bioplastics MAGAZINE 02-2014

02 | 2014

Highlights Polyurethane & Elastomers

bioplastics

MAGAZINE

Vol. 9

ISSN 1862-5258

March/April

Cover-Story Jinhui Group | 14

1 countries

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Editorial

dear readers Two big events are approaching fast: from April 23rd to 26th Chinaplas is attracting visitors to Shanghai, not only from China but also from the rest of Asia, and from all over the world. Again organizer Adsale Exhibition Services has arranged a special Bioplastics Zone e in hall 9. The other big trade show is interpack (May 8th to 14th). Every three years the packaging industry meets in Düsseldorf, Germany, for the largest packaging show in the World. bioplastics MAGAZINE has prepared comprehensive previews for both events, including show guides with floor plans. Meet bioplastics MAGAZINE in Shanghai at our own booth (N3S29). At interpack you can meet us at the European Bioplastics booth in hall 9 (booth F05).

One of the editorial focal topics in this issue is polyurethane, which is also covered in the Basics section. Another highlight, albeit not announced as an editorial focus in advance is PHA, for example as part of a report to our visit to the Meredian plant in Bainbridge, Georgia, USA. The third important event his spring — at least from our point of view — is 3rd PLA World Congress. bioplastics MAGAZINE invites you once again to this unique event in Munich, Germany, on May 27th and 28th, 2014.

The bioplastics MAGAZINE team is looking forward to seeing one or other of you at one of the many events this spring.

Until then we hope you enjoy your reading.

Sincerely yours Michael Thielen

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Content Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 - 7 Application Nesws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Suppliers Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Companies in this issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

02|2014 March/April Events

Materials

Review: Innovation Takes Root . . . . . . . . . . . 8

News for “drop-in” bioplastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

3rd PLA World Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Natural fibres as flame-retardants? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Cover Story

Show Preview

JinHui’s transition road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Chinaplas 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Chinaplas ShowGuide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Rigid Packaging

interpack 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Urban Schools aim for Environmental Revolution . . . . . . . .16

interpac ShowGuide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Compostable meat packaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Polyurethanes / Elastomers Impact Modifier for PLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Brawn from Bio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Basics Polyurethanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Report From canola to PHA - All under “one roof“. . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Open Letter

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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Cover Ad: JinHui Group

Cover

A part of this print run is mailed to the readers in envelopes sponsored by BIOTEC GmbH & Co. KG

Envelopes

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bioplastics MAGAZINE

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Biodegradable-compostable plastics – a primer vis-à-vis recycling and end-of-life issues . . . . . . . .56

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News

Novamont takes majority stake in Mater-Biopolymer Novamont (Novara, Italy) and Mossi & Ghisolfi (headquartered in Tortona, Italy) recently signed an agreement through which Novamont acquired from M&G 78% of the shares in Mater-Biopolymer srl - the company that controls the plant in Patrica (Italy) - with an option to buy the remaining share capital by the end of 2016.

Under the agreement, the Patrica plant, with 83 employees, will work exclusively for Novamont and M&G, with one line producing PET for M&G and another - already completely modified over the past 4 years using proprietary Novamont technology - for production of Origo-Bi®, the range of polyesters obtained from monomers partially or completely from renewable sources.

These polymers are used to improve the technical, economic and environmental characteristics of Mater-Bi®, Novamont’s range of biodegradable and compostable bioplastics.

Novamont has extensive experience in the field of bioplastics, and will give new impetus to the site, creating jobs and competitive barriers and enhancing existing research skills in the areas of materials, process engineering and innovation in general. The Patrica site will have the

PHA to improve performance of PLA

capacity for annual production of around 100,000 tonnes of a series of polyesters from the Origo-Bi range, further stimulating upstream integration of the Novamont production chain.

“At such a challenging time for our country, the Bioeconomy sector and chemicals from renewable sources in particular are of proven strategic importance for economic recovery and creating value for the whole country. With today’s operation and with the range of operations we have completed in recent months - such as those of Adria-Bottrighe, Piana di Monte Verna and Porto Torres, both alone and with key industrial partners - Novamont is proving it is possible to create an economic and environmental model capable of re-industrialising the region, reusing skills and facilities and recreating jobs, focused on the efficient use of resources and the integration of research, agriculture and industry”, said Catia Bastioli, CEO of Novamont.

“We are pleased that the technological collaboration with Novamont is leading to the creation of flexible sites like Patrica, suited to the production of polymers with high sustainability.

This fits with our group’s other activities, in particular through our affiliated companies Biochemtex and Beta Renewables, which offer the chance to reconvert other industrial sites in Italy to sustainable technologies”, said Marco Ghisolfi. MT www.novamont.com

Metabolix Inc. (Cambridge, Massachussetts, USA) has developed new amorphous PHA biopolymers with the physical characteristics of a low Tg rubber. These new rubber modifiers have been shown to improve the ductility and flexibility of PLA, while also retaining clarity and compostability. In PLA extrusion applications, MirelTM rubber modifiers lower stiffness and brittleness and improve tactile feel. In PLA film applications these rubber modifiers also increase tear resistance. PHA and PLA biopolymers are both biobased and compostable, making them attractive for sustainability and performance-driven business opportunities.

“Metabolix continues to make great progress in the use of our core PHA technology as a performance-driven modifier in applications where improved performance of both biobased and conventional polymers such as PLA and PVC is desired,” said Joseph Shaulson, president and CEO of Metabolix.

“These innovative Mirel rubber modifiers are an exciting extension to the Metabolix PHA technology platform.

Their capability to modify and improve PLA demonstrates performance that is comparable to traditional non-renewable rubber modifiers without compromising the renewable nature of PLA or key features of clarity and compostability,” added Bob Engle, vice president, biopolymers of Metabolix. MT www.metabolix.com

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News

European Parliament (ENVI Committee) vote paves way for compostable plastic bags On March 11 the European Parliament Environment Committee clearly voiced its support for decisive steps to reduce the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags in Europe.

European Bioplastics supports the outcome of the vote, and the new provisions on biodegradable and compostable plastic carrier bags.

François de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics, commented: “We are very glad to see provisions that acknowledge the important contribution that biodegradable and compostable plastic bags can make to enhanced biowaste collection across the EU. Biodegradable bags that are EN13432 compliant can help Member States to reduce landfilling by diverting biowaste from landfill to organic recycling. We now call on the Council of the European Union to support the provisions taken up by the Parliament and recognise the value that biodegradable plastic bags offer to European society”.

The report exempts very lightweight carrier bags (below 10 micron thickness) from the scope of any measures and

requires their progressive replacement with biodegradable and compostable bags. It also allows Member States with existing separate collection of biowaste to reduce the price of biodegradable and compostable lightweight carrier bags by up to 50 percent. MT www.european-bioplastics.org

PHA for automotive interiors Magna International Inc. (Troy, Michigan, USA), a leading global automotive supplier, and bio-on, an Italian intellectual property company, have signed a cooperation agreement to start exclusive R&D activities on the use of bio plastics for the automotive industry. bio-on has developed a new kind of PHA made by naturally occurring bacteria using sugar beet by-products, thus they do not rely on food as a resource. The material could provide alternatives to conventional plastics for the automotive industry. Even if not of any significance for automotive applications in the first place, the companies informed that the resins are fully biodegradable in water and soil.

Magna, through its Interiors operating unit, is pairing its automotive know-how with bio-on’s chemical expertise to research how production of this natural polyester product can be elevated to an industrial, cost-effective scale. Additionally, the two companies will test and evaluate how bio-on bio plastics will perform in different standard industry processes such as thermoforming. Magna Interiors will utilize its facility in Liberec, Czech Republic, for joint testing.

“Our material has already demonstrated great potential in diverse industries and we now want to apply it to the automotive sector as well,” says Marco Astorri , CEO and cofounder of bio-on. “Through this partnership, bio-on hopes to contribute significantly to meeting the global need for a greener future mobility, with lower environmental impact.”

“As a leading global automotive supplier, Magna is leveraging its manufacturing expertise to partner with bio-on to deliver a potential game-changing innovation to the industry,” said Albert Lidauer, President Magna Interiors Global. “We are excited about the possibilities this cooperation offers us to further support our customers in pursuit of environmentally friendly vehicles.” MT www.bio-on.it www.magna.com

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

News

Marine biodegradation tests for Mater-Bi Not only due to the omnipresent discussions about the pacific garbage patch the biodegradability of certain bioplastics in the sea — so called marine degradability — is on almost everyone’s lips. After thoroughly investigating biodegradability and compostability in industrial composting environments, under home composting conditions and in soil, the focus of scientists involved in the biodegradability of plastics became focused on marine biodegradation.

It soon became clear that the biodegradation behaviour of biodegradable plastics is quite different in different habitats.

Biodegradation in free water (the so called “pelagic zone”), where the microbial density is low, can be very retarded.

On the other hand, habitats such as the sea bottom and the beaches result to be quite active in biodegradation. This led to the development of specific test methods to measure biodegradation in conditions simulating these habitats. The effort to validate new test methods is high and, in particular, the field studies in the seas require specific knowledge and equipment and is by far more complicated than a biodegradation test in soil or in a backyard composter.

The subject of marine biodegradability of bio-based products is now tackled with an higher deployment of resources thanks to European Project Open-Bio [1] co-financed by the European Commission, where European scientists and institutes are cooperating in order to validate a suitable testing scheme and help the standardisation activities. Draft standards are also under discussion at ISO and ASTM level.

In mid-February Novamont (Novara, Italy) announced that marine biodegradation tests overseen by the Italian Institute of Plastics (IIP) show that the fourth generation biodegradable plastic Mater-Bi® has achieved biodegradation of over 80% in around 220 days.

The laboratory tests simulate the environmental conditions of the sea bed and the seashore, habitats where a lot of plastic waste ends up. These data confirm that compostable products also tend to biodegrade under natural conditions, such as the marine environment, over a relatively short time. MT [1] www.biobasedeconomy.eu/research/open-bio

www.novamont.com

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People Report Events

Review: Innovation Takes Root

T

he fourth Innovation Takes Root (ITR) conference was once again a unique event where NatureWorks LLC brought together, from all around the globe, users of Ingeo biopolymers for three days of collaboration, learning, panel discussions and networking. From February 17 to 19, 2014 more than 300 attendees from 25 countries gathered in Orlando, Florida, USA, where a total of 43 speakers, 30 exhibitors and 11 sponsors ensured that the conference was a fruitful event of learning and networking.

There are reports in this article about some of the many highlights at the event.

The day prior to the actual conference was dominated by two workshops. The morning workshop covered “Practical Tools for Characterizing and Understanding Product Performance in Biopolymers” and in the afternoon the delegates learned about “Biopolymers - Navigating the Global Regulatory Landscape”.

In the first plenary session on February 18 a keynote speech by Jim Carroll, futurist, trends & innovation expert caught the attention of the audience. Statements like: “Most of today’s kids will work in professions that don’t even exist yet”, or “Sustainability is like teenage sex”, proved to be more than just food for thought. Carroll asked the attendees to reconsider their attitude towards innovation, and their willingness to adapt to change in our economic, social and environmental global ecosystem.

Another speaker in the plenary session, Allan Rasmussen, Senior Project Manager of LEGO, explained that the company (who, by the way, started to produce their toy bricks from wood and later cellulose acetate – an early bioplastic) is continuously testing alternative sustainable materials, such as PLA. However, responsibility towards the environment and performance requirements must both be met. So, as an example, if Lego bricks from modern sustainable biopolymers cannot perform the necessary friction properties, i.e. bricks must not fall apart by themselves, but must cling together when required, and also little kids must nevertheless be able

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to take them apart when they want, then Lego would not do it.

Another brand owner that shared its “Approach to Innovation for Sustainability” was Unilever, represented by Ravinder Reddy. Unilever’s big goals, as the company moves towards 2020, include 100% sustainable sourcing of agricultural materials and cutting the environmental footprint of their products. One means of achieving these goals is to partner with other companies.

The afternoon was split into three parallel Market Focus Sessions. Experts from NatureWorks, as well as customers and partner companies shared their expertise with the delegates. This included mainstream topics such as the development of film products, form-fill-seal packaging, labels and foam, but also niche applications such as honeycomb board. A presentation on “Innovations enabled by 3D-printing” was rounded off by a live demonstration in the exhibition area.

Metabolix has developed new amorphous PHA biopolymers with the physical characteristics of an elastomer. These new resins have been shown to improve the ductility and flexibility of PLA as a type of rubber modifier, while also retaining clarity and compostability. These modifiers allow the production of more flexible films that are still compostable, but are less ‘noisy’ than those chip bags, as Bob Engle, Metabolix’ vice president for biopolymers explained.

On the second day Scott Jenkins from the Board of Directors, Green Sports Alliance & VP Ballpark Operations at Seattle Mariners, shared his experience on how large sports leagues and sporting events can influence the public towards a more sustainable behavior. “In the USA 13% of people follow science, but 61% follow sports,” he said.

The Market Focus Sessions on the second day focused on topics such as fibres, durable applications, or high heat performance of PLA. The conference was concluded by a plenary closing session. Francois de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics,

Events

shared the industry association’s view of the recent and future market developments. He spoke about topics such as the availability of land for food/feed AND bioplastics. He also discussed European legal framework conditions including the recent developments in bagislation, recycling issues and greenwashing.

The last speaker at the conference was Marc Verbruggen, President & CEO of NatureWorks.

In a breathtaking ride through NatureWorks’ history and future, the 3Ps of success (properties, price and preferences), feedstocks, applications and business figures were covered. Here are just a few highlights:

One billion pounds With an aggregated volume of one billion pounds (450,000 tonnes) of PLA sold by the end of last year, the Blair/Nebraska plant has reached its capacity limits. Hence NatureWorks is planning to set up a second plant, most likely in Thailand. 30% of NatureWorks sales is to Asia and the Far East, and is one of the company’s reasons to install a regional headquarters in Bangkok. “And ultimately we will have a production plant in that region,” Verbruggen said.

Allan Rasmussan, Lego

Economics of PLA “There is one number – and one number only – that you have to remember,” Mark Verbruggen stated, “and that is 1.25.” There are 1.25 kilograms of sugar needed to make 1 kilogram of PLA, compared to 2.14 for bio-PP, 2.77 for bio-PET, or even 3.22 for bio-PE. This is the economics of PLA and that also means that NatureWorks will be able to compete with polystyrene and PET in economic terms. Mark Verbruggen took polystyrene as an example: If sugar is available at a price of 0.17 to 0.20 US$ for a pound – which it is today – from a feedstock point of view, PLA is cost competitive to PS when oil is around 50$ a barrel. But oil is 100 $ a barrel!

Do it in a sustainable way Of course, especially now with a view to finding a location for next Ingeo PLA plant (most probably in Asia), NatureWorks is very thoroughly looking to use feedstocks that are produced in a sustainable way. But Verbruggen also asks the stakeholders to observe what NatureWorks is doing in a fair way – which is not happening today. “(When I look at) my polystyrene cup, nobody seems to care where the oil is coming from. Nobody seems to care whether that (oil) drilling in Nigeria was actually done in a sustainable way.

Marc Verbruggen, NatureWorks

Two billion pounds So, at the end of his talk, mentioning the first billion pounds of Ingeo PLA, Verbruggen said: “Now, if you’re in the chemical industry, you probably say: so what? True — polystyrene in the United States … 6 billion pounds, seven billion pounds? Granted — it’s significantly larger. But in the world of bioplastics, having produced and sold a billion pounds means that we have come a long way.”

And this is only a beginning. Even if NatureWorks is proud of that achievement, “getting to two billion pounds is going to take us a heck of a lot less time than it took to get to a billion pounds, and we’re going to get pretty quickly to a situation where growth of our industry is no longer depending on demand, it’s going to start depending on supply.” MT

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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Events

bioplastics MAGAZINE presents:

3rd PLA World Congress

rd

3 PLA World Congress 27 + 28 MAY 2014 MUNICH › GERMANY

The 3rd PLA World Congress in Munich/Germany, organised by bioplastics MAGAZINE 27 + 28 MAY 2014inMUNICH GERMANY is the must-attend conference for everyone interested PLA, its ›benefits, and challenges. The conference offers high class presentations from top individuals in the industry and also offers excellent networkung opportunities along with a table top exhibition. Please find below the preliminary programme. Find more details and register at the conference website www.pla-world-congress.com

3rd PLA World Congress, preliminary programme Tuesday, May 27, 2014 08:00 - 08:30 08.30 - 08.45 08:45 - 09:15 09:15 - 09:40 09:40 - 10:05 10:05 - 10:30 10:30 - 10:55 10:55 - 11:20 11:20 - 11:45

Registration, Welcome-Coffee Michael Thielen, Polymedia Publisher Constance Ißbrücker, European Bioplastics Udo Mühlbauer, Uhde Inventa-Fischer Emmanuel Rapendy, Sulzer Chemtech Marcel Dartee, Polyone Q&A Coffeebreak Frank Diodato, NatureWorks

11:45 - 12:10 12:10 - 12:35 12:35 - 12:50 12:50 - 14:00 14:00 - 14:35 14:35 - 14:50 14:50 - 15:15 15.15 - 15:40 15:40 - 15:55 15:55 - 16:30 16:35 - 17:00 17:00 - 17:25

Francois de Bie, Corbion-Purac Andrew Gill, Floreon Q&A Lunch Patrick Zimmermann, FkUR Daniela Jahn, IfBB Kevin Moser, Fraunhofer ICT Tang Junsheng, Tianjin Glory Tang Technology Q&A Coffeebreak Bob Engle, Metabolix Gerald Schennink, Wageningen UR

Welcome Keynote Speech: The diversity of PLA - From single-use to durable PLA for fibres and textiles Latest developments in High Performance PLA Production Raising the bar: PLA for durable applications

Latest developments in Ingeo Biopolymers for packaging, fibres and durable applications High Heat PLA, from concept to reality !

Increasing the Functionality & Performance of PLA

Different markets, different requirements – Customized PLA-developments Processing and stabilization of different types of PLA Profile Extrusion – New opportunities for PLA compounds PLA commercial application & waste recycle

PLA modification using new PHA copolymers PLA hybrids vs. heat-stable (100%) PLA

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 09:00 - 09:25 09:25 - 09:50 09:50 - 10:15 10:15 - 10:40 10:40 - 10:55 10.55 - 11:20 11:20 - 11:45 11:45 - 12:10 12:10 - 12:35

Paolo Serafini, Taghleef Industries Jarl De Bruyne, Sidaplax Specialty Films Francesca Brunori, Roechling Automotive N.N., t.b.c.

Q&A Coffeebreak Peter Matthijsen, Synbra Joachim Venus, Leibniz-Inst. for Agricultural Engineering Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University

12:35 - 12:50 12:50 - 14:00 14:00 - 14:35 14:35 - 14:50 14:50 - 15:15 15.15 - 15:40

Q&A Lunch Kevin Yang, Shenzhen Esun Technology Gerold Breuer, Erema Steve Dejonghe, Looplife Tanja Siebert, Fraunhofer IVV

15:40 - 15:55 16:00 - 16:30

Q&A Panel discussion:

(subject to changes, visit www.pla-world-congress for updates)

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

NATIVIA – The BoPLA film for packaging and labelling applications The next generation of PLA shrink films Plantura, ecofriendly automotive biopolymer A brand owners view to PLA: Chances and challenges

BioFoam expanding further Bioconversion of renewable feedstocks and (agri/food) residues into lactic acid New developments & Strategies in PLA end-of-life – biodegradability - compostability and recycling issues

PLA chemical recycling to produce lactate esters Boost in recycling efficiency - the new Counter Current technology Upcycling of PLA waste PLA recycling-techniques. State of the art and research. Chances and opportunities.

Obstacles and challenges: What do we need for more PLA products to show up in the marketplace

3rd PLA World Congress 27 + 28 MAY 2014 MUNICH › GERMANY

PLA iss a versa atile e bioplasstics raw w ma ateria al fro om renewable ren newa able e res resources. sourcces. It is bein being ng used for filmss and d rigi rigid id pa packaging, acka aging g, for fibres in woven woven n and non-woven non-wovven applications. applicatiions. Automotive Auttomotive e ind industry dustrry and consumer consume er electronics ellectrroniccs ar are re thorou thoroughly ughly ly investigating inv vestiigatiing a and nd e even ven n alr already readyy app applying plyin ng PLA. New w metho methods ods o off po polymerizing, olym merizzing, com compounding mpou unding or blend blending ding of P PLA LA h have ave e bro broadened oadened the rang range ge off pro o properties operrties and d thu thus us th the he ra range ange e of p possible osssible ap applications. ppliccations. w That‘s Th hat‘ss why hy bioplastics bio oplassticss MAGAZINE is now org organizing ganizing g the 3rd P PLA LA A World Worrld C Congress ong gresss on:

27-28 May 2014 in Munich / Germany Exxperrts from Experts frrom all invol involved lved fields eld ds will will share sh hare e their the eir knowledge kno owle edge e and d contribute con ntrib bute to a com comprehensive mpre ehen nsive e overview over rview w of today‘s toda ay‘s oppo opportunities ortu unitie es an and nd challengch halle enges and an nd discuss discu uss the possibilities, possibilitties, limitations limitatio ons and future fu uture e prospects pro ospe ects of P PLA LA ffor or all kind o off applications. applica ation ns. L Like ike the firstt two o congresses con ngre essess the 3rd P PLA LA World Worrld Congress Cong gresss wil will ll als also so of offer ffer excellent exce ellent networ networking rking g op opportunities pporttunitties ffor or a all ll delegates deleg gatess and d sp speakers peake ers a ass w well ell a ass ex exhibitors xhibitorss of the e table-top tab ble-ttop e exhibition. xhibitio on.

The conference will comprise high class presentations on

Register now !

• Latest developments • High temperature behaviour • Blends and Compounds • Foam • Processing • Additives • Stabilization • Applications (packaging and durable applications)

› Please find the online online registration reg gistra ation n form m as well as an updated up pdate ed pr programme rogra amme at

www.pla-world-congress.com

organized by:

Silver sponsors: GmbH

BÖSELPLASTIC MANAGEMENT

• Fibers, fabrics, textiles, nonwovens • Recycling

Bronze sponsors:

People Materials Report

News for “drop-in” bioplastics New renewable solutions now offer a new gateway to biobased plastics

N

este Oil (Espoo, Finland), the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel, is now entering a new market: sustainable plastics and chemicals. Its growing family of NEXBTL renewable products provides the basis for a number of bio-based chemicals and plastics, such as consumer products, packaging, automotive parts, and chemical derivatives.

This promises to herald the beginning of a new era in European plastics production, as it means that Neste Oil’s partners are now able to provide customers with commercial volumes of chemicals and plastics produced (at least partly) from renewables using the same processes that are used for existing products made from fossil-based materials. The mechanical and physical properties of the drop-in bioplastics (i.e. well known traditional plastics partly or wholly made from renewable resources) produced from NEXBTL products are 100% comparable with those of plastics produced from fossil feedstocks.

Using NEXBTL products offers a unique way to reduce the environmental impact typically associated with conventional plastic and chemical products.

“The expansion of our NEXBTL product family is an important step in our strategy to develop new product

applications for our patented NEXBTL technology,” explains Kaisa Hietala, Neste Oil’s Vice President, Renewable Fuels.

“Our premium-quality NEXBTL products are ideal for producing bio-based chemicals and plastics because of their oxygen-free composition; and the plastics industry clearly represents an interesting market for us in the future.”

Switching over is simple, cost-effective, and yields clear environmental benefits Using NEXBTL products offers manufacturers valuable savings in terms of investments and testing, as they can produce and convert biopolymers using their existing technology and assets.

Converters can save time and effort, as testing is either not required or is limited to approval of new products based on the same chemistry. This reduces the need to invest in new processing lines and reduces the number of times that lines have to be stopped for testing purposes.

In applications such as packaging and consumer items, the risk of user claims is minimal, as plastics produced from NEXBTL renewable products offer identical barrier properties and processing parameters to conventional plastics.

“Another excellent benefit of switching to NEXBTL based

Polyethylene Polypropylene Ethylene Propylene Butadiene

cracking NEXBTL

Benzene Toluene Xylene

ABS

Acrylonitrile Acrylates EO/PO

Packaging Automotive

Appliances, toys electronics

Textiles, coatings composites

Packaging PET, PS, PBAT Methane Fuels, esters Methanol Energy

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

By: Tomi Nyman manager Renewable Products Neste Oil Espoo, Finland

products is that recycling can be handled exactly as before as well,” says Tomi Nyman, Manager, Renewable Products at Neste Oil. “As products produced from NEXBTL are identical to those produced from fossil inputs, existing recycling systems can be used with no modifications and no new systems need to be developed. The end-of-life profile of products following recycling is also similar, but with the added benefit of significantly lower CO2 emissions.”

Initially, mass balance allocation is required to verify the renewable content of products, but as more manufacturers adopt these products, it will be possible to increase renewable content even up to 100%.

With Neste Oil’s Technology for example a biobased terephthalic acid can be made by cracking of NEXBTL via paraxylene, thus a 100% biobased PET becomes possible. This is just one example. By cracking the biobased NEXBTL feedstock basically most building blocks for different plastic types can be made, comparable to cracking fossil based feedstock (cf. picture).

DRIVING A RESOURCE EFFICIENT EUROPE

Sustainable production process and feedstock base NEXBTL products are produced using Neste Oil’s patented NEXBTL technology at the company’s sites in Finland, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Due to the unique nature of the technology, Neste Oil can use practically any type of vegetable oil and a wide range of industrial waste and residues as feedstocks for its process.

All NEXBTL products comply with strict sustainability criteria across the entire supply chain and are verified as being sustainably produced. Inputs are fully traced back to their origin and contribute a significant reduction in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to comparable fossil-based products. www.nesteoil.com

Save the date!

2/ 3 December 2014 The Square Meeting Centre Brussels More information at: www.european-bioplastics.org

www.conference.european-bioplastics.org bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

13

Cover Story Advertorial

JinHui’s transition road hanxi JinHui Energy Group Co., Ltd (JinHui Group) founded in 1995, is a large scale private enterprises group mainly in coalcoke-chemical and salt-chemical re-circulating industries, with a highly diversified business in energy, chemicals, power generation, logistics and transportation, ecology, agriculture, real estate and international trade, as well as financial services.

S

The headquarter of JinHui Group is located in Taiyuan, the capital of the Chinese Shanxi Province. It has 49 subsidiaries with a total of 7,500 employees. The total assets of JinHui Group at the end of 2013 were 26 billion RMB (4 billion US-Dollars).

JinHui Group contains two business divisions. The Coal-CokeChemical Re-circulating Industry is located in Shanxi Province. The other location is in Xinjiang Province, where JinHui Group is active in the Salt – Chemical Re-circulating Industry

JinHui to help China’s waste problems Each year, the Chinese government has to handle over 160 million tonnes of waste.

Landfill not only takes up precious land resources but also contributes to the pollution of underground water systems. Waste incineration will produce a large amount of carbon dioxide (and – if not managed properly - toxic gases). Therefore the Chinese government has started to promote waste classification in order to recycle metal, plastics and paper as much as possible. Kitchen waste and garden waste should be collected using biodegradable bags. Applying anaerobic digestion the waste can be turned into combustible gas and organic fertilizer. It is expected that the total volume of scrap can be reduced by 40%.

“We believe that a better social environment will provide more development opportunities for every member of society,” says Janice Li, Vice President of JinHui Group.

www www.jinhuigroup.com w.jinh huigroup.com

Visitt JinH JinHui Hui G Group roup p at Chinaplas, C hina aplass, Hall Halll C9, C99, Booth Boo oth D03 D03

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In China, single-use tableware is very common because foamed polystyrene (PS) products are available at a very low cost. On the other hand, the social cost is very high due to high cleaning cost and transportation. As a result, it is more expensive to recycle PS foam products than to use new PS. Actually PS foam products are never re-used and the government needs to pay a high cost to clear them up.

We know that the average plastic mulch film residue from each acre of agricultural farmland in China is already over 27 kg, resulting in a serious reduction of crop yield. Farmland is always considered as the soul of the Chinese dream in traditional Chinese culture, so it is unfortunate that Shanxi province is considered as one of the most polluted provinces within China. As one of the largest private enterprises in Shanxi, a major management philosophy of JinHui Group is social responsibility. “We believe that a better social environment will provide more development opportunities for every member of society,” says Janice Li, Vice President of JinHui Group.

After market research, JinHui has chosen the PBAT biodegradable plastic project as the first step of the road to transition.

PBAT as a first step JinHui Group has formed 100% owned subsidiary company JinHui ZhaoLong and already invested more than US$60 million to build a continuous production line for PBAT in Xiaoyi City, Shanxi province, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes.

The technology is a single step reaction via a five reactor process. JinHui ZhaoLong is the only PBAT producer using the patented standing fifth reactor system which makes it possible to control the melt flow index below 5 without application of a chain extending agent. The PBAT project can use the existing common facilities of JinHui Group. Railway loading stations and the truck fleets of JinHui Group allow transportation at low cost with high efficiency. JinHui Group also has its own power plant to provide a low energy cost.

Jinhui Group is one of the main enterprises in Shanxi Province and was named ‘’Advanced Management Enterprise’’ by the Provincial Government for many years. The company has also gained strong support from both local and provincial governments.

MEET THE BIOPLASTICS INDUSTRY ÆHALL 9

JinHui ZhaoLong’s PBAT has obtained EN13432 and ASTM D 6400 certification as well as FDA approval. The company has implemented the ISO 9001 system in order to guarantee quality.

live

plastics o i b t u o b a Hear t stand solutions a

JinHui ZhaoLong, a modern large scale private enterprise, specializes in research and development, production and sales in biodegradable plastics, and has formed a professional R&D team with the support of the Physics and Chemical Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Customers benefit from a one-stop solution for biodegradable plastics solutions to their application problems .Paper lamination products, bagasse lamination products and wrap film products have been successfully introduced into the biodegradable market.

JinHui Group has a strong advantage in natural resources, and also has market and technology advantages from its long term development. JinHui Group aims to be one of the top energy generating companies in the world with complete upstream and downstream routes in the industry chain.

In recent years the group has used its advantages in raw materials and technology to develop products with excellent environmental specifications. “We shall stay on, and closely follow the transition road map, and we shall develop more new products in the areas of bioplastics as well as future new materials,” Janice says. JinHui ZhaoLong High Technology Co., Ltd. is committed to contributing to a sustainable development of our environment. MT

AND OUR STRONG PARTNERS IN BIOPLASTICS

The Certified Compostable and Partly Biobased Polymer

by BASF

by NatureWorks

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/14] Vol. 9

15

Rigid Packaging

Thermoformed trays from Bio-Flex F 6611

Kids in Naples enjoy their lunch from new trays

Urban Schools aim for Environmental Revolution

N

othing seemed to be special about the food trays from which pupils at several Naples schools consumed their meals: rigid, angular and white. But looks can be deceiving: They are the pioneer of what could become an environmental revolution in schools across Italy.

The use of compostable catering is the first initiative of the City of Naples for an environmentally friendly realignment of the city’s goals, encouraged by the Green Public Procurement (GPP) regulation. On this background, the catering company Sagifi, historical company which has been operating for more than 25 years (1984) in the catering sector, established the Project AORNCOMPOST in the summer of 2012 entrusting Plastisud with the development of a compostable tray for use in school cafeteria’s in the City of Naples.

The requirements and expectations have been challenging: a tray that is certified for food contact, applicable for hot food filling, stackable and sealable with a compostable film as well as the tray being compostable itself - all in one.

Plastisud, in collaboration with FKuR, developed an innovative tray for catering services. In this context both parties contributed their knowhow to meet the challenges.

On the one side the processing knowledge in extrusion and thermoforming, on the other the in-depth material knowledge. “By using FKuR’s bioplastics we were able to reach a very satisfactory solution”, stated Stefano Bartoli, Production Manager at Plastisud. After a year of testing, experimentation and small steps forward, the synergy between Plastisud and FKuR led to the realization of the Aorncompost tray.

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Featured with a heat resistance of more than 90 °C the tray made from Bio-Flex® F 6611 (a blend of PLA and co-polyester) is suitable for hot food filling. In addition, the tray is not only biodegradable but also compostable according EN13432 and has been certified by CIC Italian Composters Consortium. In September 2013, the tray achieved the CIC certification and started to be used successfully in Naples schools.

Along with any uneaten food, the plates made from BioFlex F 6611 can be disposed and turned into a valuable product prized by gardeners and farmers: compost.

Bio-Flex F 6611 is certified GMO-free and in addition to its biodegradability/compostability it is predominantly composed of renewable resource raw materials. The Bio-Flex grade is ideally used for thermoforming. It is pleasant to the touch and has a pearlescent gloss.

Plastisud is an Italian company, established in the greenery Abruzzo region of Italy. For over 25 years the company has been a specialist in the production of disposable products for food packaging and catering services. This success story represents an example of a small family-owned Italian company dedicated to innovation and passion in processing plastics. “It is important for us to emphasize our ecological awareness and send a signal. By using bioplastics we can fulfil our wish to have an overall environmentally friendly solution“, confirmed Bartoli. MT www.fkur.com

Rigid Packaging

Compostable meat packaging fter 6 years of research Bio4Pack (Rheine, Germany) proudly presents its fully compostable and fully renewable meat packaging. Bio4Pack, well known for its renewable and compostable vegetable and fruit packaging and shopping bags, has been exploring ways to introduce compostable packaging to other markets. Together with strategic partners such as NatureWorks, Taghleef and Bio4life they managed to produce a biobased compostable meat packaging that’s just as good as traditional packaging for meat products. But not only as good as traditional packaging, but in some ways even better than traditional packaging.

A

The meat packaging consists of a thermoformed tray made of a 3-layer laminate (20µm PLA / 2µm proprietary barrier material / 2µm PLA) and lidding film of the same barrier construction. Important conditions during the development of the compostable meat packaging were among other things that the trays could be handled as easy as traditional trays on packaging machines and the pricing would be on the same level as traditional packaging. On top of that, perhaps most important, the packed meat had to look as good as meat packed in traditional packaging after a few days. There had to be no obstacle for professional packers other than getting used to the fact that meat can be packed in biobased compostable packaging.

Bio4Pack managed to meet all mentioned requirements.

In fact in some situations the PLA trays performed even better than traditional PET trays. Tests performed by KBBL (a well known accredited lab in Wijhe, The Netherlands) showed that meat, for example, looked better after a few days when it is packed in a Bio4Pack packaging. “A reason is the very good barrier against CO2 and oxygen,” as Patrick Gerritsen, founder and owner of Bio4Pack points out. “The permeability for water vapour however, is still good.” All together this enhances the shelf life and the quality of the packed meat.

Bio4Pack’s new meat packaging is fully compostable and entirely made from renewable resources. That means that not only the tray is compostable, but also the label, the top film and the absorption pad in the tray. They trays are available in standard British sizes, but can also be ordered in other sizes. www.bio4pack.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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People Basics

By: Hanaa Dahy Staff member and doctoral researcher ITKE- (Institute for Building Structures and Structural Design) University of Stuttgart, Germany

Natural Fibres Renewable Resources

Fibre Crops: e.g. Industrial Hemp, jute,…etc

Agricultural Residues (Agro-fibres): e.g.

Straw, husk,…etc

Regeneration: Retting, yarns and textile …

Recycling: Chopping and grinding

Purposely grown to produce fibres

Minimizing of waste- Cost effectiveness – Environmental Aspects- Society Awareness

Natural Fiber Source in Biocomposites and Agro-plastics Fig. 1: Non-wood natural fibre sources applicable in biocomposite manufacturing

Natural fibres as flameretardants?

Agro-fibres as a main component in biocomposites Throughout the past two decades natural fibres have been applied in many applications and industries including automotives, aircraft, paper industries, textiles as well as building and construction industries replacing, thanks to their lightweight and renewable nature, the non- renewable glass and other artificial fibres in the fibre-reinforced composites’ scope.

Until now, the natural reinforced composites field is more than overwhelmed by industrial natural fibres, including wooden fibres above all, as well as jute, flax, cotton,…etc., while on the other hand natural fibres that are the result of the agricultural residues sector are still valued lowly and unfairly despite their huge advantages and potentials.

Whereas the use of fibre crops planted specifically as a source of fibre is at least questionable from both social and environmental perspectives, the same cannot be said for agricultural residues. Agro-fibres, (i.e. agricultural plant residue fibres), can be applied as a main component in natural fibre composites, and in this case sometimes referred to as agro-plasticss (Fig. 1), and as seen here, suggested and applied. Cereal cultivation worldwide covers almost 700,000 hectares, according to the World Bank Group in 2013.

Concerning production, maize comes in the first rank, then rice, then wheat according to FAO statistics in 2011. Rice and wheat straw represent accordingly the highest agro-fibre amounts worldwide.

Green agroplastics from bioplastics and agro-fibres

Fig. 2: Illustration of different architectural options for thermoformed green agroplastic panels

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The advantages of applying pure bioplastics applications in the architectural field are clear when considering the freeform design options (Fig. 2), the safe indoor air quality with no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions, and the safer end-of-life disposal options. Therefore, it would be a successful option to combine the advantages of the agrofibres generated from agricultural residues, together with the advantages of bioplastics and applying both to produce architectural green biocomposite products.

Basics

Biocomposites’ Groups Cellulose-Lignin (Reference-1) The initial p post-ignition ost- gnition tim time me was >10sec, but less than 30sec. The time after the second ignition was<250sec. was< <250ssec. The The cotton co otton indicator was wasn’t sn’t ig ignited gnited and d the samp samples ples were totally consum consumed. med. A Accordingly, ccordingly, detected de ected fire class was UL UL-V-1 V-1 ( B2=normal B2=norm mal flammability, flamm mabil ty, after D N140 DIN1402) 02)

suffers from serious drawbacks concerning price and low flammability resistance. Accordingly, it was essential to search for a cheap available eco-filler that can reduce the final product price by filling and replacing the bioplastic and improving at the same time its fire-resistant behavior. This was achieved by applying the globally available straw (which is loaded with natural flame-retardant silica contents), as an eco-filler replacing the expensive and unhealthy flameretardants available in the markets.

The following table indicates the inner chemical composition of two straw types, in comparison with soft and hard wood, to define their real potentials as a main green biocomposite ingredient.

Through the previous comparison the real potentials of cereal straws are clear, from the high contents of ash and silica, which have non-flammable characteristics and can be well used in building applications. In addition, silica works against rapid biodegradability which can be given much higher potential when combined with biodegradable polymers to increase the life span as well as increasing fire resistance of the end product, all of which are of major importance in the building sector.

Straw applied as a natural flame-retardant for bioplastics In doctoral research work carried out at the ITKEUniversity of Stuttgart-Germany, rice straw (RS) was bonded with two bioplastics types, (PLA) and (Lignin), as well as a classic polyolefin (PP) for comparison. The green RS-PLA samples were compared with RS-PP samples, while green RS-lignin samples were compared with cellulose-lignins as well as with another sample of a cellulose-lignin based material found on the market.

The samples were compared mechanically, visually and ecologically, as well as comparing their flammabilityresistance and material class, where raw straw was applied in all cases with a mass load of 20-30% wt.

RS –Lignin (The developed (Reference 2- Market Product) green biocomposite The T he first po post-flame ost-flame time was <10sec, while wh le the second one w was<50sec, as<5 50sec, and the tb2+ tb3 wer were re together <60sec. In addition addition, n, the e samples sam mples were e not consumed and there e were no droplets on the e indicator. indicator Accordingly, Ac ccordingly the detected deteccted fi fire re class w was as UL94-V-0 0 ( B1=difficult B1=diffi ficult to ignite-after ignite-a after DIN1402)

(Reference 2 Market Product) Th The he samples were completely complete ely melted onto the cla clamp, amp, and consumed after af er the first fi rst ig ignition gnition in more than 30 seconds, which iss the time considered according to the standard appl applied. ed. H Hence, ence e, the material is b below elow the the applied standard and cannot be rranked canno anked under under a specific specific material fi fire re class.. lass .

Table 2. Illustration of the flammability aspect of the celluloselignin, RS-lignin and a cellulose-lignin based market product after UL1694 and UL94

The effect of the high silica contents, present in the applied raw rice straw, on the flammability attitude of the developed biocomposites were here evaluated,

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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People Basics Straw/Plant

Density[g/cm³]

Cellulose

Hemi-cellulose

Lignin

Silica

Ash

Rice straw

0.02-0.72 (1)

28-36 (2)

18–25 (3)

12-16 (2)

9-14 (2), 15-20 (4)

15-20 (2)

Wheatstraw

-

38-46 (2)

20–32 (3)

16-21 (2)

3-7 (2) /4-10 (5)

5-9 (2)

Soft wood

1.53 (2)

40-45 (2)

7-12 (6)

26-34 (2)

- (2) /<1 (5)

<1 (2)

Hard wood

-

38-48 (2)

20-25 (6)

23-30 (2)

- (2) /<1 (5)

<1 (2)

Table 1. Comparison of the chemical composition of cereal straws (rice and wheat) with that of wood (soft and hard)

Conclusion sample to 20 seconds of direct flame appliance, according to the UL 1694 ,which is equivalent to the classic UL 94, but on smaller sized samples (in this case not exceeding 2500 mm3 volume). The results were compared to UL 1694 and UL94 standards.

The test results revealed clearly how the RS-PLA flammability aspect was much higher than that of RS-PP. The samples kept burning in the case of RS-PP for a long time, ranging from 105-148 seconds, after withdrawing the flame, with a complete consumption of all samples bodies reaching the test clamp and causing the ignition of the cotton indicators. This poor behavior prohibited the material from being classified in the B-material class, as per DIN 1402. On the other hand, RS-PLA samples quickly stopped burning, within 2 to 4 seconds, after removing the flame, which is a significant difference in comparison to RS-PP. After re-igniting the samples, the fire was once more selfextinguished after less than 60 seconds, and in three cases the samples were not completely consumed after the end of the test, even after re-igniting the samples for 3 more times.

The RS-PLA material developed was found accordingly to be equivalent to UL-V2 class or B3, after DIN 1402.

RS-Lignin was much more successful, probably due to the special relationship between the silica and straw lignin present together in the RS structure, in a special combination as recorded by [7]. This is believed to increase the compatibility and extra effect of this odd and special silicatelignin when combined with refined lignin plastic as a binder, which gave the silica the chance to precipitate properly and homogenously through the composite’s structure, having then enough chance to optimize the fire-resistance effect as recorded.

The fire class changed for the same lignin-based composite from B2 to B1, when only the natural fibre applied was changed from lignocellulosic classic natural fibres obtained from fibre crops (examples are hemp and cotton) to cereal straw (Rice Straw) (Fig. 2). The samples were also compared with the lignin-cellulose based market product, which was found to have a much lower flammability-resistance than the developed RS-lignin samples.

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According to the previous illustrations, it can be concluded that straw, as the highest abundant agro-fibre worldwide, has extremely high potentials in replacing expensive and un-healthy flame-retardants, especially when combined with bioplastics. Bioplastics that would be highly evaluated if applied in architectural applications as safe recyclable and biodegradable VOC-free materials, still have serious drawbacks due to their low flame-resistance and relatively high price. Straw-bioplastic combinations would enable the final green composites to achieve higher fire-resistant material classes, that can also fulfill the new European construction products regulations that were set in July 2013, and accordingly the CE marking regulations of the construction products covered by the European Technical Standards. This could be achieved through applying the cheapest natural fibre worldwide, according to the international stock rates, as an eco-filler that would decrease the final product’s price by replacing the expensive biopolymer, and at the same time increasing its technical properties, especially its flammability resistance.

References [1] Jenkins, B.M. Properties of biomass - In Biomass Energy Fundamentals. PRI TR-102107, Palo Alto, California : EFRElectric Power Research Institute, 1993.

[2] Summer, M. Fundamental properties of rice straw in comparison with softwoods. Davis: Department of Engineering, University of California, 2000.

[3] Galletti, AMR and Antonetti, C. Biomass pre-treatment: separation of cellulose, hemicellulose and Lignin . Eurobrief.

[Online] September 19, 2011.

[4] Yang, Y. and Reddy, N. High Quality and Long Natural Cellulose Fibers From Rice Straw and Method of Production Rice Straw Fibers. US 2006/0180285 A1 Lincoln, NE (US), August 17, 2006.

[5] Pekarovic, J, Pekarovicova, AD and III, Fleming. Preparation of Biosilica- enriched Filler and an Example of its Use in Papermaking Retention System. 63, 2008, Papir a Celuloza, Vols.

7-8, pp. 218-222.

[6] Chander, R and Ajay, K et al. Lignocellulose Biotechnology: Future Prospects. India : International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 2007.

[7] Jiang-yu, F. and Xue-long, M. In vitro simulation studies of silica deposition induced by lignin from rice. Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B. 2006, Vol. 7, 4, pp. 267-271.

People Report

From canola to PHA

New Meredian Holdings Group comprises oil mill, fermentation and compounding

W

hen Meredian Inc., founded in 2007 in Bainbridge, Georgia, USA as a subsidiary of DaniMer Scientific, acquired the intellectual property (IP) for making PHA from vegetable oil from Procter & Gamble, experts were excited what would be coming. Meredian’s founding partners, S. Blake Lindsey and Dr. Daniel T. Carraway, shared the vision of P&G that PHA could provide global markets with a sustainably produced, renewable, biodegradable plastic material at a competitive cost. A lot has happened since then. In February bioplastics MAGAZINE visited the plant in Bainbridge.

This plant visit fell exactly upon the founding phase of Meredian Holdings Group, now comprising three companies which map the entire supply chain of PHA production from the processing of canola oil through fermentation to reactive extrusion (compounding) into processable PHA resins, the plant manages all stages as one continuous process. These three companies are AgroCrush, Meredian and DaniMer Scientific. “The merger of these three companies is the birth of a new organization, really a fresh beginning as we transition from innovation to the commercialization stage of the company’s journey,” says Dr. Paul Pereira, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

But let’s start at the beginning…

DaniMer Scientific Back in 2004 when DaniMer Scientific LLC was founded

by Daniel Carraway (formerly responsible for the forestry biotec division of International Paper), DaniMer Scientific started offering biopolymers for extrusion coating of paper and paperboard. By modifying and functionalizing PLA with their own proprietary technology DaniMer were the first in the world to enable PLA based extrusion coating of paper.

The first real great market success was in the field of PLA-

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coated paper cups that were co-developed with International Paper and marketed under the brand name Ecotainer by this company (cf. bM 06/2008 and 05/2009). This first success allowed DaniMer to expand their product range into a wide variety of various application fields such as film converting, injection molding or thermoforming, as Blake Lindsey, president of DaniMer Scientific tells bioplastics MAGAZINE. Historically mainly based on PLA, DaniMer now has a lot of different — mainly bioplastic based — “tools in their toolbox”, so that “we can produce a number of unique combinations”, as Blake puts it. “as an example, in a few weeks DaniMer will be launching, together with Henkel, the World’s first biobased hot melt adhesive,” Blake Lindsey proudly discloses.

So basically DaniMer Scientific is a compounding company with sound knowledge of unique biopolymer processing technologies, such as their reactive extrusion that they developed over the last ten years based on a twin-screw extrusion process.

Meredian Meredian, Inc. as a sister company to Danimer Scientific, that acquired the intellectual property that forms the basis of its bioplastic technology from Procter & Gamble in 2007, and has continued to improve the patent portfolio with key international and North American patents. Meredian is proud to have Dr. Isao Noda on board, inventor of P&G’s PHA-technology (back in 1988) and a renowned expert in the field. Dr. Noda will serve Meredian as its Senior VP of Innovation and will work closely with Meredian’s customers to bring new materials to the market. Unlike the PHA types (PHB, PHV, PHBV etc) that certain other companies produce around the globe, Meredian’s PHAs are medium chain-length polyhydroxylalkanoates (mcl-PHA, details see below). The feedstock to produce these types — basically the food for the

Report

All under “one roof“

By: Michael Thielen special family of microorganisms creating these PHAs as an energy reserve in their bodies — is canola oil (or any other vegetable oil).

“Compared to sugar or starch from sugarcane, sugar beet, sweet potatoes or corn, the process is much more effective with our oil fed microorganisms,” Blake explains. “Even if sugar or starch as a feedstock is cheaper, you need three times as much.”

Meredian’s range of PHAs comprise medium chain length polymers such as PHH (Polyhydroxy-hexanoate / C4-C6), PHO (Polyhydroxy-octanoate / C4-C8) and PHD (Polyhydroxy-decanoate / C4-C10). “These are our primary types and we can go all the way up to C4-C24,” says Blake Lindsey. “However, we can also make PHB and PHBV etc.,” he adds. But these types are more linear, much more like a PLA and thus they tend to be more stiff and brittle. And a real challenge in terms of processing is that with PHB and PHBV the melting point and the degradation point of these materials is only a few degrees apart. Our mcl-PHA offers a much wider range of operational temperatures for the convertor” Like other PHA microorganisms Meredian’s bacteria also can generate polymer in their body as an energy reserve, up to 80% of their body weight. However, differing from other processors, Meredian uses a proprietary solvent free process to extract the polymer form the bacteria. The residue, the so called cell debris, is of high value (e.g. as fertilizer or soil amendment for potting soil that can be sold in gardening markets).

Reactive Extrusion

By mixing the various types, Meredian can create materials that mimic almost everything from linear low density PE to polypropylene or polystyrene, with significantly improved barrier properties. When asked for the sales prices, Blake says: “Our target selling price is whatever polyethylene, polypropylene or polystyrene is selling for. We expect to compete with petro plastics in both performance and price.

Our manufacturing systems have confirmed that we can in fact meet these economic goals. Of course, this will require our volume to be at full commercial scale but the selling price objectives can be met.”

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Report

Going back to the roots and with Dr. Noda as the inventor, Meredian’s PHA resins will be marketed under the existing established brand name Nodax.

Just recently Meredian installed five reactors or fermentation vessels, each representing 2,700 tonnes (6 million lbs) of annual capacity (see photo). Another five reactors of the same size will be installed shortly. These reactors can now be started up one by one, as client projects (see below) come on stream and need the material. This ramping up results then in a total nameplate capacity of the Bainbridge plant of eventually 27,000 tonnes (60 million lbs), thus being the world’s largest production facility for mcl-PHAs.

Oil Production

The first five reactors

PHA inside the cell of the bacteria (© FELMI-ZFE)

Canola

In the greater area of the border triangle of Florida, Georgia and Alabama farmers usually grow cotton, sweet corn, soybeans, and peanuts. Now, with the idea of producing PHA in Bainbridge, farmers in this area are going to grow canola as an additional crop. This is possible, due to the mild climate in that region. Canola (a plant related to rape seed) can be grown as a winter crop. (i.e. canola is sown in November and harvested in April). A huge advantage is that the farmers can use existing harvesting machinery that they also use for corn and soy. This allows for bringing only the seeds home from the fields. All green residue stays on the fields and is being plowed under as a nutrient for the next growing season.

During the visit, bioplastics MAGAZINE spoke to Greg Calhoun, farmer and owner/founder of the company Green Circle Farm. Greg farms 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) himself and his idea is to grow GMO free canola, in order to get GMO free canola oil and GMO free canola cake. The cake is the leftover after pressing the oil out of the seeds and is used as cattle feed. Greg: “There is about 42% oil in the canola seed, and we get 38% out just with cold pressing.” And Blake Lindsey adds, “We do not utilize solvents such as hexane in our oil seed crushing process.” This clean process is one more reason why the oil as well as the cake is of a very special quality.

Greg Calhoun is more or less the driving force in initiating canola farming in the area and thus creating additional income for the farmers. Greg explains that there is an average harvest of about 460 kg of canola seed from one hectare (2.500 lbs per acre) of land. So for the nameplate capacity of the Bainbridge PHA plant of 27,000 tonnes (60 million lbs) a total area of 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) is needed. This is approximately the size of the city of Vienna/Austria.

This capacity is currently being set up. Greg is growing Canola on 240 hectares (600 acres) right now, but the whole harvest will be used as seeds for the next growing season. In the end, the farmers will produce more canola than is needed for Meredian. So they can sell canola oil to the open market as well.

Once there is enough canola available for the production of oil and eventually PHA, this canola is being pressed to oil in an oil mill on the Meredian premises.

The oil mill will be operated by the company AgroCrush, the third company of the Meredian Holdings Group.

However, until enough locally grown canola is available, the company will buy vegetable oils in the open market.

Meredian Holdings Group So it is all one continuous process: From the GMO-free agricultural product through the oil crushing which produces vegetable oil from the canola seeds

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Report

Left to right: Paul Pereira, Greg Calhoun, Blake Lindsey standing in the one of the first fields of 240 hectares to grow Canola seeds.

conference may 2015 amsterdam

— through the wet side where the PHA is produced by fermentation — to the dry side where the extracted PHA powder is compounded through reactive extrusion into the finished customized products as per the client’s specification.

The production expertise of the canola oil lies in the hands the AgroCrush, the PHA manufacturing of the biopolymer lies in the microbiology and innovative platform of Meredian and the compounding expertise lies in the reactive extrusion process residing at DaniMer. Under the roof of the new Meredian Holdings Group, Inc., where these three companies form a fully integrated system to produce processable, customized bioplastic resins.

“The nexus of our success is the innovative platform that we have developed over the last ten years,” says Paul Pereira. “This is the basis for what we call our client incubation model. We sign client R&D contracts and take the customers from conceptualization of their desired product (bottles, containers, films and others with certain properties etc.) through lab trials, production trials to market trials and eventually to market entry.” By now, quite a number of such development projects have been performed and are just about to be launched to the market. While the Meredian projects and customers remain confidential, we should expect further updates and market announcements from a number of large global brand owners in the coming months, according to Blake Lindsey.

“Even as our Bainbridge plant comes online when fully up and running has a total capacity of 27,000 tonnes (60 million lbs), it can only serve to supply the material for the market entry, explains Paul Pereira. “If we wanted to replace one percent of the world’s plastic demand of 300 million tonnes (660 billion lbs) per year, this would mean we’d need 100 plants the size of this one,” he says. Meredian is poised to pursue several growth paths including evaluation of a model of licensing and royalty agreements enabling others to build up the necessary capacities.

» Packaging is necessary. » Packaging protects the precious goods during transport and storage. » Packaging conveys important messages to the consumer. » Good packaging helps to increase the shelf life.

BUT: Packaging does not necessarily need to be made from petroleum based plastics. biobased packaging » is packaging made from mother nature‘s gifts. » is packaging made from renewable resources. » is packaging made from biobased plastics, from plant residues such as palm leaves or bagasse. » offers incredible opportunities. biobased packaging » is the new conference by bioplasticsMAGAZINE in May 2015 ... in Amsterdam ... stay tuned ...

www.biobased-packaging.info

www.meredianpha.com

organized by bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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People Basics

Impact Modifier for PLA By: Kevin Ireland Communications Manager Green Dot Holdings LLC Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, USA

T

Green Dot (Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, USA) recently presented data on the use of the company’s Terratek® Flex compostable bioplastic elastomer as an impact modifier for PLA. Terratek Flex is shown to provide a significant increase in impact strength and elongation without compromising the compostability of PLA. PLA was first introduced to consumers in food service ware and packaging because it was known to be biodegradable in an industrial composting facility. Unfortunately, the impact strength and heat tolerance of the material is quite low, making it inadequate for more demanding applications. Consumers seeking compostable products made with PLA had to settle for forks that were easily broken or spoons that would distort in hot liquid. Moreover, these products and packaging materials often remained as waste because industrial composting facilities were not available to consumers.

Plastic manufacturers are seeking a solution that can increase the toughness and durability of products made with PLA while enhancing the environmental benefits of compostability.

There are many commercially available materials used as impact modifiers for PLA. Rubber resin blends that contain polybutadiene and acrylic can be chemically grafted with rigid phase polymers to compatibilize the rubber in the PLA matrix. Thermoplastic urethane elastomers with both polyether and polyester soft segments are quite compatible with PLA. Olefin elastomers like polybutadiene, ethylenepropylene, and EPDM elastomers can also be functionalized and blended with PLA. Unfortunately, these materials enhance the physical properties of PLA at the cost of compostability.

Using Green Dot’s Terratek Flex compostable elastomeric bioplastic as an impact modifier for PLA has been shown to increase impact strength and flexibility while enhancing compostability. Terratek Flex is a proprietary patent pending starch-based compostable elastomer.

It has been verified by SGS Fresenius Laboratories to meet ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 standards for biodegradability in an industrial composting facility and has been found to biodegrade in a backyardcomposting environment as well. Terratek Flex has been tested by NSF Laboratories and found to be safe from phthalates, bisphenol A, lead and cadmium.

Green Dot’s Product Development Manager, Mike Parker, studied the use of Terratek Flex as an impact modifier for PLA. PLA was compounded with Terratek Flex at 10%, 20% and 30%. These samples were sent to an independent laboratory where they were molded and tested using ASTM standards.

Notched Izod Pendulum Impact tests showed an incremental increase in impact strength at the 10% and 20% levels with greater

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/13] Vol. 8

Politics Basics Percent Increase in Izod Properties 600%

Notched Izod UN-Notched

500% 400% 300% 200% 100%

www.greendotpure.com

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Notched Izod pendulum impact test

Tensile Strength

PLA 00

PLA 10

PLA 20

5552

6905

8368

peak psi

PLA 30

Tensile Modulus peak psi

PLA 00

PLA 10

326792

411585 PLA 20

PLA 20

Tensile Strength

18.7

Percent Elongation

9.01

Now plastics processors can enhance the physical properties of PLA without sacrificing environmental performance, expanding the range of product applications and opening new markets for bioplastics made with PLA. Green Dot’s product development lab can quickly and effectively provide customized formulations designed to exact customer specifications. Using a pilot scale extruder, sample quantities of material can be efficiently produced for processing and testing to assure desired results. Green Dot’s team of plastics professionals work with OEMs and plastics processors, from material selection to mold design and throughout the manufacturing process, to create products that help consumers contribute to a more sustainable world.

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Further study is needed to provide data on the effect of Terratek Flex on biodegradation rate of PLA. Because Terratek Flex has been verified to meet U.S. and European standards for biodegradation in an industrial composting facility and has also been found to biodegrade in backyard composting environments, it is hypothesized that the addition of the material as an impact modifier for PLA may increase the biodegradation rate as well.

15

4.22

Mike Parker summarized the results. “From 0% to 20%, the increase is very linear. After 20%, however, we see a much more exponential increase in the impact strength of both the notched and un-notched test results. Elongation properties have a similar curve. This feature allows the engineer to customize the properties of the final resin to their specifications and provides a certain degree of control to their cost to performance ratio.”

10

Percent GDH-B1 Added

9855

Tensile tests showed that strength and modulus properties declined at a proportional rate to be expected with the incorporation of an elastomer with a rigid polymer. However, elongation properties showed a similar trend to the results of the impact tests. The 10% and 20% samples showed elongation increased by 4.2% and 9.01% respectively. A more dramatic increase of 18.7% in elongation was observed at the 30% sample.

5

525691

30% levels. Impact strength increased from 0.549 ftlb/in in the 10% sample to 0.66 ftlb/in in the 20% sample. Impact strength jumped to 1.82 ftlb/in for the 30% loading level. Unnotched Izod tests showed similar results.

0

3.5

0%

PLA 00

PLA 10

PLA 20

PLA 20

Elongation properties

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Show Preview

Chinaplas 2014

Shandong Fuwin New Material As the largest professional manufacturer of biodegradable resin and bio-based materials in China, Shandong Fuwin New Material manufactures and sells biodegradable resin and bio-based materials, mainly PBS (polybutylene succinate), PBSA (polybutylene succinate adipate), PBS Copolymer, BDO (Butanediol), which the company markets under the Econorm trade name. As the only vertically integrated supplier of PBS in China, the company has its own R&D Center, staffed by a professional team working in areas ranging from high-molecular material and organic synthesis to manufacturing processes and technology.

All Econorm resins have passed the OWS test based on the standards EN13432, ASTM D6400 in Belgium and are certified under the Vincotte OK Compost program, and compliant with Din Certco, FDA, SGS, REACH etc. More information: www. sdfuwin.com Hall N3, Booth L03

Esun Established in 2002 and located in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, Shenzhen Esun Industrial is a high-tech enterprise specializing in researching, developing, producing and marketing degradable polymer materials, such as PLA and Polymorph. ESUN owns three different R&D centers, specializing in material syntheses, modification and application.

At Chinaplas 2014, Esun is exhibiting low-carbon and biodegradable, plant-based PLA and PCL. Esun PLA is available in injection grades, sheet grades, blow molding, fiber-reinforced and film grades; PCL is suitable for applications up to 60oC -80oC and is used in the medical industry and toy industry as well as for material modification, etc.

The company is also launching high-quality PLA polyols and PCL polyols. All products are ISO9001, EN13432, ASTM6400, SGS and FDA compliant.

Hall N3, Booth M05

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Show Preview NatureWorks NatureWorks will showcase its new high performance polymers, fibers and lactides, as well as a host of new products and applications including 3D printing in the Bioplastics Zone.

Ingeo products will also be highlighted in the Heart of the City of Tomorrow Exhibition space.

Ingeo 2500HP, 3100HP, and 3260HP resin grades for durable goods manufacture enable a breakthrough in cycle time reduction and higher heat performance for biobased injection molded and extruded goods. Ingeo 6100D and 6360D grades reduce shrinkage of fibers and leads to improved fabric dimensional stability. Ingeo M700 is a meso-lactide stereoisomer that delivers higher performance than prior alternatives in a host of industrial applications.

Wuhan Huali Environmental Technology high-tech environmental protection technology company focused on the R&D, manufacture and sales of bioplastics materials and PSM-based products. The company has developed advanced starch modification technology for which it has been awarded many domestic and international patents.

Today, the company is equipped with fully automated production lines and test equipment and has an annual installed bioplastics production capacity of 40,000 metric tons. Huali manufactures different material grades suitable for the replacement of traditional petroleum-based plastics in common applications such as packaging for industrial, medical, food, electronic goods, as well as various other consumer items including tableware, kitchenware, toys and agriculture/ horticulture industries.

As the world’s second, and the leading Chinese, manufacturer of starch-based bioplastics materials and products, Huali has established an industrial chain integrating materials purchasing, PSM materials production, product design and end market development for a wide range of bioplastics packaging solutions.

Hall N3, booth L07

Newest examples of Ingeo innovations to be shown at the booth include the Nonal agricultural drain system developed

by Chikami Miltec and heat resistant foam lunch boxes from Fu Yuan. Plans call for a 3D printer to be in action as well.

Hall N3, Booth K07

Ecomann Ecomann, a leading global supplier of biobased and biodegradable PHA, offers a range of compounded resins and finished products under the brand name AmBio. Ecomann plastic resins are easily processable on conventional film blowing, injection molding, thermoforming and bottle blowing machinery. All AmBio products are EN13432 and ASTM D6400 compliant.

AmBio bio-resins are especially suitable for applications such as mulch film, shopping bags and garbage bags, offering high production efficiency and low processing costs (comparable to PE). Bags made of AmBio can bear 30% more weight and have a 50% longer shelf life than other bio-based plastic bags.

No special modifications are required to be made to the filmblowing machine.

Moreover, AmBio mulch film can increase the yield and help improve the land ecology with zero residues. More information: www.ecomann.com Hall N3, Booth L17

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Show Preview Cathay Biotech Cathay Biotech is launching Terryl, a competitive renewable polyamide this year at Chinaplas.

Produced with biobased pentanediamine, Terryl is the first large-scale odd/even polyamide on the market. This odd/even arrangement gives a moisture absorbance similar to cotton, offering textile producers a final fabric with the strength of nylon and the feel of cotton. In addition, Terryl’s 8oC lower melt point than PA66 provides easier processing for injection molding applications

Uhde Inventa-Fischer The Polymer Division of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions AG focuses on the development, engineering and construction of efficient plant concepts and processes in the fields of monomers, intermediates, polymers and machinery.

In line with its vision of sustainably replacing a considerable amount of conventionally produced materials in the near future, the company specializes in the development of costefficient processes for the production of non-petroleumbased chemicals and plastics, such as lactic acid, lactide and polylactic acid, or succinic acid and polybutylene succinate.

State-of-the-art biotechnologies are backed by more than 50 years‘ experience in the development, engineering and design of leading polymerization processes, as well as the engineering and construction of more than 400 production plants throughout the world.

Hall N3, Booth L11

Nafigate (at booth of Jiangsu Clean Environmental) Czech company Nafigate Corporation, specialized in the transfer of high-tech technologies, has introduced its unique Hydal biotechnology to the Chinese market. Developed by a team led by Associate Professor Ivana Marova at Brno University of Technology, this revolutionary biotechnology can transform waste cooking oil – of which China has a huge surplus - into the biopolymer PHA. Nafigate is currently engaged in the construction of a pilot plant and the parallel construction of a first large-scale plant.

Nafigate has partnered on this project with China-based Suzhou Cleanet, a company that collects and processes waste cooking oil at an increasing number of locations in China. The economical Hydal technology makes use of a waste product and therefore requires no inputs such as corn and sugar from the food chain. The PHA materials generated by this technology are therefore extremely competitive in price.

Hall N3, Booth M09

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

A global diacid (C11 to C15) supplier since 2003, Cathay now offers a new nylon monomer, pentanediamine (C-Bio N5), to the industry. C-Bio N5 has a 9°C melt point at 99% concentration and unlike HMDA, can be shipped as a liquid at room temperature. Use of C-Bio N5 in a polyamide requires 8% less diamine than use of HMDA. 100% renewable polyamide 512 and 510 show crystal clear clarity due to the odd-even structure. Polyamide salts are also available. PA56 salt solution has 20% higher solubility than 66 salt.

Hall N3, Booth S53

Hangzhou Seemore Hangzhou Seemore New Material Technology offers leading-edge technological innovations that allow the manufacturing of biodegradable modified compounds and relative functional additives.

The company’s Bioseemore brand focuses on additives for biodegradable resins such as PLA, PHA or PBAT. The brand encompasses a range of additives, including Nano Compatibilizer TMP1000, Hydrolysis Resistant Stabilizer TMP2000, PLA Nucleating Agent TMP3000, Epoxy Chain extender TMP6000, Multi-Functional Compatibilizer EX501, Melt Enhancer ZQ-T400, Branched Plasticizer ZST300 etc. PLA Nucleating Agent TMP3000 increases the thermal resistance and significantly accelerates the crystallization process, thus broadening the application field of PLA. The Biopolysun brand comprises modified compounds, including the high transparent/high tensile strength PLA film resin FM216/FM215, the transparent and heat resistant - up to 110oC (230F), which allows the bottles to be sterilized by boiling PLA feeding bottle resin 5100D, heat resistant PLA tableware resin 2100D and PLA supercritical CO2 foaming resin 7100FP. Hall N3, Booth L06

Show Preview

Arkema For 60 years, Arkema has developed castor oil derivatives chemistry to produce its signature biobased PA11 under the Rilsan name. The PA6.10, PA10.10, and even PA1012 Hiprolon product ranges were launched for injection and extrusion applications requiring more rigidity. Flexible, biobased elastomeric materials with the same performance as standard Pebax have been developed; a biobased version of transparent PA Rilsan Clear Rnew has recently been launched to promote the sustainable development required in optic and E&E markets. Better thermal resistance is provided by Rilsan HT, a flexible polyphthalamide (PPA)-based material designed to replace metal, rubber or fluorinated polymers in high-temperature tubing applications, especially in automotive and trucks.

To meet the demand for high-performance polyamides from emerging economies, Arkema tripled its highperformance polyamides Hiprolon production capacity to 15,000 kt/a in 2013. Together with the newly opened technical center CRDC, this enables Arkema to provide a faster response, and even tailor-made solutions to Asian customers in a short time.

Hall N3, Booth K03

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> Inspiration through three sustainable themes: Water - Energy - Biobased > Unrivalled networking and cutting-edge knowledge programme > Exciting Amsterdam

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IN COOPERATION WITH

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www.greentech.nl bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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1

Booth

Company

N2L42

Acumen

(N2)

N3K03

Arkema

26

N3K17

Binhai Jinxiang

27

N3S29

bioplastics MAGAZINE

7

N3S53

Cathay

1

C13F43

Chengdu Tomny

(C13)

N3S25

Dongguan Xinhai

9

N2L01

Eutec

N3L06

Hangzhou Seemore

N2T05

Hotai

N3S41

Huainan An Xin Tai

5

N3M01

Hubei Guanghe

12

N3M09

Jiangsu Clean Environmental

14

N3K13

Jiangsu Jinhe

25

N4Q75

Jiangxi Pingxiang Xuan Pin

(N4)

C9D03

Jinhui Zhaolong

(C9)

N3M11

Kingfa

N3J41

LG chem

N2F45

Mianyang Longhua

N3K07

Natureworks

N1M21

Ngai Hing

N3S45

Ningbo Bamtac

3

N3S23

Ningxia Qinglin Shenghua

10

N1M11

Polykemi Compounds

(N1)

C12B15

Reverdia

(C12)

N3S43

Roquette

N2P15

RTP

(N2)

N2G01

Samyang

(N2)

N3L06

Sanhe Bigreen

21

N3L03

Shandong Fuwin

19

N3Q23

Shandong Horan

C9C03

Shandong Wanda

N3S21

Shanghai Disoxidation

(N2) 21 (N2)

2

3

4

5

On this floor plan you find the majority of companies offering bioplastics related products or services, such as resins, compounds, additives, semi-finished products and much more.

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For your convenience, you can take the centerfold out of the magazine and use it as your personal ‘Show-Guide’ .

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16 (N2) 28 (N1)

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(C9) 11

C12A01

Shanghai Langyi

(C12)

C11F41

Shanghai Naduo Trade

(C11)

N3L17

Shenzhen Ecomann

22

N3M05

Shenzhen Esun

15

N3S27

Shenzhen Polymer

8

N3M03

Suzhou Hanfeng

13

N3S51

Tüv Rheinland

2

N3L11

Uhde Inventa-Fischer

C12B21

Weifang Daqian

(C12)

N3L13

Weihai Lianqiao

20

N3L07

Wuhan Huali

23

N3K11

Yat Shun Hong

24

N3L01

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu

18

N3S31

Zhejiang Hisun

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Show Guide 6

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bioplastics

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Evonik High Performance Polymers: Bring Out the Best in Your Products

MAGAZINE

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Hall N3 25 20

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3rd PLA World Congress

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27 + 28 MAY 2014 MUNICH â&#x20AC;º GERMANY 23

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Layout Plan courtesy Adsale Exhibition Service

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upcoming event!

conference may 2015 amsterdam www.biobased-packaging.info

Show Preview

interpack 2014

A Plus Packaging A Plus Packaging’s cornstarch-based customizable PLA, CPLA and ABDP biomaterials are 100% biodegradable and compostable according to the requirements of the EN13432 and OK COMPOST (4*) certified.

Approved for food contact applications, they are microwaveable, freezable, greaseproof and waterproof. Its ABDP (Amylium Biodegradable Polymer) and CPLA materials offer excellent temperature resistance properties (15°C to +115°C).

Applications include customized packaging solutions, disposable tableware and food packaging, including cutlery, cups, bowls, plates, fast food boxes, trays and bags.

At the end of life, A Plus Packaging products decompose into water, biomass and new carbon dioxide, forming nutrient matter that is used by plants for photosynthesis.

Hall 9, booth E03

Biopolynov-NaturePlast NaturePlast group specializes in providing support to plastic converters or end users who are interested in making the switch to bioplastics (plastics derived from plants, which, in some cases, are biodegradable). NaturePlast, headquartered in Normandy, France, is the only company in Europe that since its founding in 2006 has consistently supplied the full range of bioplastics produced by the close to 100 international producers across the world.

NaturePlast supports innovative projects in sectors varying from (food) packaging and horticulture to automotive, construction and the toy industry.

The company develops compounds based on traditional plant fibers such as wood, bamboo, miscanthus and hemp, and is experimenting with new bioplastics made from agricultural and industrial coproducts. At Biopolynov, the R&D lab established by NaturePlast in 2010, new bioplastics are currently under development derived from fruit and vegetable pulp, stone powder (olive), leather waste, algae from the French coasts and seashell powder.

Hall 9, booth F22-7

Biotec A leading European company in the development and production of bioplastics, Germany-based Biotec develops and produces plasticizerfree sustainable materials made from plant-based renewable resources. Biotec produces and sells its new generation of customized thermoplastics under the name BIOPLAST. All Bioplast grades are 100% biodegradable, range in biobased content from 23% (Bioplast GF 106/02) to 100% (Bioplast TPS), and are suitable for both film and rigid applications (injection molding and thermoforming grades).

With its dedicated research team, Biotec is constantly improving the characteristics of Bioplast in terms of mechanical and barrier properties in order to meet the requirements of industry sectors such as cosmetics, food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and others.

Hall 9, booth F16-3

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Show Preview European Bioplastics

Braskem Braskem, the largest resin producer in the Americas with 36 industrial plants in Brazil, the US and Germany, produces over 16 million tons of thermoplastic resins and other petrochemical products annually. Braskem is the world leader in the production of the I’m green brand of biobased green polyethylene. I’m green is a thermoplastic resin produced from ethylene made from sugarcane ethanol, a 100% renewable raw material which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions offering properties identical to those of conventional polyethylene.

Reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development, Braskem conducted a unique study, in partnership with its suppliers, to assess the environmental impact of its I’m green resin. The results of the LCA study indicate that Braskem’s bio-PE captures 2.15 kg of CO2 equivalent for every kg of green plastic produced. Moreover, 80 % of the energy consumed in the process comes from a renewable source.

Hall 9, booth G15

The bioplastics industry – its comprehensive expertise and ample product portfolio – will be showcased in the group exhibition “Bioplastics in Packaging“ during interpack 2014 in Hall 9. Around 25 exhibitors – mainly members of European Bioplastics – will present their products and talk about the performance aspects and environmental benefits of the bioplastic materials on display.

“Bioplastics can be applied in any market segment where plastics are currently used“, says Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics.

“During interpack, European Bioplastics will function as an information platform for the whole industry and all visitors interested in bioplastics. Our stand will be situated in the heart of the group exhibition.“ Daily at its booth, the association will offer a stage programme with up-to-date presentations about products, market trends and industry relevant topics such as end-of-life options for bioplastics. More information: http://en.european-bioplastics.org and http://en.european-bioplastics.org/interpack2014/ Hall 9, booth F05

Corbion Purac

FKuR

Together with key industry partners, Corbion Purac will be showcasing packaging and serviceware applications made from standard PLA and high heat PLA at its booth in the Bioplastics In Packaging (BIP) pavilion.

FKuR is presenting a full range of innovative and sustainable solutions for the packaging industry.

Customers can choose from a huge variety of compostable, ready-to-use compounds as well as a comprehensive distribution portfolio of biobased resins.

A distributor of Green PE, FKuR has also established distribution partnerships for Bio-PET (GLOBIO) and BioPA (VESTAMID Terra) across Europe.

On display are the latest high-heat applications based on performance lactides from Corbion Purac, among which single-use hot drink cups and lids and full stereo-complex transparent film for food and nonfood applications. The company will also be displaying its various PLA resin and compound partnerships with Hisun, SUPLA, Biotec and FKuR, for those interested in developing their own bioplastic products.

One of the highlights on display will be the first application for the new heat-resistant thermoforming grade Bio-Flex® F 6611: fully compostable menu trays manufactured by Plastisud (Italy) (cf. page 16).

Corbion Purac’s partners at Interpack include Huhtamaki - a global leader in sustainable foodservice packaging, Innovia - a leading global producer of specialty high performance films, Synbra – a leading producer of ePLA foam, Yangtze Labre – a manufacturer of filaments and non-wovens, and WinGram – a PLA converter of films, serviceware and packaging.

Other innovations include laminated films made from Bio-PE with Bio-PET or Bio-PA, which open up new possibilities for bioplastic barrier packaging. Due to the excellent barrier properties of Bio-PET and Bio-PA, shelf-life extending bioplastic solutions are available for moisture- and oxygen-sensitive products. Even MAP packaging solutions are now possible.

Hall 9, booth G11

www.fkur.com www.fkur-biobased.com Hall 9, booth F14

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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Show Preview Grabio suitable for a wide range of applications.

As ever more plastic bag bans take effect around the world, Grabio’s bioplastic compostable film grades offer a responsible alternative to traditional plastics for manufacturing plastic bags.

Also suitable for agricultural applications, such as mulch film, these films save farmers time and labor costs, as used film can simply be plowed back into the soil or composted, instead of having to be separately disposed of.

In response to customer demand, Grabio recently expanded its range to include thermoforming and injection molding grades for rigid applications, such as trays, seedling pots, tableware, utensil and toys. The newly developed grades offer good processability and are fully compostable, which offers the built-in advantage for seedling pots that plant loss is reduced, as plants no longer need to be transplanted.

Hall 9, booth E11

Innovia Films

Nitrochem

Innovia Films is a major international producer of Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) and Cellulose (Cellophane) films, with production sites in the UK, USA, Belgium and Australia.

Triniflex cPLA is a new, thin, unoriented polylactide from Nitrochem. Due to its high rigidity, and excellent optical parameters, this material offers a suitable alternative for PET, PVC, HIPS or cellulose derivatives in a wide range of packaging applications.

The company’s transparent, metallised and coloured films are sold to converters, brand-owners and end-users across the globe. They become part of the packaging, labelling or overwrap solution for well-known brands across many everyday consumer goods. These include confectionery, perfume, cheese, tea, shampoo, tobacco, soft drinks and biscuits.

At Interpack 2014 , Innovia Films will be showcasing various new developments, including the launch of a hermetically sealing film, a new addition to the company’s compostable, cellulose-based NatureFlex range. Visitors to the stand will also be able to discover more about the material partnerships established with key players in the packaging industry to enhance product development and increase awareness of possibilities.

Hall 9, booth F04

Unoriented polylactide Triniflex cPLA films are characterised by their excellent twist-angle retention and deadfold-angle retention. They also exhibit good barrier properties against components of aromas, solvent molecules or oils. Their barrier performance against d-limonene is, for example, on a par with that of PET and PA-6.

PLA is a material with excellent Tg sealing properties at 55-65º C. A cPLA film offers good mechanical properties, a very good thickness profile and sealing performance; it is easily processable on all standard equipment used in the packaging industry and provides a good surface for printing. Biodegradable, unoriented Triniflex cPLA films are a responsible choice for a wide range of applications in the packaging industry.

Hall 7.2, booth A46

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Show Preview Kingfa Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., an ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001 certified company publicly listed on the Shanghai A-share market, is the largest modified plastics manufacturer in China, with annual sales revenues of over 2.3 billion USD. Kingfa promotes fully biodegradable/compostable resins (FLEX-262 / FLEX-162, EN13432 compliant) under the brand name Ecopond. Kingfa has set up partnerships with convertors around the world, and can provide a wide range of packaging solutions. The company’s applications include fully biodegradable/compostable shopping bags, refuse sacks, mulching film and other packaging products.

Hall 9, booth G07

Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients (LCI) At the Interpack this year, France-based Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients is launching its new ‘biolice.bags’ material. “Biolice.bags is a major technological change for compostable and biodegradable bioplastics,” says Dr. Walter Lopez of LCI. “Our new material allows users to produce even smoother bags or films, improving printing quality.”

Biolice is a biodegradable polymer that is suitable for flexible applications such as bags, agricultural and industrial films and for rigid thermoformed and shaped extruded products.

Further benefits of the new biolice.bags material are its greater rigidity and four times better resistance to tearing compared to the last generation of biolice, while retaining its positive food contact and composting properties.

Full details will be released at Interpack. LCI is confident, however, that the new biolice. bags material represents further progress in environmental-friendly packaging, which can be organically recycled by composting or anaerobic digestion.

Hall 9, booth J21

Metabolix

Kaneka

At Interpack 2014, Metabolix will promote its compostable films as excellent choices for packaging applications. Mvera films are designed to meet a range of performance metrics including compostability, transparency, puncture toughness and tensile strength.

Metabolix currently offers opaque (B5010) and transparent (B5011) film grades for packaging film & bag applications. Metabolix will also highlight a range of developmental film grades, based on modifying PLA, designed to meet the needs of packaging applications.

These developmental technologies utilize Metabolix PHA polymeric modifiers to expand the options available to maintain high biocontent, improve flexibility, and improve the processing of PLA cast and blown films. For more information, visit www.metabolix.com/interpack.

Metabolix will also be in Munich for the 3rd PLA World Congress (cf. page 10).

In May 2011, Kaneka launched two grades of Kaneka biopolymer Aonilex produced at its 1,000 t/a market development plant. Unlike most commercial PHAs available today, which are short-chain-length PHAs, Aonilex is composed of medium-chain-length PHAs (PHBH), and therefore has a lower melting point and lower crystallinity, enhancing both the processability and mechanical properties of this material.

Hall 9, Booth G05

Aonilex combines good strength properties with ductility, flexibility, elasticity and toughness, together with good heat and hydrolytic resistance. As a polyester, it offers good printability and dyability. Aonilex can be thermoformed, injection moulded, film blown, foamed, spun and combined with other biopolymers in compounds.

Aonilex materials are biodegradable under aerobic, anaerobic and marine conditions. They are certified as fully bio-based, home compostable and industrial compostable. Food contact approval process is underway.

New Aonilex grades with improved processing characteristics will be launched later this year.

Hall 9, booth E07

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

37

A PLUS PACKAGING

09, F11

ANL Plastics

09, F09

bioplastics MAGAZINE

09, F22-7

BIOPOLYNOV-Natureplast

09, F16-3

BIOTEC Biologische Naturverpackungen

09, B03

B-PACK

09, G15

Braskem

09, G11

Corbion Purac

Hall 9 A17 A19

A09

Entrance “NORD“

A23 A25

H A L L 10

09, E03

Emergency Exit

Company

Emergency Exit

Booth

A29

A

A A04

Folienwerk Wolfen

09, E11

Grabio Greentech

09, F04

Innovia Films

09, E07

Kaneka Corporation

09, G07

Kingfa Sci. & Tech.

B11 B35

C01

B B24-1

B16 B20-1

B04

B24-2

C15

Emergency E m Ex Exit

B C35

B28 B32 B30

C

C C18

C04

C22 C24 C34

C02

09, G05

Metabolix

09, E15

Pacovis

09, B24-4

Plastiroll

D03

C36

D19

D13

D22

Synprodo

09, D24

Taghleef Industries

09, G03

Xylophane

D

D D04

E01

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical

07.1, A14

Arcoplastica

07.1, E46

MG Lavorazione Materie Plastiche

Emergency E m Ex Exit

E07

07.1, E37

PTT MCC Biochem Safepack Industries

E09

E15

E11

E E04

E02

E14

E06

E28 E18 E24

F01 F02

F05

bioplastics F16-2

F10

F14

F16-1

G15

F16-3 F16-5

F16-4 4

G16

G18

07.2, A46

H18

H16

J15

J17

BE_NATURAL

10, D18

Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging

10, E85

Icimendue

10, A67

NatureWorks

10, C92

SOJITZ Europe

13, C45

Sleever International

FG, IPP26

ITENE - Packaging, Transport and Logistics

G24-2

G24-4 G24-6 G24-8

G24-10

J

J04

H24

H26

J23

H30

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J27

J31

H34 J35

J25

J19

J13

Entrance

Entrance

J02

10, B22, C31

G24-9

J21

H04

Emergency m Exit x

BASF

H21

H19

J11

10, B43

G24-3 G24-5 G24-7

H

Nowofol Kunststoffprodukte Green Day Eco-friendly Material

G24-1

G36 H17

H10

Nitrochem

08b, F20-52

F22-5 F22-7

G35

F32

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Hubei Guancheng Bioplastic Packaging

J01

07.2, D23

F25-1

H12A

G02 H11

07.2, A12-13

F22-4 F22-6

F34

G

Trican Elitflexible Alit Baskili Urunler ve Ambalaj San

F F26

G G04

07.2, E48

MAGAZINE F22-1F22-2 F22-3

G03 G05 G07 G11

E36

F15

F F08

E32 F27

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G01

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E31 E27

G20

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D24

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F04

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D28

D18 D20

E03

F03

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D14

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D23

F25-3

Limagrain Cereales Ingredients

F25-2

09, J21

H A L L 10

09, B35

B03

H A L L 10

FKuR Kunststoff

H A L L 10

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A32

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J24

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European Bioplastics

A24

A21

B24-4 B24-3 B24-5 B24-6 B24-7

09, F05

A36 A02

J36

At interpack 2014 most of the exhibitors offering bioplastics related products and services are located in hall 9. However, some more exhibitors can be found in other halls. These are listed here as well.

WELCOME TO VISIT US AT STAND 9 B24-4

PACK TO THE

FUTURE

www.plastiroll.fi

3rd PLA World Congress 27 + 28 MAY 2014 MUNICH › GERMANY

The conference will comprise high class presentations on 1

• Latest developments • High temperature behaviour • Blends and Compounds • Foam • Processing • Additives

• Stabilization • Applications (packaging and durable applications) • Fibers, fabrics, textiles, nonwovens • Recycling

upcoming event!

conference may 2015 amsterdam www.biobased-packaging.info

Show Preview Safepack Industries

Plastiroll Oy biodegradable film from GMO-free starch-based renewable raw material. This film reduces fresh produce waste and considerably extends the shelf life of foods. This also helps to decrease the amount of waste generated from packaging materials in retail stores.

This breathable, biodegradable material is excellent for packing vegetables. Moisture will not condense on the inner surface of the film, which means that vegetables stay fresh in the package. Moreover, consumers can also use the packaging as a bio waste bag.

Finnish retail specialist Kesko Food has cooperated with Plastiroll Oy for some years now. Kesko Food packages its Pirkka vegetables in Plastiroll’s biodegradable packaging. “The material is certified to meet the EN13432 standard and fulfills the criteria for biodegradability and the product safety and quality requirements for vegetable packaging,“ says Heini Haverinen, Product Quality Manager of Kesko Food.

Safepack Industries of Pune, India is presenting Safecompostt a biopolymer-coated paper/board biodegradable product range recently awarded the Worldstar Packaging Award 2013. Safecompostt is an innovative compostable packaging material made by combining paper/paperboard and a biopolymer coating.

Biodegradable coatings are tailor-made polymers offering humidity, oxygen and grease barriers and sealing ability. The biopolymers used are based on natural raw materials that come from crops, fossil sources or a combination of both. The biopolymer coating material complies with EN13432.

The biodegradable laminate holds considerable promise for food packaging and consumer flexible packaging. Applications include portion packs for salt, sugar, pepper, tea, etc., disposable beverage cups for hot and cold drinks, paper wraps for ice creams, etc.

Sustainability is an absolute necessity for today’s businesses. Safecompost represents Safepack’s public commitment to sustainable development, products and practices.

Hall 7.1, booth E37

biopolymer

Hall 9, booth B24-4

paper

PTT MCC Biochem Bio polybutylene succinate, or PBS is a bio-based and biodegradable polyester that is produced by the polymerisation of succinic acid (1,4-butanediacid) and BDO (1,4-butanediol). With mechanical properties similar to those of PP, bio PBS offers benefits such as renewable content, biodegradability at ambient temperature, high heat sealability, a high service temperature and compatibility with natural fibers.

Bio PBS could slash the quantity of long-lasting plastic waste. That is great news for environmentally aware consumers and brands seeking to contribute to a greener world.

Visit PTT MCC Biochem at the Thai Pavilion at Interpack 2014.

Hall 7.1 Booth No. B40-3

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Show Preview NatureWorks NatureWorks, a leading bioplastics supplier with its naturally advanced Ingeo portfolio (PLA biopolymers), will showcase a range of innovative packaging and food service solutions. The company will also showcase applications based on new high performance Ingeo biopolymer grades.

Xylophane developed a renewable barrier packaging material called Skalax, which offers an efficient barrier against oxygen, grease and aroma. A thin layer of Skalax in the packaging material can prolong the shelf life of many foods and industrial products. Applications include the packaging of oxygen-sensitive dairy products or dehydrated foods, greasy snacks or pet foods, as well as aromatic products such as spices and coffee.

Skalax is also a barrier against many harmful substances occurring in cardboard incorporating recycled fibres. Coated on the inside of cardboard packaging, it can prevent mineral oils in the recycled fibres or exterior printing inks from migrating into the packaged food.

Skalax thus enables the safe use of recycled fibres in food packaging.

NatureWorks personnel will detail how Ingeo form-fill seal cups, for example, offer higher performance, are cost neutral, and deliver greater long-term sustainability.

The cup walls are thinner, which means less material is sourced. Breakage has been reduced because of Ingeo’s strength. Less energy is used on the packaging line and less greenhouse gas emitted in manufacture. The lighter package is cost neutral.

New Ingeo grades allow faster cycle times and production rates. These new high performance Ingeo grades are exceptional for food service cutlery and hot cup lids. NatureWorks will also feature a demonstration of 3D printing using Ingeo and discuss the benefits of 3D-based prototyping.

Hall 10, booth A67

Skalax is based on the natural polysaccharide xylan, which is derived from agricultural by-products and offers a sustainable alternative to oil-based plastics and metalbased barrier materials.

Hall 9, booth G03

Taghleef Industries At Interpack, TI is featuring the latest applications of its BOPLA and BOPP films. The company’s NATIVIA bio-based and compostable biaxially oriented PLA films were first introduced in 2010, and their consumption has been growing since then.

Showcased applications include: flowpack of bread, fruits, vegetables and salads, box overwrap, pre-made bags and pouches, magazines, adhesive tapes and labels, windows for bags and boxes, lidding of PLA trays.

The latest innovations in BOPP films consist of matt coldseal release films, high yield white voided films and clear, heat sealable BOPP films with enhanced moisture barrier.

Hall 9, booth D24

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

41

Application News

Compostable Synthetic Leather Green Dot (Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, USA) has developed a compostable synthetic leather made with the company’s Terratek® Flex bioplastic. The new synthetic leather combines the look and feel of high quality leather with a lighter environmental footprint compared to traditional leather tanning or synthetic leather manufacturing.

Green Dot’s new synthetic leather is made without the use of solvents or glues. It is free from phthalates, Bisphenol A and other toxins often found in the soft plastics used for synthetic leathers. Because it’s made with Green Dot’s compostable bioplastic, the material can be returned to nature if placed in a composting environment when its useful life is over. Terratek Flex GDH-B1 has been independently tested and verified to meet European (EN 13432) and North American (ASTM D6400) standards for compostability in an industrial composting facility and has been found to biodegrade in a home composting environment as well.

Green Dot has completed initial trials with manufacturing partners in the United States. The new synthetic leather can be made in a wide range of colors, textures and thicknesses with a variety of naturally biodegradable backings. The starch-based bioplastic provides an exquisite soft touch and better breathability compared to other synthetic leathers.

It is also ideal for printing and may be easily scented to provide further product differentiation. www.greendotpure.com

Green-minded glueing With the UHU stic ReNATURE, paper glueing is getting sustainable. The popular glue stick offers consumers a new and more environmentally friendly alternative to existing products – in an attractive design. The new UHU stic ReNATURE overcomes all challenges in the glueing of paper, carton, cardboard and styrofoam in the accustomed quality, showing that even a small product can make a substantial contribution to environmental protection and the saving of fossil resources.

58% of the UHU stic ReNATURE’s container consists of renewable raw materials, namely sugar cane based bio-PE. Some other parts of the container still have to be made from conventional plastics, such as e.g. the practical screw cap, to ensure a tight seal. The cap prevents the glue from drying out and makes it last longer.

As well as being fully recyclable, the new UHU stic ReNATURE is solvent-free and 70% of the glue formula is nature-based.

Another ecological as well as economic advantage is that the UHU stic ReNATURE is far more efficient in its application and more economical than comparable products. With the medium-sized UHU stic ReNATURE, users can glue approximately 200 sheets of A4 paper more than would be possible with its main competitor.

“At UHU, we attach a great deal of importance to sustainable business,” says Frank Walther, Senior Product Manager Corporate Marketing at UHU. “We want to reduce the environmental impact of our products as much as possible and we are continuously looking for alternatives for example to crude-oil-based products. But the quality of our products is just as important as their environmental compatibility and the safety of their usage and disposal by consumers.”

The UHU stic ReNATURE recently received the Österreichisches Umweltzeichen für Produkte (the official Austrian environmental label for products), which is a hallmark of high environmental standards, quality and product safety. And it has been named Product of the Year 2014 in the environmental protection category by the PBS, the German Industrial Association for Paper, Office Supplies and Stationery. The new UHU stic ReNATURE particularly impressed the jury with its pioneering use of renewable raw materials, which helps protect natural resources and the environment. MT www.uhu.com

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Application News

Compostable ice cream sticks Cardia Bioplastics Limited (Mulgrove, Victoria, Australia) is pleased to announce the use of Cardia Bioplastics compostable resin technology for the development of So Delicious® Dairy Free’s innovative compostable ice cream sticks.

So Delicious Dairy Free purchased first commercial quantity of Cardia Compostable resin for ice cream stick market launch. The initial market launch media buzz has demonstrated that the new compostable sticks are extremely popular with consumers for both taste and environmental reasons.

So Delicious Dairy Free took the innovative steps to replace traditional wooden sticks by designing an entirely new solution – plant-based, lickable, compostable sticks. Although sustainability plays a major role in So Delicious Dairy Free‘s proposition, the change to Cardia Compostable resin for the ice cream stick application was driven from consumer feedback, indicating they are averse to the feel and aftertaste of traditional wooden sticks in single serve ice creams.

The new stick material is fully compostable and meets the requirements of the ASTM D6400 Standard for composting in municipal or industrial facilities. In addition, the sticks have undergone a series of rigorous tests including two pilot scale compostability tests and one commercial composting test, with results showing that the new sticks compost much faster than their wooden counterparts.

Dr Frank Glatz, Cardia Bioplastics Managing Director said, “The Cardia technical team worked with So Delicious Dairy Free, to ensure that the resin technology used for the ice cream sticks met consumer needs and compostability standards required for food application.

We are very pleased with the result, and are certain that consumer feedback and demand will motivate more manufactures to look to a compostable ice cream stick solution.”

Richard Tegoni Chairman Cardia Bioplastics said, “The So Delicious Dairy Free market launch of Cardia Compostable ice cream sticks in the food and consumable markets, replacing traditional materials further demonstrates the vast possibilities and applications of our resins. Not only are Cardia Compostable resins food safe, have a lower carbon footprint and are compostable compliant to international standards, but as consumer feedback demonstrates they are preferred for certain applications.” MT www.biomebioplastics.com

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

43

Applications

PA 410 for Ferrari and Maserati fuel vapor separators

R

oyal DSM (Heerlen, The Netherlands) recently announced that its bio-based high performance EcoPaXX® polyamide 410 has been selected by Dytech-Dynamic Fluid Technologies for the fuel vapour separators it produces for Ferrari and Maserati sports cars. This solution, in halogenfree flame retardant EcoPaXX Q-KGS6, will increase the fire safety of the cars by combining flame retardancy with a high level of chemical resistance, essential for this application.

The fuel vapor separator is an important element of the complete fuel delivery system in road vehicles. It separates vapors from liquid fuel coming out from the fuel tank, and prevents the liquid fuel reaching—and contaminating—the fuel vapor canister. This prevents the evaporating fumes from reaching the atmosphere while also maintaining proper fuel tank pressures.

While fuel lines themselves have a coextruded outer cover in a flame retardant thermoplastic, fuel vapor separators are most often still made from a non-flame-retardant polyamide.

Dytech Dynamic Fluid Technologies, based just outside Turin, Italy, now part of Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd group, develops and supplies fuel delivery components and systems for many of the world’s leading automotive companies. Dytech chose the innovative halogen-free flame retardant EcoPaXX to meet increasing fire safety requirements as well as a wide range of other demanding requirements for the application. EcoPaXX is highly resistant and impermeable to conventional gasoline fuel

44

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

(E10) as well as to the more sustainable E85 fuel. In the SHED (Sealed Housing for Evaporative Determination) test, EcoPaXX fuel vapor separators showed a very low permeation level for E10, of 0.002 grams/24 h. EcoPaXX Q-KGS6 has a UL 94 V-0 flammability rating at 0.7 mm.

The high thermal stability of EcoPaXX is demonstrated by its Maximum Continuous Use Temperature of 175°C. This engineering plastic also has very good dimensional stability (proven by short term aging at 100°C), and outperforms current materials used in low temperature impact tests carried out at -30°C. EcoPaXX also passed tube extraction and impact tests after thermal and fuel aging, as well as fatigue resistance.

EcoPaXX has, in addition to its unique technical performance, an extra advantage in that polyamide 410 is 70% derived from renewable resources and is certified Carbon Neutral from cradle to gate.

“We have been very impressed by the performance we have obtained from the new EcoPaXX fuel vapor separators,” says Mario Zasa, Research & Development at Dytech. “Our customers make some of the most prestigious cars on the road, and they call for top quality solutions from their suppliers.

Working with DSM, we have succeeded again in meeting their demands.” MT www.dsm.com/automotive www.ecopaxx.com

Applications

Beautiful and sustainable water filter oma (San Francisco, California, USA) is proud to present “the world’s most beautiful water filter” which combines form and function to bring the best tasting water to thirsty consumers.

S

for 800 million people in need. Through a partnership with charity: waterr, an amazing organization focused on water equity, Soma contributes a portion of their revenue towards providing clean water to communities in developing nations.

“The product is incredibly sustainable,” says a spokesperson at Soma. The filter is unique and user friendly, and unlike other commercial water filters which use charcoal, the Soma filter uses carbon-activated coconut shell, and has a plant-based filter casing which is made from BioFlex® by FKuR (Willich, Germany and Cedar Park, Texas, USA).

By combining technology, design, wellness, and philanthropy, Soma created a truly unique product which will change the way to drink water.

The Bio-Flex material used in the production of the Soma filter was designed especially for injection molding applications.

This Bio-Flex grade has excellent flow characteristics and its mechanical properties are comparable to conventional polystyrene (PS). The material is biodegradable and is an excellent choice for those wishing to use a resin with a high percentage of renewable resource raw material content.

“When Soma was born, this to me was a chance to not only have a beautifully designed, sustainable water filter, but we could do our part in giving back to clean water projects.

We’ve solved the design flaws that so many other companies overlook, and we use a unique filtration system which is userfriendly, and truly optimizes the taste of water,” says Mike Del Ponte, founder of Soma . MT www.drinksoma.com www.fkur.com www.charitywater.org

The design itself is extremely innovative: a seal at the bottom allows one to pour straight from the filter without spillage or leaks, and the interior design makes a replacement of the filter extremely easy.

David Beeman, a leading water expert designed the filter. In a YouTube clip (see link below) he explains why coconut carbon is so healthy. “There’s really no better filter than the one that we’ve engineered.“ Soma also explains that the hour glass shaped carafe is made of glass which both enhances the flavor, and is much safer than certain plastics which can contain harmful BPA chemicals.

Info: watch video clip at bit.ly/1dm1LRV

The new filter carafe is a well-designed, innovative product, and the company strives to give their customers the best tasting water possible. They also work to provide clean water

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

45

People Basics

Di-isocyanate

Urethane Linkage

Brawn from Bio Long chain Diol

Exceptionally tough TPUs from new C18 Diacid

By: Allyson Beuhler, Senior Polymer Scientist Ben Davis, Market Development Manager ElevanceRenewable Sciences, Inc. Woodridge, Illinois, USA

Diol chain extender

Figure 1 – Hard and Soft Segments of Standard TPU

A

C18 diacid-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has been made. The toughness is more than two times that of similar materials made from adipic acid, and the solvent performance greatly exceeds TPUs from adipic acid. This new material opens up an entirely new suite of market applications for thermoplastic polyurethanes made from renewable-based monomers.

Overview Polyurethanes (PUR) are a broad class of materials made from the polyaddition reaction of a diisocyanate, a long-chain polyol and a short-chain diol chain extender. The applications for polyurethanes are extensive and varied as the materials can be produced as soft foams, rubbery elastomers or hard engineering thermoplastics. The performance and cost of polyurethanes can be tailored for a range of markets by changing the chemical composition, the molecular weight of the polyol, the relative amounts of polyol and diol, and the degree of crosslinking (see pp 50 for more basic information on PUR).

Figure 2 – Stress Strain Curve of TPU from MDI, Butane Diol and Inherent C18 Diacid compared to Stress Strain Curve of TPU from MDI, Hexane Diol and Adipic Acid

Polyester and polyether polyols are both used as the long-chain polyol in the manufacture of TPUs, polyurethane elastomers and foams. The mechanical properties of a polyurethane depend significantly on the polyol — the molecular weight, chemical composition and weight percentage in the formulation. While polyether polyols tend to give softer and more hydrolytically stable polyurethanes, polyesters result in harder and higher temperature materials.

Polyester polyols are normally made via the condensation reaction of a diacid (such as adipic acid) and a diol (such as butane diol) and the resulting polyurethanes are used in automotive (12%), footwear (20%), paints and coatings (13%), synthetic leather (9%), and adhesives (6%) [1].

Based upon the catalytic metathesis of natural oils, a new bio-based diacid, Inherent™ C18 Diacid, is now commercially

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

Basics

TPU Properties

TPU based on HD-Adipate (2000 g/mole)

TPU based on BD-Inherent C18 Diacid (2000 g/mole)

Hard Segment Concentration %

22

22

Soft Segment Concentration %

78

78

Shore A Hardness

89

92

Shore D Hardness

43

54

15.7

34.0

Tensile Strength at Yield (MPa)

3.5

13.6

Elongation at Break %

819

724

Toughness MJ/m3

66

151

Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa)

Table 1 – Comparison of a TPU made from Inherent C18 vs. a TPU from Adipic Acid

available from Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. [2, 3] The metathesis pathway is expected to dramatically increase the availability of Inherent C18 Diacid and lower its cost.

Compared to the shorter chain alternatives, the products made from this diacid typically show superior properties, such as high crystallinity, flexibility, hydrolytic stability, and water and chemical resistance. Consequently, a host of new polyester polyols and TPUs made from Inherent C18 Diacid are now possible, allowing the polyurethane market to expand product offerings in applications such as ski boots, automotive fuel lines, roller bearings, medical tubing and sports equipment with renewable materials that exceed the standard of performance of petroleum-based TPUs.

Thermoplastic Polyurethanes TPUs are linear, phase separated, block copolymers composed of a crystalline hard segment and an amorphous soft segment. (Figure 1) The hard segment acts as crosslinks, giving the material strength and stiffness, while the soft segment imparts elastomer properties such as rebound and flexibility. TPUs are typically synthesized via polymerization of a diisocyanate (typically MDI), a chain extender (typically butane diol) and a longer chain polyol (polyester or polyether). The diisocyanate plus the chain extender make up the crystalline hard block and the polyol makes up the amorphous soft block. A standard TPU formulation is made up of 70-80% soft segment (molecular weight of soft segment 1,000 – 15,000 g/mole) and 20-30% hard segment [1].

Properties of TPUs from Inherent C18 Diacid While the demand for bio-based TPUs is real and growing, most natural, oil-based derivatives haven’t been able to compete with the performance of petroleum-based polyurethanes. Bio-based TPUs based on Inherent C18 Diacid

that have been synthesized show improved toughness and solvent resistance over standard petroleum-based TPU formulations. The use of the longer hydrophobic chain in the C18 polyols results in a new class of polyurethanes with a highly crystalline yet less polar soft segment, improved high-temperature performance, better hydrolytic stability (due to the lower ester content), improved dimensional stability and lower moisture pick- up. This set of features is critical in applications requiring high performance in high-temperature, highhumidity environments, including sporting goods, power tool housings, mobile phone housings, gears, sprockets, automotive panels, bumpers and airbags.

Table 1 shows the chemical composition, hard and soft segment ratios, and mechanical properties of TPUs that have been synthesized from butane diol and C18 diacid, compared to TPUs from hexane diol and adipic acid [4].

While both TPUs are very tough, flexible elastomers with comparable shore hardness and elongation, the TPU from C18 diacid has more than twice the ultimate tensile strength.

Figure 2 illustrates the engineering stress-strain curves of two TPUs — one made from butane diol and C18 diacid and the other made from hexane diol and adipic acid. The integrated area under the stress-strain curve is indicative of the toughness of a material. The C18 diacid TPU has a toughness of 151 MJ/m3 while the adipic acid TPU has a toughness of 66 MJ/m3, demonstrating that the polymer made with C18 diacid is more than twice as tough as the polymer made from adipic acid.

Finally, the exceptional solvent resistance of TPUs made from long-chain, C18 diacid is illustrated in Table 2.

Due to the very crystalline and hydrophobic soft segment in C18 diacid TPUs, these materials are much

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

47

People Basics

more resistant to acid, base and solvents. While TPUs based on adipic acid completely disintegrated in MEK, C18 diacid TPUs only picked up 13% by weight after seven days.

The C18 diacid based materials were also much more resistant to non-polar solvents such as toluene.

In conclusion, highly crystalline TPUs derived from bio-based C18 diacid result in a new class of polyurethanes with exceptional strength, toughness and solvent resistance that can meet the demand for renewable materials that need to survive in aggressive, high-temperature and high-humidity environments. Inherent C18 Diacid will allow the polyurethane market to expand product offerings in applications with renewable materials that exceed the performance of standard, petroleum-based TPUs.

Reference References es [1] The The Polyurethanes Polyurethan nes Book, Book, Editors Edito ors David Randall and Steve Lee, 2012 [2] Inher Inherent™ rent™ ™ C18 Diac Diacid, cid, b bioplastics oplasstics MAGAZINE, MAGAZ ZINE, vol.8, Issu Issue ue 05/2013 05/2013, 3, pp 8 [3] Abraham, T T.; .; Kaido, H H.; .; Le Lee, ee, C. W.; Pederson, W. Pederson n, R. L.; Schrodi, Y.; Tupy, J. U.S. U S. Patent Pa atent Application Applicatio on 2009/02 2009/0264672.

26467 72.

[4] Acknowledgements Ackn nowle edgem mentss to A Aisa isa Sendijarevic, Tro Troy oy Polymers

www.elevance.com www.renewicals.com

TPU based on HD-Adipate (2000 g/mole) 7 day weight gain %

TPU based on BD-Inherent C18 Diacid (2000 g/mole) 7 day weight gain %

H20

1.17

0.64

MEK

Solvent

Disintegrated

13

Toluene

116

20

0.1 N HCl

1.30

0.70

0.1 N NaOH

1.02

0.57

Table 2 – Solvent Resistance of TPUs made from Inherent C18 Diacid vs. TPUs from Adipic Acid

Collocated with BIO World Congress

The 9th Annual

How can you capitalize on rapidly growing markets for biobased materials and applications?

www.biopolymersummit.com 48

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

May 12-13, 2014

Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia, PA

Attending Smithers Rapra’s 9th annual Biopolymers Symposium can help you and your organization answer that question. The 2014 program will bring together organizations like Corbion Purac, ecosVC, Green Blue, the Vancouver Aquarium, Unisource Global, BASF and International Paper to share their experiences and knowledge to help you expand your markets. Planned sessions include sustainable feedstocks, the latest innovations in biobased monomers and polymers and biopolymers in compostable food service and more.

People Basics

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Polyurethanes

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I

Polyurethane (PU) can also be produced in forms suitable for use in adhesives, sealants, coatings, elastomers, fibres and even as the resin in light weight composites for boats, truck floors, tractor hoods and most recently in the chassis of the BMW i3 and i1 electric models.

PU is produced by an exothermic reaction between a molecule with two or more –OH groups (polyols) and an isocyanate with two or more - NCO groups (Fig. 1). The polyaddition reaction can take place at -20°C to 100°C depending upon the PU formulation, but typically ambient temperature is sufficient. The reaction speed can be controlled through the use of catalysts, often tin or amine types. In addition, the final form of polyurethane can be changed by varying the ratio of polyol: isocyanate, plus the use of additives such as flame retardants, surfactants and blowing agents (typically hydrofluorocarbons, hydrocarbons or water). Long, flexible segments, contributed by the polyol, create a soft, elastic material. High amounts of crosslinking

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Angela Austin

n 2012, the polyurethane industry celebrated 75 years since the first form of this versatile material was made in a laboratory in Leverkusen, Germany. Initially, research led

by Otto Bayer in 1937, created a sticky resin that could be spun into a fibre. It was to compete against nylon fibres being produced in the US. Research was delayed during WW II, but upon resumption in 1945 chemists started to experiment with different raw materials and stoichiometric mixes to create the many forms of polyurethane we know today in our homes, cars, clothing and footwear. Polyurethane can be foamed to produce a rigid foam, typically used as a thermal insulation material in buildings and refrigerators or a flexible foam found in mattresses, upholstered furniture, car seats and textiles.

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Ratingen, Germany

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

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By: Editor in Chief, PU Magazine International Dr. Heinz Gupta Verlag

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Fig. 1: Aromatic isocyanate reacts with polyol to form the polyurethane molecule

due to the –NCO group create tough or rigid polymers. The crosslinking creates a polymer that consists of a threedimensional cellular structure where the cell size and the contents of the cell effects the properties of the polyurethane.

Polyurethanes is typically a thermoset resin meaning that it does not melt when heated, however, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) can also be produced.

The unique property of polyurethane is the range and versatility of the end forms that can be produced.

Basic raw materials Isocyanates are very reactive materials. This makes them useful in making polymers but also requires special care in handling and use. The aromatic isocyanates, diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) or toluene diisocyanate (TDI) are more reactive than aliphatic isocyanates, such as hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) or isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI). Most of the isocyanates are difunctional, meaning that they have exactly two isocyanate groups per molecule. An important exception to this is polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate, which is a mixture of molecules with two-, three-, and fouror more isocyanate groups.

Polyols are polymers in their own right and have on average two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule. Polyether polyols (Fig. 2) are mostly made by co-polymerising ethylene oxide and propylene oxide with a suitable polyol precursor. Polyester polyols (Fig. 3) are made from reacting a dicarboxylic acid and a glycol. Polyols used to make polyurethanes are not “pure” compounds because they are often mixtures of molecules that contain different numbers of hydroxyl groups. The length of the polyol chain and the functionality contribute to the properties of the final polymer. Polyols used to make rigid

Basics

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Fig. 2: Polyether polyol

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Fig. 3: Polyester polyol

Fig. 4: Indian flexible foam producers use colours to identify densities (Courtesy Prime Comfort Products Pvt Ltd.)

mattresses, medical chairs and body supports (Fig. 7). those used to make flexible polyurethanes have molecular weights up to ten thousand or more.

Typical forms of polyurethane PU comes in many forms, here are the main ones which are found in our everyday lives;

Flexible foams (moulded and blocks) These soft foams are typically made from combining a long chain polyether polyol with TDI (toluene diisocyanate) in a ratio of 2:1. (MDI, methylene diisocyanate can also be used but is more typically used in moulded flexible foams).

The foam is made like a giant cake on a moving conveyor. A mixture of chemicals is dispensed onto a layer of kraft paper.

As the mixture moves along the conveyor it expands due to the exothermic reaction and the formation of gas bubbles which form the cell structure of the foam. Such machines produce large blocks of foam at the end of a line which can easily be e.g. 20 metres long. The block can be cut and transported to a nearby warehouse to cool, before being cut further or sold to mattress and furniture manufacturers. The foam can be produced in a variety of densities and with specific properties (Fig. 4).

Other applications include the use of flexible foam as a growth media for green roofs and walls, in hydroponics (Fig. 5) and when cut into an egg box style, the foam is an excellent acoustic insulator (Fig. 6).

Flexible foams can also be made with viscoelastic properties. These foams, also called memory foams, rememberr and support your body shape when used in

Moulded flexible foams are produced using a mould and are typically used in automotive seating and commercial furniture because of their higher density and greater support.

These foam are made by injecting the raw material mix into an open or sealed mould. Heat and or pressure is applied and the reaction occurs inside the mould in a matter of a few minutes. When the foam is cured (set), the mould is opened to reveal a piece of seat foam.

Rigid PU foams Rigid foams are made from a mixture of MDI and polyol in a 2:1 ratio. Blowing agents are also used to promote the expansion of the foam and to fill the cells formed during the reaction. The cells used to be filled with CFCs, which acted as excellent thermal insulation. For environmental reasons, these gases have now been replaced with water, methyl formate, hydrofluorocarbons, hydrocarbons and most recently with hydrofluoroolefins. These foams are produced for use as thermal insulation, but they can be used for packaging, structural strength and noise absorption. These foams are found in all refrigerators and freezers, they can be applied to surfaces such as walls and roofs using a spray gun, and they can be foamed between metal sheets, wooden panels and other materials including foil and glass fibre sheet to make panels for the construction industry.

PU Coatings Polyurethane coatings are among the most versatile types of coatings. Polyurethane top coats are used to provide corrosion and UV resistance. In addition, they can

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

51

People Basics

Fig. 5: Photo 3 growth media for hydroponics

Fig. 6: acoustic insulator( Courtesy Recticel)

PU coatings include a variety of types, ranging from traditional pure e polyurethane coatings to those in which isocyanates are used to modify resin systems through to polyurea formulations. Traditionally used primarily as liquid topcoats over epoxies and other primers/basecoats, polyurethane is found in coatings for use in metal electrodeposition primers, primer coats, base coats, and topcoats used for automotive, engineering equipment and appliances.

PU wood coatings are mainly used for furniture and outdoor decking. High performance PU coatings are also used to protect exterior concrete flooring and metal components.

Textile and fibre used in high performance sports and military clothing are also treated with PU coatings.

Cast elastomers are processed by pouring material into a mould. The finished article is cured at either ambient or elevated temperatures of 50-130ºC to produce a hard, solid elastomer that is highly durable, abrasion resistant, solvent resistant and flexible. This type of elastomer can be used in hundreds of different applications but typical uses include wheels, rollers, belting, seals, industrial components and mining screens.

Microcellular elastomers are lightweight materials that are moulded into a foamed article for use in shoe soles (Fig. 8) and shock absorbers in vehicles. Spray elastomers- are applied using high pressure equipment to produce a protective coating on a variety of substrates. A prominent area of development is that of spray polyurea elastomers; these products have a wide range of applications including flooring, roofing, pipelines, tanks and car park decking.

PU Adhesives, Binders & Sealants

Growing role of bio based materials

PU adhesives are used in many market segments and a multitude of applications. Polyurethanes compete with other medium to high performance adhesives such as SBR, polyamides, polyesters, epoxies, cyanoacrylates, PVA, acrylics, PVDC and others. Construction, transportation and flexible packaging represent the leading applications for PU adhesives.

Opportunities for biobased PU continues to grow, in flexible block foam, moulded foams for automotive seats, as well as for coatings, adhesives, and elastomers where the biobased chemicals :

resistance and durability.

PU Elastomers (cast, microcellular) Elastomers are characterized by their ability to recover from deformation so that after the material has been stressed it generally returns to its original shape and form. PU elastomers can be made to exhibit a wide range of hardness, abrasion resistance, elongation and impact resistance.

52

Fig. 7: Viscoelastic flexible PU foam ( Courtesy BayerMaterial Science)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

offer equivalent or better performance than those derived from crude oil are available on a reliable basis at an equivalent purity do not increase production costs do reduce reliance upon crude oil do reduce price volatility of raw materials do improve the carbon footprint of a production process, product and consumer product as well as reducing pollution and GHG emissions

Fig. 8: Coloured PU elastomer shoe soles ( Courtesy ISL Chemie)

Fig. 9: Palm oil, cashew nut and castor oil plants ( courtesy Polygreen, CIMC Italia, BASF )

Currently the bio-PU market is at a tipping point due to the increasing volume and range of biobased products entering the market. For decades products such as sorbitol polyols and castor oil have been used by PU manufacturers. More recently natural oil polyols derived from soybean oil, cashew nut shell oil, fish oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil have entered the raw material mix (Fig. 9). Some of these products are starting to be used in mainstream polyurethane products such as car seats, mattresses, elastomers and coatings.

In addition to the use of natural oils, a new breed of chemicals is being produced through the use of renewable resources such as sugar, corn, glycerine, wood pulp and waste paper with fermentation and biotechnology.

During 2012, an innovative group of small companies have made the leap into biobased chemical production creating evidence that a new industry using sugar rather than petroleum has started to grow. This group includes BioAmber, BASF, CSM, Gevo, LS9, Lanxess, Myriant Technologies, Reverdia, Rivertop Renewables, Solazyme and ZeaChem. The output from the facilities, mostly chemical intermediates, will be sold to chemical and other companies to make products such as polyols, solvents, detergents, coatings, and polymers.

The intermediates include isobutyl alcohol, glucaric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, and farnesene. By 2015, new biosuccinic acid plants expected to come on stream will have capacity of nearly 200,000 tonnes per annum. Bio succinic acid can be used to produce polyester polyols which are predominantly used in PU elastomers, TPUs, coatings and adhesives.

Commercially available quantities of biobased chemicals that are identical to petrochemical based products have captured the interest of the industry, most notably in high performance products such as coatings, elastomers and adhesives. Growth rates for biobased chemicals such as polyester polyols will depend upon the success of each manufacturer to substitute conventional material. This would seem more straightforward than in the case of switching polyether polyols for natural oil polyols – materials that have different chemical structures, colour, odour and reactivity.

The level of investment in bio –based chemicals has increased rapidly, although much has been paid for by NGO and government grants, this would suggest that manufacturers see excellent growth prospects. BASF suggests that the global growth in the use of renewable chemicals will increase by 4-6 % per year depending upon the end-use application.

Bayer Material Science suggest that the benefits of products such as bio-succinic acid and bio-BDO are greater than for NOPs because the processes are more efficient, save money and are more competitive than for conventional products (Fig. 10).

In addition, chemists have found catalysts that can capture carbon dioxide for use as a raw material. The potential demand for these products to replace conventional petrochemical ones as well as create new products is huge.

BayerMaterialScience, Novomer and several other polyol manufacturers have made trial volumes of CO2 based polyols and used them to produce PU products such as TPUs, shoe sole elastomers, flexible foams and adhesives.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

53

Region NAFTA S.America

% AAGR 2011/2012

2,965

6.2%

2012 (kt)

% AAGR 2012/2013

3,150

4.8%

2013 (kt)

% AAGR 2013/2014

3,300

3.9%

800

1.3%

810

3.7%

840

3.0%

865

3.8%

6,020

9.6%

6,600

12.1%

7,400

EMEA

5,550

-3.5%

5,355

2.5%

5,490

3.0%

5,653

Asia Pacific

2,450

5.1%

2,575

6.0%

2,730

6.2%

2,900

2.0% 17,910

5.9%

18,960

6.8%

20,248

17,565

Table 1 Estimated PU production by region 2011-2013 (2014 forecast)

Within polyurethane chemistry, there is tremendous scope for product differentiation, so that today, there are more 20,000 customers globally, using more than 500 generic product families of polyol and isocyanate.

Overall, the global demand for polyurethane has continued to recover from the downturn of 2009. Industry estimates suggest that the global production of PU grew by 5.9 % between 2012 and 2013 to reach an estimated 18,960 tonnes and forecasts suggest further growth of 6.8 % for 2014. Growth varies depending upon region, and other factors including wealth, demography, innovation and product substitution.

While some markets have performed worse than expected; India, China and Brazil, other have outperformed forecasts; USA, Mexico, and the UK. Despite lower than expected growth Asia and particular China will continue to be the industry growth drivers as more people can afford to buy PU containing products;mattresses, furniture, shoes, travel and appliances.

Source: PU Magazine International & industry estimates Note: EMEA – Europe, Middle East & Africa,NAFTA- US, Canada & Mexico

54

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

3,430

5,800

Today’s polyurethane (PU) industry

www.pu-magazine.com

2014 (kt)

China

Total

Fig. 10: Dr Guertler examines PU flexible foam containing CO2 derived polyols ( Courtesy Bayer Material Science)

2011 (kt)

For further information infformation n go to to w www. ww polyyuretthanes.org . IS polyurethanes.org ISOPA, SOPA A, the e Bru Brussels ussels ba based ased Association Asso ociattion of of European Eu urope ean isocyanate issocya anate e and d polyol pollyol produ producers ucers hass also o produced produce ed the following folllowin ng film to expl explain lain h how ow polyu polyurethane ureth hane touc touches ches our lives lives. s.

Info: watch video clip at bit.ly/1l4lrKj

Region NAFTA S.America

% AAGR 2011/2012

2,965

6.2%

2012 (kt)

% AAGR 2012/2013

3,150

4.8%

2013 (kt)

% AAGR 2013/2014

3,300

3.9%

800

1.3%

810

3.7%

840

3.0%

865

3.8%

6,020

9.6%

6,600

12.1%

7,400

EMEA

5,550

-3.5%

5,355

2.5%

5,490

3.0%

5,653

Asia Pacific

2,450

5.1%

2,575

6.0%

2,730

6.2%

2,900

2.0% 17,910

5.9%

18,960

6.8%

20,248

17,565

Table 1 Estimated PU production by region 2011-2013 (2014 forecast)

Within polyurethane chemistry, there is tremendous scope for product differentiation, so that today, there are more 20,000 customers globally, using more than 500 generic product families of polyol and isocyanate.

Overall, the global demand for polyurethane has continued to recover from the downturn of 2009. Industry estimates suggest that the global production of PU grew by 5.9 % between 2012 and 2013 to reach an estimated 18,960 tonnes and forecasts suggest further growth of 6.8 % for 2014. Growth varies depending upon region, and other factors including wealth, demography, innovation and product substitution.

While some markets have performed worse than expected; India, China and Brazil, other have outperformed forecasts; USA, Mexico, and the UK. Despite lower than expected growth Asia and particular China will continue to be the industry growth drivers as more people can afford to buy PU containing products;mattresses, furniture, shoes, travel and appliances.

Source: PU Magazine International & industry estimates Note: EMEA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Europe, Middle East & Africa,NAFTA- US, Canada & Mexico

54

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

3,430

5,800

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s polyurethane (PU) industry

www.pu-magazine.com

2014 (kt)

China

Total

Fig. 10: Dr Guertler examines PU flexible foam containing CO2 derived polyols ( Courtesy Bayer Material Science)

2011 (kt)

For further information go to www. polyurethanes.org . ISOPA, the Brussels based Association of European isocyanate and polyol producers has also produced the following film to explain how polyurethane touches our lives.

Info: watch video clip at bit.ly/1l4lrKj

Open PeopleLetter

Biodegradable-compostable plastics – a primer vis-à-vis recycling and end-of-life issues

T

here is some confusion and misperception on the role and value proposition of biodegradable-compostable plastics. As we are active researchers and thought leaders in the bioplastics space, and involved in Standards writing, we are placing on record a clear science based value proposition for biodegradable-compostable plastics.

Plastics and specifically plastics packaging offer considerable value from protection, to performance, to light weighting, to energy savings, and costs. An increasing concern in the continued use of plastics, specifically plastics packaging is its end-of-life – what happens to plastic after use when it enters the waste stream? Therefore, it is important for the plastics industry to support and promote environmentally responsible, scientifically valid end-of-life strategies for the safe and efficacious treatment of plastic waste. Everyone can agree that there can be multiple approaches and technologies to plastics end-of-life.

Recycling is clearly an important end-of-life strategy for plastics and continues to grow. Even in recycling there are subsets of technology – mechanical recycling (to same or different product) and chemical recycling (disassembling the polymer back to monomer). Biodegradability (which is a form of natural biological recycling) in concert with disposal/waste management systems like composting, anaerobic digestion, soil (for disposable plasticulture applications) offers an environmentally responsible, efficacious, end-of-life strategy for select disposable and single use plastic packaging, food service ware and similar applications -- for example a compostable carry-out plastic bag offers consumers dual use of serving to protect and carry purchased items, and then used at home to collect compostable biowastes for composting g or anaerobic digestion. This allows closing the loop and ensuing that the compostable plastics is safely, and efficaciously removed from the environment via microbial metabolism.

The truly biodegradable-compostable plastics are an important sub-set of plastics for end-of-life options and complements traditional plastics recycling. It is not a

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

substitute for current plastics recycling efforts, but offers additional, complimentary end-of-life options for a subset of plastics packaging integrated with composting/anaerobic digestion disposal systems. It broadens the scope of plastic resins being offered to the marketplace and contributes to the viability and vibrancy of the plastics sector. To reiterate, truly biodegradable plastics are not in competition with conventional plastics – conventional plastics are more suitable for long-life applications and for mechanical recycling, while biodegradable plastics make more sense for short-life applications associated with food waste, soil contact, moisture, etc., that make mechanical recycling difficult.

The biodegradable-compostable class of resins are distinct and very different from the dominant, traditional plastic resins like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It will not and should not interfere with the use and recycling end-of-life of these resins. The biodegradable-compostable resins offer an additional and distinct class of plastic resins which are integrated to composting/anaerobic digestion end-of-life and targets specific market sector applications as discussed in the earlier paragraph. Because it is tied to composting/ anaerobic digestion or soil biodegradability end-of-life, the typical minimum film thickness requirements for a reusable shopping bag (e.g. 50 microns) should not be applicable to ensure efficacious and complete biodegradability (complete removal from the disposal environment via microbial metabolism).

Unfortunately, there are controversial and unproven claims of technologies involving additivess that supposedly make these PE, PP, PS, and PET resins completely biodegradable or oxo- biodegradable in short time frames ranging from 9 months to 2 years no matter which environment they are disposed in. A recent study commissioned by Plastics Europe found that these claims cannot be substantiated by credible scientific evidence. Several courts and regulatory agencies in different countries have taken action against these companies

Open Letter

By:

An open letter to European Bioplastics e.V. European Plastic Converters Plastic Recyclers Europe SPI Bioplastics Council

for false and misleading claims (New Zealand, Australia, Italy, USA). More importantly, the European Recyclers Association and its U.S. counterpart have indicated that these oxo and organic additive based PE, PP, and PET resins are interfering in recycling operations and has potential to derail recycling efforts. It is important to stress again that the truly biodegradable–compostable resins are clearly distinct and different from these oxo or organic additive based PE, PP, and PET resins and have a clear end-of-life option of compostability, anaerobic digestion, and soil applications.

The biodegradable plastics industry has worked hard to develop international consensus standards to test for biodegradability in target disposal environments like composting, anaerobic digestion, soil and also developed specifications for biodegradable plastics in composting environment and also for packaging in (organic) biological recycling. Scientific standards and third-party certifications are essential tools to identify biodegradable products, testing and verifying performance in a transparent way.

The first attempts to define standards for plastics and packaging suitable to composting date back to the beginning of 1990’s, when the Institute for Standards Research (ISR, the ASTM’s research arm) in USA and ORCA (Organic Reclamation and Composting Association) in Europe started fundamental preliminary works. Official standard specifications were developed shortly after. ASTM D6400 (Standard Specification for Compostable Plastics) was originally published in 1999, and the year after followed the European harmonized standard EN 13432 (Packaging. Requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation. Test scheme and evaluation criteria for the final acceptance of packaging). At present, two international standards are available (ISO 17088 Specifications for compostable plastics, and ISO 18606 Packaging and the environment -- Organic recycling). These standard specifications basically apply the same testing approach (and requirements) based on: assessment of biodegradability (90% in 180 days), assessment of disintegration (90% in 90 days), and assessment of possible

Ramani Narayan University Distinguished Professor Michigan Sate Univ., USA and Bruno De Wilde Organic Waste Systems n.v., Gent, Belgium

negative effects on the final compost (ecotoxicity testing and content of metals).

Biodegradation has been characterized also in other environments, such as home composting, soil, freshwater and sea water, resulting in a massive number of test methods that are presently available. The research is ongoing, and new standardization projects are being development quickly.

As a result, compostable plastics (which are biodegradable in a composting environment) are currently utilized for several commercial applications (e.g. food waste collection bags, shopping bags, food service ware, cutlery, packaging, etc.), which are satisfactorily composted together with organic waste in composting plants. Soil biodegradable plastics are also finding applications in which biodegradability is a major asset, such as mulch films for agriculture, body bags for green burial, etc. Truly biodegradable and compostable plastics have proven for many years to work well for waste diversion and minimization systems.

Standardization has played a crucial role for the development and acceptance of these innovative products.

Biodegradability, the presence of renewable substances, and environmental impact are not characteristics that can be noted directly by consumers without identification.

Reproducible test methods are needed to establish any claim of biodegradability, and standardization has provided the proper test methods and requirements. The result is a frame of reference for consumers, who must be able to make purchases based on informed decisions, as well as a level playing field for companies on the market, which must operate under a clear system of rules, and finally as a means of oversight for public authorities, which are responsible for health and safety requirements to protect the public and the environment.

narayan@msu.edu bruno.dewilde@ows.be

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

57

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AGRANA Starch Thermoplastics Conrathstrasse 7 A-3950 Gmuend, Austria Tel: +43 676 8926 19374 lukas.raschbauer@agrana.com www.agrana.com

Shandong Fuwin New Material Co., Ltd. Econorm® Biodegradable & Compostable Resin North of Baoshan Road, Zibo City, Shandong Province P.R. China.

Phone: +86 533 7986016 Fax: +86 533 6201788 Mobile: +86-13953357190 CNMHELEN@GMAIL.COM www.sdfuwin.com

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

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Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach Germany Tel. +49 2161 664864 Fax +49 2161 631045 info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

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

GRAFE-Group Waldecker Straße 21, 99444 Blankenhain, Germany Tel. +49 36459 45 0 www.grafe.com

Jincheng, Lin‘an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China China contact: Grace Jin mobile: 0086 135 7578 9843 Grace@xinfupharm.com Europe contact(Belgium): Susan Zhang mobile: 0032 478 991619 zxh0612@hotmail.com Natur-Tec® - Northern Technologies DuPont de Nemours International S.A. www.xinfupharm.com 4201 Woodland Road 2 chemin du Pavillon Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA 1218 - Le Grand Saconnex Tel. +1 763.225.6600 1.1 bio based monomers Switzerland Fax +1 763.225.6645 Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11 info@natur-tec.com Fax: +41 22 580 22 45 www.natur-tec.com plastics@dupont.com www.renewable.dupont.com www.plastics.dupont.com Corbion Purac Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21 4200 AA Gorinchem The Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695 PolyOne Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604 Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 www.corbion.com/bioplastics Zoning de la Fagne bioplastics@corbion.com 5330 Assesse Tel: +86 351-8689356 Fax: +86 351-8689718 www.ecoworld.jinhuigroup.com jinhuibio@126.com

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Sample Charge: 39mm x 6,00 € = 234,00 € per entry/per issue

Sample Charge for one year: 6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 € The entry in our Suppliers Guide is bookable for one year (6 issues) and extends automatically if it’s not canceled three month before expiry.

Evonik Industries AG Paul Baumann Straße 1 45772 Marl, Germany Tel +49 2365 49-4717 evonik-hp@evonik.com www.vestamid-terra.com www.evonik.com

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

WinGram Industry CO., LTD Great River(Qin Xin) Plastic Manufacturer CO., LTD Mobile (China): +86-13113833156 Mobile (Hong Kong): +852-63078857 Fax: +852-3184 8934 Email: Benson@wingram.hk 1.3 PLA

www.facebook.com www.issuu.com www.twitter.com

Natureplast 11 rue François Arago 14123 Ifs – France Tel. +33 2 31 83 50 87 www.natureplast.eu t.lefevre@natureplast.eu

Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd. No.33 Kefeng Rd, Sc. City, Guangzhou Hi-Tech Ind. Development Zone, Guangdong, P.R. China. 510663 Tel: +86 (0)20 6622 1696 info@ecopond.com.cn www.ecopond.com.cn FLEX-162 Biodeg. Blown Film Resin!

Bio-873 4-Star Inj. Bio-Based Resin!

Shenzhen Esun Ind. Co;Ltd www.brightcn.net www.esun.en.alibaba.com bright@brightcn.net Tel: +86-755-2603 1978

www.youtube.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

59

Suppliers Guide 1.4 starch-based bioplastics

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

6. Equipment

Metabolix, Inc. Bio-based and biodegradable resins and performance additives 21 Erie Street Cambridge, MA 02139, USA US +1-617-583-1700 DE +49 (0) 221 / 88 88 94 00 www.metabolix.com info@metabolix.com

6.1 Machinery & Molds 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

1.6 masterbatches

BIOTEC Biologische Naturverpackungen Werner-Heisenberg-Strasse 32 46446 Emmerich/Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 2822 – 92510 info@biotec.de www.biotec.de

GRAFE-Group Waldecker Straße 21, 99444 Blankenhain, Germany Tel. +49 36459 45 0 www.grafe.com

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 4. Bioplastics products

62 136 LESTREM, FRANCE 00 33 (0) 3 21 63 36 00 www.gaialene.com www.roquette.com

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

PSM Bioplastic HK Room 1901B,19/F, Allied Kajima Buil- ding 138 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hongkong Tel: +852-31767566 Fax: +852-31767567 support@psm.com.cn www.psm.com.cn

PolyOne Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 Zoning de la Fagne 5330 Assesse Belgium Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 www.polyone.com

3. Semi finished products 1.5 PHA

TianAn Biopolymer No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd, Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800 Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2 Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0 enquiry@tianan-enmat.com www.tianan-enmat.com

60

bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

3.1 films

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

ProTec Polymer Processing GmbH Stubenwald-Allee 9 64625 Bensheim, Deutschland Tel. +49 6251 77061 0 Fax +49 6251 77061 500 info@sp-protec.com www.sp-protec.com 6.2 Laboratory Equipment

Minima Technology Co., Ltd. Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City, 2. Additives/Secondary raw materials Taichung County 411, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Tel. +886(4)2277 6888 Fax +883(4)2277 6989 Mobil +886(0)982-829988 esmy@minima-tech.com Skype esmy325 www.minima-tech.com GRAFE-Group Waldecker Straße 21, 99444 Blankenhain, Germany Tel. +49 36459 45 0 www.grafe.com

Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH Duesseldorfer Strasse 23-27 68219 Mannheim, Germany Phone: +49 (0)621-8907-233 Fax: +49 (0)621-8907-8233 bioadimide.eu@rheinchemie.com www.bioadimide.com

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

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

MODA: Biodegradability Analyzer SAIDA FDS INC. 143-10 Isshiki, Yaizu, Shizuoka,Japan Tel:+81-54-624-6260 Info2@moda.vg www.saidagroup.jp 7. Plant engineering EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH Unterfeldstrasse 3 4052 Ansfelden, AUSTRIA Phone: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-0 Fax: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-23 erema@erema.at www.erema.at

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH Holzhauser Strasse 157–159 D-13509 Berlin Tel. +49 30 43 567 5 Fax +49 30 43 567 699 sales.de@uhde-inventa-fischer.com Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG Via Innovativa 31 CH-7013 Domat/Ems Tel. +41 81 632 63 11 Fax +41 81 632 74 03 sales.ch@uhde-inventa-fischer.com www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com

Suppliers Guide 9. Services

11 rue François Arago 14123 Ifs – France Tel. +33 2 31 83 50 87 www. biopolynov.com t.lefevre@natureplast.eu

10.2 Universities

narocon Dr. Harald Kaeb Tel.: +49 30-28096930 kaeb@narocon.de www.narocon.de

UL International TTC GmbH Rheinuferstrasse 7-9, Geb. R33 47829 Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany Tel: +49 (0)2151 88 3324 Fax: +49 (0)2151 88 5210 ttc@ul.com www.ulttc.com 10. Institutions

Osterfelder Str. 3 46047 Oberhausen Tel.: +49 (0)208 8598 1227 Fax: +49 (0)208 8598 1424 thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de

Institut für Kunststofftechnik Universität Stuttgart Böblinger Straße 70 70199 Stuttgart Tel +49 711/685-62814 Linda.Goebel@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

nova-Institut GmbH Chemiepark Knapsack Industriestrasse 300 50354 Huerth, Germany Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40 E-Mail: contact@nova-institut.de www.biobased.eu

10.1 Associations

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 Consulting Tel. +49 2161 664864 info@polymediaconsult.com

IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover Faculty II – Mechanical and Bioprocess Engineering Heisterbergallee 12 30453 Hannover, Germany Tel.: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 22 69 Fax: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 99 - 22 69 lisa.mundzeck@fh-hannover.de http://www.ifbb-hannover.de/

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

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

‘Basics‘ book on bioplastics This book, created and published by Polymedia Publisher, maker of bioplastics MAis available in English and German language.

GAZINE

The book is intended to offer a rapid and uncomplicated introduction into the subject of bioplastics, and is aimed at all interested readers, in particular those who have not yet had the opportunity to dig deeply into the subject, such as students or those just joining this industry, and lay readers. It gives an introduction to plastics and bioplastics, explains which renewable resources can be used to produce bioplastics, what types of bioplastic exist, and which ones are already on the market. Further aspects, such as market development, the agricultural land required, and waste disposal, are also examined.

An extensive index allows the reader to find specific aspects quickly, and is complemented by a comprehensive literature list and a guide to sources of additional information on the Internet.

The author Michael Thielen is editor and publisher bioplastics MAGAZINE. He is a qualified machinery design engineer with a degree in plastics technology from the RWTH University in Aachen. He has written several books on the subject of blow-moulding technology and disseminated his knowledge of plastics in numerous presentations, seminars, guest lectures and teaching assignments.

110 pages full color, paperback ISBN 978-3-9814981-1-0: Bioplastics ISBN 978-3-9814981-0-3: Biokunststoffe

Order now for € 18.65 or US-$ 25.00 (+ VAT where applicable, plus shipping and handling, ask for details) order at www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/books, by phone +49 2161 6884463 or by e-mail books@bioplasticsmagazine.com

Or subscribe and get it as a free gift (see page 69 for details, outside German y only) bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/14] Vol. 9

61

Companies in this issue Editorial

Advert

Agrana Starch Thermoplastics

Editorial

43

A Plus Packaging

34, 38

ACI

Hallink 7

Hangzhou Seemore

Advert

Company

Editorial

31

President Packaging

60

60

ProTec

60

30, 32

Acumen

32

Hotai

Agrana

59

Huainan An Xin Tai

AgroCrush

25

Hubei Guanghe

32, 38

ANL Plastics

38

Huhtamaki Films

38, 60

API

59

Icimendue

Arcoplastica

38

Innovia Films

Arkema

PSM PTT MCC Biochem

32

Reverdia

32

RheinChemie

60

Roechling Automotive

10

Roquette

32

RTP

32

38 36, 38

Inst. f. Biopolym. and Biocomposites

10

38

ITENE - Pack., Transp. and Logistics

38

Saida

60

BE_NATURAL

38

ITKE (Univ. Stuttgart)

18

Samyang

32

Binhai Jinxiang

32

Jiangsu Clean Environmental

32

Sanhe Bigreen

Bio4Life

17

Jiangsu Jinhe

32

Shandong Fuwin

28, 32

Bio4Pack

17

Jiangxi Pingxiang Xuan Pin

32

Shandong Horan

32

6

Jinhui Zhaolong

14, 32

Shandong Wanda

32

Kaneka Corporation

37, 38

Shanghai Disoxidation

32

Shanghai Langyi

32

32, 38

Biopolymer Symposium

48

Biopolynov Biotec

Kingfa

34, 38

61

34

4, 60

Bösel Plastic Management

8

Leibniz Inst. F. Agr. Eng LG chem

38

BPI

32, 36, 38

Lego

11

B-Pack

Limagrain Cereales Ingredients

61

1

Safepack Industries

38, 40

31, 32

bioplastics MAGAZINE

61

Shanghai Naduo Trade 10

Shenzhen Ecomann

32 37, 38

Shenzhen Esun 60

32

32

10, 28, 32

Shenzhen Polymer

32

10

Showa Denko

59

6

Sidaplax

10

32, 43

Maserati

44

Sleever International

38

Cathay

32

Meredian

22

So Delicious

43

Chengdu Tomny

32

Metabolix

5, 8, 10, 36, 38

Cardia Bioplastics

Corbion Purac

10, 35, 38

39

11, 59

MG Lavorazione Materie Plastiche

38

DaniMer

22

Mianyang Longhua

Dongguan Xinhai

32

Michigan State University

Dr.Heinz Gupta Verlag

50

Minima Technology

DSM

44

Mossi & Ghisolfi

DuPont

59

Nafigate

30, 32

narocon

61

Ecopha

11

Elevance Renewable Sciences

46

Natureplast

Elitflexible Alit Baskili Urunler

38

NatureWorks

Erema

10

11, 60

6, 8, 10, 35, 38

13, 15, 61

European Bioplastics Eutec

32

Evonik

33, 59, 63

Ferrari

44

FKuR

10, 16, 35, 45, 38

2, 59

37, 60

SOJITZ Europe Soma

32

38

10

Suzhou Hanfeng

32

60

Synbra

10

5

Synprodo

34, 38

61

Taghleef Industries

59

8, 10, 17, 29, 32, 38, 41

Tinajin Glory

10

TinanAn Biopolymer

60

Trican

38

59

Tüv Rheinland

NesteOil

12

Uhde Inventa-Fischer

Ngai Hing

32

UHU

42

Ningbo Bamtac

32

UL

61

Ningxia Qinglin Shenghua

32

Unilever

8

Univ. Stuttgart (IKT)

61

36, 38

10

Novamont

5, 7

Wageningen (WUR)

10

Folienwerk Wolfen

38

Nowofol Kunststoffprodukte

38

Weifang Daqian

32

Fraunhofer ICT

10

Organic Waste Systems

56

Weihai Lianqiao

32

Fraunhofer IVV

10

Pacovis

38

WinGram

Fraunhofer UMSICHT

61

plasticker

36, 38

Grafe

59, 60

55, 60

Plastiroll

38, 40

Wuhan Huali

29, 32

39

Xinfu Pharm

59

Plastisud

16

Xylophane

38

Polykemi Compounds

32

Yat Shun Hong

Green Sports Alliance

8

Polymedia consult

61

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu

PolyOne

10

GreenDot Holdings

26, 42

Editorial Planner

59, 60

Zhejiang Hisun

6, 60

38, 41 32 32, 38 32

2014

Issue

Month

Publ.-Date

edit/ad/ Deadline

Editorial Focus (1)

Editorial Focus (2)

Basics

Fair Specials

03/2014

May/Jun

02.06.14

02.05.14

Injection moulding

Thermoset

Injection Moulding

Chinaplas & Interpack Review

04/2014

Jul/Aug

04.08.14

04.07.14

Bottles / Blow Moulding

Fibre Reinforced Composites

PET

05/2014

Sept/Oct

06.10.14

06.09.14

Fiber / Textile / Nonwoven

Toys

Building Blocks

06/2014

Nov/Dec

01.12.14

01.11.14

Films / Flexibles / Bags

Consumer Electronics

Sustainability

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/14] Vol. 9

21, 60

59

43

Green Day Eco-friendly Material

37, 49, 60

32 10, 32

Floreon

Grabio Greentech

60, 64

11

38 10, 17, 38, 41

Natur-Tec

Nitrochem

59

2, 45

Sulzer Chemtech

10, 56

5, 59

29, 32

Magna

35, 38

60

38, 40

Looplife

Braskem

Advert

6, 60

32

BASF

bio-on

62

Company

Subject to changes

Company

VESTAMID® Terra High Performance Naturally

Technical biobased polyamides which achieve performance by natural means VESTAMID® Terra DS VESTAMID® Terra HS VESTAMID® Terra DD

(= PA1010) (= PA610) (= PA1012)

100% renewable 62% renewable 100% renewable

• Outstanding mechanical and physical properties • Same performance as conventional engineering polyamides • Significant fi lower CO2 emission compared to petroleum-based polymers • A wide variety of compound solutions are available www.vestamid-terra.com

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: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living Chemistry for Quality of Lifeâ&#x20AC;?. Its objective has been to create products with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative research is the new bioplastic Mater-BiÂŽ.

Mater-BiÂŽ is a family of materials, completely biodegradable and compostable which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and vegetable oil derivates. Mater-BiÂŽ 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. Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream has become a reality.

Living Chemistry for Quality of Life f . www.no w vamont.com

Within Mater-BiÂŽ product YHUNL [OL MVSSV^PUN JLY[PĂ&#x201E;JH[PVUZ HYL H]HPSHISL

;OL ¸62 *VTWVZ[š JLY[PĂ&#x201E;JH[L N\HYHU[LLZ JVUMVYTP[` ^P[O [OL 5- ,5 Z[HUKHYK IPVKLNYHKHISL HUK JVTWVZ[HISL WHJRHNPUN