bioplastics MAGAZINE 06-2014

06 | 2014

bioplastics

magazine

Vol. 9

ISSN 1862-5258

November / December

Highlights 3D Printing | 16 Films, Flexibles, Bags | 10 Consumer & Office Electronics | 40

1 countries

... is read in 9

Spectra Using New Biopolymer Materials Spectra

Packaging,

a

leading

UK-based

plastic

packaging company, have chosen to offer BRASKEM’ S GREEN PE and GLOBIO BIO-PET for their bottle solutions. The benefits of offering their customers this sustainable alternative are that the physical properties, manufacturing processes and applications can be the same as conventional oil-based plastics. In addition these bioplastics can be recycled along with conventional plastics. As a result, brand owners and retailers will be able to contribute to a more sustainable future.

For more information visit www.fkur.com • www.fkur-biobased.com

Editorial

dear readers Loyal, long time readers of bioplastics MAGAZINE have already learned some details of my private life. Well here comes another bit. For about 30 years I’ve been a keen glove-puppet puppeteer. So it is no surprise that one of my colleagues in that hobby would eventually end up being our cover girl.

May I introduce to you Miss Schniedermeyer (our gossip-monger)? And as 3D printing is one of our editorial highlights in this issue, we tried to clone Miss Schniedermeyer on a 3D printer, using free open source software tools and a wood-filled material (see page 21).

In many of the articles about 3D printing, the authors write about Fused Deposition Modelling mentioning the abbreviation FDM. I want to take the opportunity here to mention that FDM is a registered trademark of the company Stratasys Inc.

November / Decembe

r

ISSN 1862-5258

The first of the other two editorial focus topics are Films, Flexibles, Bags with, among other articles, yet another comment on the European Bagislation development. The second one is Consumer and Office Electronics Initially it was planned to publish a comprehensive article on the basics of Sustainability: Brundtland and the forest industry having invented sustainability 400 years ago, and so on. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to write that piece in time, so I’m grateful to Elevance for providing an article that in a way covers the basics, certainly from their point of view.

06 | 2014

Sincerely yours Michael Thielen

Follow us on twitter!

www.twitter.com/bioplasticsmag

MAGAZINE

bioplastics

Until then we hope you enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE

Vol. 9

And finally we’d like to draw your attention to two new conferences, that bioplastics MAGAZINE is hosting in 2015. In May we invite you to the first bio!PAC conference on biobased materials in packaging And in the autumn of next year we will be presenting the first bio!CAR conference on biobased materials in automotive applications We will be pleased to accept proposals for presentations for both events.

Highlights 3D Printing | 16 Films, Flexibles, Bags | 10 Consumer & Office Electr onics | 40

... is read in 91 countries

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol.9

3

Content Films | Flexibles | Bags 10 New film bags for fresh food and electronics 11 Dutch Railways and Rwanda choose biodegradable packaging

12 Bioplastics help natural rubber

3D printing 16 What is 3D printing?

18 Biobased Fabrication Network – BioFabNet

19 New bioplastic for 3D printing 19 PLA compounds for 3D printing 20 New tailor-made PLA/PHA compounds

From Science & Research

for 3D printing

21 Cover-Story

32 Design challenges with biobased plastics

22 PLA/PHA Blend for 3D-Printing 23 Rapid prototyping methods for bio-based plastics

Consumer Electronics

24 Low cost extruder

40 Biobased color toner

26 New high performance PLA grades for 3D Printing

42 Durable plastic for mobile devices

27 3D printed PLA egg

43 Biobased high-performance polyamides for mobile healthcare electronic devices

28 Different Bioplastics for 3D printing 30 3D printing of a real house

Politics

06|2014

44 Bagislation in Europe – A (good?) case for biodegradables

Basics

November/December

48 Next-generation sustainability requires higher product performance

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05 - 07 Application News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 - 39 Suppliers Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 - 52 Event Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/bioplasticsmag

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Cover: Michael Thielen

Cover

A part of this print run is mailed to the readers wrapped in envelopes sponsored by FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Willich, Germany

Envelopes

Editorial contributions are always welcome.

Please contact the editorial office via mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com.

bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British spelling. However, in articles based on information from the USA, American spelling may also be used.

The fact that product names may not be identified in our editorial as trade marks is not an indication that such names are not registered trade marks. FDM is a trademark of Stratasys Inc.

bioplastics MAGAZINE is read in 91 countries.

Not to be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.

bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on chlorine-free FSC certified paper.

ISSN 1862-5258 bM is published 6 times a year.

This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues).

bioplastics magazine

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Print

Caroline Motyka phone: +49(0)2161-6884467 +49(0)2161 6884468 fax: cm@bioplasticsmagazine.com

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Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany phone: +49 (0)2161 6884469 +49 (0)2161 6884468 fax: info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

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Ulrich Gewehr (Dr. Gupta Verlag) Mark Speckenbach (DWFB)

Layout/Production

Dr. Michael Thielen (MT) Samuel Brangenberg (SB) contributing editor: Karen Laird (KL)

Publisher / Editorial

Imprint

Companies in this issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

News

Corbion Purac to build PLA production plant

Methane as feedstock for lactic acid

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

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

With worldwide PLA capacity almost sold out and with the PLA market expected to grow to 600 kTpa by 2025, the market is seeking additional PLA suppliers – a role that Corbion Purac feels more than competent to fulfill.

As De Ruijter pointed out: “Given our strong position in lactic acid, our unique high heat technology and the market need for a second PLA producer, we plan to forward integrate in the bioplastics value chain, from being a lactide provider to a PLA producer.”

The company has announced plans to invest in a 75 kTpa PLA plant (estimated EUR 60 million capex) in Thailand, but “only if we can secure at least one-third of plant capacity in committed PLA volumes from customers”, according to De Ruijter.

The announcement came at the company’s strategy update conference a few weeks ago, and underscored the revised strategic direction presented there: a focus on strengthening the core business in ingredients for food and biochemicals (Biobased Ingredients), while leveraging the technology to build new business platforms in the biotechnology arena (Biobased Innovations).

The project is aimed at achieving the successful sequestering and, via a fermentation process, use of renewable biomethane, a potent greenhouse gas, as a feedstock for the NatureWorks’s Ingeo biopolymers and intermediates.

The research and development collaboration with Calysta addresses NatureWorks’ strategic interests in feedstock diversification and a structurally simplified, lower cost Ingeo production platform and leverages Calysta’s Biological Gas-to-Chemicals platform for biological conversion of methane to high value chemicals. For NatureWorks, methane could be an additional feedstock several generations removed from the simple plant sugars used today in a lactic acid fermentation process at the NatureWorks Blair, Nebraska, Ingeo production facility.

This June, a year after the joint development program was announced, Calysta demonstrated lab-scale production of lactic acid from methane, a major milestone in the project. Fundamental R&D should be completed in the next two to three years, enabling pilot production in three to five years.

Corbion is already active in this area, and: “In Biobased Innovations, we have a portfolio with large growth opportunities, which requires significant investments,” noted De Ruijter. Next to its PLA/lactide business, the company is a partner in a succinic acid joint venture with BASF, has developed gypsum-free fermentation technology, is exploring fermentations based on 2nd generation biomass, and other longer-term development projects.

A greenhouse gas 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, methane is generated by the natural decomposition of plant materials and is a component of natural gas. Biomethane refers specifically to renewably sourced methane produced from such activities as waste-water treatment, decomposition within landfills, farm wastes, and anaerobic digestion. If successful, the technology could directly produce lactic acid from any of these methane sources.

In addition, the company will continue to explore strategic alliances, as a means to enhance the business opportunities while mitigating the associated risks. “We will debottleneck our existing lactic acid asset base, and therefore we do not foresee the need for a major new lactic acid plant in the near term,” said De Ruijter

“If proven through this collaboration, methane to lactic acid conversion technology could be revolutionary, providing sustainable alternative feedstocks for Ingeo,” said NatureWorks Ken Williams, Program Leader for the Calysta-NatureWorks collaboration. “When coupled with NatureWorks’ proven commercial process for lactic acid to Ingeo, the methane to lactic acid process would transform a harmful greenhouse gas into useful and in-demand consumer and industrial products. This disruptive platform could support high-value chemicals and liquid fuels.

Our team thanks the Bioenergy Technologies Office and is proud to have been recognized by the Department of Energy grant for this NatureWorks and Calysta research collaboration.” KL

Corbion’s existing polymerization customers, many of whom have already successfully built up a strong local presence, good distribution channels and extensive market coverage, will continue to be supplied with lactides; new PLA polymerization customers are welcome. Lactide sales for the coatings and adhesives markets will also continue.

KL www.corbion.com

www.natureworksllc.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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News

FDA approval for PA 1010

FTC warns oxo-users about deceptive claims

Evonik Industries (Germany) has received a food contact substance notification (FCN) for its family of PA1010 polyamides. The VESTAMID® Terra DS16 natural may be used as a basic polymer in the production of articles intended for food contact. Details to the approved applications can be found in the FCN#001439. Whereby, essentially, it may be come in contact with all types of food at chilled to elevated room temperatures for single use as well all types of food in repeated use application up to 100 °C.

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

Approval is based on the simulation and actual tested migration behavior of the monomers, oligomers and other trace substances.

“Receiving the FDA approval is a validation that our efforts to strive for the best quality bio-based polyamides on the market has paid off”, said Dr. Benjamin Brehmer, Business Manager for biopolymers. “This milestone also allows us to confidently enter new markets with clarity of the regulatory situation”.

Vestamid Terra DS is based on polyamide 1010. Both monomers (the diamine and the diacid) are derived from castor oil, making Terra DS a 100 % bio-content polymer.

Vestamid Terra HS is based on polyamide 610, which is a 63 % bio-content polymer. PA610 has already received both EU and USA food contact approvals with non-alcoholic foods. Having food contact approvals for both products enables Evonik to offer a broader portfolio of bio-based polyamide to the market.

Vestamid Terra is derived partly or entirely from the castor bean plant, a raw material that is not animal feed, and which does not compete with that of food crops. Unlike other bio-sourced products, biopolyamide Vestamid Terra is a high performance polymer, so there are no restrictions on its service life and it retains impressive physical and chemical resistance properties similar to petroleumbased high performance polymers. MT www.corporate.evonik.com

The FTC, which “works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them”, has taken on this issue before. In a demonstration that it not only barks, but also bites, it last year - almost to the day - announced six enforcement actions, including one that imposed a US $ 450,000 civil penalty and five that for the first time address biodegradable plastic claims, as part of the ongoing crackdown on false and misleading environmental claims.

This year, the Commission has targeted 15 sellers of plastic bags manufactured from oxo-degradable plastic.

Oxodegradable plastic is made with an additive intended to cause it to somewhat degrade in the presence of oxygen. In many countries waste bags are intended to be deposited in landfills, however, where not enough oxygen likely exists for such bags to degrade in the time consumers expect. Contrary to the marketing, therefore, these bags may be no more biodegradable than ordinary plastic waste bags when used as intended.

“If marketers don’t have reliable scientific evidence for their claims, they shouldn’t make them,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Claims that products are environmentally friendly influence buyers, so it’s important they be accurate.”

The staff notified 15 marketers that they may be deceiving consumers based on the agency‘s 2012 revisions to its Guides For the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (the Green Guides). Based on studies about how consumers understand biodegradable claims, the Green Guides advise that unqualified degradable or biodegradable claims for items that are customarily disposed in landfills, incinerators, and recycling facilities are deceptive because these locations do not present conditions in which complete decomposition will occur within one year.

The FTC advised marketers that consumers understand the terms doxodegradable or oxo-biodegradable claims to mean the same thing as biodegradable. Staff identified the 15 marketers as part of its ongoing review of green claims in the marketplace. It has given them a brief period to respond to the warning letters and tell the staff if they will remove their oxodegradable claims from their marketing or if they have competent and reliable scientific evidence proving that their bags will biodegrade as advertised. KL/MT www.ftc.gov

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News

Obama Administration to support biobased materials On October 27, US-President Barack Obama announced biobased materials as one of three emerging technologies for US competitiveness. One of the executive actions will include investing over $ 300 million in emerging manufacturing technologies, specifically composites and bio-based materials, which will be equally matched by the private sector.

The White House said in a statement the actions would build on the final report of Obama‘s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership that recommends measures to spur innovation, secure a skilled workforce and improve the business climate.

“The executive actions announced today align with the report’s recommendations by making investments in emerging, crosscutting manufacturing technologies, training our workforce with the skills for middle-class jobs in manufacturing, and equipping small manufacturers to adopt cutting-edge technologies,” the administration noted in a statement. MT www.whitehouse.gov

SPE Automotive Innovation Award for PA4 A 70 % biobased PA 410 (EcoPaXX by DSM) lightweight multi-functional crankshaft cover came top in the Powertrain category at the Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division Innovation Awards Competition and Gala in Detroit on November 12.

The crankshaft cover is produced by German company KACO for the latest generation of MDB-4 TDI diesel engines developed by the Volkswagen Group.

The SPE recognized the numerous environmental and economic advantages of the new part and the technologies used to make it. The EcoPaXX crankshaft cover weighs around 40% less than a crankshaft cover with similar geometry made in aluminum, and so represents an important step in improving fuel efficiency in cars. Because the finished cover weighs so much less, vehicles run more efficiently, saving fuel and reducing carbon dioxide emissions throughout their lifetime.

Kaco produces the crankshaft covers in an integrated fully automated process that involves insert molding a 50 % glass fiber reinforced grades of EcoPaXX polyamide 410 over a plasma-activated dynamic PTFE seal, and then co-molding this with a liquid silicone rubber static seal. Kaco itself developed and patented the plasma process, which replaces a wet activation process involving solvents.

“The partners in this project have taken a holistic approach to sustainability,” says Andreas Genesius, head of project management at Kaco. “In the application itself, the dynamic PTFE seals reduce friction to a minimum; the manufacturing process is completely waste-free; and the part makes substantial use of sustainable materials.” EcoPaXX is derived 70 % from renewable resources, and is certified 100 % carbon neutral from cradle to gate.

In addition to these environmental advantages, there is a significant cost advantage in using EcoPaXX instead of aluminum.

The total system cost can be up to 25 % less than that for a similar die-cast aluminum crankshaft cover design. This was the first time that EcoPaXX has been used in a powertrain component.

The material had to meet a series of very demanding specifications, including very low water absorption for dimensional stability; high resistance to stress over a wide range of temperatures (operating temperatures range from -40 °C to +150 °C, with excursions up to 170 °C); resistance to engine oils and diesel fuel; and the ability to bond, not only to the LSR and PTFE seals, but also, during engine assembly, to the cast iron engine block and to a second silicone seal on the oil sump.

KL

www.dsm.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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Bioplastics Award

And the winner is ...

9th Global Bioplastics Award goes to two winners

F

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

The Annual Global Bioplastics Award, proudly presented by bioplastics MAGAZINE, was now awarded for the 9th time.

The award recognises innovation, success and achievements by manufacturers, processors, brand owners or users of bioplastic materials. This year it was given to Zandonella, a German manufacturer of bio-ice cream, and to the Swiss Coffee Company. As the award ceremony was held during the 9th European Bioplastics Conference in Brussels the night before the publication date of this issue, you will find photographs and other details from the ceremony online.

Again five judges from the academic world, the press and industry associations from America, Europe and Asia have chosen the two winners in a head-to-head race. For the judges it was significant that both packaging related developments represent a kind of holistic approaches that not only look at the single packaging item itself.

Zandonella was awarded for the development of Sandro’s Bio Box, a 500 ml box made of BioFoam® for gourmet icecream. As the first ice cream company to do so, Zandonella GmbH from Landau, Germany introduced the box made of

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

expanded PLA particle foam from Synbra. In addition, all other packaging components are made of renewable raw materials, and all are appropriate for industrial composting.

Further parts of the packaging concept are: paper wrap, shrink film (also for tamper evidence) made of PLA, label made of cellulose or PLA, PLA inlay, as well as coating film made of PLA. The Swiss Coffee Company from Widnau, Switzerland, was selected for the award for the development of their Beanarella: compostable coffee capsules. In cooperation with BASF the Swiss introduced a system that consists of a coffee capsule made from ecovio® IS1335 and an aroma tight outer packaging which is predominantly based on renewable resources. Other than the existing coffee-capsule producers the Swiss Coffee Company pursued a holistic approach paying attention on the whole life-cycle of the product. This includes the capsule, the high barrier film, the filter medium and the coffee machine as well as composting and anaerobic digestion scenarios for the end of life.

For the first time the trophy of the Bioplastics Award itself exhibits a bioplastics aspect too. The plaques given to the winners feature a new Bioplastics Award logo that was 3D printed using a filament based on a PLA/PHA blend. bioplastics MAGAZINE is grateful to FKuR and Helian Polymers for their support.

bio PAC bio CAR biobased packaging

Biobased materials for automotive applications

conference

conference

12/13 may 2015

novotel amsterdam

fall 2015

» Packaging is necessary. » Packaging protects the precious goods during transport and storage. » Packaging conveys important messages to the consumer.

» The amount of plastics in modern cars is constantly increasing. » Plastics and composites help achieving light-weighting targets. » Plastics offer enormous design opportunities.

» Good packaging helps to increase the shelf life.

» Plastics are important for the touch-and-feel and the safety of cars.

BUT:

BUT:

Packaging does not necessarily need to be made from petroleum based plastics.

consumers, suppliers in the automotive industry and OEMs are more and more looking for biobased alternatives to petroleum based materials.

biobased packaging » is packaging made from mother nature‘s gifts. » is packaging made from renewable resources.

That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE is organizing this new conference on biobased materials for the automotive industry.

» is packaging made from biobased plastics, from plant residues such as palm leaves or bagasse. » offers incredible opportunities.

www.bio-pac.info

CAll foR PAPeRs now oPen

in cooperation with

www. biobasedpackaging.nl

www.bio-car.info

Films | Flexibles | Bags

New film bags for fresh food and electronics

M

easuring only eight microns (µm) thick, Natural Shield transparent film bags are currently the thinnest bags made out of Ingeo™ PLA. Fully 70 % of the Natural Shield film consists of Ingeo. Because Natural Shield bags are so thin, water vapor and gas transmission are high and many fresh foods are better preserved with these properties.

Furthermore, aroma transmission is low, preventing odors from being released, and while the film has good stiffness it is still quiet when handled. Natural Shields high transparency showcases the bag contents, and the bags reclose naturally thanks to the film’s unique twist effect. A high strength film as compared to petroleum-based alternatives, Natural Shield is USDA certified biobased (69 %, ASTM D 6866) and DIN CERTO certified compostable (EN 13432 / ASTM D 6400).

Natural Shield film shrinks at energy saving low temperatures, making it an ideal choice for shrink-film applications. The film has a controllable shrink ratio for improved processing during shrink applications.

The film does not contain BPA (bisphenol A), is food contact compliant, and offers superior printability. In addition to fresh food packaging, the film’s anti-static properties make it ideal for packaging electronic parts and components.

Natural Shield key specifications include: Thickness (μm)

6-30

Thickness deviation (%)

≤±15

Width (mm)

200~600

Width deviation (mm)

≤±20

Tensile strength (MPa)

MD≥75 TD≥85

Elongation at break (%)

MD50-150 TD50-120

Initial shrink temperature °C

55-65

Shrink ratio (%) (70 °C)

MD20-65 TD20-65

Light transmittance (%)

≥85

Haze (%)

≤4

O2 permeability (kg·m/m sPa)

~3×10-18

H2O vapor permeability (kg·m/m2sPa)

~8×10-15

2

Remarks: MD = machine direction, TD = transverse direction

Shanghai Natural Shield New Material Technology Co. Ltd. developed the Ingeo based film. Formed by professors, students, and partners, this startup company relies on the outstanding engineering and technical knowledge of East China University of Science and Technology as well as the extensive business experience of its partners. Based on innovation and developing strategy, the company promotes novel environmentally friendly and sustainable polylactide-based films under the Natural Shield brand. MT www.natureshieldchina.com

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Films | Flexibles | Bags

Dutch Railways and Rwanda choose biodegradable packaging The Bioplastic Factory sees a growing demand for bioplastics at large companies.

T

he 500.000 bags of train-shaped liquorice candy which the Dutch Railways (NS) is handing out these days to celebrate the 175-years of existence of the railway are made of a biodegradable laminate of corn based PLA and cellulose based film (Natureflex from Innovia).

So are the bags of crisps, which the residents of Rwanda will snack on soon. Many more large companies and organizations in the Netherlands choose for biodegradable packaging, notes The Bioplastic Factory (Oud-Beijerland, The Netherlands).

The company is a specialist in packaging, durables and disposables all made of bioplastics. These are made out of natural material such as corn, potato, sugarcane, bagasse, wood pulp and bamboo. All renewable raw materials are preferably from waste streams so the production is not affecting the food chain. The bioplastics are mostly certified compostable.

injection packaging made out of cornstarch to a thermoformed bagasse dish to a packaging foil made of wood pulp.

Since the 20th of September a half million bags of train liquorice are being handed out to celebrate the 175 years of existence of the railway. The company made these special biodegradable packaging together with their partner Bio4Pack. This way the NS will allow their travelers to enjoy their fun marketing campaign in an environmentally responsible way.

For Rwanda, The Bioplastic Factory is in the progress of making biodegradable packaging for bags of crisps. “To my knowledge we are one of the first in Europe to develop a biodegradable crisp package, certainly the first in the Netherlands”, says Van den Bogerd. MT www.thebioplasticfactory.nl

Using renewable raw materials or argicultural waste streams, packaging and other plastics do not have to be made of crude oil anymore. Compostable plastics offer the additional benefit to the environment that there will be no pollution anymore with nondegradable plastics.

The Bioplastic Factory has contact with foodproducing multinationals, large supermarket chains, garden centers, a producer of frozen chips and a large developing aid organization. ”We are talking with reputable companies and organizations. All are having interest in biodegradable plastics. We really see a growing demand and believe that this will provide huge opportunities.” says Bas van den Bogerd of The Bioplastic Factory.

He and his colleagues Wouter Geldhof and Alfred Sandee started this company two years ago and with former CTO from DSM innovation centrum Dirk Sjoerdsma they have an experienced doctor in polymer chemistry at their side.

The company will make packaging to order in consultation with the customer. From food-grade

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Films | Flexibles | Bags

Bioplastics help natural rubber Application of bioplastics in Thailand’s natural rubber plantations

N

atural rubber latex is obtained by tapping of rubber trees called pará rubber. Car tyres are the biggest natural rubber product. They are today made from a compounding of natural rubber with synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber is petroleum-based similar to petroleum-based plastic, while natural rubber is a biobased product.

Thailand supplies 37 % of the 12 million tonnes annually of the world’s natural rubber and therefore has the single biggest market share. Thailand currently grows 1.5 billion rubber trees. Each year 90 million new rubber trees are replanted to replace old trees whose service lives are finished.

Plastics are used in every stage of the natural rubber industry, starting from the production of young rubber trees in nurseries where plastics are used for bud grafting, planting bags and netting. When young rubber trees are transferred for planting in larger plantations, plastics are used for ground cover or mulch film, and latex collection cups. After harvesting plastics are used as rubber block wrappers for transportation. Polyethylene and polypropylene are the most widely used plastics in the rubber industry.

Maxrich Co., Ltd. is a Thai company that develops technology and products in bioplastics. The company has R&D and manufacturing facilities for compounding and converting of bioplastics. Maxrich’s business includes various applications of bioplastics, among which is the application of bioplastics in the rubber industry. For applications in the rubber industry, Maxrich has been working with the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund (ORRAF), a state enterprise under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. ORRAF provide funds to rubber farmers for replanting. Thus ORRAF and Maxrich have a mutual goal to replace petroleum-based plastics used in the rubber industry with bioplastics. The two parties cooperate to develop bioplastics products that will replace polyethylene and polypropylene. The bioplastics applications in natural rubber have been field tested in actual plantation conditions. Some applications are as follow:

Bioplastics planting bags replace polyethylene bags Typical rubber nursery that uses polyethylene bags.

Rubber trees are planted from bud-grafted root stocks which have to be raised in nurseries for 6-12 months before transferring into the ground. The traditional method is to raise the bud-grafted root stocks in polyethylene bags. When the root stocks are planted into the ground farmers cut open the polyethylene bags. This process causes high mortality rate to the root stocks due to damage to the root system. Also, the polyethylene bags become litter in rubber plantations.

Polyethylene bags are not only environmentally hazardous but also obstruct the natural flow of rain water. The bud-grafted root stocks come from special clones and hence are highly priced.

Maxrich and ORRAF have jointly developed planting bags from bioplastics such that the bags can be planted into the ground with the root stocks. There is no need to cut the bioplastics bags because they will degrade in soil allowing the roots to grow outside of the bags. Other advantages are that

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Films | Flexibles | Bags

while they are slowly degrading they keep the moisture inside.

The moisture supplements the rain during temporary rain breaks and so ensuring a higher survival rate. The bioplastics bags also save fertilizer which is normally washed away by rain.

Although the material cost of bioplastics bags is higher than that of the conventional polyethylene bags the benefits of bioplastics bags far outweigh the material cost increase. An economics comparison reveals that the benefits of bioplastics bags are worth more than 30 times the increment in material costs. Also, because rubber farmers get a subsidy from ORRAF for replanting, the increase in material costs qualify for ORRAF’s subsidy. In turn ORRAF will benefit from a better environment, better plantation management and an economic pay-back from lower rubber tree mortality.

Rubber planted with a bioplastics bag.

Maxrich and ORRAF have done several field tests using bags compounded from either PLA or PBS. The tests were conducted in different geographical areas, in different soil and temperature conditions. The field tests and growth monitoring draw the above conclusions. From this stage Maxrich and ORRAF are planning to expand the implementation to cover all of Thailand. It is estimated that a few thousand tons of bioplastics will be used to implement the change. Similar ideas can also be applied to other economics crops such as oil palms, fruit orchards and high value teaks.

Root trainers for rubber planting A root trainer is a plastic tube used for raising root stock in nurseries for the same purpose as that of planting bags. Planting rubber by root trainers is a new agricultural technology which increases latex productivity and extends the service life of rubber trees. By planting in root trainers the rubber tree’s root system can go deeper into the ground, hence higher latex yield and stronger resistance to typhoons and heavy storms are obtained. Root trainers are now made by the injection moulding of polypropylene which does not degrade in soil. Similar to PE planting bags, they have to be removed before transferring rubber trees into the ground.

Maxrich is developing Bio Root Trainers by compounding of biodegradable bioplastics for the injection moulding process. The benefits of Bio Root Trainers mean a better environment and economic savings from higher survival rates.

Transportation over long distance by plane to neighbouring countries can also be done with root trainers.

Rubber nursery using root trainers.

Mulch film for rubber plantations The technology for rubber plantation requires rubber trees to be planted with standard spaces between rows of rubber.

Weeds that grow between the rows compete for soil nutrients with young rubbers and jeopardize the growth of rubber trees.

In order to eradicate weeds the traditional method is either to spray with chemical weed killer or by using manual labour.

Chemical weed killers do drastic damage to the ecology. They kill not only weeds but are also harmful to human and other natural living animals. The residual chemicals contaminate the soil and water in the plantations.

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Films | Flexibles | Bags Until recently mulch film was mostly made from polyethylene. These mulch films are used only when rubber trees are not matured. After rubber trees reach maturity, their canopies touch each other preventing the sunlight from reaching the soil. Weeds cannot grow without sunlight. Then the mulch films have to be removed. However PE mulch films do not degrade hence have to be removed by manual labour which is very costly in large scale plantations.

Bioplastics geotextiles prevent soil erosion while they slowly degrade.

Maxrich is developing biodegradable mulch films by compounding bioplastics. The mulch films are to meet specific requirements in rubber plantations. Biodegradable mulch films for rubber plantations have to last long enough for rubber trees to reach maturity. The bioplastics mulch films would support the policy of reducing the use of chemical weed killers and set an example for other agricultural crops.

Economics comparison shows that, over a long period, savings of chemical weed killers can pay back for biodegradable mulch films.

Geotextiles for soil erosion control Rubber plantations on hill slopes face the problem of soil erosion. Soil erosion causes landslides which damage rubber trees and presents a danger to farmers. There have been incidents where many rubber plantations were completely destroyed and lives lost by landslides.

The traditional method to counter soil erosion is to make earth ladders. This method requires massive manual labour in rough terrains. Another method is to lay geotextiles on sloped hills to prevent soil erosion. Presently, geotextiles are made from plastics (polypropylene or polyethylene). Similar to mulch films, these geotextiles are required until rubber trees have matured. After the rubber trees reach maturity, their roots hold the soil tightly and become their own natural soil erosion control. Maxrich is developing biodegradable geotextiles from compounds of bioplastics, then converting them into non-woven textiles or netting. These biodegradable geotextiles, while slowly degrading, control the soil erosion while rubber trees grow to reach maturity.

The application of bioplastics in natural rubber plantations is on the agenda of the Senate Committee for Science and Technology. The Committee awarded Maxrich Co., Ltd. with Excellence in Science and Technology Award. A policy advocacy on bioplastics in agricultures is expected to follow.

Conclusion Bioplastics applications are used for packaging as well as for durable goods. In these applications their performance and cost have to be competitive with petroleum-based plastics, in many instances, bioplastics are not justifiable, but natural rubbers are an economics crop with 30 years life span – better agricultural practices, better environment, and economics savings, can easily justify bioplastics. Bioplastics will be a new era for 2 million families of Thai rubber farmers.

By: Nopadol Suanprasert President Maxrich Co., Ltd Bangkok, Thailand www.bioplasticpackages.com www.rubber.co.th

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3D printing

What is 3D printing?

Challenges for making bioplastics 3D printable

C

hristian Bonten is the Chairholder and the director of the Institut für Kunststofftechnik (Institute for Plastics Engineering) in Stuttgart, Germany, partner in the BioFabNet project (cf. p. 18) , and here he explains the technology: As soon as you need just one of a kind, or a prototype, it is worth using an additive manufacturing process, which does not need a costly mould like for instance injection moulding.

There are different kinds of processes (see Fig. 1), that can all be covered by the umbrella term 3D printing.

Commonly, all of these additive manufacturing processes use flowable materials or materials in powder form and build up the final products in the form of layers. Here, layer by layer is deposited on, and connected to, the former layers in different ways. The 3D CAD model is converted into a layer model (STL format) and then forwarded to the controller of Solid

Filament

Liquid

Powder

The original 3D printing is just one kind of these additive manufacturing processes. In this original process, a layer of powder is brought onto a platform where a printing head runs over the layer and glues the powder selectively. It works rather similar to ink jet technology.

Today, another process, the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), is used widely – even in private households – and hence stands synonymously for the additive manufacturing processes in general. In the FDM process, a heated nozzle delivers a melt strand linearly on a platform (Fig. 3). This thermoplastic strand solidifies after cooling and the next melt strand can be laid down on top of it.

Gaseous

Process: lay down of a melt strand

Film

Fusing / solidifying

Solidify by binder

Fusing / solidifying

Blanking / glue

Fused deposition modeling (FDM)

3DPrinting (3DP)

Selektive laser sintering (SLS)

Laser Laminated Solid Stereochemical object polymerisation lithography vapor manufactu(SFP) (SLA) deposition ring (LOM) (LCVD)

contact heating

nozzle

prototype

linewise application

2

supporting structure

3

filament

Blanking / Polymeri- Chemical polymerisation sation reaction

Fig. 1: Different 3D printing processes at a glance (source: 3D Printing, Carl Hanser Publishers) 1

the additive process machine. The final part is always stepped and its surface is not smooth (Fig. 2).

4

base plate

Fig. 3: Principle of the FDM process (Source: Fig. 5.66 in Kunststofftechnik, Carl Hanser Publishers)

Layered construction

Fig. 2: Principal cycle of additive manufacturing processes (Source: Fig. 5.61 in Kunststofftechnik, Carl Hanser Publishers)

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This QR-Code (or the short-link bit.ly/1uiDvXh) connects to a short video-clip on the IKT-Youtube-channel that demonstrates the FDM process

3D printing

Fig. 4: Filament from a PLA blend (Source: IKT)

The melt strand is not produced by extrusion, as is usual in plastics series processes, but out of a mono-filament (Fig. 4), which is melted completely in the FDM nozzle by contact heat. The nozzle-infeed (depending on the different machine producers) usually has a diameter of exactly 3.0 or exactly 1.75 mm, whereas the nozzle outlet is 0.2 to 1,0 mm, depending on the machine. The production pressure is raised by pushing the filament into the heated nozzle. For this purpose, the machine has pressure rolls or wheels (see Fig. 5).

Fig. 5: Detail of the printer head of the FDM process (Source: IKT)

There are three process steps to produce 3D printed, biobased, plastics parts (Fig. 6). The first step is the compounding step that upgrades biopolymers to processable bioplastics. The second step is the production of printable monofilaments and the third step is the 3D printing process itself.

Compounding: To achieve 3D printable bioplastic filaments IKT Engineer Linda Goebel (Fig. 7) has to develop Bio-Blends on one of the twin screw extruders in the compounding technical centre of IKT.

Requirements of the material:

Compounding

Production of the filaments

3D-printing

Fig. 6: Three process steps from the biopolymer to the 3D part (Source: IKT)

The chosen material has to be thermoplastic and needs to consolidate quickly. In the solid state, the filament has to be strong enough, to avoid breakage during its transport and the filament´s surface needs a certain roughness, to prevent slipping effects. In the molten state, the viscosity must be high enough to avoid filament rupture, dripping off of melt from the nozzle as well as keeping the upper new layer on top of the layer laid down shortly beforehand. But, viscosity should not be too high, to allow entanglements across the layers´ surfaces and thus a fusion. The re-solidified state of the material must meet the requirements of the later part.

Requirements of the filaments:

Fig. 7: Linda Goebel during 3D printing experiments (Source: IKT)

The filament diameter must be perfectly round to allow pushing by means of the rolls and wheels as well as to make sure that the there is enough contact to the inner nozzle wall.

If a filament were slightly oval it would probably neither be pushed into the nozzle, nor would it have enough contact for an efficient and fast heat transfer. In addition the filament’s diameter should not pulsate along its length, i.e. the diameter must be precisely the same over the whole length. This is not easy, since the thermoplastic melt produced through a die contains molecular orientations, which will relax after leaving the nozzle. A so-called die swell occurs and will influence the filament´s diameter even after production. www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

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3D printing

Biobased Fabrication Network – BioFabNet Fig 1: Open House at the German Government (Berlin).

Center: Ralf Kindervater, BIOPRO, right: Christian Schmidt, German Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture

I

n the field of 3D printing, an upcoming innovation factor in the plastics industry is the fact that the range of available materials for the so called fused layer modeling method (FDM) had been limited to polylactic acid (PLA) and acrylnitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) for a long time. Few new and innovative materials came up only recently and met a large demand of 3D printing users. Meeting this trend and developing new FDM-materials originating from renewable resources a consortium based in Stuttgart, Germany, initiated the project Biobased Fabrication Network (BioFabNet).

The BioFabNet consortium is lead by BIOPRO BadenWürttemberg GmbH a public, non-profit innovation agency, owned by the State of Baden-Württemberg, performing the network building and support of the associated 3D printing user community to test and evaluate novel Biobased plastic materials.

Plastic technology research to develop the novel biobased materials is performed by the IKT plastics technology Institute of the University of Stuttgart, where blending, compounding and filament extrusion is performed.

The Fraunhofer Institute for production technology and automation (Fraunhofer IPA) has established a 3D-printing test centre where several commercially available 3D-printers have been installed jointly with highly specialized 3D printing heads to pre-evaluate the novel materials, produced by the IKT. Within the BioFabNet consortium new and innovative filament materials are being developed using partially or totally biobased polymers that are based on plant products such as castor oil, sugar, starch, and lignin or cellulose based on wood.

The dedicated goal of the project BioFabNet is to achieve a specific publicity for biobased plastic materials and gain an increased market acceptance for this new material class.

Biobased plastics play an important role in a climate compatible economy which abstains from the use of fossil resources, the so called Bioeconomy. In the Bioeconomy of the future, novel multi-usage cycles and long lasting recycling procedures are to be established in a Cradle to Cradle way of thinking and acting.

The molecular integrity of nature-derived structures like plant fibres or plant oil ingredients, or wood as a complex structured material, has to be maintained in usage cycles

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to a high degree as long as possible, energetic use of such complex structures should be last in the queue.

By combining novel biobased materials with consumer used 3D printers a dedicated awareness about these topics shall be placed widely in the public domain.

For this reason, BioFabNet directly addresses such private users of 3D printers in order to evaluate novel materials in a testing community. Currently more than 100 users are part of the tester group of the BioFabNet, being supplied with free samples of biobased filament material to perform a range of 3D printing tasks like printing dedicated testing rods, a precision printing performance check sample piece, and some additional material amounts to print a free chosen sample piece.

In order to bring the tester community in contact with each other and to get a direct feedback on the 3D printing experience with regard to the new materials a weblog has been initiated (www.biofabnet-blog.de).

The project, funded by the German Ministry of Education and Reseach (BMBF) in the BioIndustry 2021 funding program, was started in August 2013 and runs for 2 years. The goal is to develop 4 or 5 novel 3D printing filament materials and get them evaluated in the user community. Promising materials shall be commercialized by interested companies in the field of plastic compounding.

The first material, a blend of PLA and PBAT has been launched and evaluated by the testing community successfully.

The next 2 materials, another PLA blend and a biobased polyamide, are currently being processed by IKT and IPA to send to the testing community in the coming months.

In the run of the project interested companies that want to commercialize the 3D printing filaments, are welcome to contact the project consortium. www.bio-pro.de

By: Ralf Kindervater CEO, BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart, Germany

3D printing

New bioplastic for 3D printing Plant-based plastics are already a popular choice for 3D printing because they are much easier to work with during processing, and are food safe and odour free. They are a great example of how sustainable alternatives can gain market share based on their performance, rather than just their green credentials. However, oil-based printing filaments are still used because they have a higher softening point and make more flexible models that will bend before they break.

British-based developers Biome Bioplastics recently launched a new bio-based material for 3D printing filaments.

Made from plant starches, Biome3D is a biodegradable plastic that combines easy processing and a superior print finish, while offering much higher print speeds. Developed in partnership with 3Dom Filaments, the new plant-based material was unveiled recently at the TCT Show 2014, the leading event dedicated to 3D printing, additive manufacturing and product development.

Biome3D combines the benefits of both plant and oil-based printing filaments and demonstrates that high performance plant-based plastics can be the ideal material for the 3D printing industry. Biome3D combines a superior finish and flexibility, with ease of processing and excellent printed detail.

In addition, and perhaps most importantly for the industry, it runs at much higher print speeds, reducing overall job times. “The future of bioplastics lies in demonstrating that plantbased materials can outperform their traditional, oil-based counterparts. Our new material for the 3D printing market exemplifies that philosophy. Biome3D combines the best processing qualities with the best product finish; it also happens to be made from natural, renewable resources,� explains Sally Morley, Sales Director at Biome Bioplastics.

However, Biome Bioplastics did not disclose any further details about the bioplastic resins they are using. MT www.biomebioplastics.com

PLA compounds for 3D printing In order to take advantage of 3D printing as a comparatively inexpensive and creative option, special materials are needed which must be formulated specifically to match customer applications. PLA filaments are widely used today in 3D printing. The GRAFE Group (Blankenhain, Germany) offers its customers suitable and individual formulations for 3D printing.

Reactor PLA can only, with much effort, be used to produce PLA filaments. Normally the material undergoes a compounding process using appropriate additives for the individual application. When pigments are fed into the formulation during compounding or through the masterbatches, further components are added. The additional materials in turn alter the viscosity and the result is impaired processability. This presents a great challenge for the manufacturers of (mostly) PLA and ABS filaments. The addition of pigments in general impairs process reliability

and the consistent dimensional accuracy of the filaments.

Consistent dimensional accuracy of the filaments is, however, a prerequisite for accurate printing and good structural development of the component.

Grafe provides users of 3D printers with the right materials.

Newly developed additive masterbatches can raise quality, efficiency and extrusion capacity. The thermoplastic PLA has a huge advantage over other plastics. Besides being easy to handle, the material displays minimal warp upon cooling so that the work piece maintains greater dimensional accuracy.

High UV-resistance, low flammability and easy processing are additional features of this thermoplastic polymer.

Environmentally conscious end consumers whose decisions reflect concern for the ecological balance may also favor this biobased and industrially compostable material. MT www.grafe.com

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3D printing

New tailor-made PLA/PHA compounds for 3D printing

G

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

Customers know about FKuR’s outstanding expertise in modifying and compounding PLA and PHA. So it is no surprise that the company from Willich, Germany, recently started to expand their range of bioplastics compounds into special grades for 3D printing.

PLA compounds are particularly suitable for the FDM process (Fused Deposition Modeling), as they offer a timely solidification and low processing temperatures. Furthermore, the low processing temperature results in easier control of the printer and simplifies the regulation of the printing process. With a printing accuracy that is far superior to that of conventional ABS, still a major material used today, PLA also offers cleaner processing conditions and unlike ABS, PLA emits no potentially hazardous styrene vapours during processing.

The inherent brittleness of unmodified PLA, however, together with its low impact strength not only pose a challenge during processing, they also impact adversely the quality of the finished product. FKuR in close cooperation with Helian is now developing new generations of PLA/PHA based filament formulations that provide improved processing properties combined with an optimized material quality.

“One important goal is to ensure productivity and production reliability when extruding the filament,” explains Julian Schmeling, Applications Technology and 3D print expert at FKuR, “the other is to improve the process reliability when 3D printing with the filament.” The newly developed PLA/PHA compounds meet these targets for example by exhibiting an

improved melt strength and elasticity. For the 3D printing process it is essential that the filament delivered on a reel is endless without any breaks. “Nothing is more annoying, than finding your 3D print process interrupted due to a broken filament,” says Edmund Dolfen, FKuR’s CEO and passionate 3D printer himself, “unless you want to stand next to your machine and keep a watch on your 10 hour print process”. In addition, Helian Polymers have optimized their four filament production lines to the highest technical standards and guarantee extremely narrow tolerances, a central criterion for reliable 3D printing. And among other significantly improved features the shrinkage and the propensity to warp are also significantly reduced.

With their unique and comprehensive product portfolio, both development partners will steadily expand the applications and markets for PLA in 3D printing.

Helian’s Colorfabb filaments were initially launched in 2013, and are now available in a wide variety of colours.

Based on FKuR’s decades of experience in compounding natural fibre (mainly wood) filled materials (e. g. under their own brand Fibrolon®), the range of 3D print products was recently extended to include new design materials reinforced with natural fibres. The woodFill material consists of a PLA/PHA blend and wood fibres, bambooFill is reinforced with bamboo fibres, both grades optimized in fibre size and content. Products printed with these novel filament grades are characterized by a unique wood-like appearance and distinctive feel. Compared with conventional wood, there are virtually no limits to design freedom, opening new creative options to all users, both professional and private. The latest new developments include bronzeFill and copperFill, two grades consisting of PLA/PHA blends filled with fine metal powder. MT www.fkur.com www.colorfabb.com

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Cover-Story

C loning a hand-car ved hand-puppet Fr om

Autodesk 1 23D generates catch a CAD-file ...

The undefined neck is cut of f in Netfabb...

Now the head can be 3D-printed from FKuR/ Helian wo odFill PLA material with wood fibre filling .

ot ograp h p 0 4 t u o b a f o a ser ies

hs ...

And a new neck, consisting of cylinders and a conical bore is added in Autodesk 123D Design

age t s n o r e y e m r e d Miss Schnie bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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3D printing Fig. 2: Brittle fractured surface of printed PLA test bars (80x10x4 mm).

ISO 179 Charpy impact test (left); ISO 178 three-point bending test (right). PLA/PHA does not show brittle fracturing.

PLA/PHA Blend for 3D-Printing

T

he Institute for Natural Materials Technology (IFA-Tulln) has many years of experience in injection molding and extruding PLA. Due to the rising consumption of PLA in the 3D-printing community the institute has adapted its approach to these new demands.

Most 3D printers for home use are based on an open source technology which is called Fused Filament Freeforming (FFF).

A filament of thermoplastic resin is pushed through a heated nozzle which moves in two directions to form a solid layer.

This is repeated for many layers until the part is finished.

PLA is very popular because it does not require a heated bed for good print bed adhesion. The use of unmodified PLA in FFF can lead to several inconveniences such as oozing, warping or a brittle filament. The Institute has developed a PLA/PHA blend which solves these problems.

Oozing Oozing refers to the problem of uncontrolled leaking of material which leads to strands between separated in printing areas. This can be reduced by retraction of filaments if the printing vector is interrupted and a lower printing temperature. Still this leads to a reduction in quality and does not completely prevent the oozing. The captive ball test (Fig. 1) was used as an accurate indicator for the oozing tendency of the material.

Warping There are two different kinds of warping. Warping of the first layer and warping of overhanging areas. Both can cause a collision with the extruder nozzle and may destroy the print.

The warping of the first layer can be prevented by good print bed adhesion and a heated print bed. Warping of overhangs is more difficult to reduce. These need a well set temperature profile or an active cooling. Since most desktop open source printers do not have active cooling the material’s warping tendency must be reduced.

Mechanical Properties When it comes to mechanical properties PLA’s biggest weakness is its brittleness. Brittle filaments often break in the feed, which prevents the print from being finished.

Further, good mechanical properties of the final printed part are always desired and need to be tested and improved. To test the material’s mechanical properties test specimens for the ISO 178 three point bending test were printed (Fig. 2) and injection molded.

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Blending PLA with PHA To improve the 3D printing properties PLA was blended with PHA. This led to superior properties compared to a regular PLA filament.

Tests have shown that an ISO 1133 melt flow rate (190 °C/2.16 kg) below 10 g/10 min would be optimal for a PLA based filament to prevent oozing. Unfortunately a low MFR has an adverse effect on warping of overhangs. Therefore a PLA/PHA blend was used which showed less oozing and would still not warp on overhangs.

PLA/PHA blends also avoided brittle fracturing of the filament. A printed PLA/PHA specimen showed an ISO 178 bending strength of 85 MPa and an ISO 179 Charpy impact strength of 18 kJ/m². Blending PLA with PHA increased the mechanical properties, print bed adhesion and oozing behaviour while remaining completely bio-based and biodegradable. www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at

By: Bernhard Steyrer University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Department for Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln Institute for Natural Materials Technology Vienna, Austria

Fig. 1: Captive ball test on the left shows strong oozing with high-MFR PLA/PHA compared to a fine print on the right with low-MFR PLA/PHA (edge length 20 mm).

3D printing Extruding of the thermoplastic Bio-PU out of a 0.5 mm nozzle (Photo: Merseburg Univ. Appl. Sc. /D. Glatz)

Rapid prototyping methods for bio-based plastics Merseburg University develops procedures and devices

T

oday rapid prototype parts are required in all areas and are vitally important for the product development process. The wide range of Rapid Prototyping (RP) procedures and thus the choice of the materials to be used are limited. FABIO (FAbrication of parts with BIOplastics) is an R&D project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) through its project management agency, the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR). As part of this project, scientists from Merseburg University of Applied Sciences (Merseburg, Germany) have developed a test facility for rapid prototyping, using the so called fused extrusion prototyping (FEP), for processing bioplastics. This technology, which is considered important for the industry, could not be used so far with biopolymers.

Polymerisation of thermoset materials) and material modifications for the SLS process (Selective Laser Sintering). MT www.hs-merseburg.de

Info: The complete final report (German language only) and a short project description can be downloaded from www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/201406

Specific values for the processing of the bioplastics were determined by carrying out different analyses. The extrusion unit was developed to enable processing of all sizes of granulates. Temperature ranges are adjustable up to 300 °C. Particular attention was paid to the extruder feeder, the optimum melting and discharge of the biopolymers considering the influences of the cylinder and screwconstruction, screw clearance, screw speed and head and nozzle geometry. The necessary cooling facilities were also taken into consideration.

Different settings were tested using selected bio-plastics and any deficiencies disrupting the process could be remedied.

Some complex and individual parts for the internal design of the equipment were produced on RP machines, belonging to the university. The rack could be provided with inside superstructures, among other things, changing devices, a heating system, a cooling system, a granulate material supply, a construction platform, and procedural units in an X-, Y-, Z-direction. The interaction of control mechanisms and software could be tested, irrespective of the materials used.

The implementation of FABIO technology is imminent.

FABIO technology makes it possible to choose from a wide range of thermoplastic granulates such as Polyamide, Polyhydroxybutyrate, Polyurethane, Polylactide and starch.

After successful completion of the project, the aim is to take the innovative idea, which was a spin-off from Merseburg University of Applied Sciences, and turn it into a service platform for prototype parts.

Other topics this service platform for rapid prototyping with bioplastics will deal with are PSP (Photo Sensitive

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3D printing

Low cost extruder Producing affordable bio filaments for 3D printing

I

n recent years the use of low cost 3D printing has become a significant factor. A student project at the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts at RWTH Aachen University deals with the design and the engineering of an extruder that produces 3D printer compatible filaments. Central aspects are low costs and the use of easily available components. The result is an extruder which manages the challenge of uniting functional performance and the minimization of costs. It has the ability to produce customized plastics filaments in a fast and easy way.

The personal low cost 3D printer market grew between 2008 and 2011 at an average of 346Â % per year. [1] In the context of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), there are different requirements that need to be fulfilled by the extruded filament. The filament should be highly customizable and available at comparatively low volumes and low cost. To meet the requirements of small businesses and individuals, a small and very cheap extruder is needed, which is able to produce filament with appropriate technology.

The engineering of a low cost extruder The popular, low cost versions of 3D printers are designed to be working with thermoplastics (usually PLA or ABS) in filament shape. These filaments are, compared to pellet costs, relatively high priced. Especially in the case of using multiple colours or material properties the user needs to purchase larger amounts of filament. From this situation, the idea to produce cheap filament from pellets emerged.

Colours should be individually mixable and produced in small quantities.

Specifications of the low cost extruder

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Plastics (tested)

PLA, ABS

Production rate

0.5 kg / h

Motor

60 rpm, 14 Nm

Heating

Up to 300 °C, 48 V, 230 W

Total performance

0.2 kWh

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From the beginning, the project was sponsored by the IKV. Beside the financial grant and the provision of laboratory extruders, premises as well as professional skill led to the successful preparation of the theoretical foundations for single-screw extruders. Hereby, the scientific approach for designing and engineering the low cost extruder was ensured. Since the goal was a low cost implementation, the core components of an extruder should be replaced by simple, products commercially available in any hardware- or DIY-store.

Components of the low cost extruder From a cost-perspective point of view it is obvious that one cannot fall back to complicated screw geometries like threezone screws used in conventional extruders. Therefore a screw with a simple geometry has to be used. In this case

3D printing an SDS-hammer drill for concrete is installed, working as a conveying screw. For the cylinder a commercially available precision stainless steel tube is used.

Requirements posed on the motor are a high torque transmission at a low rotational speed as well as a constant rotational speed even with fluctuating torque. The implemented DC motor is commonly used as a garage door motor, but meets exactly those requirements. For its cooling a computer CPU fan ventilates cooling ribs.

An aluminium frame functions as an absorber for direct agent forces. Laser cut MDF panels serve to conduct the cooling flow, to protect from external impacts as well as to cover components. Their stability is achieved by joining the parts with the help of tongue and groove joints. Advantageous in this case are the low material cost, the manufacturing quality of the panels and the easy installation.

To melt the pellets during the conveying process, the extruder has to be heated over a large part of the tube.

The basic requirement is a constant, high-power and well controlled heating. Therefore approximately 85 cm of heating wire was wound around the extruder tube and is supplied with 48 V AC, resulting in a heat output of 230 W. The heating is controlled by a PID controller.

The extruder is connected to a conventional 230 V AV household outlet. The input voltage is transformed to 24 V DC by a power supply to drive the motor. Additionally, a transformer converts the 230 V AC to 48 V AC to run the heating.

Conclusion In the project’s context a low cost extruder was successfully designed, built and tested. As a result of this it is shown that the processing of plastic granules to 3D printable filaments is possible with very simple means and at very low costs.

With the extruder a homogenous (after adding a masterbatch) even a coloured filament can be produced.

Tests have shown that the filament can be processed on open-source 3D printers with hardly any differences to be observed compared to commercial filament. The deviation in the filament diameter was found to be with in the given tolerances. However, a follow-up project targets optimising a constant diameter by developing a haul-off unit controlled by a cross-section measuring device.

This project provides a basic introduction to the development of solutions for a low-budget extrusion. The low cost extruder and its performance data, determined in experiments, conclude with instructions for its use and development and can serve as a guide for future projects. Thus low cost applications open up new perspectives for small businesses in developing and emerging countries.

Further members of the student team are M. El‑Mahgary and J. Klose) Literature: [1] Wohlers, T.: Wohlers Report. Fort Collins: Wohlers Associates, 2013

Cost analysis

By:

The total costs of an extruder are estimated at about 375 Euros. Relevant cost units are power supply, transformer, drill and motor, which together add up to about 50 % of the total. A reduction of 20 % can be achieved by a higher batch size which decreases the manufacturing costs of a singl extruder to approx. 300 Euros. Electrical current costs occur from the total power per hour, 0.2 kWh.

Christian Hopmann Head of the Institute Martin Kimm, Yannick Ostad Student Project Workers (Authors) Christian Windeck Head of department extrusion and rubber technology Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany

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3D printing

New high performance PLA grades for 3D Printing

N

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

These new grades will make significant improvements to the performance and heat resistance of 3D printed parts without sacrificing the printability and user friendliness of PLA. In the professional and consumer 3D printing market, ABS and PLA are the preferred polymers in use. In professional or production applications, the strength, flexibility, machinability, and high temperature resistance make ABS a top choice polymer. Unpleasant fumes when printing with ABS, a tendency for warped parts during printing, high printing temperatures, and the potential need for a heated print bed or controlled-temperature build chamber are the most often quoted negatives associated with ABS. PLA filament offers excellent printing and fusing performance, a glossy appearance, low odor and printing temperatures, a wide range of colors, and renewably, rather than fossil, sourced feedstocks, all attributes that have attracted users of desktop printers.

Upgrades to the Blair, Nebraska, manufacturing facility bring new performance characteristics to Ingeo In 2013, NatureWorks completed a major upgrade at its Blair, Nebraska, Ingeo manufacturing facility that not only increased plant capacity, but also made it possible to polymerize new high performance grades of PLA for durables, fibers, and lactide intermediates. The new Ingeo durable grades allow faster cycle times and production rates, a 10–15 °C (18–27 °F) improvement in heat deformation temperature (HDT), and a three-to-four fold increase in bulk crystallization rate.

Shortly after the new high performance Ingeo grades were introduced, NatureWorks began market research aimed at better understanding 3D printing applications and end-user needs for customers ranging from professional users, to

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prototypers, hobbyists, artists, schools, printer manufacturers – and to the filament supply chain. NatureWorks purchased its own printers, using them for filament testing and assessment of the new Ingeo grades, and regularly using them at trade shows for applications discussions with attendees.

It soon became clear that an optimized resin that rivals or exceeds the performance and cost of ABS would be a market winner if it were coupled with the right supply chain strategy.

NatureWorks intends to work closely with a limited number of industry leaders per region to bring Ingeo filament to market using its new grades.

According to Dan Sawyer, Segment Leader-New Business Development, “We are often asked by users where we recommend they buy PLA filament. Because filament quality is essential to successful printing, NatureWorks is focused on innovative Ingeo filament producers who have a strong understanding of the gauge consistency and filament uniformity necessary to print for hours or even days, without disruption.

We are carefully vetting filament producers that can deliver the quality and growing demand for Ingeo-based PLA filament.”

The NatureWorks 3D resin grade and market development team is excited about the growth opportunities for Ingeo and building on the fact that PLA is the preferred material for 3D printing by introducing advanced grades that satisfy a broader application space. The quickly evolving state of the market is reminiscent of a decade ago when bioplastics were first introduced at a global commercial scale. www.natureworksllc.com By: Leah Ford New Markets Analyst NatureWorks Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA

IMAGINE – If there was an easy way to identify your polymer.

PET 1 64,48 %

PET 2 76,67 %



PET 3

95,93 %

3D printed PLA egg

U

p until now Dutch designer Michiel van der Kley was mainly known for his furniture designs. Now, his fascination with the possibilities of 3D printing has inspired the development of Project EGG – an organically shaped, airy object suffused with light that is perhaps best described as a pavilion.

We made it possible.

The new DSC 214 Polyma.

More than a DSC. Your Solution.

It’s a space in which floor, walls and ceiling seamlessly flow together to form an egg-shaped building measuring 5 x 4 x 3 meters made of recyclable, biodegradable PLA links, or stones.

To date, Project EGG is the largest desktop 3d-printed co-creation art project undertaken anywhere. Project EGG is composed of 4670 stones, each with its own, unique shape, produced by a worldwide 3D printing community participating in the project.

During his research into the potential of the 3D-printer, Van der Kley came into contact with bloggers and digital communities all over the world, whom he invited to be part of Project EGG by printing a stone. Since each stone had to be printed individually, slight variations could be made in each design.

Participants received the digital version for their unique stone, including their name. Enthusiasts who did not own a printer could support the project by adopting a stone. Hundreds of contributions were received from co-creators and adopters, from the US to Australia, from Portugal to Croatia.

Project EGG was completed on time to be shown at the Dutch Design week last month; Studio Michiel van der Kley is now planning a global tour, to take place in the next two years, to show the structure to a broader international audience. In addition, the designer is researching other options, such as the best material that would enable Project EGG to be produced for an outdoor setting. KL www.projectegg.org

re: 21 t mo u o n222 / m Find .co tzsch e n . w

ww

NETZSCH-Gerätebau GmbH Wittelsbacherstraße 42 95100 Selb Germany Tel.: +49 9287 881-0 Fax: +49 9287 881 505 at@netzsch.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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3D printing

Different Bioplastics for 3D printing

B

esides ABS as a fossil-based plastic, when talking about 3D printing, often only PLA is mentioned. But there are quite a few more bioplastics already being used as environmentally friendly materials for 3D printing. In this article, the authors give a brief introduction to the application of some typical bioplastics in the current 3D printing field.

PLA In Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), a PLA filament allows the production of high quality prints. 3D printed parts from PLA filaments show much less warping and curling. Thus PLA can be successfully printed without the need for a heated bed. Other details such as sharp corners and edges print well and PLA printed objects will generally have a rather glossy look and feel. Kids can easily make their fantastic ideas come true without any worry about toxic evaporates as PLA is FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) certified. Scientists are researching the use of PLA in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), too. The authors believe that the potential of PLA to be used for SLS in the future is as huge as it is for FDM. For the future, one target of modifying PLA is to make it stronger and maybe even allow transparent 3D prints.

PVA PVA or polyvinyl alcohol is a biodegradable and watersoluble polymer product made from fossil resources. As a new material for making FDM filaments PVA can be used as temporary supporting material for overhangs in the 3D-printing process. After printing it can easily dissolve in water with no odour and no toxic residues, which mean that it is very convenient to clear up. Esun has produced such support material and it enjoys considerable popularity. In addition, PVA performs very well in combination with PLA.

By: Yihu (Kevin) Yang, CEO, Yu Wang, Xianglian Xiao, Daimei Chen and Jun Qiu Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co., Ltd. Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

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PHA PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are a family of 100 % biobased and biodegradable polyesters. On the aspect of 3D printing, PHA is comparable to PLA. It can be applied in the form of filaments in FDM and first attempts are proceeding to research usability for SLS. However the price of this kind of filament is somewhat higher than PLA, and its processing window is narrow. PHA creates a slight odour during 3D printing. Nevertheless blends of PLA and PHA are also already available.

PBAT PBAT (poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) is a bio­ degradable aliphatic aromatic copolyester, today mainly produced from fossil resources (with first attempts to make it at least partly biobased). One of the unique features is its enhanced ductility compared with that of other 3D printable bioplastics. In 3D printing it can be used to make FDM filament. PBAT has already gained much popularity due to its biodegradability and its ductility. Esun’s new flexible PBAT product can replace conventional TPU and TPE for more environmentally friendly products.

PETG Partly biobased PETG (polyethylene terephthalate co1,4-cylclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) is a clear, transparent, amorphous thermoplastic that can be injection moulded or extruded. PETG can be semi-rigid to rigid and it is fully recyclable. PETG gives a good gas barrier and a fair moisture barrier, as well as presenting a good barrier to alcohol and other solvents. At the same time, it is strong and impact-resistant. Although already some companies have

3D printing

By: Yihu (Kevin) Yang, CEO, Yu Wang, Xianglian Xiao, Daimei Chen and Jun Qiu Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co., Ltd. Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

produced FDM filament from PETG, it is a still a new and unique filament that has some very interesting characteristics with regards to transparency and strength.

PCL Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable polyester with a low melting point of around 60 °C and a glass transition temperature of about −60 °C. PCL has been approved by FDA in specific applications in the human body, such as a drug delivery device, a suture or adhesion barrier. Esun’s PCL FDM filament is an ecofriendly and non-toxic product, thus it is safe for printing food contact and skin contact products. Due to its low melting point the 3D printing nozzle doesn’t need to be too hot, so injuries can possibly be prevented. An important feature are PCL’s shape memory properties. This means the printed object has kind of a memory and under the stimulus of certain conditions it can be automatically assembled into a preset shape. In the field of medicine, this application has more practical value. It can for example, be used to make biological heart stents.

Polyamide 11 Polyamide (PA) 11 is known as a long carbon chain nylon made from castor oil. Although it may seem strange, 3D printing with polyamide 11, due to its flexibility, was recently applied to print a unique bathing suit. The material is strong and elastic, so it would not break during printing.

Biobased TPU Biobased TPU is a new generation of thermoplastic polyurethanes that it can be synthesized from PLA polyols and PCL polyols, and is, for instance, produced by Esun. Its renewable resource content is as high as 60 % and it can be recycled after use. The mechanical properties are excellent: it exhibits a good hydrolysis resistance and good adhesion, and it can withstand high pressures. In addition its density is lower than that of fossil based TPU. In 3D printing, it was shown to be a kind of elastic line material for a wide range of applications, such as 3D printed shoes, bracelets, etc.

Outlook The development of 3D printing for personalized use still requires further development. Customers want accurate printing with fast printing speed. In some fields of application multi-coloured printing is very much in demand. More important, customers may require the use of more and more environmentally-friendly and healthy consumable materials. In many respects certain bioplastics can meet these requirements, so Esun is looking to perfect the balance between the two factors.

Eventually the ability to print objects at home may change how we think of manufacturing for small businesses.

Reference [1] Fleming, M.: What is 3D Printing? An Overview http://www.3dprinter.net/reference/what-is-3d-printing www.brightcn.net

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3D printing

3D printing

T

he Dutch company DUS Architects from Amsterdam have developed a 3D printer that is ten times as big as a conventional 3D printer. The giant printer is called the KamerMaker (the Room Builder). It is integrated in a 20-foot shipping container, oriented vertically upright. The purpose of this machine is to print a complete house from a bioplastics material. Originating from Amsterdam it proposes printing a typical Amsterdam canal house. “Different partners from a diverse range of industries work together on this project, and we learn together by doing,� says Hans Vermeulen of DUS architects, initiator of the project.

The premium partners invest in the project by contributing knowledge and materials. The bioplastics material that the company is currently using is called Macromelt, a type of industrial glue (Hotmelt) developed by Henkel. It is made of 80% vegetable (rapeseed) oil. It melts at 170 degrees Celsius.

The aim is to print with a material that is sustainable, of biological origin, melts at a relatively low temperature, and of course is sturdy and stable. In addition, the material is recyclable, so if a fabricated piece is slightly out of spec, it can be ground up and reused.

The Kamermaker needs about a week to print one of the huge, unique, honeycomb-structured blocks that can be assembled together rather like Lego bricks. The parts are later filled with a so-called eco-concrete. The concrete casting has a twofold function; firstly to increase the compressive

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Think Sustainable

We are still there for you!

As of October 2014, the Metabolix GmbH team in Cologne is part of the Feddersen Group.

As an AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH branch, we are operating under the name BIO-FED with immediate effect.

Nothing – other than the name – will change for our customers!

The team you are familiar with at the Cologne location will still be there to assist and advise you,

of a real house

and will also be happy to continue supplying you with our “mvera” product portfolio.

structural capacities of the printed pieces, secondly it will also act as a connecting material to join separate pieces together. The concrete mix includes lightweight aggregates in an attempt to keep the weight and material consumption to a minimum. The first block, which forms one corner of the house and part of a stairway, weighed around 180 kilograms (without the concrete).

“The 3D Print Canal House is a unique project because it is a building site, a museum and a research facility in one,” says Hans Vermeulen. “By 3D printing the first building block we celebrate the start of researching the possibilities of digital fabrication for the building industry.” The research project will take three years. Hedwig Heinsman of DUS: “We hope that in three years time the excitement of the visitors is still as fresh as today, and that the house has developed into a mature 3D printed building with different rooms, each with different constructions and material properties that all tell something about the time that they were printed. And (we hope) that the 3D Print Canal House becomes a permanent place for pioneering activities in design and architecture.” MT www.3dprintcanalhouse.com www.dusarchitects.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAoW1iA385w

BIO-FED Branch of AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH BioCampus Cologne · Nattermannallee 1 50829 Cologne · Germany Phone: +49 221 88 88 94-00 Fax: +49 221 88 88 94-99 info@bio-fed.com www.bio-fed.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/14] Vol. 9

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From Science & Research

Design challenges with biobased plastics

B

iobased plastics, made from renewable resources, are nowadays well-known materials in the packaging industry in many countries. In more durable products though, the application of biobased plastics is still something of a rarity. To stimulate the adoption of biobased plastics in more lasting applications an important role is foreseen for designers. Because designers, both professionals and students, lack a real knowledge of biobased plastics, the CleanTech research programme of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, started a research project focussed on various aspects of designing for and with biobased plastics.

What are the challenges that designers meet?

Although biobased plastics are not new (in fact the first plastics we know were bio-based (cf. bM 04/2014), the current generation of designers and engineers was raised and educated in an era of petrochemical plastics. The renewed attention to biobased plastics only commenced some 15 years ago. Biodegradable biobased plastics, such as PLA and PHA, are often used for packaging purposes. But biobased plastics, whether or not biodegradable, also become a more and more interesting alternative for more durable applications, such as consumer electronics, textiles, automotive parts, toys and sporting goods. Not only the transition towards a biobased and circular economy can be a motive to go biobased (for example with the biobased equivalents of PP, PE and PET), but also new biobased plastics with specific material properties can offer valuable advantages. Until now biobased plastics have not been used for a wide range of applications. Reasons for this are the higher material price, limited feedstock supply and the lack of clarity on biodegradability of both biobased and non-biobased plastics. But ignorance of designers of the unique characteristics and possibilities of biobased plastics is also a reason.

Practical tools to fill the knowledge gap One of the aims of our research project at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences is to provide designers with practical tools to lower the threshold to biobased plastics.

Together with students and teachers of the Bachelor of Engineering, the team worked on several cases in which product manufacturers were asked to (re)design a product with biobased plastics. Examples are furniture and products for horticulture. Also new biobased plastics, such as Glycix, made of citric acid and glycerine, were studied by examining their unique properties and by designing and prototyping applications.

Based on these cases and on interviews with designers, producers and product manufacturers three major challenges were identified: I do not know a lot about the possibilities of current and upcoming biobased plastics. How do I know which biobased plastic is suitable for my product?

LCA’s (Life Cycle Analyses) are very time consuming and lack the data of most biobased plastics. How can I assess the value, both ecologically and economically, of applying biobased plastics in comparison with alternative materials?

It is difficult to distinguish a biobased plastic from petrochemical plastics. How can I show the consumer that a product is made of a biobased plastic by its design?

To cope with these challenges three practical tools were developed: a material selection tool, a product quickscan and a set of design rules for the look and feel of biobased plastic products.

Fig. 1 and 2: Prototype tables made with Glycix, a new biobased material developed by the University of Amsterdam.

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From Science & Research

Bioplastics4U: material selection Already at the concept stage of a new product, or at the start of a redesign, designers think about material selection. The desired functionality of a product is an important starting point to make a preliminary choice about the material used. Together with Wageningen UR (University and Research centre) a tool was developed that shows designers which bioplastics, both biobased and biodegradable, might be suitable for the manufacture of their new product. By answering 10 simple questions about the desired functionality of the product, the designer gets an indication of which bioplastic fits his application.

Fig. 3: Plastics cups, both biobased and petrochemical, that were evaluated in the Look and Feel study.

The first two questions address to what extend the product should be biobased and/or should it be biodegradable. The next five questions concern properties such as transparency, dimensional stability and mechanical properties. The last three questions relate to the maturity, availability and costs of the materials. The tool shows whether there are bioplastics that meet all criteria or not. It makes designers aware of the choices

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From Science & Research

they make and the influence these choices have on the available options.

The materials suggested by the tool are only standard grades and were chosen for their distinctive properties.

This means that optimisation of the material is possible using specific grades and additives. Material suppliers, compounders and producers can help designers with this next step.

Quickscan: ecological and economical value The wish to apply biobased plastics often starts from an ecological viewpoint. Designers and marketers often want to know whether the envisioned product, when using biobased plastics, will indeed have less environmental impact than alternatives. Conducting a full Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is the way to go, but that takes a considerable amount of time and money. Furthermore current databases only contain the data of a very limited number of biobased plastics.

Designers and marketers also want to know what other advantages the application of biobased plastics may give, such as lower life cycle costs, which can be the case with biodegradable plastics or when the material has special characteristics.

Together with Partners for Innovation, a Dutch consultancy on sustainable innovation, a quickscan was developed that assists designers in comparing the new design using biobased plastics with an alternative design.

This quickscan contains preliminary data of 10 biobased plastics alternatives, based both on the eco-costs model and on extrapolation of data. Because the designer needs just to fill in the information that deviates from the original design the scan takes only a short time. The quickscan also provides a comparison between the life cycle costs of the biobased design and its alternative. It also assists designers in assessing other advantages of biobased plastics. The first full version of the quickscan is currently being evaluated and will be issued in 2015.

Look and feel of biobased plastics In some cases it is desirable to make clear that a product is made of biobased plastics. Not by a logo on the product or notification on the packaging, but by the look and feel of the product itself. This is especially relevant when the product is biodegradable or when sustainability is an

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important element of the company’s mission. What design rules can material and product designers use to make sure that their product positively communicates that it is made of a biobased plastic? To develop these design rules an evaluation was made of the way that people perceive biobased plastics in comparison with petrochemical plastics. The team conducted a study in which respondents were asked to assess 10 (nondisposable) cups, either made of petrochemical or biobased plastics. All five senses - look, feel, taste, smell and sound - were tested individually.

Design rules that were derived from this study are for example: A biobased plastic cup … has a smooth and soft feel. sounds thick, solid and heavy. shows a grain, fibre or uneven structure.

Of course these design rules are applicable for cups only and have yet to prove their effectiveness. Applicability of the design rules for other product types is subject of further research.

Further research and actions These practical tools will help designers to choose in favour of biobased plastics more often. The Amsterdam University of Applied Science intends to extend the research with exploring how natural filling materials can make biobased plastics more attractive and cheaper. Of course other steps have to be taken too. Material producers for example can help in providing complete and accurate data on the material properties and origin. Plastic processors can be more open for questions and testing, especially with new biobased plastics.

And finally, product manufacturers can help the uptake of biobased plastics by using, for example, their marketing budgets to cover the temporarily higher prices of material and processing.

By: Inge Oskam Professor Technical Innovation & Entrepreneurship Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, The Netherlands ww.biobasedplastics.nl w www.hva.nl/CleanTech

Polylactic Acid Uhde Inventa-Fischer has expanded its product portfolio to include the innovative stateof-the-art PLAneo ® process. The feedstock for our PLA process is lactic acid, which can be produced from local agricultural products containing starch or sugar.

The application range of PLA is similar to that of polymers based on fossil resources as its physical properties can be tailored to meet packaging, textile and other requirements.

Think. Invest. Earn.

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

Uhde Inventa-Fischer

Application News

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

One of the innovations nominated for the 2014 Food Valley Award is a lightweight, portable gift pack for champagne bottles made of PaperFoam.

PaperFoam contains no oil-based ingredients whatsoever: the packaging is made of locally sourced renewable raw materials - mainly potato starch, natural fibre and water and is fully home compostable. It has a carbon footprint that is smaller from start to finish than comparable packaging made from plastic or paper pulp. The packaging has 4-star biobased certification, is extremely lightweight and fully biodegradable. It is completely safe: even when incinerated, no harmful substances are produced.

Bioplastics take off!

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

Lichtgrenze (frontier of light) is the name of the installation that is reminiscent of the course of the Wall in Berlin. Over a distance of approximately 15 kilometers a light-wall of balloons disappeared into the sky on the evening of November 9th. For the implementation of this symbolic idea some environmental aspects also had to be considered.

For this reason, the project team asked the IfBB to develop a balloon clip from a bioplastic that would meet the technical and environmental requirements. 8,000 balloons alone on the day of reunification were carried in all directions by the wind and landed in many different locations. And that’s where they should eventually rot, which conventional balloons and clips would not do.

At the IfBB a mould had been developed for the production of the clips, which was adapted to the processing properties of the PLA blend used. One special requirement for the pearlescent clip is that it must exhibit both a high strength and also elasticity so that the clips do not break when closing the balloon and no brittle fracture occurs.

The biobased and biodegradable materials used for the clips and the balloons finally ensure that the wall that once separated East and West Berlin from each other, may disappear into the sky free of any concerns. MT

www.ifbb-hannover.de www.berlin.de/mauerfall2014/en/highlights/balloon-event

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These properties make the PaperFoam technology especially suited to the production of low-quantity, highquality packaging applications. The product is produced via an injection moulding process. Basically, the ingredients are mixed and then injected into a heated mould. The material is foamed by evaporating the water, after which the finished packaging is ejected. The process is thus able to produce accurate shapes that provide better product protection.

The design freedom and colourability make the material an attractive choice to designers.

Just recently PaperFoam was chosen to manufacture a packaging for the new wireless, noise cancelling over-ear headphones from Plantronics. The PaperFoam ‘mountain’ on which the headphones nestle, encased in a clear plastic frame, was developed in cooperation with Plantronics and PKG Packaging, one of PaperFoam’s sales partners located on the US west coast.

PaperFoam is currently used to pack champagne, electronics, cosmetics, medical and dry-foods. The company received a Cradle-to-Cradle Quality Statement from EPEA in May 2014. KL

www.paperfoam.com

Application News

New cellulose based exfoliator Image: DTR Medical

PTT for healthcare applications DTR Medical (Swansea, UK), a leading manufacturer of single-use surgical instruments, has specified Sorona® (partly biobased PTT Polytrimethylene terephthalate) for six components in its new Cervical Rotating Biopsy Punch. This grade is a 15 % glass filled grade of Sorona EP providing high strength and stiffness. Further attributes of Sorona useful in this application include resistance to gamma sterilisation and excellent dimensional stability.

The Cervical Rotating Biopsy Punch is used to take a tissue sample from the patient for cell analysis by microscopy.

The DuPont material, which is supplied with full regulatory compliance for use in healthcare applications and is produced according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards, is used in the handle and trigger mechanism to mould the rear hand left and right, front handle, connector pin, rotational controller and the rotational controller with chamfer. These parts are used to activate a spring, driving the inner rod which, assisted by the Sorona inserts, generates a clamping force to cut the tissue sample.

The Cervical Biopsy Punch with Rotation from DTR Medical is designed for single-use, which eliminates cross contamination that occur when re-using hard-toclean instruments on patients undergoing cervical cancer biopsies and saves considerable time and cost incurred by sterilizing the equipment for re-use.

According to Andrew Davidson, Managing Director at DTR Medical “The surface finish of the handle is fundamental for instrument quality, replacing stainless steel and for good grip in the clinical setting. The part must deliver durable mechanical performance in use throughout the five year shelf life and the benefit of renewably sourced material is an added advantage for a single-use manufacturer.

We tested many polymers for these components, and the DuPont material was superior.”

Celluloscrub™ XLS exfoliator from Lessonia (Saint Thonan, France) is a 100 % renewable and biodegradable white scrub that provides the same high performance of polyethylene (PE) beads. Coming from wood pulp, Celluloscrub is derivated from cellulose acetate making it a real renewable and biodegradable resource for the personal care industry. It answers to the technical and economic needs of the manufacturers of body washes, hand & feet scrubs and bar soaps.

After several months of works of development in laboratories, it’s now clear that Celluloscrub is the ultimate product that can easily replace polyethylene in cosmetics. The formulators that worked with it confirm that all its characteristics are similar in that of the PE. Furthermore, Celluloscrub does not interfere with the stability of the cosmetics which contain it.

Lessonia works according to the cosmetic GMP rules (ISO 22716). The biodegradation of Celluloscrub is very easy in a wide variety of environments including soils, composts, and waste water treatment facilities. The STURM-test according to EN9439/DIN54900-3 showed biodegradation in aerobic environment of 50–87 % after 9 weeks. Even if not a packaging product, Lessonia confirms that the polymer used to make Celluloscrub meets the requirements of the well-known EN 13432 compostability standard.

The biodegradation of the polymer in waste water treatment facilities, the environment where most of the product will end up, has been measured according to the standards ASTM D5210-92 and ISO 11734. These methods evaluate the anaerobic biodegradability of organic compounds in municipal sewage sludge. The determination of anaerobic degradability is based on the liberation of biogas using diluted digested sludge as the inoculums. The study demonstrated that after 3 weeks 60–70 % of the initial polymer is degraded. MT www.lessonia.com

Glen Wells, General Manager at St Davids Assemblies added “Sorona EP from DuPont combines the benefits of renewability with processing and performance advantages.

The material can be processed similarly to PBT and PET, offers very low shrinkage and warpage, enhanced surface finish, and scratch resistance in finished parts.”

Sorona contains 20 % to 37 % renewable material made with a renewably sourced propanediol (bio-PDO) made from technical starch. MT www.dupont.com

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Application News

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

Bird & Wild produce certified Bird Friendly™ coffees, which mean they have been grown in a way that protects important migratory bird habitats in equatorial coffee growing regions. To enhance their environmental credentials they chose Econic® packaging developed

by New Zealand converter, Convex Plastics. The pack is a triplex laminate of reverse printed clear NatureFlex / High-Barrier Metallised NatureFlex and a Starch based biopolymer. This structure ensures that the delicate flavor and freshness of Bird & Wild’s unique coffees are locked in.

stock our coffee. Using compostable packaging is important for us as it fits the ethos of our brand.”

NatureFlex films are certified to meet the American ASTM D6400, European EN13432 and Australian AS4736

Emma Broomhead and Ben Roberts who run the company claim “Econic packaging is an ideal fit with our brand and the packaging is helping us expand our UK distribution into health food stores, delicatessens and farm stores whose owners and customers are increasingly demanding more ecofriendly options. Planet Organic is one such supermarket who has chosen to

PLA film for candies and chocolates The new Convergreen Ingeo™ PLA based film from Argentinian Packaging manufacturer Converflex S.A. continues to interest candies and chocolates manufacturers in Argentina as an outer twist wrap. The printability of the film is excellent and the film can be metalized. The film used for this kind of application has a thickness of 25 µm. Tests indicate that Convergreen runs well on more than a half dozen of the most popular twist wrap machines. The Ingeo-based film can be used as naturally advanced alternatives to PVC, BOPP, and other films. The manufacture of the Ingeo-based film releases 74 % less greenhouse gas emissions than the typical PVC wrapper foil it replaces. Most recently, Cabsha Alpine, Alka and Saquito confections became the latest to feature the Convergreen film wrap, which vibrantly catches the eyes of consumers. www.converflex.net www.natureworksllc.com

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standards for compostable packaging.

They begin life as a natural product, wood which is sourced from managed plantations operating on good forestry principals. They also offer a host of advantages for packing and converting such as high seal strength and integrity, excellent gas, aroma & UV light barrier, grease and chemical resistance, dead fold and anti-static properties, enhanced printing and conversion.

Convex Plastics Managing Director Owen Embling said, “The NatureFlex films have allowed us to develop high barrier compostable packaging that provides the same level of functionality as traditional fossil fuel-based films.

Econic packaging is ideal for a wide range of dry foods, including coffee, cereals and snack bars.”

Neil Banerjee, Innovia Films’ Market Manager, Coffee said, “Our NatureFlex films are increasingly being used in bio-laminate packaging constructions such as these to provide the necessary barrier.” www.birdandwild.co.uk www.natureflex.com

You make great things.

We make great things happen.

In March 2015, more than 60,000 professionals from every aspect of the plastics industry and its vertical and end-user markets will assemble in Orlando, Florida for the largest, most influential plastics event of the year.

Expect great things.

Register for free today at www.npeguestpass.org/Bio1

NPE2015: THE INTERNATIONAL PLASTICS SHOWCASE March 23-27, 2015 Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Florida USA

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Consumer Electronics

Biobased color toner Kodak achieves near 100 % biocontent with chemical color biotoner

I

n September 2012, Kodak (Rocherster, New York, USA) entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) with Diamond Research Corporation (DRC) of Ojai, California to develop biobased monochrome and color toners for digital printers and copiers. The R&D project was implemented by Kodak scientists working in close collaboration with DRC’s Art Diamond and polymer chemist Velliyur Sankaran (San Rafael, California), whom DRC engaged as an independent consultant.

Working together, Kodak contributed its ELC (Evaporative Limited Coalescence, see below) processing and toner formulation technology while DRC supplied a key source of PLA bioresin capable of fulfilling the demanding properties and specifications for a toner resin.

In June of this year Kodak announced that the company had achieved more than 85% biocontent in a chemical color toner. This cost competitive, environmentally friendly product is planned to be in full-scale production by June 2015. The announcement at the Tiara Group’s 31st annual TONERS 2014 Seminar was the culmination of this two year cooperative effort.

Waste toner bio-feed

The ELC Process In support of these auspicious goals is Kodak’s proprietary chemical process known as Evaporative Limited Coalescence (ELC). What follows is a rather basic description of the ELC process.

Starting with toner components dissolved or dispersed in a volatile solvent, an aqueous phase is added that contains silica particles and/or a polymer latex. The two- phase mixture is then homogenized and a proprietary shape control agent added. Limited coalescence technology results in uniform droplet size. Upon evaporation and solvent removal these droplets are transformed into solid particles with controlled size and shape. Filtration, washing and drying results in toner particles typically 6 to 9 microns in size. The process itself is capable of producing solid or porous particles in the size range 1–30 µm. A wide variety of polymers may be processed using this technology these include thermoplastics, acrylates and polyesters.

One important feature of Kodak’s ELC biotoner is its low, unit manufacturing cost (UMC) based upon the bioresin (PLA)

Green scope

Intensified de-inking plant

Bio based raw materials Kodak Technology >95 % Intensified chemical plant

Green scope

Paper only recycled Chemical bio toner

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

Consumer Electronics

component. This sustainable resource can be derived from harvested crops, such as field corn (not for human consumption), sugar beets and sweet potatoes, Already cost competitive with existing styrene-acrylate and polyester petrotoners, economies of scale are expected to enable Kodak, in the long term, to offer high quality, biobased chemical color toners at prices equal to or less than existing petrotoners.

Migration to Chemical Process Toners Historically, Mechanically Produced Toners (MPT) dominated EP (Electronic Photography) imaging from 1960 to 2000. From 2000 forward, however, chemical processes for toner (CPT) manufacturing gradually replaced many MPT lines, especially for color toner production. Kodak’s announcement adds a whole new dimension to toner marketing, with a product that is:

(Photo: shutterstock/Nyvlt-art)

Environmentally friendly Equal to or lower in UMC (Unit Manufacturing Cost) than petrotoners A drop-in replacement for petrotoners Based upon a polylactic acid (PLA) resin Compostable (PLA and waxes are compostable, 5 % inorganic pigments are inert) Free of styrene monomer present in styrene-acrylate toners Free of bisphenol A (BPA) used in polyester-based toners

Availability Kodak`s chemical color biotoners has become available from pilot plant operations since August 2014. Sales volume is expected to ramp up, driven by Kodak’s strategic partnerships and the fact that they can offer a near 100 % biobased product close to the cost of conventional toners.

Color imaging is unquestionably the largest growth opportunity in digital printing and Kodak, well recognized for the high quality of its imaging products, plans to match the demand for color biotoners by a scale-up of manufacturing to production plant level next year. Much of that growth in demand is expected to come as a result of evolving strategic partnerships such as the one recently inked with Static Control Components (Stanford, North Carolina, USA). SCC is one of the largest suppliers of toners and machine components, with sales, warehouse and distribution facilities worldwide.

By: Tomas McHugh Extended Materials Business Eastman Kodak Company Rochester, New York, USA www.kodak.com

(Photo: shutterstock/rawcaptured)

Acknowledgement This article is based on a more comprehensive article previously published in Recycling Times Magazine.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

41

Consumer Electronics

Durable plastic for mobile devices

A

mong the major bioplastics polylactic acid (PLA) attracts the developer by its wide potential for use in various applications such as injection, extrusion, blow moulding, fibres/textiles, and even foaming. However, it’s rather weak heat resistance blocks its way, to a certain extent, in the field of engineering plastics but holds a strong position mainly in the field of disposables, or within a room temperature environment. By adding reinforcing fibres or other fillers it may improve PLA’s heat resistance, but the resulting blends still suffer from longer cycle times, especially in the field of injection moulding. Moreover, the dimensional stability, which might affect the assembly process, is another problem related to its slow crystallization rate.

By properly introducing PDLA (poly-D-lactide) into PLLA (polyL-lactide), the SUPLA™ 155 not only has an HDT superior to ABS with similar mechanical properties but also has an acceptable cycle time. Suplas was honoured that the AIO/PC (all-in-one 21.5” Kuender touch screen PC, made of the Supla 155), was awarded second prize at the 8th Bioplastics Award in 2013 by the successful application in high-end electronics. For further adaptation into personal mobile communication devices, Supla have developed a new grade of modified PLA not only to meet the requirements of durability, ease of manufacture and assembly, and shock resistance but also has an anti-bacterial property.

With the lactide from Corbion (Purac), Supla has PLLA and PDLA polymerized at the Sulzer PLA unit. Based on these materials of high optical purity, Supla developed Supla 158 in 2014, responding to a new market for mobile consumer electronics. Kuender, an expert in injection molding for electronics housings, has applied Supla 158 to the kid’s cell phone for Dikon Information Technology (shanghai) Co, Ltd., who have been authorized by a famous cartoon rights owner. The design of this product, mentioned in this article, is still confidential before the formal launch. In addition to the kid’s cell phone, a 10” Pad (Fig. 1), the MIFI (Fig. 2), a mobile power charger with wireless router, will be launched by Kuender under the Ecotrend™ brand by the end of this year, using Supla 158 as the material for the outer housing.

Supla 158 has physical properties to meet the requirements for tensile strength of 45-55 MPa, elongation at breakage of 15-20 %, impact strength of 30-50 J/m and HDT/B of 135‑145 °C. Moreover, since such devices are usually held between the hand and the mouth, the reduced bacterial activity on the surface makes it safer for the user. To answer the special need of this market, Supla 158 also features anti-bacterial properties with regard to the antibacterial ratio of coli and aureus respectively (99.2 % and 99.6 %).

Supla (SuQian) New Materials Co. Ltd. has a production capacity of 10,000 tonnes per annum for PLA polymerization and will have additional compounding lines by the end of 2014 at SuQian, China.

It offers eco-friendly high performance plastics derived from green plants, which could be processed by current manufacturing machines without major changes.

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

Fig.2: Eco-trend MIFI

By: Robin Wu Chairman Supla (SuQian) New Material Co. Ltd. Jiangsu, China www.supla-bioplastics.cn

Fig.1: Antibacterial Pad

Consumer Electronics

Biobased high-performance Polyamides for mobile healthcare electronic devices

S

olvay Specialty Polymers (the Solvay Group headquartered in Brussels, Belgium) recently introduced a new family of Kalix® high-performance polyamides (HPPAs) for structural components used in mobile healthcare (mHealth) electronic devices. The new products include among others also biobased Kalix HPPAs. They deliver exceptional strength, stiffness, and significantly improved chemical resistance versus traditional polycarbonate (PC) or PC/ acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) materials typically used for covers and housings for mHealth electronic devices.

The new Kalix HPPAs – first launched for smart mobile electronics at K 2013 in Germany last October – are a unique offering targeted for frames and covers for healthcare displays, terminals, and modules along with chassis, housings, and bezels for mHealth devices.

“This material introduction strengthens our commitment to both the healthcare and mobile electronics industries,” said Maria GallahueWorl, global healthcare business manager for Solvay Specialty Polymers. “We’ve leveraged our extensive know-how in polymer technology and our long-term presence in healthcare to give our customers a competitive edge in meeting their end-use requirements.”

With the introduction of a new portfolio of biobased HPPAs for healthcare OEMs Solvay wants to incorporate renewable, biobased polymers for mHealth devices. This includes the Kalix HPPA 3000 series, the first biobased amorphous PPA, and the Kalix 2000 series, a family of biosourced PPA grades that provide outstanding impact resistance.

According to Gallahue-Worl, the company’s expanded portfolio of biobased PAs is driven by environmentally-conscious medical manufacturers who are continually striving for more sustainable alternatives.

The Kalix 3000 series breaks new ground as the industry’s first biobased amorphous PPA. The two new grades – Kalix 3850 and Kalix 3950 – provide less warp, reduced shrinkage,

and low to no flash. This improved processability results in tighter dimensional tolerances and more cost-effective manufacturing due to fewer secondary operations such as deflashing. Both compounded grades consist of 16 % renewable content, according to the ASTM D6866 test method for determining biobased carbon content.

Meanwhile, the new Kalix 2000 series, based on PA 6.10, consists of Kalix 2855 and Kalix 2955. They provide strong mechanical properties, high impact strength, an exceptional surface finish, and low moisture absorption.

These two compounded grades consist of 27 % renewable content according to ASTM D6866.

Both the Kalix 2000 and 3000 series contain monomers that come from the sebacic acid chain which is derived from non-food competing and GMO-free castor oil. Overall, in addition to their renewable content, the grades (between 50-55 % glass fiber loading) provide greater strength and stiffness than most competing glass-reinforced materials including high-performance PAs and lower-performing engineering plastics such as PC. Both the Kalix 2000 and 3000 series offer an ultra-smoth surface finish. Along with Kalix 5950 HFFR, they can be matched to a wide range of colors including the bright and light colors used for mHealth electronic devices. They can also be painted with existing coatings commonly used for these devices.

The new Kalix HPPA materials are available globally and Solvay is currently seeking qualifications with leading manufacturers of mHealth electronic devices. MT www.SolvaySpecialtyPolymers.com.

Photo just as an example. No pictures from Solvay available (shutterstock / Piotr Marcinski)

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

43

Politics

Bagislation in Europe – A (good?) case for biodegradables A critical review on legislation addressing single-use plastic carrier bags in Europe

N

o other plastic product has ever created such public debate and worldwide legal action. The single-use plastic bag scores Number One on the virtual list of the “most hated products”, being accused of exceptional overconsumption, and the harm such bags do to the environment and wildlife. Consequently it does not come as a big surprise that the list of countries and cities acting against these bags is long – and still growing fast. Several European member states have regulated shopping bags, with the help of bans, levies and taxes to reduce consumption. In due time the EU is expected to set the framework by adding a specific proposal to its Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. The bioplastics industry, i.e. the producers of biodegradable polymers and bags, has become a main stakeholder in Bagislation, as it hopes for legal privileges and exemptions. Harald Kaeb, policy expert for bioplastics, has followed the debates and outcomes since the beginning. In this article he gives an up‑to-date overview on the relevant legislation and examines the arguments of various stakeholders against the background of science and waste infrastructure. The perspectives of Bio-Bagislation stand opposed to risks which could affect the credibility and image of the bioplastics industry. The knowledge base needs serious improvement. The author pledges that lacks and gaps should not be ignored. The article is an update of his first article, published three years ago in bioplastics MAGAZINE 06/2011.

No doubt, Europeans still use too many plastic bags.

However, the number of single-use plastic bags per capita, per

annum, varies widely dependent on regional marketing and consumption patterns, ranging from 10–500 per annum in the 28 EU Members States (MS), and 176 on average, according to the European Commission’s (EC) impact assessment published November 2013 [1] (Fig. 1).

An estimation of the EU production of plastic carrier bags is illustrated in Table 1. Immediately these figures were disputed by the plastics industry organisation, calling them too high and confusing because of lack of clear definitions and official statistics. It is the vast number of single-use bags which is targeted. Its tonnage (250 kt) is only about 20 % of the total plastic bag market according to the EC assessment.

The main objective of Bagislation at EU and MS level is to reduce the total number of single-use plastic bags and thus reduce littering and its harmful effects, for example on the marine eco-system. The replacement of single-use bags by reusable bags and bags-for-life is considered an easy-to-pick fruit by politicians and environmentalists, i.e. easy to achieve and well accepted by most businesses and consumers. In November 2013 the EU Commission had published its proposal [2] to amend the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), leaving it to MS to choose from diverse economic instruments like taxes or levies on plastic bags. Pricing and thereby increasing their value is generally perceived as the best way to change consumption patterns to less single-use and more reusable bags, e.g. bags-for life. The EC would also

Fig. 3: Bagislation often addresses the littering by single-use plastic bags (Photo: Kaeb)

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Politics Estonia Hungary Lativa Lithuania Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Czech Republic Romania Bulgaria Greece Italy EU-27 (average) UK Cyprus Spain Malta Sweden Belgium France Netherlands Germany Austria Ireland Luxembourg Denmark Finland

By: Harald Kaeb narocon InnovationConsulting Berlin, Germany

allow bans for single-use plastic bags to achieve this goal. This would occur in derogation of the Article 18 which obliges MS not to impede the placing on their market packaging which satisfies the provisions of the PPWD. Such exemption can only be justified to tackle serious risks and minimize damages.

The EU Bagislation proposal would affect only single-use bags with “a thickness below 50 µm”, which is the proposed criteria to separate singleuse from reusable bags. Heavier plastic bags are not supposed to have negative effects, they are not prone to littering, can be reused more often and recycling is feasible. The EU Parliament (EP) made many amendments to the EC proposal in its first reading on 16th April 2014 [3]. For instance, the EP wants to set binding reduction targets of 50 % and later 80 %. Because of the benefits it would also allow a 50 % reduction of mandatory charges for biodegradable and compostable single-use plastic bags to incentivize (or at least enable) their use. Some EU countries have biodegradable-preferred policies in place (Table 2). This refers to the EN 13432 standard to qualify such bags, but is also called on to develop a standard for home compostability ensuring that these bags would also biodegrade rapidly enough on private backyard composts. In October 2014 the first tripartite talks took place to prepare an agreement between the EP and the Council of Member States, moderated by the EC. Several MS already had imposed Bagislation and had significantly reduced consumption. They criticized the 80 % target for the EP which they say would neglect their efforts. MS were pointing out their individual situation, especially with regard to the national waste management and recycling policy.

It is unlikely that an agreement can be reached by 2014, thus implementation at MS level will not take place before 2017.

Multiple Use Plastic Bags Single Use Plastic Carrier Bags

100

200

300

400

500

Fig. 1: Plastic bag consumption 2010 [1]

kg / Inh · yr 250

206

200 182

150

143

EU27 = 48 kg / Inh · yr

Specific collection

114 101

100

86 85

43 42 42

50

31 30 13 13 13

0

7

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

NL AT DK LU DE FI BE FR SE IT UK IE SK CZ HU ES PT PL GR BG CY EE LT LV MT RO SI

Fig. 2: Implementation of separate collections across the EU (source: [4])

EU Production (Tonnes) Single-use non-biodegradable Single-use biodegradable Multiple-use Total plastic bags produced

239 250 10 831 873 993 1 124 074

Tab 1: Breakdown of EU plastic carrier bag production 2010 by weight [1]

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

45

Politics Bagislation (enforced)

Type

Scope / Criteria

Exemption

Level / Cost

EU / EC proposal

Most likely (2017 or later)

MBI & Bans – up to MS

SUPCB / < 50 µm

EC: none (up to MS) EP: Biodegradable Plastics

(up to MS)

Bulgaria

Yes (Oct. 2012)

Tax

SUPCB / < 15 µm?

Or all plastic bags? (late news)

Biodegradables acc. EN 13432

“Progressive tax appr. 28 Cents / bag 2014”

Denmark

Yes (2001)

Tax

all bags > 5 l (plastic & paper)

none

22 DKK = appr. 3 € / kg

France

Most likely (Jan. 2016)

“Ban (before:Tax)”

not yet defined (decree) SUPCB / < xx µm (?)

Biodegradables (EN 13432) > 40% biobased content

“Ban (until 03-2014: tax 6 Cents / bag)”

Geography

Germany Ireland Italy Netherlands Romania Spain

10–20 Cents pricing is very common

No Yes (2007)

Charge / Levy

all plastic bags; various criteria

for specific applications; not for biodegradables

22 Cents / bag

Yes (01-2011)

Ban

most plastic CB - complex: size, thickness, type, applic., ...

Biodegradables acc EN 13432

“ban of non-biodegradable; biodegradable bags for free or sold”

Tax

n. n.

unclear - probably for EN 13432 biodegradables

0,2 Lei / bag (25 Cents)

until 2014: progressive subsitution targets

until 2014: Biodegradables acc.

EN 13432

Charge (Levy)

SUPCB to be further defined

DEFRA proposes: Biodegradables be exempt

5 Pence / bag

Charge (Levy)

SU bags incl. paper & plastic & plantbased materials

several applications (not bioplastics)

5 Pence / bag 5 Pence / bag 5 Pence / bag

No Yes (01-2009) No (suspended 2014)

UK: England

Yes (Autumn 2015)

N-Ireland

Yes (04-2013)

Scotland

Yes (proposal, 10-2014)

Charge (Levy)

all SU bags (all materials)

complex, small businesses & several appl. exempt (not biopl.)

Wales

Yes (10-2011)

Charge (Levy)

SU bags incl. paper & plastic & plantbased, complex: < 49 µm, size < 40x44 cm, a. o.

for several applications (not for bioplastics)

Abbreviations: MS = Member State(s); SUPCB = Single-Use Plastic Carrier Bags; MBI = Market-based Instruments, MBT = Mechanical Biological Treatment (mixed waste composting), Ct=Euro-Cent

A more comprehensive versio of this ‘mapping’ can be downloaded from www.bioplasticsmagazine.de(201406) Tab 2.: Mapping Bagislation in Europe (selection)

Whilst the EU framework legislation is still pending and predictions on a final version are hard to make for now, it is clear that EU/MS legislation will vary significantly.

When mapping out national laws addressing carrier bags the current picture resembles a puzzle showing variations regarding the scope (which bags are addressed) the criteria (definitions what is in and out) and applied measures. Table 2 lists the main aspects of Bagislation in some selected EU/MS. On one extreme, Italy has banned plastic bags up to 100 µm and exempted biodegradable EN 13432 conforming bags.

Because of assumed discrimination and violation of §18 an EC Fig. 4: How to avoid damage from littering?

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

infringement was run against Italy – but put on hold with regard to the running PPWD revision procedure. The UK members Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland imposed pricing measures on all types of carrier bags, with no exemptions for biodegradables. England’s proposed measures foresee privileging biodegradable bags – if they can find the perfect bag which biodegrades quickly in home compost, and anaerobically in digestion plants. France recently changed its earlier proposal to tax all plastic bags by at least 6 Cents, switching to a ban of non-biodegradable single-use plastics bags, starting in 2016. Like France, England has not yet laid down more specific criteria. Countries like France, Spain or Romania proposed exemptions for biodegradable plastic bags but none of them so far have enforced any legislation.

None of them has a fully established organic waste collection and industrial composting infrastructure. For at least a significant part of the population this question arises: Where to put biodegradable plastic bags after use, and, would this affect conventional plastic recycling? Another extreme is a country like Germany where organic recycling schemes are well established but industrial composters are against compostable carrier bags. The German biowaste legislation is allowing the composting of only specific nonpackaging items like biowaste collection bags. In Germany only reusable plastic bags were sold at most supermarkets and PE film recycling is increasing.

Politics Fig. 5: Disposable plastic products stand for waste and littering (Photo: Kaeb)

The difference between a carrier bag and a biowaste bag is very simple: Consumers get and buy biowaste bags intentionally for the purpose of composting. Buying a compostable shopping bag is not linked to that intention.

The added value and second life of a compostable shopping bag is a main argument, but it would need that composting infrastructure to be available and accessible at regional / MS level. Although European waste legislation has set targets for separate collection and treatment of biowaste, practice shows that many countries and regions are lagging quite far behind (see Fig 2). The same is true for the intended but very slow phasing out of landfill of untreated waste. Implementation and control of legislation is much more challenging than putting targets on paper. National waste management policy and infrastructure must be the guiding principle when designing Bagislation to make it fit for purpose.

The discussions and debates on the role of biodegradable and compostable plastics in the EU Bagislation have revealed many open questions. How to recycle them if organic recycling is not in place, or is in place but refuses acceptance of compostable plastic products? Several studies were made, or are ongoing. What about home compostability? What happens to biodegradable bags if littered on the land, in rivers, in sea water? Experts know the speed and extend of biodegradability is heavily dependent on various parameters of the environmental conditions (industrial composting occurs under optimum conditions). What happens to marine life if ingested, what about the risks of entanglement? Some of these questions are addressed in running standardisation processes or research projects (KBBPPS, OpenBio), some are not yet tackled at all. It would be worth reviewing these questions and actions in a detailed review article to better understand the situation and the implications.

Advocates of privileges for Biodegradables had to learn that most NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in Europe wanted a complete ban or very wide reduction of all types of single-use plastic bags. Even if these NGOs acknowledge the benefits of biodegradability they prefer the switch to reusable bags. They learned that biodegradability

is not synonymous with compostability and doubt it will happen fast enough to prevent wildlife from potential damages. The advocates of biodegradable single-use bags stress their advantages, e.g. to contribute to better organic waste management and less contamination of recycling streams with food waste. Positioning biodegradable bags as “a good alternative” to conventional single-use plastic bag and finding acceptance is not easy. A more general view says: If markets are destroyed or created by legislation the arguments need to be bullet-proof. Expect them to be scrutinized and put under the microscope by affected (opposing) parties.

To summarize and conclude: It is good to see that biodegradable and compostable bags were recognized as beneficial for proper organic waste collection. It is at least a bit frightening to see them sometimes recognized as a contribution to solving (marine) littering problems – because of lack of knowledge and comprehensive test methods. Biobased plastic bags, i.e. reusable and recyclable products from Bio-PE or BioPET30, have not been addressed directly but would suffer from extreme national reduction targets and measures, i.e. if the scope addresses reusable bags. At EU level nothing is carved in stone yet, and implementation has to occur at national level in any case. The list of legal measures targeting the consumption of plastic carrier bags and promotion of biodegradable alternatives is revealing a scattered landscape – which also is true for the existing waste management and recycling schemes in place. Biodegradable single-use plastic bags should not fail to meet the expectations of awarded legal privileges when put under the microscope.

Literature [1] EU Plastic Bags Impact Assessment http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ waste/packaging/legis.htm#plastic_bags [2] EC Proposal http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-1017_en.htm [3] Procedure http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure. do?lang=en&reference=2013/0371(COD) [4] Enzo Favoino, Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza and International Solid Waste Association ISWA, presentation 3rd Baltic Biowaste Conference, 23/24 Nov. 2011, Vilnius

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Basics

Next-generation sustainability requires higher product performance

P

roponents of the sustainability movement can point to the Brundtland Commission and Report as an important step in defining sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition has provided the chemicals and plastics industry with a roadmap to find ways to substitute petroleum with a biobased or recycled alternative.

It’s important to note that biobased isn’t new and isn’t enough to meet the needs of a growing population. Consider this. Since the beginning of civilization, mankind has utilized readily available biobased materials made from plants and animals to enhance welfare and improve living standards.

For example, animal fats and vegetable oils have been used for centuries for lubrication, illumination and manufacture of soap, and then later through further processing into paint and varnish. In the mid-20th century, large-scale oil production and the petrochemical industry really expanded and replaced many biobased products with widely available petroleummade products and again improved living standards for many.

These advancements, however, have a price. The extraction,

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

By: Del Craig Executive Vice President, Sustainability, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. Woodridge, Illinois, USA

processing and use of petroleum involve trade-offs that leave a definite footprint on the planet. This footprint is becoming ever more meaningful as the global population and standard of living increases. So, it was worth taking another look at biobased alternatives.

In fact, the chemical industry can learn from the agricultural industry, which it helped improve. According to the American Farm Bureau, in production agriculture in the U.S., farmers have produced 262 % more food with 2 % fewer inputs since 1950 on a decreasing base of land, thanks to improved technology. Further, with careful stewardship farmers have spurred a nearly 50 % decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982. U.S. farmers, ranchers and foresters are keenly positioned to manage the land to produce the food, fiber and energy needed in 2050 to support a growing population and economy, while simultaneously improving biodiversity and the health of our environment. What’s more, the agricultural industry has played an increasingly important role in supplying renewable feedstocks to the biofuels and biomaterials industries.

Basics The continual challenge for many industries served by the chemical industry, however, is that traditional biobased products don’t perform as well as the petroleum-based products developed during the past 50 years. In the plastics industry, specifically, performance is critical for durable goods because materials have a long development time and are used in products with a long product life. This adds to the burden of finding new and better approaches today to be incorporated into future downstream uses.

It is clear that the chemicals and plastics industry needs a solution that provides a sustainable portfolio of products. The solution must provide a better performing, more productive and sustainable future for everyone — a new category of solutions to deliver products that exceed performance of petrochemical-based products and to do so with a smaller environmental footprint.

Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc., a high-growth specialty chemicals company, is leading the industry by introducing game-changing solutions that build on the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainability and marry it with performance that exceeds what’s been possible before. We believe the way to become more sustainable is to develop products that use fewer resources in the manufacturing process and perform better. That’s where Renewicals™ comes in.

Renewicals are a breakthrough category of novel products, building blocks and ingredients that enable performance impossible until now. Renewicals mark a paradigm shift in the way companies are addressing industry and consumer demand for improved performance and sustainability, enabled by renewable feedstocks and advanced sustainable manufacturing processes.

At Elevance alone, we provide two examples of how Renewicals are changing the game for the chemicals and plastics industry.

Inherent™ C18 Diacid is a mid-chain length, biobased diacid that facilitates the creation of more than a dozen new base polymers that can result in more than 100 new compounds or formulations. Inherent C18 Diacid enables producers of polyamides and polyurethanes to significantly expand their portfolios with cost-competitive products that demonstrate performance not possible from products made with more common, shorter-chain diacids.

For example, Inherent C18 Diacid will allow polyamides to enter new automotive and electronic applications that demand better hydrolytic performance, improved optical properties and greater material toughness or flexibility. Using Inherent C18 Diacid in polyester polyols enables the creation of new, previously unattainable pre-polymers, helping polyurethane manufacturers create polymers with exceptional solvent resistance, hydrolytic stability, optical clarity and toughness.

These high-performance, differentiated materials are suitable in market segments such as automotive. Their use reduces automotive weight, which improves car fuel efficiency and the environmental footprint of transportation.

methylene chain. As a result, this reduces the need for service and repair, and improves the overall efficiency of equipment use while extending equipment life.

Elevance is making Inherent C18 Diacid, also known as octadecanedioic diacid or ODDA, using a unique and efficient production process and materials produced from its worldscale biorefinery in Gresik, Indonesia — the first based on Elevance’s proprietary metathesis technology. The process allows for the purity required for demanding applications like polymers and is a solution that is cost competitive with other specialty diacids in the marketplace. A mid-chain diacid, Inherent C18 Diacid enables performance attributes not possible by more common, shorter chain diacids.

Conclusion Engineering polymer and plastic formulator customers can now add biobased products with enhanced performance to their portfolios, expanding their supply chains while achieving their business and sustainability goals. The industry can also make a difference and do things that have never been done before — today. Join us in the Renewicals movement and help transform the industry to meet the needs of the nine billion people who will live here. It promises to be an exciting and more sustainable future for everyone. www.elevance.com

Renewicals™ and Inherent™ C18 Diacid are trademarks of Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. magnetic_148,5x105.ai 175.00 lpi 45.00° 15.00° 14.03.2009 75.00° 0.00° 14.03.2009 10:13:31 10:13:31 Prozess CyanProzess MagentaProzess GelbProzess Schwarz

c i t e n tics g s a a l P M for • International Trade in Raw Materials, Machinery & Products Free of Charge • Daily News from the Industrial Sector and the Plastics Markets

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• Current Market Prices for Plastics.

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CM

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

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CMY

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Another example is that Inherent C18 Diacid makes a tougher GMA (glycidyl methacrylate) acrylic for powder coatings. When the C18 diacid is used as the system crosslinker in GMA powder coatings, the resultant coating has twice the impact resistance as that of the incumbent diacid and improved flexibility due to the longer, more elastic C18

er.com lastick www.p

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

sional Profes Fast • • te a d Up-to-

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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Suppliers Guide 1. Raw Materials

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

Simply contact:

Tel.: +49 2161 6884467 suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com Stay permanently listed in the Suppliers Guide with your company logo and contact information.

For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you can be present among top suppliers in the field of bioplastics.

39 mm

For Example:

Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach Germany Tel. +49 2161 664864 Fax +49 2161 631045 info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.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 PolyOne DuPont de Nemours International S.A. www.xinfupharm.com Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 2 chemin du Pavillon Zoning de la Fagne 1218 - Le Grand Saconnex 5330 Assesse 1.1 bio based monomers Switzerland Belgium Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11 Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 Fax: +41 22 580 22 45 www.polyone.com plastics@dupont.com www.renewable.dupont.com www.plastics.dupont.com

Tel: +86 351-8689356 Fax: +86 351-8689718 www.ecoworld.jinhuigroup.com sales@jinhuigroup.com

Corbion Purac Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21 4200 AA Gorinchem The Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695 Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604 www.corbion.com/bioplastics bioplastics@corbion.com 1.2 compounds

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.

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

50

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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

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

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

Shenzhen Esun Ind. Co;Ltd www.brightcn.net www.esun.en.alibaba.com bright@brightcn.net Tel: +86-755-2603 1978 1.4 starch-based bioplastics

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!

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

Suppliers Guide 6. Equipment

1.6 masterbatches

6.1 Machinery & Molds

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

ROQUETTE 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

Wuhan Huali Environmental Technology Co.,Ltd. No.8, North Huashiyuan Road, Donghu New Tech Development Zone, Wuhan, Hubei, China Tel: +86-27-87926666 Fax: + 86-27-87925999 rjh@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 Minima Technology Co., Ltd. 2. Additives/Secondary raw materials Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City, Taichung County 411, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Tel. +886(4)2277 6888 Fax +883(4)2277 6989 Mobil +886(0)982-829988 esmy@minima-tech.com GRAFE-Group Skype esmy325 Waldecker Straße 21, www.minima-tech.com 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

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

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

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

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

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

MODA: Biodegradability Analyzer SAIDA FDS INC. 143-10 Isshiki, Yaizu, Natur-Tec® - Northern Technologies Shizuoka,Japan Tel:+81-54-624-6260 4201 Woodland Road Info2@moda.vg Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA www.saidagroup.jp Tel. +1 763.404.8700 Fax +1 763.225.6645 info@natur-tec.com 7. Plant engineering www.natur-tec.com

3. Semi finished products 3.1 films

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

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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

51

Suppliers Guide 9. Services

Biopolynov 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 5370-370 Fax: +49 (0) 2151 5370-371 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 MAGAZINE is available in English and German language (German now in the second, revised edition).

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 978-3-9814981-2-7: Biokunststoffe

neu: 2. überarbeitete Auflage

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 57 for details, outside German y only) 52

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

Events

Event Calendar BioPlastics: The Re-Invention of Plastics via Renewable Chemicals

28.01.2015 - 30.01.2015 - Miami, Florida, USA InterContinental on Biscayne Bay

Subscribe now at bioplasticsmagazine.com the next six issues for €149.–1)

http://bioplastconference.com

24. Stuttgarter Kunststoffkolloquium

Special offer for students and young professionals1,2) € 99.-

25.02.2015 - 26.02.2015 - Stuttgart, Germany www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

World Bio Markets 2015

10.03.2015 - 12.03.2015 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.greenpowerconferences.com/BF1503NL

2) aged 35 and below.

Send a scan of your student card, your ID or similar proof ...

Green Polymer Chemistry 2015

18.03.2015 - 19.03.2015 - Cologne, Germany Maritim Hotel, Cologne www.amiplastics.com/events/event?Code=C637

NPE 2015 - The international Plastics Showcase 23.03.2015 - 27.03.2015 - Orlando FL, USA www.npe.org

BioMAT2015

21.04.2015 - 22.04.2015 - Weimar, Germany www.dgm.de/dgm/biomat

Biochemicals & Bioplastics 2015

06.05.2015 - 07.05.2015 - Denver, Colorado, USA www.wplgroup.com/aci

bio!pac: Conference on biobased packaging

organized by bioplastics MAGAZINE 12.05.2015 - 13.05.2015 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands Novotel Amsterdam City www.bio-pac.info

Chinaplas

20.05.2015 - 23.05.2015 - Guangzhou, China China Import & Export Fair Complex ahweb.adsale.com.hk/t.aspx?unt=1982-CPS15_bioplastics

Biopolymers and Bioplastics

10.08.2015 - 12.08.2015 - San Francisco (CA), USA http://biopolymers-bioplastics.conferenceseries.net/ You can meet us

bio PAC biobased packaging

conference

12/13 may 2015

novotel amsterdam

+

or

Mention the promotion code ‘watch‘ or ‘book‘ and you will get our watch or the book3) Bioplastics Basics. Applications. Markets. for free 1) Offer valid until 31 Mar. 2015 3) Gratis-Buch in Deutschland nicht möglich, no free book in Germany

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

53

Companies in this issue Company

Editorial

Advert

Company

Editorial

Advert

Company

Editorial

Advert

Agrana Starch Thermoplastics

50

Helian Polymers

20

polymediaconsult

52

API

50

Henkel

30

PolyOne

50, 51

Hochschule Merseburg

23

President Packaging

51

8

BASF BIO-FED

31

Biome Bioplastics

19

Biopolynov

51

Bio-Pro

18

Biotec

51

Bird & Wild

38

BMEL

23 52 5

Converflex

38

Corbion

5, 42

Diamond Research Corporation

40

DSM

7

DTR Medical

37

DuPont

37

DUS Architects

30

Dutch Railways

11

Elevance

48

50

50

FKuR

20, 21

50, 55

2, 50 52

6

Grabio Greentech

51 19

Grafe

36

Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV)

24

50, 51

Hallink

51

Editorial Planner

52

KACO

50 40

Lessonia

37 50 12

Metabolix

51

Michigan State University

52

Minima Technology

51 44

52

10 50

Natureplast 5, 10, 26, 38

NatureWorks Natur-Tec

51

Netzsch

27

nova Institute

52 51, 56

Novamont ORRAF

12

PaperFoam

36

Plantronics

36

Plastic Suppliers

51

PSM

23, 51

Rhein Chemie

51

Roquette

51

Saida

51 50

Shenzhen Esun Industrial

28

Showa Denko

7

Kodak

ProTec Polymer Processing

Shandong Fuwin 15. 50

Nature Shield

Fraunhofer UMSICHT FTC

38

Institut for bioplastics & biocomposites (IfBB)

narocon

52

23

Innovia Films

Maxrich

European Bioplastics

Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe FNR

22

Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients

33, 51

6

IFA Tulln

Kingfa

EREMA

Evonik Industries

51

JinHui

BPI Calysta

Huhtamaki Films

50 50

Sidaplax

51

Solvay Specialty Polymers

43

St. Davies Assemblies

37

Sulzer

42

Supla

42

Swiss Coffee Company

8

Taghleef Industries

51

The Bioplastics Factory

11

TianAn Biopolymer

51

Uhde Inventa-Fischer

35, 51

UL International TTC

52

Univ.Stuttgart (IKT)

16

University of Amsterdam

32

Volkswagen

7

52

50

WinGram Wuhan Huali

23, 51 8

Zandonella Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical

50

51

2015

Issue

Month

Publ.Date

edit/ad/ Deadline

Editorial Focus (1)

Editorial Focus (2)

Basics

Fair Specials

01/2015

Jan/Feb

2/2/15

12/23/14

Automotive

Foams

Glossary (update)

NPE Preview

02/2015

Mar/Apr

4/7/15

3/2/15

Thermoforming / Rigid Packaging

Polyurethanes / Elastomers / Rubber

Bioplastics in Packaging (Update)

NPE-Review Chinaplas Preview

03/2015

May/Jun

6/1/15

4/27/15

Injection moulding

Biocomposites incl.

Thermoset

FAQ

Chinaplas Review

04/2015

Jul/Aug

8/3/15

7/3/13

Blow Moulding

Bioplastics in Building & Construction

Foaming of Bioplastics

05/2015

Sept/Oct

10/5/15

9/4/13

Fiber / Textile / Nonwoven

Barrier Materials

Land use (update)

06/2015

Nov/Dec

12/7/15

11/6/13

Films / Flexibles / Bags

Consumer & Office Electronics

(Update)

Plastics from CO2

Subject to changes

www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

54

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9

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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 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: “Living Chemistry for Quality of Life”. Its objective has been to create products with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamont’s innovative research is the new bioplastic Mater-Bi®.

Mater-Bi® is a family of materials, completely biodegradable and compostable which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and vegetable oil derivates. Mater-Bi® performs like traditional plastics but it saves energy, contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect and at the end of its life cycle, it closes the loop by changing into fertile humus. Everyone’s dream has become a reality.

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

Within Mater-Bi® product range the following certifications are available

284

The “OK Compost” certificate guarantees conformity with the NF EN 13432 standard (biodegradable and compostable packaging) 5_2014