taghleef Industries Takata Petri Tecnaro Telles Tianan Biologic Toyota Transmare TÜV Rheinland Uhde Inventa-Fischer University of Minho University of Brescia University of Guelph University of Konstanz University of Pisa University of Toronto University of Wageningen University of Wisconsin USDA VTT Wei Mon Wuhan Huali (PSM)

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Edit/Ad/Deadl. Editorial Focus (1)

Editorial Focus (2)

Basics

Mar/Apr 04.04.2011

11.03.2011

Rigid Packaging / Trays

Catering Products

Bioplastics in Packaging interpack Preview

May/Jun 06.06.2011

13.05.2011

Beauty & Healthcare

Thermoset

PHA (update)

Jul/Aug 01.08.2011

08.07.2011

Bottles / Blow Moulding

End-of-Life Options

Stretch Blow Moulding

Sep/Oct 04.10.2011

09.09.2011

Fibers / Textiles / Nonwovens Paper Coating

Algae

Nov/Dec 05.12.2011

11.11.2011

Films / Flexibles / Bags

Film-Blowing

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/10] Vol. 5

Consumer Electronics

61 51, 60 9, 60 61 61

Editorial Planner 2011 Month

Advert 60

Fair Specials

interpack Rreview

A real sign of sustainable development.

There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable development. Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working on an ambitious project that combines the chemical industry, agriculture and the environment: "Living Chemistry for Quality of Life". Its objective has been to create products with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamont's innovative research is the new bioplastic Mater-Bi 速. Mater-Bi 速 is a family of materials, completely biodegradable and compostable which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and vegetable oil derivates. Mater-Bi 速 performs like traditional plastics but it saves energy, contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect and at the end of its life cycle, it closes the loop by changing into fertile humus. Everyone's dream has become a reality.

Mater-Bi速: certified biodegradable and compostable.

Living Chemistry for Quality of Life. www.novamont.com

Inventor of the year 2007