01 | 2010
Cellulosics
Cellulosics
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ioplastics magazine Vol. 5 ISSN 1862-5258<br />
Basics<br />
Cellulosics | 44<br />
Highlights:<br />
Automotive | 10<br />
Foam | 22<br />
<strong>01</strong> | 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
... is read in 85 countries
FKuR plastics - made by nature! ®<br />
FKuR now in America!<br />
Bio-Flex ® resins ... taking PLA further!<br />
Net Bag made<br />
from Bio-Flex ®<br />
Deep Freeze Packaging<br />
made from Bio-Flex ®<br />
Mulch Film made<br />
from Bio-Flex ®<br />
Sustainable • Compostable • Renewable<br />
FKuR Plastics Corp. | 921 W New Hope Drive | Building 605 | Cedar Park, TX 78613 | USA<br />
Phone: +1 512-971-3581 | Fax: +1 512-986-5346 | sales.usa@fkur.com<br />
www.fkur.com
Guest Editorial<br />
Dr. Harald Kaeb,<br />
Secretary General of European<br />
Bioplastics<br />
Building a Green Century<br />
Oh! What a year! From ‘Apocalypse Now!’ to ‘Business As Usual’? Actually there is no<br />
business as usual any more! Wherever you look there are enormous pressures that<br />
will lead to far-reaching changes. The last decade was the one in which we finally<br />
noticed this. Yes, it‘s true, raw materials can become very expansive - because they<br />
are not used in a sustainable way. And emissions caused by humans will lead to<br />
environmental changes that can destroy our quality of life. We have been regularly<br />
warned since the 1960‘s, but now we know it‘s true!<br />
In this coming decade the shape of the new century will be set. It will be - and must<br />
be - a green one. 2020 is a deadline, and not only for the maximum 2°C increase<br />
commitment. Cars must go ‘electric‘, energy supplies and fuels from renewable<br />
resources will grow, but total consumption will also heavily decrease, food and<br />
feedstocks must be sourced from sustainable agriculture and forestry. Not everything<br />
will be perfect by then, but those who do not seriously start will see their businesses<br />
effectively annihilated in the long run. The frontrunners and risk-takers of today will<br />
be the real business leaders.<br />
And be aware that sustainability claims must be substantiated. Standards, indicators,<br />
measurements and labels will be most important tools for providing proof. Some of<br />
them are already in place, others need updating or are still to be developed. Each and<br />
every product category will be impacted by measurement tools such as LCA or carbon<br />
footprint, and the derived policies. If you want to shape these standards and tools then<br />
do ensure that you are represented in branch associations.<br />
I hope you enjoy this first issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE in the new decade. In addition to<br />
my own ‘wise’ comments it features editorial highlights such as foamed bioplastics<br />
and bioplastics in automotive applications. It explains the basics of cellulosics, and<br />
the article of Professor Narayan offers a good closing word in this issue for the oxoepisode.<br />
A Happy New Year, and a Great Decade!<br />
Harald Kaeb<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Content<br />
Editorial 03<br />
News 05<br />
Application News 34<br />
Event Calendar 52<br />
Glossary 54<br />
Suppliers Guide 56<br />
January/February <strong>01</strong>|2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Automotive<br />
Bio-Polyamides for Automotive Applications 10<br />
Wheat Straw for New Ford Flex 12<br />
Materials<br />
High Heat Injection Molding PLA<br />
A Novel, Lightweight, Heat-resistant PLA<br />
<br />
<br />
BioConcept-Car – with Biomaterials<br />
on the Passing Lane 14<br />
Hyundai Blue-Will Concept to feature PLA and PA 11 16<br />
Tires Made from Trees 17<br />
Ontario BioAuto Council 18<br />
PSA Peugeot Citroën Applies Green Materials 19<br />
Concept Tyres Made with BioIsoprene 20<br />
Foam<br />
Foaming Agents and Chain Extenders for PLA Foam 22<br />
Misleading Claims and Misuse ...<br />
8<br />
From Science & Research<br />
Disposal of Bio-Polymers via Energy Recovery 42<br />
Basics<br />
Basics of Cellulosics 44<br />
Politics<br />
Bioplastics Situation in Brazil 48<br />
‘Cradle to Cradle‘ Certified PLA Foam 24<br />
Cellulose Acetate Foams 26<br />
Bio-Based Biodegradable PHA Foam 28<br />
Heat-Resistant PLA Bead Foam 29<br />
PLA Foam Trays<br />
A True Compostable Foam<br />
0<br />
2<br />
Impressum<br />
Publisher / Editorial<br />
Dr. Michael Thielen<br />
Samuel Brangenberg<br />
Layout/Production<br />
Mark Speckenbach<br />
Head Office<br />
Polymedia Publisher GmbH<br />
Dammer Str. 112<br />
41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany<br />
phone: +49 (0)2161 664864<br />
fax: +49 (0)2161 631045<br />
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Media Adviser<br />
Elke Hoffmann<br />
phone: +49(0)2351-67100-0<br />
fax: +49(0)2351-67100-10<br />
eh@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Print<br />
Tölkes Druck + Medien GmbH<br />
47807 Krefeld, Germany<br />
Total Print run: 4,200 copies<br />
bioplastics magazine<br />
ISSN 1862-5258<br />
bioplastics magazine is published<br />
6 times a year.<br />
This publication is sent to qualified<br />
subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues).<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on<br />
chlorine-free FSC certified paper.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE is read<br />
in 85 countries.<br />
Not to be reproduced in any form<br />
without permission from the publisher.<br />
The fact that product names may not be<br />
identified in our editorial as trade marks is<br />
not an indication that such names are not<br />
registered trade marks.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British<br />
spelling. However, in articles based on<br />
information from the USA, American<br />
spelling may also be used.<br />
Editorial contributions are always welcome.<br />
Please contact the editorial office via<br />
mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com.<br />
Envelope<br />
A large number of copies of this issue<br />
of bioplastics MAGAZINE is wrapped in<br />
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sponsored by FKuR (www.fkur.com)<br />
Horn & Bauer (www.horn-bauer.de)<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/09] Vol. 4
News<br />
www.natureworksllc.com<br />
www.sommernp.com<br />
www.loopla.org<br />
NatureWorks Products at<br />
and after UN Climate<br />
Conference<br />
The exposition-grade carpet used during the UN Conference on Climate Change, enough to cover nearly five soccer fields,<br />
will not be disposed of in a landfill but instead is being taken to Belgium, where a new process will recycle the NatureWorks<br />
Ingeo ® PLA fibers, into the building blocks of a second generation of products.<br />
At the Bella Center where the United Nations global conference on climate change was held, December 7-18, more than<br />
20,000 square meters (215,000 square feet) of ultra low carbon footprint Eco2punch ® carpet manufactured by Sommer<br />
Needlepunch was used. Galactic, one of the largest lactic acid producers in the world, will now use its new LOOPLA ® process<br />
to convert the carpet back to virgin lactic acid, a value added industrial feedstock and the building block for Ingeo biopolymer.<br />
Galactic is also recycling the Eco2punch carpet and all the NatureWorks Ingeo food service items used during the NICE<br />
Fashion Summit held in Copenhagen on December 9. Those food service items included cutlery by CDS, plates by I.L.P.A. Srl,<br />
and cold cups by Ecozema, respectively.<br />
“NatureWorks and dozens of its customers showcased in Copenhagen a compelling set of innovations that are making a<br />
difference to climate change and energy usage every day by using renewably sourced, low carbon Ingeo”, said Marc Verbruggen,<br />
president and chief executive officer of NatureWorks LLC. “Galactic is instituting a true cradle-to-cradle reuse of Ingeo and<br />
leveraging those benefits for future users of a second generation of products. This is truly a milestone in the bioplastics<br />
industry because we are not talking about what will happen in the future, but experiencing that reality today.”<br />
Zelfo fibre – a multi<br />
dimensional solution.<br />
Omodo GmbH a bio based materials development company from Germany is the<br />
owner and developer of the patented ‘Zelfo’ material process. Zelfo, a cellulosic micro<br />
fibre material featuring nano scale fibrils, offers three-dimensional strengthening<br />
properties rarely found in the world of ‘bio-fibre’ additives. Outside of the plastics world<br />
Zelfo is principally known for it’s ability to self-bind and is essentially a bio-plastic<br />
matrix in a category of its own. The resulting material in its standard application has a<br />
density range of 0.5 to up to an outstanding 1.5 g/cm 3 when dried.<br />
Omodo are now venturing into the world of plastics where their fibre is being introduced to various materials as a bioadditive.<br />
Using a new form of Zelfo the first product tests, carried out together with AMCO Plastic Materials Inc from the USA<br />
using both standard and bio based plastics have proved successful, further developments are now underway. A new partner,<br />
DSM of the Netherlands is also now involved and is investigating the material for use within their portfolio of materials. “First<br />
trials at DSM led to very satisfactory results,“ says Omodo‘s managing director Richard Hurding.<br />
As a result of a joint venture project over the last 3 years, Zelfo production has undergone optimisation resulting in significantly<br />
improved economic viability. Omodo together with selected partners plans to offer access to the world of Zelfo technology and<br />
related end products via a new business named Omodo Europe, with a primary base in Paris, France.<br />
www.omodo.org<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
News<br />
Public Relations<br />
Exercise for Biobased<br />
Materials<br />
As part of this year‘s ‘Green Week’ in<br />
Berlin, Germany the subject of biopolymers<br />
was brought closer to the attention of the<br />
end consumer. Working in association<br />
with the German Federal Ministry of Food,<br />
Agriculture and Consumer Protection the<br />
Hanover University of Applied Sciences and<br />
Arts gave a presentation of bioplastics at the<br />
‘nature.tec’ special technical exhibition on<br />
renewable resources.<br />
To show the visitors where bioplastics<br />
are currently in widespread use, a display of<br />
various items of catering cutlery and plates<br />
etc, through to office and sports equipment<br />
based on different biopolymers was presented.<br />
In addition different biopolymers and colour<br />
systems from BASF, FKuR and Sukano were<br />
processed right there on the stand using a<br />
Dr. Boy high precision injection moulding<br />
machine.<br />
The exhibition was a successful opportunity<br />
to discuss directly with consumers and to make<br />
them more aware of these new materials.<br />
Futerro Starts<br />
up PLA Demo Unit<br />
End of last year, Futerro, a 50/50 joint venture established in<br />
September 2007 by Galactic and Total Petrochemicals, announced<br />
the start up of its demo unit in Escanaffles, Belgium. The purpose<br />
of the unit is to test a state-of-the-art technology for the production<br />
of PolyLactic Acid (PLA) bioplastics of renewable vegetable origin,<br />
developed by the two partners.<br />
This clean, innovative and competitive technology, based on a<br />
research and development program launched at the creation of the<br />
joint venture, entails two main phases. The first is the preparation of<br />
the monomer – the lactide – and its purification from lactic acid, as<br />
part of the fermentation of sugar from beet (note: Lactic acid can be<br />
extracted from other plants, including cane, maize (corn) and wheat.<br />
Renewable resources like biomass (forest waste) are also envisaged<br />
in the future). The second is the polymerisation of the monomer to<br />
produce biodegradable plastic granules of vegetable origin.<br />
The demo unit, which has a capacity of 1,500 tonnes per year, will<br />
be used to test and improve the successive steps in this process<br />
during an internal evaluation, which is expected to last around six<br />
months. By that time, Futerro will be able to offer a full range of<br />
products made from lactic acid, including lactide, oligomers and<br />
PLA polymers for the packaging market, especially food packaging,<br />
on the one hand, and sustainable applications, on the other.<br />
www.futerro.com<br />
FKuR expands into North America<br />
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, leading developer and supplier of sustainable plastic compounds headquartered in Willich, Germany,<br />
is now expanding its activities into USA and Canada. Since the beginning of this year, FKuR Plastics Corp. with a four member<br />
team around President Patrick Zimmermann is marketing the Bio-Flex ® , Biograde ® and Fibrolon ® products lines from Cedar<br />
Park, Texas, USA.<br />
FKuR started its activities in the field of bioplastics in 2003. “Green plastics are the inevitable future and on our way out of<br />
the oil dependence, we are scientifically supported by Fraunhofer UMSICHT when developing our sustainable products“, says<br />
Patrick Zimmermann. During the last four years the company saw an annual increase in turnover of 50 percent. Now FKuR<br />
wants to expand this success story to North America. After thoroughly watching and evaluating the market, as a strategic<br />
milestone FKuR participated in NPE 2009 in Chicago, and “was positively surprised about the dynamic market development<br />
in USA and Canada“, as Patrick put it. This confirmed all strategic evaluations and convinced FKuR to now start up a branch<br />
establishment in Texas.<br />
In the beginning, with Bio-Flex blends made from PLA for e.g. pouches, mulch film, waste bags or<br />
diapers, FKuR‘s main focus was on compostable packaging (ASTM 6400, EN 13432). Now they also<br />
increase their activities in the field of durable applications. The cellulose based Biograde injection<br />
molding grades and natural fiber reinforced compounds Fibrolon are very well suited for injection<br />
molding of durable and even technical applications such as automotive, household appliances or<br />
consumer electronics.<br />
“Depending on the future development and before the background that a part of our raw materials<br />
are being produced in USA anyway, it is projected to expand our US-activities into building a production<br />
facility within the next three years“, closes Patrick.<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
News<br />
Note to the Editor<br />
Berlin, January 25, 2<strong>01</strong>0:<br />
European Bioplastics would make the following comments regarding the<br />
statements made in the article on oxo-fragmentable, so called ‘oxo-biodegradable‘,<br />
plastics by Professor Scott published in the Nov./Dec. edition of bioplastics magazine<br />
06/2009:<br />
This article, written on behalf of Symphony Environmental Technologies (UK), contains<br />
absolutely no experimental data based on the ASTM D6954-04 Standard Guide.<br />
The ASTM Guide is quoted several times in the article, but no laboratory results for the oxo-fragmentable<br />
plastics whatsoever are stated. The article therefore still lacks scientific data about biodegradation<br />
(timeframe, final level and pre-conditions needed to reach it).<br />
Furthermore, the article contains some inaccuracies that could lead a non specialist reader to wrongly<br />
believe that ASTM D6954 is establishing ‘pass/fail‘ criteria on biodegradation. In reality, these ‘pass/fail‘<br />
criteria are only to determine when to stop the biodegradation test and are not at all thresholds that prove<br />
biodegradability.<br />
European Bioplastics considers standards and scientific data based on standards as the pillars of a<br />
transparent and sustainable market.<br />
On the other hand, European Bioplastics acknowledges and appreciates the clear statement of Prof. Scott<br />
that oxo-fragmentable plastics are not compostable, which sweeps away some precedent misunderstandings<br />
on that subject.<br />
For up to date information as to the nature of oxo-fragmentable plastics, European Bioplastics refers the<br />
reader to the following links on its website:<br />
http://www.european-bioplastics.org/media/files/docs/en-pub/European_Bioplastics_OxoPositionPaper.pdf<br />
http://www.european-bioplastics.org/index.php?id=1078<br />
Hasso von Pogrell<br />
Braskem and Novozymes to Make Green Plastic<br />
Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in Latin America, and Novozymes, the world’s leading producer of industrial<br />
enzymes, today announced a research partnership to develop large-scale production of polypropylene (PP) from sugarcane.<br />
“Braskem was the first company in the world to produce a 100% certified green polypropylene on an experimental basis. The<br />
partnership with Novozymes will further boost Braskem’s technology development and be a key step in the company’s path<br />
to consolidate its worldwide leadership in green polymers, all leveraged by Brazil’s competitive advantages within renewable<br />
resources,” says Bernardo Gradin, CEO of Braskem.<br />
Today, the commodity plastic PP is primarily derived from oil, but Braskem and Novozymes will develop a green alternative<br />
based on Novozymes’ core fermentation technology and Braskem’s expertise in chemical technology and thermoplastics.<br />
Initial development will run for at least five years.<br />
“We live in a world where oil is limited and expensive, and the chemical industry is looking for alternatives to its petroleumbased<br />
products. Novozymes’ partnership with Braskem is a move toward a green, bio-based economy, in which sugar will be<br />
the new oil,” says Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes.<br />
Both companies have ongoing interests in a bio-based economy: Braskem is currently building a 200,000-tons-per-year<br />
green polyethylene plant in Brazil with ethanol from sugarcane as the raw material. Novozymes is producing enzymes to turn<br />
agricultural waste into advanced biofuels and has partnered to convert renewable raw materials into acrylic acid.<br />
www.braskem.com<br />
www.novozymes.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
News<br />
3rd WPC Congress<br />
Even in the current economic crisis international sales figures of Wood Plastic<br />
Composites (WPC) are increasing. The 3rd German WPC Congress in Cologne in<br />
early December wasn’t exactly a German congress as about 300 delegates from 26<br />
countries met for this international industry get-together. The audience acted as the<br />
judging panel in deciding to give the WPC Innovation Award to STAEDTLER for a new<br />
sustainable pencil. The second and third places went to Hiendl for an assembly profile<br />
system and Qingdao HuaSheng for a thermally insulated siding (cladding) system for<br />
buildings.<br />
Today more than 1.5 million tonnes per annum of WPC are produced globally, mainly<br />
in North America (approx. 1 millon tonnes), China (200,000 tonnes), Europe (170,000<br />
tonnes) and Japan (100,000 tonnes). In Europe Germany is the leading country with<br />
more than 70,000 tonnes of WPC, as well as being the most significant machinery<br />
manufacturers. The most important applications are found in the automotive sector<br />
as well as in deckings, i.e. outdoor floor coverings for patios or public places. WPC is<br />
establishing itself more and more as an alternative for tropical wood solutions.<br />
Award winning assembly profile system<br />
made with Hiendl NFC ® (photo nova Institut)<br />
However, although WPC incorporates up to 70% wood as a natural ingredient<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE asked about the steps being taken towards using bioplastics as matrices. Helmut Hiendl, owner and<br />
CEO of the award-winning company Hiendl, firstly wanted to make a product that functioned properly. After this first, and<br />
successful, step of replacing 70% of the fossil based material by renewables (wood) they of course are now seriously looking<br />
at the remaining 30% - the matrix. Helmut Hiendl indeed sees that some of what he called ‘green plastics’ could be used in<br />
his products. Dr. Matthias Schulte of WPC converter Werzalit tempered this view a little by commenting that feasibility and<br />
marketability must be checked, but basically WPC with biobased polymers will come. Extrusion and compounding machinery<br />
maker Reifenhäuser, represented by Dieter Thewes, Head of Business Area Extrusion Center, sees an increasing use of<br />
biopolymers, now that more production capacity is being installed. Finally conference organizer and MD of the nova Institute<br />
Michael Carus added that WPC with biobased matrices will open up new potential applications. MT<br />
www.nachwachsende-rohstoffe.info<br />
SPI Bioplastics Council Position Paper on<br />
Oxo- and Other Degradable Additives<br />
The Bioplastics Council, a special interest group of SPI: the Plastics Industry Trade Association, recently announced the<br />
release of a position paper that questions the scientific validity of biodegradability claims made by producers of ‘oxo-degradable’<br />
and ‘oxo-biodegradable’ products. The Council’s paper formally supports the point of view put forth by European Bioplastics in<br />
a July 2009 publication. Download the complete Position Paper from www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/2<strong>01</strong>0<strong>01</strong><br />
Producers of pro-oxidant and biological additives use the term ‘oxo- biodegradable’ to describe the resulting products made<br />
using the additives. This term suggests that the products can undergo rapid biodegradation under many different end-of-life<br />
conditions. However, the main effect of oxidation is fragmentation, not biodegradation, into small particles which remain<br />
in the environment for an undetermined amount of time. These results do not meet the internationally established and<br />
acknowledged standards and certifications that effectively substantiate claims on biodegradation under certain specific endof-life<br />
conditions.<br />
“In 2<strong>01</strong>0 we made a pointed decision to insist on bringing clarity to the bioplastics market,” said Bioplastics Council Chair<br />
Frederic Scheer, CEO of Cereplast, Inc. “Allowing the brand owner, retailer or ultimately the consumer to decide what they<br />
consider a biodegradable product to be is risky, as they may lack the scientific knowledge to make an accurate decision. The<br />
Bioplastics Council supports legitimate scientific data as recommended by state and federal agencies and stresses the need<br />
for all companies, when making product claims, to work along guidelines defined by the Federal Trade Commission.” MT<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Order<br />
now!<br />
Order<br />
now!<br />
New Book!<br />
Hans-Josef Endres, Andrea Siebert-Raths<br />
Technische Biopolymere<br />
Rahmenbedingungen, Marktsituation,<br />
Herstellung, Aufbau und Eigenschaften<br />
628 Seiten, Hardcover<br />
Engineering Biopolymers<br />
General conditions, market situation,<br />
production, structure and properties<br />
number of pages t.b.d., hardcover,<br />
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This new book is available now. It is written in German, an English<br />
version is in preparation and coming soon. An e-book is included<br />
in the package. (Mehr deutschsprachige Info unter<br />
www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/buecher).<br />
The new book offers a broad basis of information from a plastics<br />
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as well as production-, processing-, usage- and disposal<br />
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The unique book represents an important and comprehensive<br />
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for raw material suppliers, manufacturers of plastics and<br />
additives, converters and film producers, for machine manufacturers,<br />
packaging suppliers, the automotive industry, the fiber/nonwoven/textile<br />
industry as well as universities.<br />
Content:<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
Definition of biopolymers<br />
Materials classes<br />
Production routes and polymerization<br />
processes of biopolymers<br />
Structure<br />
Comprehensive technical properties<br />
Comparison of property profiles<br />
of biopolymers with those of<br />
conventional plastics<br />
Disposal options<br />
Data about sustainability and<br />
eco-balance<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
Important legal framwork<br />
Testing standards<br />
Market players<br />
Trade names<br />
Suppliers<br />
Prices<br />
Current availabilities<br />
and future prospects<br />
Current application<br />
examples<br />
Future market development<br />
•<br />
•<br />
Rainer Höfer (Editor)<br />
Sustainable Solutions for Modern Economies<br />
ISBN: 978-1-84755-905-0<br />
Copyright: 2009 / Format: Hardcover / 497 pages<br />
Sustainable Solutions for Modern Economies is an essay to reflect<br />
the aspects of sustainability in the different sectors of national<br />
and global economies, to draft a roadmap for public and corporate<br />
sustainability strategies, and to outline the current status of<br />
markets, applications, use and research and development for<br />
renewable resources.<br />
The book brings up philosophical aspects of the relationship<br />
between man and nature and highlights the key sustainability<br />
initiatives of the chemical industry.<br />
The position and the systemic role of the financial market in the<br />
economic circuit is depicted in one chapter as well as recently<br />
developed key performance indicators for the sustainability rating of<br />
companies.<br />
The eco-efficiency analysis is described as a management tool<br />
incorporating economic and environmental aspects for the<br />
comprehensive evaluation of products over their entire life-cycle.<br />
Another chapter describes a holistic approach to define<br />
sustainability as a guiding principle for modern logistics.<br />
Consumer behaviour and expectations, indeed, are crucial aspects<br />
to be considered in this book when dealing with further development<br />
of the sustainability concept.<br />
The achievements of food security are specified at a global level as a<br />
key element of sustainable development.<br />
Energy economy and alternative energies are key challenges for<br />
society today, dealt with in a separate chapter. Tens of millions of<br />
years ago, biomass provided the basis for what we actually call<br />
fossil resources and biomass again is by far the most important<br />
resource for renewable energies today.<br />
The efficient complementation and eventual substitution of fossil<br />
raw materials by biomass is the subject matter of green chemistry<br />
and is comprehensively described. The chapter „Biomass for Green<br />
Chemistry“ in particular highlights the potential of sucrose, starch,<br />
fats and oils, wood or natural fibres as building blocks and in<br />
composites of bio-based plastics and resins.<br />
Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water usage<br />
are examples of the benefits brought about by greener, cleaner and<br />
simpler biotechnology processes, comprehensively dealt with in<br />
the last chapter „ White Biotechnology“. This includes PLA as one<br />
bioplastics example for White Biotechnology.<br />
Order your english copy now and benefit<br />
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Bestellen Sie das deutschsprachige Buch für EUR 299,00.<br />
order at www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/books, by phone<br />
+49 2161 664864 or by e-mail books@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Order now for just EUR 99.00 plus shipping & handling<br />
(please ask for shipping cost into your country)<br />
order at www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/books, by phone<br />
+49 2161 664864 or by e-mail books@bioplasticsmagazine.com
Automotive<br />
Bio-Polyamides for<br />
Automotive Applications<br />
A<br />
joint development project, which is partly funded by the<br />
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research<br />
(BMBF) and partly supported by the so-called BIOPRO<br />
Baden-Württemberg ‘cluster‘, focuses its activities on biobased<br />
polyamides for automotive applications and received<br />
two awards in 2009. In April, during the world renowned<br />
Hanover Fair, a group of scientists from companies such<br />
as Daimler, BASF, Bosch, MANN + HUMMEL and Fischerwerke,<br />
as well as the University of Braunschweig, received<br />
the ‘2009 VDI award for the innovative application of plastics‘.<br />
This award acknowledges the first successful manufacture<br />
of an air filter system for Daimler, made from bio-polyamide<br />
and ready for series production. The air cleaner in question<br />
is supplied by MANN+HUMMEL. The partly (60%) biobased<br />
polyamide 6.10 used for the filter was supplied by BASF. Another<br />
award was presented to the team at MATERIALICA in<br />
October 2009 in Munich, Germany. Within the ‘MATERIALICA<br />
Design and Technology Awards 2009‘ the group received the<br />
special ‘Best of Material’ prize for the same air cleaner. In addition<br />
to this achievement companies in the group succeeded<br />
in developing further automotive applications suitable for series<br />
production using 100% bio-based polyamide 5.10.<br />
In the future biopolymers will also be able to be used for<br />
automotive components that are currently made from high<br />
performance plastics produced from fossil raw materials.<br />
To drive forward this integrated project the air filter, for the<br />
new Mercedes Benz engine, was for the first time produced<br />
from polyamide 6.10 and polyamide 5.10, establishing new<br />
milestones in future-oriented and ecologically friendly<br />
material applications technology. As in other branches of<br />
industry, market launches in the automotive industry will<br />
depend very much not only on the technological development<br />
of this innovative material but also on the way that the prices<br />
of bio-polyamides develop.<br />
The air filter housing consists largely of three polyamide<br />
parts. The air intake tube and the clean air hood are screwed<br />
together. A top cover is bonded to the housing by vibration<br />
welding. The polyamide 6.10 which is used for the parts is<br />
produced from hexamethylenediamine and 60 percent by<br />
weight of bio-based sebacinic acid (from castor oil), and<br />
reinforced with 10% glass fibre and 20% mineral substances.<br />
Alternatively a totally bio-based polyamide 5.10 can be<br />
used. With this material both monomers are produced from<br />
renewable resources. In addition to the sebacinic acid a<br />
diaminopentane is used which can be obtained, for example,<br />
from a sugar-based material by a fermentation process.<br />
Based on this biotechnical development, as opposed<br />
to the conventional methods of chemical conversion,<br />
Fig 1 and 2: Air Filter Housing<br />
(Photo: MANN + HUMMEL)<br />
(Picture: Daimler)<br />
10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Automotive<br />
A<br />
B<br />
(both photos: Philipp Thielen)<br />
Fig 3 and 4: acceleration Pedal<br />
The biobased PA 5.10 version (B) shows a much better visual surface quality<br />
researchers at BASF have succeeded in developing an<br />
effective manufacturing process that ensures a high purity<br />
product. PA 5.10 is a polyamide based on 100% renewable<br />
resources and exhibits a particularly robust and technically<br />
relevant performance. However, as stated by BASF, currently<br />
the PA 5.10 is a rather expensive specialty PA. Thus a broad<br />
application in the cost sensitive automotive industry is not to<br />
be expected too soon.<br />
The technical reasons for the selection and development<br />
of the PA 6.10 and PA 5.10 polyamide materials include their<br />
weight saving of about 6%, their low water absorption, their<br />
better dimensional stability and improved flow characteristics<br />
compared with conventional fossil-based PA 6 compounds.<br />
Where internal and external visible components made from<br />
bio-polyamide 5.10 are involved the material exhibits clearly<br />
superior visual (Fig. 4) and tactile properties that lend the<br />
parts a quality look. The first trial components (coloured<br />
trim parts for inside the vehicle) have proven very positive.<br />
Using the example of the air filter housing, the table below<br />
demonstrates the advantages of the PA 6.10 and PA 5.10<br />
biopolymers.<br />
In addition to the award-winning air filter housing made<br />
from PA 6.10 the group of collaborating companies has<br />
produced, analysed and tested other Mercedes parts made<br />
from PA 5.10 bio-polyamide. These include an accelerator<br />
pedal module, a cogwheel for the steering angle sensor, and<br />
a cooling fan and housing module.<br />
The biopolymer components, given the medium and long<br />
term increases expected in oil prices, offer the potential for<br />
use at less volatile cost but with technical, and (because<br />
of the use of renewable resources) ecological advantages.<br />
Furthermore when using bio-polyamides, rather than the<br />
standard PA 6, the eco-balance is significantly helped in a<br />
positive way by the lower component weight.<br />
In addition the market opportunities will be enhanced<br />
by an increased desire on the part of the consumer for<br />
resource saving products. In the future increased use will be<br />
made of innovative biobased materials. Daimler intends to<br />
use innovative materials in the production of vehicles with<br />
the aim of protecting the planet‘s finite fossil hydrocarbon<br />
resources.<br />
As part of the joint project outlined above the PA 5.10 and<br />
PA 6.10 polyamides have been qualified and characterised.<br />
Sample components are being produced from bio-polyamides<br />
that are suitable for mass production processes and extensive<br />
functional trials are being carried out. In the case of Daimler<br />
for a product such as the air filter housing a series production<br />
is projected for 2<strong>01</strong>0. MT<br />
Material / Property<br />
Biobased content<br />
[by weight]<br />
PA 6 (material from<br />
series application)<br />
PA 6.10 PA 5.10<br />
0 63 100<br />
Melting point [°C] 220 220 215<br />
Glass transition<br />
temperature [°C]<br />
54 46 50<br />
Density [g/cm³] 1.14 1.07 1.07<br />
Notched impact after<br />
700 hrs ageing [kJ/m²]<br />
Water absorption [%]<br />
(at 23°C / 50% RH)<br />
22* 30** -<br />
3 1.4 1.8<br />
*: PA 6 GF30, **: PA6.10 GF30 Ultramid Balance, BASF<br />
Table: comparison of the properties of polyamides<br />
www.basf.com<br />
www.bio-pro.de<br />
www.bosch.com<br />
www.daimler.com<br />
www.fischerwerke.de<br />
www.mann-hummel.com<br />
www.tu-braunschweig.de<br />
www.vdi.de<br />
This article is (partly) based on an<br />
article previously published in the<br />
June 2009 issue of KONSTRUKTION,<br />
Springer VDI Publishing House,<br />
Düsseldorf, Germany<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 11
Automotive<br />
Wheat Straw<br />
for New<br />
Ford Flex<br />
Ford Motor Company, working with academic researchers and one of its suppliers, is<br />
the first automaker to develop and use environmentally friendly wheat straw-reinforced<br />
plastic in a vehicle.<br />
The first application of the natural fiber-based plastic that contains 20 % wheat straw<br />
bio-filler is on the 2<strong>01</strong>0 Ford Flex‘s third-row interior storage bins. This application alone<br />
reduces petroleum usage by some 9,000 kg per year, reduces CO 2<br />
emissions by 14,000 kg<br />
per year, and represents a smart, sustainable usage for wheat straw, the waste byproduct<br />
of wheat.<br />
“Ford continues to explore and open doors for greener materials that positively impact<br />
the environment and work well for customers,“ said Patrick Berryman, a Ford engineering<br />
manager who develops interior trim. “We seized the opportunity to add wheat strawreinforced<br />
plastic as our next sustainable material on the production line, and the storage<br />
bin for the Flex was the ideal first application.“<br />
Collaborative effort<br />
Ford researchers were approached with the wheat straw-based plastics formulation by<br />
the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, as part of the Ontario BioCar Initiative – a<br />
multi-university effort between Waterloo, the University of Guelph, University of Toronto and<br />
University of Windsor. Ford works closely with the Ontario government-funded project, which<br />
is seeking to advance the use of more plant-based materials in the auto and agricultural<br />
industries.<br />
The University of Waterloo already had been working with plastics supplier A. Schulman<br />
of Akron, Ohio, to perfect the lab formula for use in auto parts, ensuring the material is not<br />
only odorless, but also meets industry standards for thermal expansion and degradation,<br />
rigidity, moisture absorption and fogging. Less than 18 months after the initial presentation<br />
was made to Ford‘s Biomaterials Group, the wheat straw-reinforced plastic was refined and<br />
approved for Flex, which is produced at Ford‘s Oakville (Ontario) Assembly Complex.<br />
The wheat straw-reinforced resin is the BioCar Initiative‘s first production-ready<br />
application. It demonstrates better dimensional integrity than a non-reinforced plastic and<br />
weighs up to 10% less than a plastic reinforced with talc or glass. “Without Ford‘s driving<br />
force and contribution, we would have never been able to move from academia to industry in<br />
such lightning speed,“ said Leonardo Simon, associate professor of chemical engineering<br />
at the University of Waterloo. “Seeing this go into production on the Ford Flex is a major<br />
accomplishment for the University of Waterloo and the BioCar Initiative.“<br />
An interior storage bin may seem like a small start, but it opens the door for more<br />
applications, said Dr. Ellen Lee, technical expert, Ford‘s Plastics Research. “We see a<br />
12 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Automotive<br />
great deal of potential for other applications since<br />
wheat straw has good mechanical properties, can meet<br />
our performance and durability specifications, and<br />
can further reduce our carbon footprint – all without<br />
compromise to the customer.“<br />
Already under consideration by the Ford team: center<br />
console bins and trays, interior air register and door<br />
trim panel components, and armrest liners.<br />
Abundant waste material put to good use<br />
The case for using wheat straw to reinforce plastics<br />
in higher-volume, higher-content applications is strong<br />
across many industries. In Ontario alone, where Flex is<br />
built, more than 28,000 farmers grow wheat, along with<br />
corn and soybeans. Typically, wheat straw, the byproduct<br />
of growing and processing wheat, is discarded. Ontario,<br />
for example, has some 30 million tonnes of available<br />
wheat straw waste at any given time.<br />
“Wheat is everywhere and the straw is in excess,“ said<br />
Lee. “We have found a practical automotive usage for a<br />
renewable resource that helps reduce our dependence<br />
on petroleum, uses less energy to manufacture, and<br />
reduces our carbon footprint. More importantly, it<br />
doesn‘t jeopardize an essential food source.“<br />
To date, Ford and its suppliers are working with four<br />
southern Ontario farmers for the wheat straw needed to<br />
mold the Flex‘s two interior storage bins.<br />
History in the making<br />
Ford‘s interest in wheat dates back to the 1920s, when<br />
company founder Henry Ford developed a product called<br />
Fordite – a mixture of wheat straw, rubber, sulphur,<br />
silica and other ingredients – that was used to make<br />
steering wheels for Ford cars and trucks. Much of the<br />
straw used to produce Fordite came from Henry Ford‘s<br />
Dearborn-area farm.<br />
The company‘s new-age application for wheat straw<br />
joins other bio-based, reclaimed and recycled materials<br />
that are in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles today,<br />
including soy-based polyurethane foams on the seat<br />
cushions and seatbacks, now in production on the Ford<br />
Mustang, Expedition, F-150, Focus, Escape, Escape<br />
Hybrid, Mercury Mariner and Lincoln Navigator and<br />
Lincoln MKS. More than 1.5 million Ford, Lincoln and<br />
Mercury vehicles on the road today have soy-foam<br />
seats, which equates to a reduction in petroleum oil<br />
usage of approximately 1.5 million pounds. Last year,<br />
Ford has expanded its soy-foam portfolio to include the<br />
industry‘s first application of a soy-foam headliner on<br />
the 2<strong>01</strong>0 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner for a 25 %<br />
weight savings over a traditional glass-mat headliner.<br />
www.ford.com<br />
Wheat straw bio-filled polypropylene.<br />
Industry and world-first usage in<br />
quarter trim bins on 2<strong>01</strong>0 Ford-Flex<br />
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BioPlastics 2<strong>01</strong>0.indd 1<br />
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 13
Automotive<br />
BioConcept Car 2, the Megane<br />
Trohpy (photo: Four Motors)<br />
BioConcept-Car –<br />
with Biomaterials on the<br />
Passing Lane In<br />
the first ‘automotive issue‘ of bioplastics MAGAZINE in early 2007<br />
we reported on the BioConcept-Car. The Ford Mustang GT RTD<br />
features the world‘s most powerful biodiesel engine and bodywork<br />
made of flax-fibre reinforced linseed-acrylate, i.e. a high performance<br />
composite made of natural fibres embedded in a resin from the same<br />
plant (flax and linseed).<br />
At the end of October 2009 the ‘BioConcept-Car‘ project by Four<br />
Motors, Reutlingen, Germany, received the COMPOSITES Pioneer<br />
Award 2009 for the groundbreaking achievements in using natural<br />
fibres in automotive applications. The award was given to team leader<br />
and former DTM driver Thomas von Löwis of Menar (photo) within the<br />
framework of the COMPOSITES EUROPE 2009 exhibition. The trophy<br />
itself also lived up to its name, as its basic body is made entirely from<br />
renewable materials. Industrial designer Rolf Bender, who has already<br />
designed a large number of awards, created a monolithic shape made<br />
from the biopolymer PLA and bamboo grass. Its special feature: the<br />
two PLA sheets are welded, not glued, to the layer in between.<br />
During Composites Europe 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany, the Ford<br />
Mustang was presented, as well as the new generation BioConcept-<br />
Car, a green Renault Mégane Trophy. Both racing models show that<br />
even with biofuels and materials from renewable resources, trophies<br />
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Automotive<br />
in long term races, such as the BFGoodrich long-distance<br />
championship and the 24-hour races on the Nürburgring, can<br />
be successfully achieved. Advantages of the bio-composites<br />
are their lower weight compared to glass-fibre composites,<br />
they do not splinter in crashes and, most importantly, they<br />
are better for the environment.<br />
The globally unique project with the Mustang featuring<br />
doors, fenders, engine hood, bumpers, spoilers and trunk lid<br />
made completely from bio-composites is now being further<br />
developed with a Renault Mégane Trophy 09. Its multi-part<br />
glass fibre reinforced body will be replaced step-by-step by<br />
natural fibre reinforced linseed-acrylate. This is happening<br />
in close cooperation with the German government‘s<br />
FNR (Agency for Renewable Resources) and the German<br />
Aerospace Center (DLR). “One important goal after the 2007<br />
Mustang was to reduce weight and increase stability,“ says<br />
Thomas (Tom) von Löwis. “The new unpainted door of the<br />
Ford (that can be seen in the picture) is already 40% lighter<br />
than the previous one. This was achieved by reducing the<br />
number of fibre layers in some areas while maintaining a<br />
rigid structure in the areas of the hinges or the windows.“<br />
The weight of the engine hood was reduced by 45%, and so<br />
on. “And there is still room for further improvement,“ says<br />
Tom. All of the experts from the FNR and DLR, as well as the<br />
racing team, are confident that with the Mégane even loadbearing<br />
parts can be realised. “This will really take us a huge<br />
step further,“ Tom points out.<br />
COMPOSITES Pioneer Award:<br />
from left: Markus Jessberger (Director COMPOSITES<br />
EUROPE), Amanda Jocob (Editor in Chief ‘Reinforced<br />
Plastics‘) and Thomas von Löwis, Crew Chief ‘Four<br />
Motors‘ (photo bioplastics MAGAZINE)<br />
The project is based on a concept with a scope far beyond<br />
motor sports. With the application of bio-materials and biofuels<br />
Thomas von Löwis and racing driver Smudo (by the way,<br />
he‘s a well-known Hip-Hop Star in Germany too) want to show<br />
and prove the capabilities of renewable resources. Further<br />
goals in the BioConcept Car 2 project are for example a solar<br />
panel roof to support the on-board electronics. “This will not<br />
lead to reduced lap times - that is the job of our drivers - but<br />
it will help to go longer distances on just one tankful,“ says<br />
Tom von Löwis. And he begins to dream … but it is a dream<br />
with the potential to come true: “One day, I hope we can drive<br />
a racing car around the Nürburgring powered by an electric<br />
motor, the batteries charged by a block power station - solar<br />
panels during daylight and a biodiesel generator at night. E-<br />
mobility is definitely coming,“ he says.<br />
But this BioConcept Car project does not want to be<br />
restricted to motor racing. On the contrary, the supporting<br />
partners FNR and others are very interested in transferring<br />
the project‘s findings to serial applications, starting for<br />
example with rear view mirror housings or tank lids. “Potential<br />
partners from industry that are interested in participating<br />
and transferring these results into ‚real‘ products are more<br />
than welcome,“ says Simone Falk of Four Motors. The first<br />
talks with seat manufacturers, for example, have already<br />
started. MT<br />
www.fourmotors.com<br />
Covergirl Theresia worked with Reed Exhibitions,<br />
organizers of COMPOSITES EUROPE. She<br />
says: “The whole week in Stuttgart was quite<br />
interesting, but the two BioConcept Cars were<br />
definitely among the highlights“.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 15
Automotive<br />
Hyundai Blue-Will Concept<br />
to feature PLA and PA 11<br />
At the 2<strong>01</strong>0 North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 2<strong>01</strong>0)<br />
Korean automaker Hyundai for the first time presented its Blue-Will Plug-in<br />
Hybrid concept car. Besides other environmental goodies such as a panoramic<br />
glass roof with solar cells for recharging batteries and a thermal generator<br />
that converts hot exhaust gases into electricity the Blue-Will serves as a test bed of<br />
new ideas that range from drive-by-wire steering to lithium polymer batteries and<br />
touch-screen controls, and foreshadows future focused hybrid production vehicles<br />
from Hyundai. Blue-Will promises an electric-only driving distance of up to 40 miles<br />
on a single charge and (in the so-called plug-in HEV mode) a fuel economy rating of<br />
more than 100 miles per gallon (less than 2.3 liters/100 km).<br />
While the headlamp bezel for example is made of recycled PET bioplastics from<br />
renewable resources such as PLA or PA 11 have been used on interior and exterior<br />
parts.<br />
The Blue-Will concept is powered by an all-aluminum 152-horsepower Gasoline<br />
Direct Injected (GDI) 1.6-liter engine mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission<br />
(CVT). A 100kw electric motor is at the heart of Hyundai’s proprietary parallel hybrid<br />
drive architecture. This parallel hybrid drive architecture serves as the foundation<br />
for future Hyundai hybrids, starting with the Sonata hybrid coming later this year in<br />
the USA.<br />
(Pictures: Hyundai)<br />
www.hyundai.com<br />
16 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Automotive<br />
source: iStockphoto<br />
Tires Made from Trees<br />
Automobile owners around the world may someday soon be driving<br />
on tires that are partly made out of trees – which could cost less,<br />
perform better and save on fuel and energy.<br />
Wood science researchers at Oregon State University (Corvallis,<br />
Oregon, USA) have made some surprising findings about the potential of<br />
microcrystalline cellulose – a product that can be made easily from almost<br />
any type of plant fibers – to partially replace silica as a reinforcing filler in<br />
the manufacture of rubber tires.<br />
A new study suggests that this approach might decrease the energy<br />
required to produce the tire, reduce costs, and better resist heat buildup.<br />
Early tests indicate that such products would have comparable traction<br />
on cold or wet pavement, be just as strong, and provide even higher fuel<br />
efficiency than traditional tires in hot weather.<br />
“We were surprised at how favorable the results were for the use of this<br />
material,” said Kaichang Li, an associate professor of wood science and<br />
engineering in the OSU College of Forestry, who conducted this research<br />
with graduate student Wen Bai.<br />
“This could lead to a new generation of automotive tire technology, one<br />
of the first fundamental changes to come around in a long time,” Li said.<br />
Cellulose fiber has been used for some time as reinforcement in<br />
some types of rubber and automotive products, such as belts, hoses and<br />
insulation – but never in tires, where the preferred fillers are carbon black<br />
and silica. Carbon black, however, is made from increasingly expensive<br />
oil, and the processing of silica is energy-intensive. Both products are very<br />
dense and reduce the fuel efficiency of automobiles.<br />
In the search for new types of reinforcing fillers that are inexpensive,<br />
easily available, light and renewable, OSU experts turned to microcrystalline<br />
cellulose – a micrometer-sized type of crystalline cellulose with an<br />
extremely well-organized structure. It is produced in a low-cost process<br />
of acid hydrolysis using nature’s most abundant and sustainable natural<br />
polymer – cellulose – that comprises about 40-50 % of wood.<br />
In this study, OSU researchers replaced up to about 12 % of the silica<br />
used in conventional tire manufacture. This decreased the amount of<br />
energy needed to compound the rubber composite, improved the heat<br />
resistance of the product, and retained tensile strength.<br />
Traction is always a key issue with tire performance, and the study showed<br />
that the traction of the new product was comparable to existing rubber tire<br />
technology in a wet, rainy environment. However, at high temperatures<br />
such as in summer, the partial replacement of silica decreased the rolling<br />
resistance of the product, which would improve fuel efficiency of rubber<br />
tires made with the new approach.<br />
This advance is another in a series of significant discoveries in Li’s<br />
research program at OSU in recent years. He developed a non-toxic<br />
adhesive for production of wood composite panels that has dramatically<br />
changed that industry, and in 2007 received a Presidential Green Chemistry<br />
Challenge Award at the National Academy of Sciences for his work on<br />
new, sustainable and environmentally friendly wood products.<br />
http://oregonstate.edu<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 17
Automotive<br />
GreenCore Composites - Structural<br />
and nonstructural components<br />
made from pulp mill micro fibres<br />
Ontario BioAuto Council<br />
The Ontario BioAuto Council, headquartered in Guelph<br />
Ontario, is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization<br />
established in 2007 to link chemicals, plastics, manufacturing,<br />
auto-parts and automotive assemblers with agriculture<br />
and forestry.<br />
The Council’s membership includes large Canadian<br />
auto-parts companies like Magna, Woodbridge Group and<br />
Canadian General Tower who manufacture and sell products<br />
around the world.<br />
The Council has attracted foreign membership from multinational<br />
industrial biotechnology, chemical and agri-business<br />
companies wanting to partner with Ontario’s manufacturing<br />
sector to develop global markets for biobased products.<br />
Examples include DuPont, Dow, and Cargill in the US; DSM<br />
in the Netherlands; and Braskem in Brazil.<br />
The Council also links industry with leading universities and<br />
provincial and international centres of research excellence<br />
in bioplastics and biocomposites. Auto21, The National<br />
Research Council of Canada and FP Innovations are a few of<br />
the important research links.<br />
The Ontario BioAuto Council established a<br />
Commercialization Fund in 2007 with initial start-up funding<br />
of $6 million (€4 mio) from the Province of Ontario. The fund<br />
helps to diminish the risk for companies commercializing<br />
biobased products and processes using emerging green<br />
technologies (e.g. biotechnology, nanotechnology, green<br />
chemistry and material science). Funding is eligible to<br />
Ontario-based startups, small and medium enterprises<br />
and multi-national companies who typically partner with<br />
international biopolymer and biochemical suppliers in the<br />
product and market development process.<br />
The Council has demonstrated that an industry-led board<br />
can successfully use relatively small, strategically targeted<br />
incentives for manufacturing companies to kick start new<br />
markets for biobased products.<br />
The Commercialization Fund has focused on four major<br />
priorities:<br />
• Improving the global competitiveness of Ontario’s<br />
manufacturing sector – by developing new products that can<br />
better compete on price, performance and environmental<br />
footprint.<br />
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions - by using renewablebased<br />
bioplastics, biochemicals, and high performance<br />
natural fibre composite materials that can reduce vehicle<br />
weight and improve recyclability.<br />
• Reducing the use of toxic chemicals in production processes<br />
and consumer products.<br />
• Increase market demand for bioplastics and biochemicals<br />
across industry sectors.<br />
The Council is now focusing on establishing partnerships<br />
between Ontario’s global automotive and manufacturing<br />
sectors and similar sectors in the US, Europe, Brazil and<br />
Japan. Through these partnerships it hopes to accelerate<br />
the commercialization of new technologies and build global<br />
market demand.<br />
The Ontario BioAuto Council’s vision is to make Ontario a<br />
global leader in the use of renewable biobased materials. It is<br />
well on its way to achieving this vision because of its support<br />
of global product and market development partnerships.<br />
www.bioautocouncil.com<br />
18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Automotive<br />
Picture courtesy Peugeot Citroën<br />
Natural Fibers<br />
Biopolymers<br />
PSA Peugeot Citroën Applies<br />
www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com<br />
www.sustainability.psa-peugeot-citroen.com<br />
Green Materials<br />
Last October French automotive group PSA Peugeot<br />
Citroën presented the latest developments in its green<br />
materials plan, set up to limit the eco-footprint of<br />
Group vehicles during their service life.<br />
The Group has set an ambitious target in eco-design: to<br />
include 20% of green materials in the polymers used to build<br />
its cars by 2<strong>01</strong>1. A car is made up of 70% metal, already<br />
largely recycled, 5% miscellaneous materials (glass, etc.)<br />
and 5% fluids. The rest (20%) is plastics (polymers).<br />
At PSA the term ‘green materials‘ covers natural fibres,<br />
such as linen and hemp, non-metallic recycled materials and<br />
biomaterials, which are produced using renewable resources<br />
rather than petrochemicals. The aim is to use fewer fossil<br />
fuel plastics and to increase the use of raw materials from<br />
renewable sources to make parts lighter, in some cases, to<br />
cut CO 2<br />
emissions from plastics production and to promote<br />
plastics recycling.<br />
The Earth’s resources are dwindling, so it is important<br />
to optimise the way in which they are used. End-of-life<br />
processing is therefore factored in from the design stage.<br />
The aim is to boost recyclability and thus reduce the potential<br />
impact of end-of-life vehicles. As a minimum, 85% of a vehicle<br />
by weight can be reused or recycled, and a further 10% be<br />
used for energy recovery.<br />
The key feature of the action plan set up by PSA Peugeot<br />
Citroën in 2008 is that it concerns all Group vehicles and the<br />
three families of green materials. The green material content<br />
of each vehicle project must be increased. This approach<br />
also concerns existing vehicles, with green materials being<br />
integrated during their production life. Engineering teams<br />
are working in close cooperation with suppliers in order to<br />
select these new materials.<br />
This effort also gives new impetus to the recycled materials<br />
industry. The subject of biomaterials is still at the research<br />
stage in the automotive industry. To address the issue,<br />
scientific partnerships have been set up as part of research<br />
clusters bringing together public laboratories, chemical<br />
firms and parts suppliers. The aim of these partnerships<br />
is to accelerate the application of these materials in the<br />
automotive industry. Suppliers of biomaterials are new to<br />
the automotive industry. Therefore specifications must cover<br />
the basics from a technical and functional standpoint. The<br />
materials for example need to be suitable to be converted<br />
in an industrial process and must be available in sufficient<br />
quantity.<br />
Examples of applications include foam for seating,<br />
armrests, headrests, from vegetable polyols (castor oil, soy<br />
oil) or fuel pipes from bio-polyamide.<br />
The target of a project named MATORIA (with MOV’EO,<br />
AXELERA, PLASTIPOLIS) which is steered by PSA is the<br />
development of injectable plastics from renewable resources.<br />
14 partners in this project include ROQUETTE and ARKEMA<br />
for the supply of bio-sourced polymers, and VISTEON,<br />
VALEO, PLASTIC OMNIUM and MECAPLAST for approval for<br />
automotive use. The project looks at 18 different applications<br />
which represent a total of about 50kg per vehicle.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 19
Automotive<br />
Concept Tyres<br />
www.genencor.com/bioisoprene<br />
www.goodyear.com<br />
Made with BioIsoprene<br />
The world’s first concept demonstration tyres made with Bio-<br />
Isoprene technology, a breakthrough alternative to replace<br />
a petrochemically produced ingredient in the<br />
manufacture of synthetic rubber with renewable biomass,<br />
made their debut at the United Nations Climate Change<br />
Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, last December.<br />
The tyres made with BioIsoprene are the result of a<br />
collaboration between Genencor, a division of Danisco,<br />
and Goodyear, one of the world’s largest and most<br />
innovative tyre companies.<br />
“We are literally rolling out an important milestone<br />
in our collaboration with Goodyear on a breakthrough<br />
biochemical,” says Tom Knutzen, CEO of Danisco.<br />
“BioIsoprene is an excellent example of Danisco’s<br />
leadership in industrial biotechnology through<br />
our Genencor division. As we deliver enzymes to<br />
existing markets, we are also investing in future<br />
bio-innovations with extraordinary potential to<br />
address the world’s most urgent business and<br />
environmental challenges.“<br />
“Goodyear’s collaboration with Genencor to develop<br />
BioIsoprene, which will be ultimately converted by<br />
Goodyear to BioNatsyn polymers, is another example<br />
of open innovation,“ says Jesse Roeck, Director, Global<br />
Materials Science at Goodyear. “BioNatsyn polymers<br />
made from BioIsoprene are a renewable resource that<br />
offers promise as a ‘green‘ alternative to petroleumbased<br />
isoprene. It will ultimately give manufacturers, who<br />
use isoprene to produce synthetic rubber, the choice to use<br />
a raw material made with renewable feedstocks therefore<br />
reducing the dependency on oil.“<br />
BioIsoprene is derived from renewable raw materials. Genecor<br />
is testing wide range of renewable feedstocks, including sugars<br />
from corn and sugar cane and a variety of biomass substrates: It represents<br />
a significant development within the biochemical and rubber industries. Aside from synthetic rubber for tyre production,<br />
traditional isoprene is used for the production of a variety of copolymers that are used in the elastomer-, adhesives- and<br />
performance polymer markets. Application examples range from surgical gloves to golf balls and thus, the potential for<br />
BioIsoprene product is substantial.<br />
According to experts the market for high purity isoprene was 0.75 million tonnes/year in 2007. Genencor plans to bring the<br />
technology to pilot stage within two years, followed by commercial production.<br />
Since 20<strong>01</strong>, Goodyear has already used the BioTRED Technology, which allows to partly replace the carbon black, diatomite<br />
and silica fillers by a starch based (MaterBi) reinforcement. BioTRED, is a special patented formula. The starch is here treated<br />
to obtain nano-droplets of a complexed starch. In a next step, these nano droplets are added to the rubber compound to be<br />
transformed into a biopolymeric filler. The so called Bio-Tyres require less energy in their production, the cultivation of corn<br />
absorbs CO 2<br />
, and in addition the tyre offers a reduced rolling resistance leading to up to 5% saving in fuel consumption (bM<br />
<strong>01</strong>/2007). MT<br />
Picture courtesy Goodyear<br />
20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Foam<br />
Fig. 3: Magnified view of the cell structure of PLA<br />
foamed with HYDROCEROL 1% CT 3108 shows a<br />
coarse cell structure, resulting in a poor surface<br />
quality with many collapsed cells<br />
As biopolymers have found applications in food packaging, medical<br />
and many other applications, there is increasing interest in foaming<br />
these materials. The green image of biodegradable polymers like<br />
polylactidacid (PLA), starch-based polymers or copolyesters make them<br />
attractive to supermarkets and consumers. High raw-material cost have<br />
been one of the limitations of these materials and so PLA foaming – and<br />
hence weight and material-cost savings – offers an option to push these<br />
polymers further into the market.<br />
Foaming Agents and Chain<br />
Extenders for PLA Foam<br />
Article contributed by<br />
Jan-Erik Wegner and Mirco Gröseling,<br />
Clariant Masterbatches (Deutschland)<br />
GmbH, Ahrensburg, Germany<br />
Fig. 4: Photo shows smaller and more uniform<br />
cells in PLA foamed with 2% Hydrocerol CT 3108<br />
in and with 1% CESA-extend BLA0025505<br />
Although foaming can be accomplished using direct-gas injection,<br />
Clariant’s chemical foaming agents (CFAs) in masterbatch form are<br />
increasingly preferred, particularly in food packaging applications. The<br />
benefits of this technology include<br />
• Solid decomposition residue acts as a nucleator creating a finer cell<br />
structure and a better solubility of the gas in the polymer melt;<br />
• Decomposition reaction takes place in a defined temperature range;<br />
• Easy mixing and uniform dispersion;<br />
• High gas yield;<br />
• Approved for food-contact applications.<br />
In general, there are two kinds of chemical foaming agents characterized<br />
by whether they generate heat during decomposition (exothermic) or<br />
absorb heat during the reaction (endothermic). Exothermic foaming<br />
agents can cause odor during production and in the finished product, and<br />
their solid byproducts often are undesirable and even toxic. Therefore the<br />
exothermic CFAs are banned from use in products that must have food<br />
approval. The endothermic CFAs offered by Clariant, on the other hand,<br />
are acceptable in food packaging materials, but they have one important<br />
limitation when used in ester-based polymers like PET, polycarbonate and<br />
PLA – moisture.<br />
A byproduct of most endothermic chemical foaming agents is water,<br />
which is generated during the converting process at high temperatures.<br />
The resulting hydrolytic reaction can destroy a part of the polymer chains,<br />
resulting in a lower viscosity (increased melt flow rate, MFR), which<br />
makes the process difficult to handle. Specifically, proper die pressure,<br />
vital for foaming, cannot be maintained and the foaming process runs<br />
out of control. The melt strength drops and the film starts sagging. The<br />
dispersion of gas in the polymer is not optimized and will create surface<br />
22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Foam<br />
MFR and Density of PLA in relation to the let down rate<br />
MFR and Density of PLA in relation to the let down rate<br />
35<br />
1,4<br />
30<br />
1,4<br />
MFR (210°c/2,16 kg) [g/10 min]<br />
30<br />
25<br />
20<br />
15<br />
10<br />
5<br />
1,2<br />
1,0<br />
0,8<br />
0,6<br />
0,4<br />
0,2<br />
Density [g/cm 3 ]<br />
MFR (210°c/2,16 kg) [g/10 min]<br />
25<br />
20<br />
15<br />
10<br />
5<br />
1,2<br />
1,0<br />
0,8<br />
0,6<br />
0,4<br />
0,2<br />
Density [g/cm 3 ]<br />
0<br />
PLA Nature 1% CT3108 1,5% CT3108<br />
MFR (210°C/2,16 kg) [g/10 min] Density [g/10 min]<br />
0<br />
0<br />
PLA Nature 1% CT3108 1,5% CT3108 2% CT3108<br />
+ 1% CESA exend + 1% CESA exend + 1% CESA exend<br />
BLA0025505 BLA0025505 BLA0025505<br />
MFR (210°C/2,16 kg) [g/10 min]<br />
Density [g/10 min]<br />
0<br />
Fig. 1: Weight reduction and melt flow ratio (MFR) of PLA foam<br />
are plotted as a function of the addition of HYDROCEROL CT 3108<br />
chemical foaming agent<br />
Fig. 2: Weight reduction and melt flow ratio (MFR) of PLA foam<br />
are plotted as a function of the addition of HYDROCEROL CT<br />
3108 chemical foaming agent together with1% chain brancher<br />
CESA-extend BLA0025505<br />
defects when extruded sheets are thermoformed. Due to the<br />
lower melt index the finished articles, like food-trays, can<br />
become brittle.<br />
Fortunately, certain additives, when used in combination<br />
with CFAs, can reconnect short or broken polylactid acid<br />
chains and restore them to a higher level. These additive<br />
masterbatches (tradenamed CESA ® -extend) are based, for<br />
instance, on multifunctional additives that react with the<br />
functional groups of the polymer. There are two types: chain<br />
extenders, which are designed for linear chain extension only;<br />
and chain branchers, which achieve both linear extension<br />
and cross-chain branching.<br />
Of the two, the cross-chain branching type – which actually<br />
accomplishes both chain extension and chain branching – are<br />
preferred for use in PLA along with endothermic chemical<br />
foaming agents. First, they are less sensitive to water because<br />
they do not react as fast and thus have free functional groups<br />
available to react with the polymer. Another advantage of the<br />
multifunctional additives is that the partial chain branching<br />
enhances the melt strength, therefore stabilizes the extrusion<br />
conditions and leads to a better dispersion of the blowing gas,<br />
which yields a finer and more homogeneous foam structure.<br />
Recently, lab trials were conducted to investigate the<br />
potential for density reduction in cast PLA film (NatureWorks ®<br />
2002D) and to confirm how chain-branching additives can<br />
improve the extrusion process and the quality of the end<br />
product. HYDROCEROL ® CT 3108 was the chemical foaming<br />
agent used and the chain-branching additive masterbatch was<br />
Cesa-extend BLA0025505. Both products are manufactured<br />
by Clariant Masterbatches.<br />
The first trial extruded PLA with Hydrocerol at let down<br />
rates of 0%, 1% and 1.5% and the density reduction and melt<br />
flow rate were measured. As shown in fig. 1, density of the<br />
PLA extruded without CFA was 1.25 g/cm 3 . Adding CFA at 1%<br />
reduced the density to 1.08 g/cm 3 and a let down rate of 1.5%<br />
reduced it further to 0.94 g/cm 3 , effectively reducing material<br />
weight by 25%. At the same time, however, meltflow rate<br />
(g/10 min @ 210°C/2.16 kg) increased dramatically from 6.0<br />
without CFA to almost 30 with 1% Hydrocerol and to almost<br />
27 with 1.5% CFA. The foamed film had a coarse cell structure<br />
(see fig 3), and poor surface quality with many collapsed<br />
cells.<br />
Next, the PLA was foamed with Hydrocerol CT 3108 at 1%,<br />
1.5% and 2% let down rates, and Cesa-extend BLA0025505<br />
chain-branching agent added at a rate of 1% in all three cases<br />
(see fig. 2). At 1% CFA and 1% chain brancher, the density was<br />
reduced to 1.0 g/cm 3 . With 1.5% CFA, density was 1.05 g/cm 3 ,<br />
while 2% CFA reduced density dramatically to 0.7 g/cm 3 , for<br />
an overall weight reduction of 44%. With the addition of 1%<br />
Cesa-extend, the foam structure was significantly improved<br />
despite the higher loadings of Hydrocerol. Smaller and more<br />
uniform cells are evident in fig. 4. This, even though the melt<br />
flow rate remained roughly the same as in the first test.<br />
Clearly, Cesa-extend chain brancher provides higher melt<br />
strength and allows for higher let down rates of foaming agent.<br />
Without the use of the Cesa-extend, it would be difficult to<br />
achieve the kind of density reductions required to help make<br />
PLA a more competitive option for food packaging.<br />
www.clariant.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 23
Foam<br />
BioFoam EPS<br />
Compressive strength (kPa) 40 g/l 200 30 g/l 200<br />
Bending strength (kPa) 35 g/l 300 30 g/l 300<br />
Young’s modulus (MPa) 40 g/l 4.0 30 g/l 3.0<br />
C-value (-) 35 g/l 2.6 30 g/l 2.7<br />
Thermal conductivity 35 g/l 34 30 g/l 33<br />
(MW/m·K)<br />
Table 1 some physical ad thermal properties<br />
of BioFoam compared to EPS<br />
Article contributed by<br />
Jan Noordegraaf, Managing Director<br />
Synbra, Etten Leur, The Netherlands<br />
‘Cradle to Cradle‘<br />
Certified PLA Foam<br />
Synbra Technology bv in Etten-Leur, The Netherlands, is the Synbra<br />
Group‘s in-house polymerisation and ‘Technology & Innovation’<br />
R&D facility, as well as the group‘s centre of excellence<br />
for materials and product development. Synbra is a leading European<br />
producer of Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) and the first plant (5000 t/a)<br />
to use a new polymerisation technology for PLA, that was recently developed<br />
by Sulzer Chemtech and Purac Biochem, will be built by Synbra<br />
Technology in the Netherlands for the production of BioFoam ® ; a<br />
foamed product made from this PLA (see bM 05/2008 and <strong>01</strong>/2009).<br />
Processing<br />
The foam expansion process and moulding process for BioFoam<br />
is being developed at a rapid pace to facilitate approval of moulded<br />
prototypes. Parts are moulded every week for interested international<br />
customers. BioFoam processing has now left the laboratory phase<br />
and is running in series production for selected parts. The process of<br />
moulding is carefully adapted to suit expansion of the raw beads (called<br />
BioBeads) in existing EPS moulding equipment, resulting in uniform<br />
expanded beads and uniform cell structures (fig 1). A spherical and<br />
uniform series of raw beads in three classes (sized 0.6-0.7mm, 0.8-<br />
1.0mm and 1.0-1.4mm) can be produced to suit the specific moulding<br />
application.<br />
With a slightly modified pre-expansion process and an industrial<br />
moulding machine existing moulds for EPS products were used to<br />
produce parts, see figures 2 and 4.<br />
Figure 1: SEM image of an expanded E-PLA bead,<br />
with a closed cell structure and a uniform cell size.<br />
Figure 2. Moulded parts, box and lid made in<br />
BioFoam for the logistics cool chain<br />
Properties<br />
The physical properties of BioFoam have been determined (see table 1)<br />
and are close to those of EPS. The thermal properties are strikingly<br />
similar, which has led to an interest in refrigerated transport for<br />
medical supplies. BioFoam is resistant to liquid nitrogen LN 2<br />
and CO 2<br />
granules or dry ice, the latter is often used in the transport cool chain,<br />
see figure 2.<br />
Of particular interest are the results for drop testing in comparison<br />
with EPS, which show that BioFoam has all the potential to become a<br />
good buffer material - a point that has not gone unnoticed by several<br />
blue chip companies, see figure 3 (a and b).<br />
BioFoam has a better resistance to high stress deformation as can<br />
been seen from its the characteristics in comparison with EPS.<br />
Carbon footprint<br />
Detailed information on the CO 2<br />
balance of the PLA used by Synbra<br />
will be subject of a future article. In addition, a recent study was carried<br />
24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Foam<br />
out comparing seed trays for growing plants made from BioFoam and<br />
from cardboard as two different material solutions. It was calculated<br />
how many grams of CO 2<br />
would have been emitted to arrive at the same<br />
functional unit for BioFoam and cardboard. It was demonstrated that<br />
foams score better than the heavier part in cardboard, see figure 4. The<br />
part is a frequently used container for 15 bedding plants and weighs<br />
only 50 grams versus 200 grams in cardboard.<br />
Certification<br />
Being produced from the renewable resource PLA, BioFoam is an<br />
environmentally friendly alternative to the polystyrene foam products<br />
offered today. After use, the BioFoam product can be remoulded to a<br />
new product or can be completely biodegraded. Being ‘designed for the<br />
environment’ implies that there is no chemical waste, which means<br />
that the product is designed according to the so called ‘Cradle to Cradle’<br />
principles. The Cradle to Cradle SM Design was founded by William Mc<br />
Donough and Michael Braungart. The latter is also the founder of EPEA<br />
(Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency), an international<br />
scientific research and consultancy institute based in Hamburg,<br />
Germany, that improves product quality, utility and environmental<br />
performance via eco-effectiveness. Together with their USA based<br />
sister company MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry LLC),<br />
EPEA is able to grant companies a Cradle to Cradle certificate for<br />
specific products. Synbra actively encourages its suppliers to embrace<br />
the C2C scheme.<br />
Tebodin Consultants & Engineers of The Netherlands (who have<br />
a cooperation agreement with EPEA ) was asked to prepare the<br />
application package for the Cradle to Cradle certification of BioFoam.<br />
Data was collected and compiled on material safety, water and energy<br />
utilisation, as well as information on the social responsibility of the<br />
applying company. Based on this information EPEA was able to carry<br />
out an assessment study, which has resulted in BioFoam now being<br />
officially declared a Cradle to Cradle Certified material. This is the first<br />
PLA based product in the world and the first biodegradable foam in the<br />
world with this certification. The PLA Bio-Beads made by Synbra have<br />
in the meanwhile also been certified, effectively making it the first PLA<br />
polymer to be C2C certified in the world..<br />
average drop 2-5, drop height 76 cm<br />
G (-)<br />
80,000<br />
70,000<br />
60,000<br />
50,000<br />
40,000<br />
30,000<br />
20,000<br />
10,000<br />
0,000<br />
0 5,00 10,00 15,00 20,00 25,00 30,00<br />
Static stress (kPa)<br />
EPS 20<br />
E-PLA 60<br />
E-PLA 35<br />
Figure 3a. Drop testing: G-force versus static stress<br />
energy for EPS and two densities of 60 and 35 gr/l<br />
E-PLA for single drop testing.<br />
1st drop 76 cm height<br />
G (-)<br />
80,000<br />
70,000<br />
60,000<br />
50,000<br />
40,000<br />
30,000<br />
20,000<br />
10,000<br />
0,000<br />
0 5,00 10,00 15,00 20,00 25,00 30,00<br />
Static stress (kPa)<br />
EPS 20<br />
E-PLA 60<br />
E-PLA 35<br />
Figure 3b. Drop testing: G-force versus static stress<br />
energy for EPS and two densities of 60 and 35 gr/l<br />
E-PLA for multiple drop testing<br />
Conclusion<br />
BioFoam mouldings are based on renewable feedstock that allow a<br />
major saving in CO 2<br />
emission compared to equivalent functional units.<br />
Clearly this explains why it is attractive to a whole range of industries.<br />
The particle foam nature of the material allows a very wide freedom of<br />
design with the convenience hitherto only offered by EPS.<br />
www.biofoam.nl<br />
kg CO 2<br />
emmision / part (100 year CO 2<br />
equiv)<br />
BioFoam (lactide based)<br />
Cardboard<br />
0,04 0,06 0,08 0,10 0,12 0,14 0,16<br />
Figure 4: Parts analysed for the comparative study and the CO 2<br />
emission originating from its production for the same functional unit.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 25
Foam<br />
Article contributed by<br />
S. Zepnik, A. Kesselring, C. Michels<br />
Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Oberhausen<br />
C. Bonten<br />
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Willich<br />
F. van Lück<br />
Inde Plastik Betr.GmbH, Aldenhoven<br />
all Germany<br />
Cellulose<br />
Acetate Foams<br />
Foam sheet extrusion of thermoplastics (e.g. extruded<br />
polystyrene foam (XPS)) is a well-established foam<br />
technology. Two basic categories of blowing agents<br />
are used for foam production (table 1). The blowing agent is<br />
the primary factor controlling the foam density as well as its<br />
cellular microstructure and morphology, so determining the<br />
end-use properties of foams [1].<br />
Physical blowing agents (PBA)<br />
• gases (e.g. N 2<br />
, CO 2<br />
, C 3<br />
H 8<br />
or C 4<br />
H 10<br />
) or low boiling pointfluids<br />
(e.g. ethanol or propanol)<br />
• separate feeding via gas injection into the polymer melt<br />
(homogenization zone)<br />
• lower foam densities and higher foam ratios with more<br />
homogeneous foam morphology than for CBA<br />
• thin-walled foam sheets, films or profiles<br />
Chemical blowing agents (CBA)<br />
• thermally unstable chemicals (e.g. bicarbonates,<br />
azodicarbonamide, hydrazine derivatives or citric acids)<br />
which decompose or react under temperature and<br />
produce gases (e.g. N 2<br />
, CO, CO 2<br />
)<br />
• feeding as masterbatches together with the polymer (no<br />
critical modification of existing machinery is required in<br />
comparison to PBA)<br />
• only thick-walled products with low density reduction<br />
Table 1: Short characterization of physical and chemical blowing<br />
agents (according to [1] and [2]).<br />
A wide range of conventional polymers is available for<br />
foam extrusion processes (e.g. PE, PP, PS, PET, PVC)<br />
[1;2]. Foams based on biopolymers (starch or PLA) are the<br />
subject of recent developments and are already available on<br />
the market, especially as food trays or particle foams [3].<br />
At present the use PLA for the production and application<br />
of foam trays for hot contents is limited due to its low heat<br />
resistance. Furthermore, the thermoforming process of<br />
PLA-based foam sheets is critical with regard to the high<br />
crystallinity and brittleness of unmodified PLA. Therefore<br />
Fraunhofer UMSICHT, FKuR GmbH and Inde Plastik GmbH, a<br />
leading manufacturer of XPS-based food trays, are developing<br />
thermoformable Cellulose Acetate foam sheets for hot food<br />
applications. Foam tests with BIOGRADE C 7500CL and<br />
different chemical blowing agents (CBAs) produced foam<br />
sheets with good thermoforming behaviour (Fig. 1).<br />
By adding an azodicarbonamide as a CBA to the<br />
extrusion process it was possible to reduce the density<br />
of BIOGRADE C 7500CL from 1.244 to 0.454 g/cm³. The<br />
Cellulose Acetate foams exhibit a coarse morphology<br />
with non-homogeneous distribution of the cells (Fig. 2).<br />
Furthermore, these bubbles are surrounded by compact<br />
Biograde C 7500CL as a matrix. The relatively low reduction<br />
in density and the coarse foam morphology with only a few,<br />
but large, cells is typical for foams produced with CBAs.<br />
Fig. 1: Cellulose Acetate based foam sheets (right and centre) and thermoformed cup (left).<br />
26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Foam<br />
Fig. 2: Morphology of Cellulose Acetate foam [digital microscope;<br />
magnification: 25-times (left) and 50-times (right)].<br />
Literature<br />
[1] D. Eaves: Handbook of Polymer Foams, Rapra<br />
Technology Ltd, 2004.<br />
[2] S.-T. Lee: Foam Extrusion – Principles and Practice,<br />
CRC Press, 2000.<br />
[3] http://www.ptonline.com/articles/200712cu1.html<br />
[14.<strong>01</strong>.2<strong>01</strong>0].<br />
[4] FKuR GmbH: Technical data sheet (TDS) of BIOGRADE<br />
C7500CL, http://www.fkur.com/produkte/biograder/<br />
biograder-c-7500-cl/datenblaetter.html [14.<strong>01</strong>.2<strong>01</strong>0].<br />
[5] L. B. Bottenbruch: 3. Technische Thermoplaste:<br />
Polycarbonate, Polyacetale, Polyester, Celluloseester,<br />
in G. W. Becker, D. Braun: Kunststoff-Handbuch,<br />
Hanser Verlag, 1992.<br />
[6] J. E. Mark: Polymer Data Handbook, Oxford University<br />
Press, 1999.<br />
In comparison to an XPS produced with PBAs, the Cellulose<br />
Acetate foams are stiff and have a high tensile modulus due<br />
to the relatively high amount of compact matrix material<br />
around the bubbles determining the mechanical properties<br />
(Fig. 3).<br />
The rigidity in combination with high heat resistance (Vicat<br />
A of Biograde C 7500CL is 111°C [4]) and thermoformability<br />
of these Cellulose Acetate foams make them attractive<br />
for rigid foam applications (e.g. trays for hot contents).<br />
Furthermore, the excellent injection mouldability together<br />
with the foaming performance of Biograde C 7500CL are<br />
ideal for the manufacturing of foam injection moulded<br />
compact parts with a (rigid) foam core. Recent developments<br />
by Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Inde Plastik GmbH are focusing<br />
on Cellulose Acetate foams produced with PBAs. The<br />
aims of the investigation are foams with lower densities,<br />
homogeneous cells and finer foam morphologies like XPS<br />
foams. For fine, low-density foams produced with PBAs, the<br />
polymer properties have to fulfil specific requirements [1]:<br />
Rheological properties:<br />
• specific melt viscosity and melt stability for a good<br />
gas dispersion and distribution as well as stable foam<br />
morphology without collapse<br />
Thermal properties:<br />
• wide processing window without thermal degradation to<br />
achieve a specific melt rheology<br />
• crystallization behaviour of the polymer competing with the<br />
nucleation and growth of the bubbles<br />
• heat distortion temperature and heat conductivity for a<br />
rapid increase in polymer viscosity to avoid foam collapse<br />
Physical properties:<br />
• high gas solubility in the polymer melt but poor gas<br />
solubility in the finished foam<br />
• boiling point, molecular weight or vapour pressure of the<br />
physical blowing agent<br />
• physical polymer properties such as molecular chain<br />
structure or degree of crystallinity<br />
To achieve these required properties, Cellulose Acetate has<br />
to be modified. At present external (physical) plasticization is<br />
the most common method of Cellulose Acetate modification.<br />
Blending is very difficult due to its Hansen solubility parameter<br />
as well as the strong hydrogen bonds (Fig. 4) influencing the<br />
miscibility of Cellulose Acetate [5].<br />
Therefore, Fraunhofer UMSICHT is studying the reactive<br />
modification (e.g. internal (chemical) plasticization) of<br />
Cellulose Acetate to achieve the long-term stable properties<br />
needed for physical foaming.<br />
www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
www.indeplast.de<br />
Tensile strenght [MPa]<br />
20<br />
18<br />
16<br />
14<br />
12<br />
10<br />
8<br />
6<br />
4<br />
2<br />
0<br />
Azo-1 (2.5%)<br />
Azo-2 (1%)<br />
Azo-3 (1%)<br />
Azo-4 (0.7%)<br />
Azo-5 (1%)<br />
Para (1.5%)<br />
XPS (EMPERA 350N)<br />
E-Modulus [MPa]<br />
2500<br />
2250<br />
2000<br />
1750<br />
1500<br />
1250<br />
1000<br />
750<br />
500<br />
250<br />
0<br />
Azo-1 (2.5%)<br />
Azo-2 (1%)<br />
Azo-3 (1%)<br />
Azo-4 (0.7%)<br />
Azo-5 (1%)<br />
Para (1.5%)<br />
XPS (EMPERA 350N)<br />
Fig. 3: E-modulus and tensile strength<br />
of different Cellulose Acetate foams in<br />
comparison to an XPS (red).<br />
CH 2<br />
OR<br />
H<br />
O<br />
O<br />
H<br />
OR H<br />
H<br />
H OR<br />
(R is COCH 3<br />
or H)<br />
Fig. 4: Molecular structure<br />
of Cellulose Acetate [6].<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 27
Foam<br />
www.kaneka.com<br />
Bio-Based<br />
Biodegradable<br />
PHA Foam<br />
KANEKA Corporation is a Japanese chemical company<br />
which develops, manufactures and sells various chemical<br />
products. Kaneka’s business interests are concentrated<br />
on seven fields, which are chemicals, functional plastics, foodstuffs<br />
products, life science products, electronic products, synthetic<br />
fibers and expandable plastics and products.<br />
In the expandable plastics and products field, Kaneka deals in<br />
particle foamed polystyrene (Kanepearl), polyethylene (Eperan)<br />
and polypropylene (Eperan PP) and extruded polystyrene foam<br />
boards (Kanelite Foam). In the area of particle polyolefin foams<br />
products, Kaneka is one of the major suppliers worldwide with<br />
manufacturing locations in Japan, Belgium, Malaysia and China.<br />
These products are applied in the production of automotive parts,<br />
containers for food, insulation materials etc.<br />
As a novel product in Kaneka‘s range of particle foam products<br />
and based on their proprietary expansion technology, the company<br />
is introducing expanded PHBH (poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-<br />
hydroxyhexanoate).<br />
PHBH is an entirely bio-based biodegradable polymer, which<br />
originates from edible plant oil (corn-, soybean- or palm oil) or<br />
non-edible plant oil. Like other biopolymers from the family of<br />
the polyhydroxyalkanoates PHBH is produced by microorganisms<br />
in the fermentation process, where it is accumulated in the<br />
microorganism’s body for nutrition. It is then collected through a<br />
cleaning and granulation process.<br />
The main features of PHBH are its excellent biodegradability,<br />
combined with a high degree of hydrolysis and heat stability. PHBH<br />
can be biodegraded in aerobic (ISO14851), anaerobic (ISO14853,<br />
15985) and compost (ISO14855) conditions. The hydrolysis stability<br />
of PHBH is superior to most of the biodegradable polyesters<br />
available on the market today. Regarding the heat stability,<br />
the Vicat softening point (ASTM D1525, 10N) is about 110°C.<br />
Consequently the material can withstand the heat generated by<br />
boiling water.<br />
Kaneka‘s facility for PHBH resin production, located in Japan,<br />
is estimated to be operational in the autumn of 2<strong>01</strong>0, having a<br />
capacity of 1000 t/a. Currently PHBH is mainly applied by film,<br />
sheet, bottle and injection-molding industries, to which it is<br />
supplied as granulates.<br />
In the near future, Kaneka is planning to offer PHBH also in<br />
the form of expanded foam particles, with an expansion ratio of<br />
up to 35 times. Expanded PHBH foam particles have about the<br />
same secondary processability as their polyolefin counterparts.<br />
Complex shapes can be easily made using steam-chest-molding<br />
techniques and can be further treated by sawing, punching and<br />
bonding. The mechanical properties and dimensional stability<br />
of molded expanded PHBH foam particles are in line with those<br />
of expanded polyolefin molded foam particles. Therefore target<br />
applications are like for polyolefin foam particles, e.g. containers<br />
for a variety of consumer goods, parts for automotive, building<br />
insulation, soundproofing and horticultural engineering.<br />
Kaneka bio-based foam will ultimately contribute to create a<br />
society with a lower carbon footprint, as stated by a company<br />
spokesperson. MT<br />
28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Foam<br />
Heat-Resistant<br />
PLA Bead Foam<br />
According to Sekisui Plastics Co., Ltd., a large expanded polystyrene (EPS)<br />
company headquartered in Osaka, Japan, the company has developed the<br />
world‘s first heat-resistant and biomass-based bead foam. This bead foam<br />
is made of polylactic acid (PLA) by Sekisui‘s unique manufacturing process which<br />
enhances the high-temperature dimensional stability of PLA bead foam and retains<br />
specific properties of PLA, such as mechanical strength, solvent resistance and<br />
weather resistance.<br />
www.sekisuiplastics.com<br />
www.unitika.co.jp/terramac<br />
For the bead foam Sekisui Plastics uses a heat-resistant foam grade of PLA<br />
resin developed by Unitika Ltd. Unitika developed the PLA resin for heat-resistant<br />
extruded foam and launched it on the market in January 2005. In Sekisui Plastics’<br />
unique process, the expandable PLA beads have become possible to be more easily<br />
moulded and highly crystallised in the final foam products by keeping the crystallinity<br />
of the PLA low when expanding.<br />
This Bioceller TM , (the Sekisui Plastics trademark for their plant-derived foamed<br />
plastic), surpasses EPS and EPP (expanded polypropylene) in dimensional stability.<br />
The Bioceller, when expanded 6-fold, changes little in dimension at 150°C. It is<br />
excellent in terms of oil resistance, weather resistance, and mechanical properties<br />
against compression. Colouring the bead foam is easy. Volatile organic compounds<br />
are not emitted by the foam. Since the material is expandable from 6 to 25 times and<br />
has excellent mould performance it can be moulded into any shape.<br />
This heat-resistant PLA bead foam could be used in any application where EPS or<br />
EPP is currently used. However, the main targets would be the following applications<br />
(which require more heat-resistance and environmental properties): automotive<br />
parts, toys, heat insulators etc.<br />
Sekisui Plastics have been developing this material in their research institute. Now<br />
they have started marketing, and further technical development, of the material as<br />
a company-wide project. Several items using their PLA bead foam are almost ready<br />
for market launch. There is also a plan to build a new six hundred ton per year plant<br />
depending on the market situation. - MT<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 29
Foam<br />
PLA<br />
Foam Trays<br />
Article contributed by<br />
Doug Kunnemann, NatureWorks LLC,<br />
resp. for commercial activities focused on<br />
food packaging and food service ware in the<br />
United States<br />
www.natureworksllc.com<br />
www.sealedair.com<br />
www.dyneapak.com<br />
Two organizations, Sealed Air Corporation in Duncan, South<br />
Carolina, USA, and Dyne-a-Pak in Laval, Quebec, Canada,<br />
are North American pioneers in the development of fresh<br />
food foam trays manufactured from NatureWorks Ingeo PLA.<br />
As a result of their efforts, brand owners and retailers have a performance<br />
alternative to polystyrene foam trays — an alternative<br />
that lowers greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption<br />
as well as delivering the potential for food waste diversion from<br />
landfill.<br />
Sealed Air was first to bring a solution to market in North<br />
America with Cryovac brand NatureTRAY, an Ingeo foam<br />
meat, poultry, and fresh produce tray. NatureTRAYs are certified<br />
industrially compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute<br />
to the ASTM 6400 standard for biodegradable plastics. (Ingeo<br />
resins also meet EN13432 composting standards.)<br />
Retail grocery customers can select from a variety of sizes.<br />
Sealed Air also offers a line of robust NatureTRAYs designed<br />
specifically for the needs of meat, poultry, and fresh produce<br />
processors.<br />
In May 2008, NatureTRAY received the Institute of Packaging<br />
Professionals AmeriStar Award for excellence. One of Sealed<br />
Air’s most recent NatureTRAY customers is Prima Bella Produce,<br />
Tracy, Calif. Prima Bella utilizes the tray for its line of fresh corn<br />
on the cob (see photo).<br />
Billions of polystyrene trays are produced in North America<br />
every year. Sealed Air estimates that even if a relatively small<br />
percentage — under 10% — were converted to Ingeo foam,<br />
the environmental benefits would be significant. For example,<br />
replacing 90 million polystyrene trays with Ingeo bioresin would<br />
save over 1,300,000 liters (340,000 gallons) of gasoline, and reduce<br />
greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of over 18,000,000<br />
km (11,184,681 miles) driven.<br />
“As the economy continues to rebound, an increasing number<br />
of companies will be in position to adopt these products,” said<br />
30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Foam<br />
Richard Douglas, director of sales and marketing for<br />
Sealed Air Corporation Cryovac brand rigid packaging<br />
and absorbents group. “To meet near and long term<br />
demand, we are continuing to invest in production<br />
capabilities that will manufacture NatureTRAYs with ever<br />
greater economies of scale.”<br />
Dyne-a-Pak sells polystyrene and bioresin-based foam<br />
trays in Eastern Canada and in the Northeastern region<br />
of the United States. The company’s Dyne-a-Pak Nature<br />
foam tray is made with Ingeo polylactide and has been<br />
on the market for about one year and represents a multiyear<br />
research and development effort. This product has<br />
received a QSR Magazine-FPI Foodservice award for<br />
manufacturing innovation.<br />
“The manufacturing characteristics of Ingeo were<br />
relatively similar to polystyrene in terms of extrusion and<br />
thermoforming, which meant the bioresin would fit well<br />
with our manufacturing processes,” said Mario Grenier,<br />
Dyne-a-Pak vice president and general manager. “We<br />
also wanted a resin supplier that had the technical<br />
expertise to partner with us during the research and<br />
development stage as well as one that could assure a<br />
steady supply of resin. NatureWorks met both of these<br />
selection criteria.”<br />
Dyne-a-Pak sells to grocery chains, food distributors,<br />
fast food outlets, bakeries, and meat packers. The Dynea-Pak<br />
Nature foam tray, which has a density around<br />
0.056 g/cm³ (similar to regular polystyrene trays), is<br />
offered in a range of sizes. This bioresin foam tray is<br />
certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products<br />
Institute to the ASTM 6400 standard. The tray was also<br />
successfully tested for conformance to the EN13432<br />
compostability standard by Organic Waste Systems in<br />
Belgium.<br />
Dyne-a-Pak reports that production of the Ingeo<br />
used in the Dyne-a-Pak Nature foam tray requires 50%<br />
less water and 49% less fossil fuel to manufacture as<br />
compared to petroleum-based polystyrene products<br />
and emits 60% less greenhouse gas than an equivalent<br />
amount of polystyrene.<br />
Grenier said that Dyne-a-Pak originally entered the<br />
bioresin foam tray segment of the market because<br />
it wanted to offer an alternative to polystyrene — an<br />
alternative that was sourced from renewable resources.<br />
He anticipates that as the market matures the lower<br />
carbon footprint of the Ingeo-based foam trays will<br />
become a major selling point. The company has observed<br />
a marked rise of interest in its Dyne-a-Pak Nature foam<br />
trays during the last quarter of 2009 and attributes this<br />
fact to gradual improvements in the economy and a trend<br />
toward reducing the environmental impact of packaging<br />
products.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
CM<br />
MY<br />
CY<br />
CMY<br />
K<br />
<br />
<br />
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magnetic_148,5x105.ai 175.00 lpi 15.00° 75.00° 0.00° 45.00° 14.03.2009 10:13:31<br />
Prozess CyanProzess MagentaProzess GelbProzess Schwarz<br />
Magnetic<br />
www.plasticker.com<br />
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• International Trade<br />
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Free of Charge<br />
• Daily News<br />
from the Industrial Sector<br />
and the Plastics Markets<br />
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for Plastics.<br />
• Buyer’s Guide<br />
for Plastics & Additives,<br />
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and Services.<br />
• Job Market<br />
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Executive Staff in the<br />
Plastics Industry<br />
Up-to-date • Fast • Professional<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 31
Foam<br />
Article contributed by<br />
William Kelly, VP Technology and<br />
Gary Larrivee, VP Technical Support<br />
Cereplast, Inc., Hawthorne,<br />
California, USA<br />
A True Compostable Foam<br />
Cereplast Compostable 50<strong>01</strong> ® is perfectly suited to meet the needs of all converters, manufacturers and<br />
brand owners interested in substituting Polystyrene foam with an environmentally sustainable plastic.<br />
Cereplast Compostable 50<strong>01</strong> is a compostable foam using Ingeo PLA and various biodegradable and<br />
compostable components. Currently PLA based polymers are the dominant resin in the biopolymer industry<br />
from a technology and supply standpoint.<br />
The market for expanded polystyrene is greater than five billion dollars per year in the USA. With cities and<br />
counties banning the use of polystyrene packaging consumers are demanding alternative products. What is<br />
attractive about using a Cereplast foam polymer is that the finished products can biodegrade in 180 days or less<br />
in a commercial compost facility.<br />
Many disposable products are made of low density polystyrene foam materials. These foam products however<br />
will not biodegrade, even when filled with starch. Degradation of the starch will not cause the polystyrene to<br />
degrade and all the ‘additive’ technology has not been scientifically proven, nor demonstrated.<br />
Many of the applications that exist in polystyrene based foam materials are suitable for Cereplast Compostable<br />
materials such as clam shell food containers, meat trays, egg cartons, mushroom and berry boxes and a variety<br />
of packaging applications. Densities down to 0.08 g/cm 3 using conventional equipment were achieved and<br />
Cereplast is continuing research to further reduce densities. These products have the same look and feel as the<br />
polystyrene foam parts that they are replacing. There is no Bisphenol A (BPA) or any other harmful compounds<br />
found in Cereplast 50<strong>01</strong>.<br />
From a technical standpoint, it is difficult to produce from an unmodified PLA a viable foam product. In order<br />
to produce low density foam PLA based resins the polymer must be modified to increase molecular weight and<br />
elasticity. Increasing intrinsic viscosity and melt strength is also key to producing a good foam product. One<br />
method to increase melt elasticity and molecular weight is to utilize chain extenders associated to the end<br />
groups of PLA. Increases in melt elasticity and molecular weight result in producing foams with reduced cell<br />
size, increased cell density and lowered bulk foam density when compared to unmodified PLA foam. Cereplast<br />
specialty is to modify Ingeo PLA manufactured by NatureWorks.<br />
Cereplast Compostables 50<strong>01</strong> represents an outstanding opportunity for companies across the plastic supply<br />
chain used to foam plastic resins and are seeking to become more environmentally sustainable and reduce the<br />
industry’s reliance on oil. Cereplast Compostable 50<strong>01</strong> is the successful result of a several years research and<br />
development project which answers the growing demand for more sustainability from the plastic industry.<br />
www.cereplast.com<br />
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Materials<br />
High Heat Injection Molding PLA<br />
On January 14, NatureWorks LLC introduced its second generation Ingeo bioresin (PLA) solution targeted primarily at<br />
injection molding of semi-durable consumer products. This new patent-pending solution is the latest in a series of breakthroughs<br />
for Ingeo applications, which already include high heat thermoforms, films, and gift and transactional cards.<br />
NatureWorks’ new compounded resin technology enables the production of injection molded parts with a heat deflection<br />
temperature of up to 140°C (modified version of ASTM E2092) or 65°C (HDT B), notched Izod impact strength greater than<br />
140 J/m, and modulus of about 3,000 MPa. “Different formulations based on this new development, with a reduced amount of<br />
impact modifier will lead to HDT B values of up to 140°C,” explained Jed Randall, Research Scientist at NatureWorks. Injection<br />
molding cycle time compares to styrenic resins, for which the new technology now offers a low-carbon, cost-competitive,<br />
performance replacement.<br />
Designated Ingeo 38<strong>01</strong>X, the new formulation combines a high percentage polylactide base resin with a tailored additive<br />
package designed to achieve the high heat, impact, and cycle time performance requirements of semi-durable products such<br />
as cosmetics, consumer electronics, toys, office accessories, and promotional products. “The introduction of this high heat<br />
technology demonstrates that the Ingeo family is maturing significantly, steadily broadening into a host of applications where<br />
these materials are a performance substitute for non-renewably sourced plastics,” said Marc Verbruggen, president and CEO<br />
of NatureWorks. “In the six years since we entered the market with our world-scale facility, the injection molding community<br />
has shown significant interest in our first generation product. The industry has already developed a compelling array of injection<br />
molded consumer products, with items that include lipsticks and compacts, mobile phones, and auto interior parts. Today,<br />
we’re pleased to announce support for ongoing development efforts with a product that has been custom designed to address<br />
enhanced property and performance requests.”<br />
NatureWorks is selectively opening this proprietary technology to Ingeo compounding partners, as Verbruggen explains.<br />
“NatureWorks firmly believes that the continuing development of Ingeo solutions for durable applications is best complemented<br />
by the innovations, expertise, and capabilities that our compounding partners offer.”<br />
www.natureworksllc.com<br />
A Novel, Lightweight,<br />
Heat-resistant PLA<br />
Among the most significant challenges for the wider application of PLA is its low heat resistance: native PLA usually turns<br />
soft at around 60 ºC, which not only makes it incapable of holding heated food or a hot drink, but also causes deformation<br />
during container transport.<br />
Enhancement of the heat resistance of PLA has been achieved already by adding fillers, or mixing with hard plastics. However<br />
these treatments often have unfavorable consequences such as an increase in density and difficulties in recycling. In the case<br />
of semi crystalline plastics adding nucleating agents is another approach, however for PLA, which crystallizes at a rather slow<br />
rate, such treatment does not bring about a significant improvement in heat resistance.<br />
By means of novel recipes and process equipments, Supla Co. Ltd. of Taiwan have developed SUPLA C that has a unique<br />
crystallization behavior, which results in a high HDT at around 100ºC (HDT B 120°C/hr, 0.45 MPa). Furthermore, because not<br />
much fillers were added, the density was kept at a level almost equivalent to native PLA. This lightweight characteristic results<br />
in a higher Melt Flow Rate of 31.9 g/10min (190ºC, 2.16 kg), which makes Supla C advantageous over other types of modified<br />
PLA in injection molding. Besides, the products would be lighter, so it is energy saving during transportation of the moulded<br />
products. Supla C minimizes the difficulties in forthcoming challenges towards recycling of PLA products, because in general,<br />
recycling of composite materials is more difficult than that of pure, homogeneous materials.<br />
PLAs with superior heat resistance have potential markets such as food wares, stationery, gifts, toys, 3C housing (3C =<br />
computer, communication and consumer electronics) etc. Supla C is suitable for all of the above applications, and is expected<br />
to exhibit particular strength in thin wall housing which is the mainstream in the design of 3C goods.<br />
supla.com@msa.hinet.net<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 33
Application News<br />
Fancy Potato Poncho<br />
http://spudcoat.co.uk<br />
Last September, the Spanish sustainable products brand ‘EQUILICUA‘ presented an<br />
original garment made from bioplastic – 100% biodegradable and compostable (even<br />
home compostable in a backyard compost bin). It is a raincoat that comes with seeds<br />
incorporated into it that promote the disintegration of this new generation of materials<br />
made completely from bioplastic that is based on potato and corn starch (BIOTEC).<br />
The ‘plantable‘ potato poncho is the first product from the collection that the<br />
company calls ‘Fantastic Bioplastic‘, and for which Equilicua is already developing<br />
new projects based on plastic resins made from renewable resources. The idea is to<br />
work with diverse biocompatible materials for the production of future designs, going<br />
from textiles to other types of consumer goods. The company also wants to introduce<br />
these ecomaterials to the final consumer in a creative and innovative way. The slogan<br />
of the company - “Equilicua, thought-provoking products” - nicely sums up its principal<br />
objective.<br />
The so-called ‘Spudcoat’ was specially designed for excursions and outdoor activities (on foot or by bike). It is a large model<br />
made for people wearing backpacks. The space to insert any type of seeds is incorporated in the chest area. The graphic printing<br />
is done using biodegradable inks, free of solvents, so that the whole product can be absorbed into the natural environment if it<br />
is lost, or at the end of its life cycle (when it is recommended that the coat be buried to speed its breakdown).<br />
For the ethical company gift sector personalized raincoats are available as an eco-alternative for public or private institutions<br />
and businesses committed to the environment and Corporate Social Responsibility.<br />
Today, Equilicua is working on the development of new designs for distributors of the product. The potato raincoat can<br />
be purchased in Spain for example from Greenpeace and in the United Kingdom from Comp Bio Products Ltd. In China, the<br />
ecological product business Livegreen is launching the garment. Various selling points are available in European countries and<br />
the introduction to the Canadian and American markets is expected in the spring of 2<strong>01</strong>0. MT<br />
PTT Mascara Packaging<br />
At Luxepack in Monaco last fall, Oekametall fom Bamberg, Germany presented a<br />
new standard mascara packaging line. It is made with renewably-sourced material<br />
DuPont Biomax® PTT1100, a high-performance packaging polymer with excellent<br />
surface gloss, chemical and scratch resistance.<br />
“By increasing the standard range with a mascara pack made of Biomax PTT1100,<br />
we are contributing to the awareness for sustainability. The resin has been the best<br />
material in terms of processability, dimensional stability and gloss for our quality<br />
standards“ says Mrs. Jasmin Hamida, Packaging Innovation Manager at Oekametall.<br />
This new standard product provides beauty packaging with luxury aesthetics and high<br />
performance while reducing the impact of the environment of the package. Because of<br />
the natural scratch resistance and gloss of Biomax PTT1100, Oekametall does not need<br />
to apply an additional solvent-based coating to ABS and SAN. It is a great example of<br />
reducing the environmental footprint with no impact on performance and aesthetics<br />
requirement of the beauty industry.<br />
DuPont Biomax PTT1100 (PolyTrimethylTerephthalate) is a polyester-type resin with up to 37% renewably-sourced content<br />
(bio-PDO based on corn or beet sugar) and a performance similar to polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyethylene<br />
terephthalate (PET). It is intended for use in high-performance cosmetic packaging with a lower environmental footprint.<br />
Its attributes include a glossy surface for attractive aesthetics, excellent resistance to common personal care and cosmetic<br />
formulations, a naturally opaque to translucent appearance, good colorability, high scratch resistance and excellent<br />
environmental stress cracking resistance. Such attributes can create the potential for additional cost-savings during production,<br />
including the elimination of additional barrier layers for protection against scratches or more chemically-aggressive cosmetic<br />
formulations. This injection-moldable resin is especially suitable for use in cosmetic packaging applications including compact<br />
cases, cream jars, thin-walled perfume caps and mascara caps as presented at Luxepack. MT<br />
www.dupont.com<br />
34 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Application News<br />
OLYMP Tests PLA Shirt and Blouse Fabrics<br />
OLYMP Bezner GmbH & Co. KG of Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany is permanently on the look-out for innovative production<br />
processes to manufacture their up-market business shirts. The limited possibilities open to them when using thread and cloth<br />
made from cotton required the development of new alternative raw materials.<br />
Eberhard Bezner, Olymp‘s owner and CEO, is not just a highly experienced textile specialist, but an expert on innovative<br />
fabrics. By carefully studying the latest global developments in the manufacture of fabrics and textiles he came across the<br />
spunbond process for the production of PLA fibres. Now Olymp is testing the use of PLA as a fabric for shirts and blouses.<br />
Alongside advantages such as good wicking, good colour performance and high tear resistance, polylactide fibres constitute<br />
a particularly resource-friendly bioplastic. “To harvest a kg of cotton up to 20,000 litres of water are required,“ explains textile<br />
expert Herbert Ostertag, who has worked closely with Olymp for several years. Lactic acid production is significantly more<br />
environmentally friendly because water consumption is minimal and in certain circumstances renewable resources from local<br />
agriculture can be used.<br />
The test garments produced so far consist of 65 % cotton and 35 % PLA. The latter<br />
percentage could be higher and thus a shirt would be much more economical in the<br />
use of resources.<br />
“A Chinese supplier has been researching and experimenting on our behalf for some<br />
time now, looking at the possibility of using polylactide fibres, which are already used<br />
in other types of product, in garment manufacture,“ explains Marc Fritz of Olymp-<br />
Marketing. “OLYMP first made some sample shirts from polylactide material for test<br />
purposes. These were thoroughly tested in our laboratory in Bietigheim-Bissingen for<br />
washing performance, ease of care, light resistance, stretch and tear resistance and<br />
their resistance to abrasion in daily wear“.<br />
At the same time the first trials were carried out to test the performance and skin<br />
tolerance of the shirts when actually worn. Despite not yet having planned an advertising<br />
and marketing strategy the expectations are that this year the company will have 2000<br />
shirts made to test the reaction of customers in selected department stores. MT<br />
www.olymp.com<br />
Biodegradable And Compostable<br />
Sugar Sachet<br />
A new product has joined the range of catering solutions<br />
available in Mater-Bi ® by Novamont from Italy. The biodegradable<br />
and compostable sugar sachet, born of a partnership between<br />
Novamont and Novarese Zuccheri joins the cutlery, plates and<br />
cups already available.<br />
With their personalisable print, the new sachets use paper<br />
extrusion coated with a special grade of Mater-Bi. This groundbreaking<br />
solution has the same performance characteristics of<br />
traditional packaging but, since it is biodegradable and compostable,<br />
it can be disposed of together with organic refuse meaning it is also<br />
eco-friendly.<br />
Laminates obtained with Mater-Bi extrusion coating ensure<br />
performance very similar to that of traditional plastics. They create a barrier against gasses and fats and have excellent<br />
thermal resistance making this type of laminate particularly suitable for food packaging.<br />
www.novamont.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 35
Application News<br />
Roll-Bag Solution for Bio-Bags<br />
www.roll-o-matic.com<br />
Roll-o-Matic, Denmark, stands for solutions that are<br />
flexible, faster and easier to operate, and in addition financially<br />
attractive. One example is Roll-o-Matic‘s star-sealed T-shirt<br />
kit for Delta converting lines. This kit is a newly developed and<br />
patented solution, which allows the production of star-sealed<br />
T-shirt bags, normal T-shirt, sinus/wave top, bottom- sealed<br />
and other bags on a standard Delta T-shirt line without any<br />
additional modules.<br />
It keeps the costs at a minimum, and compared to other<br />
set-ups the costs of the star-sealed kit is only a fraction. The<br />
stable solution with a line speed up to 160 m/min / 300 cycles<br />
/ 2 lanes led to a very positive customer feedback.<br />
And the star-sealed kit solution is environmentally and<br />
financially favourable: As the skirt on the bag is very short, the<br />
waste of material is minimized to about half of the traditional<br />
skirt length. Star-sealed bags have a strong bottom, which<br />
allows ‘downgauging‘, i.e. producing thinner but not weaker<br />
bags.<br />
Bio-Bag Example from Italy<br />
With a slight adjustment of sealing temperature and<br />
sealing pressure, Roll-o-Matic Delta line with a star-sealed<br />
T-shirt kit is also able to run biomaterial, which makes the<br />
bag production even more environment-friendly. Italian<br />
leader in the production of Mater-Bi articles Sacme has<br />
developed a new concept: a star-sealed T-shirt bio-bag that<br />
comes together with a matching plastic waste bin.<br />
The concept is called Geo & Gea, the aerated system for<br />
collecting wet waste. The star-sealed T-shirt bag fits perfectly<br />
into the waste bin, and for the end user it functions as a<br />
waste bin for fruit, vegetables or other degradable products.<br />
The new concept has been very successful, as the market for<br />
smart solutions like this is still growing.<br />
Sacme, have been very content with the Roll-o-Matic starsealed<br />
kit solution, which allows flexible and stable production<br />
of star-sealed T-shirt bags. “With a flexible solution like<br />
this we are sure to give our customers an opportunity to<br />
extend their product<br />
range without having<br />
to make a heavy<br />
investment.”<br />
“And in a market<br />
where demands<br />
can change quickly,<br />
we believe it is a<br />
favourable choice,“<br />
comments Mr. Birger<br />
Sørensen, Managing<br />
Director at Roll-o-<br />
Matic, Denmark.<br />
Innovative Hospital Waste Management System<br />
Pharmafilter BV, a bioenergy technology company<br />
based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has selected Mirel<br />
bioplastics by Telles (Lowell, Massachussetts, USA) for a<br />
suite of disposable products for hospital use. Pharmafilter<br />
BV is currently commercializing its patented Pharmafilter<br />
system as a cleaner, more efficient way for hospitals and<br />
the healthcare industry to reduce contaminated solid waste,<br />
food, and wastewater through anaerobic digestion. Outputs<br />
are biogas for fuel or power generation, biomass for energy<br />
conversion, and clean water.<br />
The initial range of single use products to be made from<br />
Mirel include: service ware items, bed pans and trash bags.<br />
Use of such disposable products made from Mirel can<br />
mitigate the need for reusable items, thus reducing human<br />
contact with contaminated service ware and its related safety<br />
concerns. Mirel products will be disposed of along with the<br />
hospital and healthcare wastes, and fed to the Pharmafilter<br />
system. The initial pilot project is scheduled to begin operation<br />
in March 2<strong>01</strong>0 at Delft Hospital in Amsterdam.<br />
“We selected Mirel because it fits right into our system,”<br />
said Eduardo Van Den Berg, CEO of Pharmafilter BV. “Mirel<br />
has the performance properties for single-use plastic service<br />
applications and it is biobased and biodegradable, so it is the<br />
most appropriate solution for the Pharmafilter process.”<br />
“Mirel’s broad range of applications and biodegradation<br />
properties make it an ideal product to integrate with<br />
anaerobic digestion systems for waste disposal and bioenergy<br />
production,” said Bob Engle, General Manager, Telles. “We<br />
are excited about our role in this innovative process for<br />
the conversion of potentially harmful waste products into<br />
bioenergy. In addition to the primary use of Mirel as a biobased<br />
plastic for high performance service ware and packaging,<br />
Mirel may offer a secondary value as an energy source arising<br />
from its disposal through anaerobic digestion.”<br />
Pharmafilter cooperates with its partners to realize its goal:<br />
a cleaner hospital and a cleaner environment. Pharmafilter<br />
utilizes water experts with skills ranging from pollution<br />
to purification and receives important and indispensable<br />
support in the Netherlands and in Europe. Partners include<br />
the Ministries of Health, Welfare and Sport; VROM; Ministry of<br />
Transport, Public Works and Water Management; Waterboard<br />
Delfland; STOWA Reinier de Graaf Groep; Municipality of<br />
Delft; European environment subsidy Life+; SenterNovem;<br />
and BTG.<br />
www.mirelplastics.com<br />
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Application News<br />
Forest Plant Container Made in Chile<br />
www.udt.cl<br />
In Chile the development of biodegradable materials dates back about a decade. One of the highlights in this area is the work<br />
of the University of Concepción through the Technological Development Unit (UDT). In 2005 for example, UDT was involved in<br />
the set-up of a pilot scale production of biodegradable polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and polylactic acid<br />
(PLA). The raw material used for the bacterial fermentation of lactic acid was organic waste generated by the famous Chilean<br />
wine industry, where the residue of the grapes was used as an organic substrate.<br />
High Value for Forestry<br />
Currently UDT, in conjunction with the Chilean companies Proyectos Plasticos and Forestal Minico, is developing a forestry<br />
plant container from biodegradable composite materials consisting of PLA, wood waste and various additives. This development<br />
has been motivated by an attractive market in Chile that has grown up around forest production and which uses polypropylene<br />
plastic containers in nurseries for the development and transfer of seedlings into the forest. Here the seedlings are manually<br />
removed from the container and planted in the ground, which can constitute a risk of damage to the seedlings. This in turn<br />
leads to significant losses in the forestry sector, as up to 5% of seedlings are destroyed on average. To avoid such losses a<br />
biodegradable container was delveloped that survives the nursery stage and can be planted together with the seedling in the<br />
forest.<br />
Technological innovation and concrete results<br />
This technological innovation developed by UDT has led to a PLA-based material<br />
with up to 50% wood flour content. Compared to pure PLA, this leads to lower<br />
production costs, improved processability by injection moulding and an increased<br />
rate of biodegradation.<br />
The technology involves the production of biodegradable composite material<br />
pellets in a co-rotating twin screw extruder, which produces a compound of the<br />
components including additives to achieve a good compatibility between PLA and<br />
wood, and to improve its mechanical properties and processability. The pellets are<br />
then injection moulded by Proyectos Plasticos into forest containers.<br />
In a second stage of this innovation nutrients are incorporated in the formulation<br />
of the material, to be released in a controlled manner during the biodegradation<br />
process in the soil, thereby improving plant growth.<br />
The results of the biodegradation in line with ASTM 5338D have been established<br />
in terms of weight loss and release of CO 2<br />
as a product of microbial activity in about<br />
120 days. MT<br />
Bags for Electronic Road Toll Tags<br />
www.inapol.cl<br />
www.costaneranorte.cl<br />
Inapol Ltda, Chile is a bag manufacturer who has already developed some products from bioplastics, for example Mater-Bi<br />
from Novamont. Now they announced to be the first producer in Chile to launch a bag made 100% from bioplastic raw material<br />
for a big client. “We have already made 150,000 bags of a Mater-Bi material that will be used by Costanera Norte to wrap<br />
‘electronic tags’ for toll roads instead of using polypropylene,” says Sebastián Aguilar, Gerente Comercial of Inapol.<br />
Due to heavy traffic and many congestions in Santiago, Chile had introduced a toll system for the use of interurban highways.<br />
Toll roads are fully automated using electronic toll collection technology. This entails drivers fixing an electronic tag in their<br />
vehicle which communicates with roadside equipment. These tags are distributed free of charge by the private operators of the<br />
toll roads as part of their concession contract.<br />
“This is the first initiative of a big company in our country in order to make concrete actions to promote renewable and biodegradable<br />
materials, “ says Sebastián Aguilar. “Costanera Norte started a campaign to reduce CO 2<br />
emissions, and they thought<br />
that this bag could be a contribution for that purpose. We made that bag, and here in Chile is the first initiative to promote this<br />
kind of materials.” MT<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 37
Materials<br />
Misleading Claims and Misuse<br />
Proliferate in the Nascent<br />
Article contributed by<br />
Ramani Narayan<br />
University Distinguished Professor<br />
Michigan State University<br />
Department of Chemical Engineering &<br />
Materials Science<br />
Chairman of ASTM Committee D20.96 on<br />
Environmentally Degradable Plastics &<br />
Biobased Products<br />
Chairman of ISO/TC 61(Plastics)<br />
SC1 (Terminology) and<br />
US expert to TC 61/SC5/WG22 on<br />
biodegradable plastics<br />
Biodegradation takes place when microorganisms utilize<br />
carbon substrates to extract chemical energy that drives<br />
their life processes. The carbon substrates become ‘food’<br />
which microorganisms use to sustain themselves. For this to occur,<br />
the carbon substrate needs to be transported inside the cell.<br />
Molecular weight is an important but not only criterion for transport<br />
across cell membrane. Factors like hydrophobic-hydrophilic<br />
balance, molecular and structural features also govern transport<br />
across the cell membrane. Under aerobic conditions, the carbon<br />
is biologically oxidized to CO 2<br />
inside the cell releasing energy that<br />
is harnessed by the microorganisms for its life processes. Under<br />
anaerobic conditions, CO 2<br />
+CH 4<br />
are produced. Thus, a measure<br />
of the rate and amount of CO 2<br />
or CO 2<br />
+CH 4<br />
evolved as a function<br />
of total carbon input to the process is a direct measure of the<br />
amount of carbon substrate being utilized by the microorganism<br />
(percent biodegradation). This is fundamental, basic biology and<br />
biochemistry taught in freshman classes and can be found in any<br />
biochemistry textbook. This forms the basis for various National<br />
(ASTM, EN, OECD) and international (ISO) standards for measuring<br />
biodegradability or microbial utilization of chemicals, and<br />
biodegradable plastics [1,2].<br />
It would seem obvious and logical from the above basic biology<br />
lesson that to make a claim of biodegradability, all that one needs<br />
to do is the following: Expose the test plastic substrate as the sole<br />
carbon source to microorganisms present in the target disposal<br />
environment (like composting, or soil or anaerobic digestion or<br />
marine), and measure the CO 2<br />
(aerobic) or CO 2<br />
+CH 4<br />
(anaerobic)<br />
evolved. A measure of the evolved gas provides a direct measure of<br />
the plastics substrate carbon being utilized by the microorganisms<br />
present in the target disposal environment (% biodegradation).<br />
ASTM and ISO test methods teach how to measure the percent<br />
biodegradability in different disposal environments based, again,<br />
on the fundamental biochemistry described above.<br />
It has been claimed by a few companies for quite some time that<br />
the addition of a low percent (about 1-5%) of proprietary additives<br />
in the form of a masterbatch to polyethylene (PE), polypropylene<br />
(PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET),<br />
and other carbon chain polymers renders the carbon chain<br />
polymer completely (the claim has been 100%) biodegradable<br />
in both aerobic (composting, soil) and anaerobic (landfills)<br />
environments – that would mean that 100% of the polymeric<br />
carbon is completely utilized by microorganisms as measured by<br />
the evolved CO 2<br />
(aerobic) or CO 2<br />
+CH 4<br />
(anaerobic) – if this is true,<br />
then such data should be provided to substantiate the claim.<br />
There are two classes of additives being marketed – ‘oxo’ and<br />
‘organic’ which are sold as masterbatch concentrates. The ‘oxo’<br />
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Materials<br />
of Standards Continues to<br />
BioPlastics Industry Space<br />
additive is supposed to promote chain scission, thereby<br />
making the polymer small enough to be utilized by the<br />
microorganisms present in the disposal environment. The<br />
‘organic’ additive initiates or promotes microbial attack,<br />
and that in some way triggers the microorganism to begin<br />
breaking down the carbon-carbon backbone chain polymer.<br />
Unfortunately, the scientific data and the literature do<br />
not support the actual claims being made in the market<br />
place. Many reports in the peer-reviewed literature include<br />
‘biodegradation’ in the title; however, the meaning and<br />
context of the term is very broadly and loosely applied. Let’s<br />
look at several examples:<br />
Evidence of microbial growth on the surface of the polymer<br />
is reported as ‘biodegradable’ This is then extrapolated<br />
by manufacturers to claim that their product is 100%<br />
biodegradable, and some go onto claim that this can occur<br />
anywhere from 9 months to 5 years.<br />
Some studies use the ‘biodegradable’ term to indicate that<br />
the PE samples were subjected to a biotic environment (soil,<br />
compost) as part of their experimental procedure. They go<br />
on to measure weight loss, molecular weight reductions,<br />
carbonyl index, mechanical property loss (films becoming<br />
brittle). Additive manufacturers reference these studies and<br />
extrapolate to stating that their product is ‘completely (100%)<br />
biodegradable’ in the environment based on weight loss and<br />
physical, chemical, or mechanical property loss. However<br />
the fundamental biology/biochemistry data showing carbon<br />
utilization by the microorganisms as measured by the evolved<br />
CO 2<br />
(aerobic) or CO 2<br />
+CH 4<br />
(anaerobic) is missing.<br />
A peer reviewed Chem Communication journal (an<br />
established, well respected journal) paper [3] reported<br />
increasing the rates of biodegradation of polyolefins, by<br />
anchoring minute quantities of glucose, sucrose or lactose,<br />
onto functionalized polystyrene. A mere 2-12% weight<br />
loss and formation of carbonyl groups was evidence for<br />
biodegradation.<br />
In another peer reviewed scientific journal paper,<br />
polyethylene and polypropylene were put in a composting<br />
environment after solvent extraction to remove the<br />
antioxidants present, and it was reported that PP lost 60%<br />
mass over six months, whereas low density polyethylene lost<br />
only 10%. It is well known that unstabilized PP will degrade<br />
in the environment. Professor Scott summarizes this in his<br />
book chapter as follows: PP biodegrades much more rapidly<br />
than LDPE by mass loss in compost, and ethylene-propylene<br />
copolymers biodegrade at rates intermediate between<br />
polypropylene and ethylene. This implies that 60% of the PP<br />
carbon has been utilized by microorganisms present in compost<br />
What does Biodegradable Mean?<br />
Can the microorganisms in the target disposal system (composting, soil, anaerobic<br />
digestor) assimilate/utilize the carbon substrate as food source completely and in a short<br />
defined time period?<br />
Environment - soil, compost,<br />
waste water plant, marine<br />
Hydrolytic<br />
Oxidative STEP 1<br />
Enzymatic<br />
Polymer chains with<br />
susceptible linkages<br />
Biodegradation (Step 2):<br />
Only if all fragmented residues consumed<br />
by microorganisms as a food & energy<br />
source as measured by evolved CO 2<br />
in<br />
defined time and disposal environment<br />
Oligomers & polymer fragments<br />
Complete<br />
microbial<br />
assimilation<br />
defined time<br />
frame, no<br />
residues<br />
STEP 2<br />
CO 2<br />
+ H 2<br />
O + Cell biomass<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 39
Materials<br />
as measured by evolved CO 2<br />
. However, no such data was available in the referenced<br />
text [4,5].<br />
There are many more examples where physical, chemical, and mechanical property<br />
losses are used to claim ‘biodegradability’. In some papers microbial colonization or<br />
biofilm formation is used to make claims of biodegradability. Weight loss, molecular<br />
weight reductions, carbonyl index, mechanical property loss, biofilm formation,<br />
microbial colonization do not confirm the microbial utilization of the polymeric carbon<br />
substrate, nor does it provide the amount of carbon utilized or the time to complete<br />
microbial utilization.<br />
Misuse of Standards<br />
There have been a number of standards developed by Standards writing<br />
organizations like ASTM, EN, and ISO [6]. They are summarized below:<br />
Biodegradability under composting conditions<br />
• Specification Standards ASTM D6400, D6868, D7021<br />
• Specification Standards EN 13432 (European Norm)<br />
• Specification Standards ISO 17088 (International Standard)<br />
Biodegradability under marine conditions<br />
• Specification Standard D 7021<br />
Biodegradability Test Methods – ASTM Standards<br />
• Compost D5338<br />
• Soil D5988<br />
• Anaerobic digestors D5511, ISO15985 (Biogas energy)<br />
• Accelerated landfill D5526<br />
• Guide to testing plastics that degrade in the environment by a combination of<br />
oxidation and biodegradation ASTM D6954<br />
As discussed in the beginning all Standards for measuring biodegradability are<br />
based on fundamental biochemistry principles outlined earlier of carbon utilization by<br />
microorganisms as measured by the evolved CO 2<br />
(aerobic) and CO 2<br />
+CH 4<br />
(anaerobic).<br />
A specification standard provides the specifications for pass/fail and provides the<br />
basis for making claims for example claims of compostability (biodegradability under<br />
composting conditions) has to meet the ASTM, EN, or ISO specification standards.<br />
There are also test methods to measure biodegradability under disposal conditions<br />
as shown above. Test methods teach how to measure biodegradability under the<br />
specific disposal environment. The results of such a test could be 0% or 100%<br />
biodegradability or somewhere in between. There are additive based products<br />
that claim to be in compliance with or pass ASTM D5526 or 5511. However, this<br />
meaningless unless one provides the results obtained from the test – then one can<br />
say that using ASTM D5511, I obtained xx% biodegradability.<br />
ASTM D6954 is referenced in a number of oxo-degradable plastic claims. In an<br />
article published in this magazine’s last issue, ASTM D6954 was identified as an<br />
acknowledged and respected Standard Guide for performing laboratory tests on<br />
oxo-biodegradable plastic. It is a generally accepted principle that Standards should<br />
be followed in its entirety, not modified to suit one’s convenience or expediency or<br />
only certain parts of the standard followed and applied. It is a three tiered testing<br />
procedure - loss in properties and molecular weight by thermal and photooxidation<br />
processes and other abiotic processes (Tier 1), measuring biodegradation (Tier 2),<br />
and assessing ecological impact of the products from these processes (Tier 3). Key<br />
points of this Standard are:<br />
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Materials<br />
• accelerated oxidation data must be obtained at temperatures<br />
and humidity ranges typical in that chosen application<br />
and disposal environment, for example, in soil (20 to 30°C)<br />
• Tier 1 accelerated oxidation tests are not indicators of<br />
biodegradability and should not be used for the purpose of<br />
meeting the specifications as described in ASTM D 6400 and<br />
claiming compostability or biodegradation during composting<br />
• For determining biodegradation rates under composting<br />
conditions, Specification D 6400 is to be used, including<br />
test methods and conditions as specified<br />
• Complete mass balances are to be reported in Tier 1<br />
• Tier 2 report must state the following: Extent of<br />
biodegradation (carbon dioxide evolution profile to plateau<br />
as per standards) and expressed as a percentage of total<br />
theoretical carbon balance<br />
• Percentage of gel or other nondegradable fractions.<br />
Basically, this means that pre-treatment of samples at 60-<br />
70°C in a dry oven is not acceptable. It also means that Tier<br />
1 cannot be performed alone, but both Tier 2 and 3 must be<br />
completed. As indicated earlier, there are several references<br />
to meeting D6954 however no data is provided, except maybe<br />
Tier 1 data. However, claims of total biodegradability are<br />
being made. This is misleading and false.<br />
The recent 2009 paper by Odeja et al. titled ‘Abiotic and<br />
Biotic degradation of oxo-biodegradable polyethylenes’ [7]<br />
is closest to the D6954 procedures. The oxo-biodegradable<br />
PE samples that were abiotically degraded in natural and<br />
saturated humidity for one year were biodegraded in a<br />
mixture of soil:compost:perlite (1:1:2) at 58°C for three<br />
months. The percent biodegradability as measured by<br />
evolved CO 2<br />
was 3.61% (abiotic natural humidity) and 5.70%<br />
(abiotic saturated humidity). The percent biodegradability for<br />
samples weathered for one year in PP envelopes in compost<br />
at 58°C was 12.4%, and at 25°C was 5.4% after three months.<br />
Given this kind of almost negligible biodegradability data<br />
after one year weathering and subsequent exposure to an<br />
aggressive, biologically active compost environment for 3<br />
months, it is surprising to note Professor Scott’s claim that<br />
oxo products will totally biodegrade in the environment. The<br />
above study shows that a significantly large amount of the<br />
degraded plastics some of which could be microscopic would<br />
be released into the environment.<br />
Environmental & Health Consequences<br />
Making hydrophobic polyolefin plastics like PE unstable<br />
and degradable, and releasing them into the environment<br />
without ensuring that the degraded fragments are completely<br />
assimilated by the microbial populations in a short time<br />
period, has the potential to harm the environment and<br />
create human health risks. The fragments, some of which<br />
could be microscopic can transport through the ecosystem<br />
and potentially have serious environmental and health<br />
consequences. In fact, stringent ‘REACH laws’ governing<br />
the release of almost all chemicals (small molecules) are<br />
becoming the norm in Europe and other countries including<br />
Canada, require the chemical to be completely assimilated by<br />
microorganisms in the ecosystem if it is to be released into<br />
the environment.<br />
In a recent Science article, Thompson et al. [8] reported<br />
that plastic debris around the globe can erode (degrade) away<br />
and end up as microscopic granular- or fibre-like fragments,<br />
and that these fragments have been steadily accumulating<br />
in the oceans. Their experiments show that marine animals<br />
consume microscopic bits of plastic, as seen in the digestive<br />
tract of an amphipod.<br />
The Algalita Marine Research Foundation [9] reports that<br />
degraded plastic residues can attract and hold hydrophobic<br />
elements like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and<br />
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) up to 1 million times<br />
background levels. The PCBs and DDTs are at background<br />
levels in soil, and diluted out, so as to not pose significant risk.<br />
However, degradable plastic residues with these high surface<br />
areas concentrate these chemicals, resulting in a toxic legacy<br />
in a form that may pose risks in the environment.<br />
Japanese researchers [10] have similarly reported that<br />
PCBs, DDE and nonylphenols (NP) can be detected in high<br />
concentrations in degraded PP resin pellets collected from<br />
four Japanese coasts. This work indicates that plastic<br />
residues may act as a transport medium for toxic chemicals<br />
in the marine environment<br />
More recently the issues surrounding microscopic plastics<br />
release into the environment and causing environmental and<br />
human health problems was the subject of recent issue of<br />
the Philosophical Transactions (of the Royal Society) B titled<br />
“Plastics, the Environment, and Human Health” [11].<br />
Conclusions<br />
1. Incorporating biodegradability into plastics in concert with<br />
targeted disposal system like composting or anaerobic<br />
digestion offers an environmentally responsible end-oflife<br />
value proposition.<br />
2. Weight loss and other physical, chemical and mechanical<br />
property reductions do not constitute a measure of the<br />
percent biodegradation, although they may help in the<br />
process.<br />
3. Microbial assimilation/utilization of the substrate carbon<br />
as measured by the evolved CO 2<br />
(aerobic) and CO 2<br />
+ CH 4<br />
(anaerobic) is a measure of biodegradability.<br />
4. Degradation or partial biodegradation is not an option as<br />
it may have potential environmental and human health<br />
consequences.<br />
5. Complete biodegradation (microbial assimilation) of the<br />
plastic substrate in the targeted disposal environment<br />
(like composting) in a short defined time period is a<br />
necessary requirement.<br />
Note: A complete list of references can be downloaded from<br />
www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/2<strong>01</strong>0<strong>01</strong><br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 41
From Science & Research<br />
Disposal of Bio-Polymers<br />
via Energy Recovery<br />
Article contributed by<br />
Christian Laußmann, Umweltreferendar Land<br />
Nordrhein-Westfalen<br />
Bezirksregierung Münster, Germany<br />
Hans-Josef Endres<br />
FH Hannover, Germany<br />
Ulrich Giese,<br />
Dt. Inst. f. Kautschuktechn. e. V.<br />
Hannover, Germany<br />
Ann-Sophie Kitzler<br />
Achilles Papierveredelung, Celle, Germany<br />
Calorific values of bio-polymers<br />
[MJ/kg]<br />
Polyethylene (PE)<br />
Polypropylene (PP)<br />
Polystyrene (PS)<br />
Polyamide (PA)<br />
Polycarbonate (PA)<br />
Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET)<br />
Polyvinylchloride (PVC)<br />
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)<br />
Bio-polyethylene<br />
Polycaprolactone (PCL) blend<br />
Bio-polyester<br />
Polyvinylalcohol (PVAL)<br />
Polyhydroxyalkanoate<br />
Polyester-PLA blend<br />
Starch blend<br />
Polylactide (PLA)<br />
Cellulose derivative / blend<br />
PP + 30% by wt. of wood flour<br />
Fuel oil<br />
Coal<br />
Wood<br />
Paper<br />
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50<br />
Fig 1. Measured calorific values of bio-polymers compared with<br />
those of conventional plastics and petrochemical fuels [5]<br />
References<br />
[1] General literature on the calorific value of gasoline and<br />
fuel oil<br />
[2] Troitzsch, J.: The combustion behaviour of plastics:<br />
basis, legislation, test procedures; Carl Hanser Verlag,<br />
Munich, Vienna 1982.<br />
[3] Kaminsky, W.; Rössler, H.; Sinn, H.: in KGK – Kautschuk<br />
Gummi Kunststoffe magazine 44 (1991), pp. 846<br />
[4] Endres, H.-J.; Hausmann, K.; Helmke, P.: Research<br />
into the influence of various adhesion agents and their<br />
content on PP/Wood compounds in: KGK – Kautschuk<br />
Gummi Kunststoffe magazine 7/8 (2006), pp. 399-404.<br />
[5] Endres, H.-J.; Siebert-Raths, A.: Technische<br />
Biopolymere, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich 2009<br />
To achieve a maximum degree of sustainability for biopolymers,<br />
even in the method of their disposal, there is<br />
increasing discussion on the subject of cascade benefits<br />
and CO 2<br />
reduction costs in connection with so-called ‘end of life<br />
options’ by adopting appropriate disposal options. The advantages<br />
of the ‘incineration’ option as a method of disposal, as<br />
opposed to simple waste disposal, is that additional energy recovery<br />
benefits are achieved which in view of the overwhelming<br />
bio-based component of bio-polymers represents a largely CO 2<br />
neutral method of energy production. Alongside this contribution<br />
to climate protection the incineration of bio-polymer waste<br />
also contributes to resource conservation in that petrochemical<br />
based sources of energy (e.g. heating oil and gasoline) can be<br />
substituted [1].<br />
From the point of view of environmental protection one<br />
also needs to consider the question of the composition of the<br />
combustion gases emitted by bio-polymers when considering<br />
their incineration and energy potential.<br />
Incineration of polymers<br />
In general, incineration (or burning) refers to the reaction<br />
of a substance in the presence of oxygen that is submitted to<br />
increasing temperature. It is a catalytic, exothermic reaction<br />
whose progress is maintained by the free radicals and heat<br />
radiation that it emits [2]. Pyrolysis, on the other hand, is an<br />
irreversible chemical breakdown resulting from increased<br />
temperature without the presence of oxygen and with no<br />
oxidation process [2, 3].<br />
The significant factors that affect the composition of the<br />
incineration gases are (i) the way in which energy is produced,<br />
(ii) the amount of oxygen available (ventilation) and (iii) the<br />
physical properties or chemical composition of the incinerated<br />
materials.<br />
Experiments<br />
To carry out comparative experiments, in addition to various<br />
bio-polymers, two conventional thermoplastics, polypropylene<br />
(PP) and a natural fibre reinforced polymer (WPC - wood plastic<br />
composite) with a high PP content (70%) and the coupling agent<br />
maleic acid anhydride, were selected [4]. The conventional<br />
polymers served as a reference against which one could evaluate<br />
the performance of the bio-polymers. For the experiments biopolymers<br />
from the following groups were selected:<br />
• Various bio-polyesters<br />
• Polyvinyl alcohol<br />
• Polycaprolactone<br />
• Polylactide<br />
• Starch polymers<br />
• Cellulose polymers<br />
• Bio-polyethylene<br />
• Various polymer blends<br />
42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
From Science & Research<br />
Results<br />
a) Calorific values<br />
In figure 1 the calorific values of the substances tested are<br />
presented and compared with some conventional plastics, a<br />
wood-filled plastic and various fuels.<br />
The comparison of the calorific values shows that the biopolymers<br />
tested are without exception suitable for thermal<br />
recovery because their calorific values are at least as high<br />
as that of wood and comparable to conventional polymers.<br />
Furthermore, the calorific values of a certain few biopolymers<br />
can compete with the values obtained from coal or<br />
fuel oil. The values of the various bio-polymers are almost<br />
always the same as the conventional plastics, i.e. they are<br />
a factor of the fundamental composition of the polymer,<br />
with the presence of oxidisable components (in the case of<br />
the materials tested these were carbon and hydrogen) in<br />
relation to the non-oxidisable components (in the case of the<br />
materials tested these were water, and in particular oxygen or<br />
nitrogen) being of major significance. Even the conventional<br />
plastics polyamides and PET, have lower calorific values than<br />
polypropylene and polyethylene, because of the heteroatoms<br />
nitrogen and oxygen.<br />
b) Emissions<br />
When investigating the combustion emissions it was seen<br />
that these were mainly influenced by the chemical composition<br />
of the bio-polymers and the combustion temperature.<br />
At the lower combustion temperature (400°C) the gases<br />
in many cases exhibit, as expected, structural compositions<br />
similar to those from the incinerated polymers. The<br />
composition of the combustion gas hence consists, in a large<br />
part, of the relevant monomers, oligomers and chain breaks<br />
which are partially oxidised to form aldehydes and ketones.<br />
And so the bio-polymers emit the corresponding carbonic<br />
acid esters, caprolactone in the case of polycaprolactone and<br />
dilactide and lactide oligomers in the case of polylactides.<br />
With increasing temperature of combustion the increased<br />
atomization of the fuel fragments the structural relationship<br />
between polymers and the associated combustion product is<br />
reduced.<br />
A general view of the influence exerted by the combustion<br />
temperature on the bio-polymer tested, and on PP as a<br />
classic petrochemical olefin, is given in table 1.<br />
Combustion gas<br />
Structural relationship<br />
to the original polymer<br />
Key factor in the type of<br />
combustion emission<br />
Product spectrum<br />
Completeness of<br />
combustion<br />
(Eco)toxological hazard<br />
of the substances<br />
Combustion<br />
temperature 400°C<br />
Often present<br />
Fundamental elements<br />
and polymer structure<br />
Diversified several<br />
substance groups<br />
Combustion<br />
temperature 800°C<br />
Hardly ever present<br />
Almost exclusively<br />
fundamental elements<br />
Very little diversification<br />
aromatic compounds<br />
dominant<br />
Lower Higher more CO 2<br />
,<br />
CO and H 2<br />
O than the<br />
break-up product<br />
Less frequent incidence More significant<br />
incidence<br />
Table 1: Comparative impact of temperature on the character of the<br />
combustion gases<br />
Amongst the combustion gases from almost all of<br />
the polymers tested certain substances classified as<br />
(eco)toxologically critical were found, with the aromatics<br />
benzene, toluene and naphthaline being the most common.<br />
The formation of these substances is observed principally at<br />
the 800°C combustion temperature, but also, to a reduced<br />
extent, at 400°C. In this connection it is important to note that<br />
the formation of these critical substances is not limited to the<br />
purely hydrocarbon based plastics such as PP, but that the<br />
substances were detected in the combustion gases of almost<br />
all of the tested polymers, i.e. also in those containing oxygen.<br />
At the higher combustion temperatures it can be seen that<br />
the dependency of composition of a polymer‘s combustion<br />
gases of the elementary structure of the polymer is reduced,<br />
and that the origin of the raw materials is of no significance.<br />
Furthermore, the fact that a renewable source for the raw<br />
materials is of no significance in determining the nature of<br />
the combustion gas, is seen in the example of bio-PE where<br />
the same products were identified in the combustion gas<br />
as those seen in the combustion gas of conventional PE.<br />
The composition of the combustion gases is therefore not<br />
determined by the raw material basis but above all by the<br />
elementary composition of the polymer.<br />
Summary<br />
The evaluation of the test results showed that the biopolymer<br />
materials tested for their calorific value are without<br />
exception suitable for thermal energy recovery. As with other<br />
materials and fuels, the calorific value and the composition<br />
of the combustion gas of a bio-polymer is in principal<br />
determined only by the elementary composition of the<br />
material and any additives. With regard to the composition<br />
of the combustion gas, even with bio-polymers a few<br />
(eco)toxicologically critical substances were identified. The<br />
fact that a substance is biodegradable does not necessarily<br />
mean that when such a substance is burned there will be<br />
no emission of (eco)toxicologically critical substances. But<br />
in this context it should should however be pointed out that<br />
these types of decomposition products also occur during<br />
thermal energy recovery of conventional plastics and even<br />
natural materials such as wood.<br />
In addition the general recognition that the higher<br />
combustion temperature of 800°C is not favourable from<br />
an ecotoxicological point of view in terms of the combustion<br />
gases produced, has been confirmed. When burning biopolymers<br />
there is no higher potential for the emission of<br />
hazardous substances than when burning conventional<br />
domestic and trade waste.<br />
Biobased polymers do however have an additional<br />
decisive advantage: burning bio-polymers is a largely CO 2<br />
neutral source of energy creation thanks to their basis of<br />
overwhelmingly renewable raw materials, and hence the<br />
burning of bio-polymers represents a logical and sustainable<br />
waste disposal system with an additional energy cascade<br />
benefit.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 43
Basics<br />
Basics<br />
of Cellulosics<br />
Article contributed by<br />
S. Zepnik, A. Kesselring, R. Kopitzky, C. Michels,<br />
all Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Oberhausen, Germany<br />
CH 2<br />
OH<br />
H OH<br />
O<br />
H<br />
H<br />
O<br />
OH H<br />
OH H<br />
H<br />
H H<br />
O<br />
O<br />
H OH<br />
CH 2<br />
OH<br />
n<br />
Fig. 1: Molecular structure of cellulose [3].<br />
S<br />
OH<br />
O<br />
HO<br />
S<br />
OH<br />
O<br />
O<br />
NaOH + CS 2<br />
O O O<br />
OR<br />
O C<br />
S - Na +<br />
O<br />
O<br />
O<br />
O<br />
OH HO OH n<br />
RO OR RO OR<br />
R = C<br />
S - Na +<br />
Fig. 2: Treatment of cellulose with alkali and carbon disulfide [5].<br />
Cellulose, as a major component of plants, is the<br />
most abundant raw material and therefore one<br />
of the oldest and most widely used chemical in<br />
the world. Cellulose (Fig. 1) is a polysaccharide consisting<br />
of anhydroglucose units (D-glucose units) linked together<br />
by ß-(14) glycosidic bonds to form linear chain<br />
structures [1]. The degree of crystallinity and the crystal<br />
structure depends on the origin and pretreatment of<br />
the cellulose. In general the polymer is not processable<br />
as a thermoplastic, it is very stiff and is insoluble in water<br />
and most common organic solvents as a result of<br />
the very strong hydrogen bond network formed by the<br />
hydroxyl groups and the ring and bridge oxygen atoms<br />
[1]. The cohesion between the chains is favoured by the<br />
high spatial regularity of the hydrogen-bond forming<br />
parts [2].<br />
Cellulose is derived either from wood pulp or cotton<br />
linters by delignification in a multi-step process<br />
and because of its unprocessable behaviour the raw<br />
cellulose is modified. The modification of cellulose is<br />
often combined with depolymerisation by oxidation,<br />
acid or alkaline reactions and laundering [3].<br />
Viscose solutions, cellulose esters and ethers are<br />
the major groups of chemically modified cellulose<br />
derivatives. They have been used in a wide range of<br />
applications such as fibres, films or plastics.<br />
Viscose Solutions<br />
Pure cellulose is treated with a strong base e.g. sodium<br />
hydroxide (‘alkalization’) and then mixed together with<br />
carbon disulfide to obtain cellulose xanthate (Fig. 2)<br />
[4]. This viscose is extruded into an acid solution either<br />
through a slit die to produce cellophane or through a<br />
spinneret to receive rayon fibres.<br />
Rayon was the first man-made manufactured fibre<br />
based on renewable raw cellulose. Today there are two<br />
basic processes to produce rayon – the viscose method<br />
and the cupramonium method (cuprammonium silk).<br />
Other methods such as the nitrocellulose process are<br />
negligible due to their inefficiency. Different types of<br />
rayon – regular rayon, high wet modulus rayon, high<br />
tenacity rayon, crupamonium rayon – can be produced.<br />
The properties of rayon fibres are more similar to those<br />
of other natural fibres such as cotton rather than those<br />
of thermoplastic fibres such as nylon. Rayon exhibits a<br />
silk-like appearance coupled with a good maintenance<br />
of its brilliant colours [6]. As a natural fibre, rayon is<br />
a highly moisture absorbent and breathable material<br />
which is easy to dye. The fibre shows antistatic<br />
behaviour and does not pill during fabrication [6]. In<br />
general, rayon as a cellulose-based fibre shows high<br />
flammability but the use of a flame retardant can<br />
44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Basics<br />
improve the flame protection. A major advantage is its ability and versatility<br />
to blend with other fibres. Rayon is used in a wide range of applications, e.g.<br />
yarns, textiles or reinforcements (Fig. 3).<br />
Cellophane<br />
Cellophane is a cellulose-based thin and highly transparent film made<br />
from viscose solutions under special process condition to obtain a nonbrittle<br />
plasticized film. Finally the film is dried and rolled up through heated<br />
mills. In the 90’s the Fraunhofer Institute IAP developed a new process<br />
based on an amine oxide method to produce blown films from cellophane<br />
[7]. Thanks to its biodegradability and low permeability to air, oils, greases,<br />
and bacteria but with a coincidental high permeability to water vapour,<br />
cellophane is widely used for food packaging. The films are printable and<br />
weldable. Further applications of cellophane are self-adhesive tapes, semipermeable<br />
membranes or even displays. Cellophane is a brand of Innovia<br />
Films Ltd (Cumbria, UK) [8].<br />
Fig. 3: Example of Rayon yarn (photo: Wikipedia)<br />
Cellulose Esters (organic and inorganic)<br />
Due to its structure with three reactive OH-groups on each anhydroglucose<br />
units, cellulose can be transformed into various numbers of organic and<br />
inorganic acid esters [9]. However industrial esterification is limited to<br />
derivatives with reproducible properties. Therefore esterified organic esters<br />
are obtained only from a small range of saturated aliphatic organic acids<br />
with up to four carbon atoms [9]. The most important organic cellulose<br />
esters which are in large-scale production are cellulose (di)acetate (CA),<br />
cellulose (tri)acetate (CTA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and cellulose<br />
acetate propionate (CAP). CA, CAB and CAP are white amorphous materials<br />
whereas CTA is semi-crystalline. They are commercially available as<br />
powders or flakes [9]. Major suppliers of the raw esters are Acetati Spa,<br />
Celanese, Daicel, Eastman or Rhodia.<br />
Property CA CAB CAP<br />
Density [g/cm³] 1,23 - 1,32 1,16 - 1,21 1,19 - 1,21<br />
Flexural Modulus [MPa] 758 - 4210 827 - 1790 1160 - 1860<br />
Tensile Strength [MPa] 39,5 - 125 15,9 - 51,5 22,1 - 41,5<br />
Tensile Elongation [%] 2,2 - 70 30 - 51 3 - 45<br />
Rockwell Hardness 38 - 112 40 - 83 55 - 96<br />
Notched Izod Impact [J/m] 51 - 195 80 - 534 80,6 - 533<br />
Table 1: Some properties of CA, CAB and CAP [according to 10]. Fluctuation range is<br />
due to plastizer and additive content<br />
They are non-toxic, odorless and less flammable than nitrocellulose.<br />
Furthermore these esters show good resistance to weak acids, mineral<br />
and fatty oils as well as petroleum [9]. Typical properties of CA, CAB and<br />
CAP are compared in table 1. Because of the narrow window between the<br />
melting and decomposition temperature as well as the strong interactions<br />
between the non-esterified OH-groups these cellulose esters must<br />
be additivated to produce thermoplastic materials. The easiest way is<br />
plasticization, whereas blending is another possibility [11], but due to high<br />
hydrogen Hansen solubility parameters blending is limited. On the other<br />
hand the incorporation of a second substituent into CA (e.g. CAB) weakens<br />
the strong hydrogen network and enhances the miscibility with plasticizers<br />
or polymers. Therefore the mouldability and modification of CAB and CAP<br />
is generally better than for CA.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 45
Basics<br />
Virgin CA has a high glass transition with a degree of polymerization (DP)<br />
around 300, a high transparency, stiffness and chemical resistance. These<br />
properties are favourable for solvent-resistant and grease-resistant coatings<br />
(paper products, wires or fabrics), fibres, lacquers (electrical insulation or<br />
capacitors) or filter tows [12;13]. In 2002, the total consumption of CA flakes<br />
in the United States, Western Europe, Japan, and China was 655,000 tonnes<br />
[13]. Raw CAB is used as binders in protective and decorative coatings for<br />
instance for. textiles, paper, plastics or metals because of its excellent<br />
colour, toughness, flexibility, flow control and weather resistance [12]. Pure<br />
CAP exhibits properties between CA and CAB that make it useful for inks,<br />
varnishes or coatings [12]. Furthermore CAP is highly effective to disperse<br />
pigments since it is stable to UV-light and does not react with metallic<br />
pigments or fluorescent substances.<br />
Plastics made of CA, CAB or CAP can be used for different processing<br />
technologies including injection moulding or extrusion, to manufacture a<br />
wide range of products such as cosmetic or personal care containers, tool<br />
or toothbrush handles, displays, optical safety frames and profiles (Fig. 4).<br />
The most important producers of cellulose ester compounds are Albis<br />
Plastic GmbH (Cellidor CP, Cellidor CB), Eastman (Tenite Acetate, Tenite<br />
Butyrate, Tenite Propionate), FKuR GmbH (BIOGRADE), Mazzucchelli<br />
(Sethilithe, Plastiloid, Bioceta) and Rotuba (Auracell, Naturacell).<br />
Further applications of cellulose esters are liquid crystalline solutions [11].<br />
CTA dissolved in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid or<br />
trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane exhibits brilliant iridescence, high<br />
optical rotation and viscosity-temperature profiles characteristic of a typical<br />
anisotropic phase containing liquid crystalline solutions [13]. Wet spinning<br />
of these solutions results in fibres with significantly higher strength than<br />
conventional cellulose ester based fibres.<br />
Fig. 4: Example products made of<br />
BIOGRADE (FKuR GmbH)<br />
Nitrocellulose<br />
Nitrocellulose (NC) is the most important inorganic cellulose ester. It<br />
has been produced for more than 150 years by nitrating cellulose through<br />
exposure to nitric acid or other nitrating agent (often a mixture of nitric and<br />
sulphuric acid). The density of NC increases with the DS (DS is between<br />
1.8 and 2.8) and ranges from 1.5 to 1.7 g/cm³ [14]. In general, cellulose<br />
nitrates are white, transparent and non-toxic but show high flammability or<br />
even deflagration due to friction or shock. Because of its flammability this<br />
inorganic cellulose ester is used in military explosives [14]. With a dielectric<br />
constant of about 7 and a specific resistance of 10 11 to 10 12 Ω/cm, industrial<br />
NC is considered to be a good insulator. The mixture with camphor as<br />
plasticizer was the first thermoplastic compound to produce flexible films<br />
for X-ray or photo applications (Eastman Kodak). They show excellent filmforming<br />
properties with an elongation at break from 3 to 70% and a tensile<br />
strength from 50 to 100 N/mm² [14]. Today cellulose nitrate is often used in<br />
lacquer, coating or printing ink applications because of its good adhesive<br />
and mechanical properties. NC is compatible with many other raw materials<br />
including plasticizers (e.g. phthalates), polymers (e.g. polyesters), pigments<br />
or additives. The total annual production of NC amounts to approximately<br />
150.000 tonnes [14]. DOW Chemical (DOW Wolff), Hagedorn NC and Nobel<br />
Nitrocellulose are major suppliers of NC.<br />
Cellulose Ethers<br />
Cellulose ethers are derived from alkylation of pure cellulose by the<br />
reaction with alkylating reagents usually in presence of a base (generally<br />
sodium hydroxide) and an inert diluent (Fig. 5). The base, in combination<br />
with water, activates the cellulose matrix by destroying hydrogen-bonded<br />
46 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Basics<br />
Cellulose<br />
Sodium hydroxide<br />
Water<br />
Organic diluent<br />
Alkylating reagent(s)<br />
Aqueous diluents or water<br />
Reaction Purification Drying Grinding Packout<br />
By-products,<br />
organic diluent,<br />
water<br />
Organic diluent,<br />
water<br />
Fig. 5: General operation scheme for the production of<br />
cellulose ethers [15].<br />
crystalline domains and increasing accessibility to the<br />
alkylating reagent. The activated matrix is often defined as<br />
alkali cellulose. [15].<br />
The most important cellulose ethers are watersoluble<br />
and therefore a key additive in many water-based<br />
formulations to control the rheology (e.g. thickening or flow<br />
behaviour). Water-binding (absorbency, retention), colloid<br />
and suspension stabilization, film formation, lubrication and<br />
gelation are further valuable properties. Therefore cellulose<br />
ethers still have a broad range of applications including<br />
coatings, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, adhesives, printings,<br />
ceramics, textiles or papers [15]. In 2000 the total worldwide<br />
consumption of cellulose ethers was around 371,000<br />
tonnes.<br />
Methyl, ethyl and benzyl cellulose have been available<br />
since the mid-1930s and are soluble in organic solvents.<br />
Water-soluble cellulose ethers like sodium carboxymethyl<br />
cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose have grown rapidly in<br />
the past decades since their investigation. In addition to<br />
dry powders, cellulose ethers are also supplied in liquid<br />
forms such as fluidized suspensions or water solutions.<br />
Most types of ethers contain mixed substituents (e.g.<br />
hydroxylethyl cellulose) to enhance or adjust the properties<br />
of monosubstituted derivatives. In general, cellulose ethers<br />
are non-toxic and no adverse environmental factors are<br />
reported.<br />
Ethyl cellulose (EC) is a nonionic, water-insoluble but<br />
organo-soluble polymer with a specific gravity of 1.12 to<br />
1.15 g/cm³ [15]. Furthermore it is colourless, odorless and<br />
tasteless with a melting point around 160°C. Typical tensile<br />
strength lies between 46 and 72 MPa, whereas the elongation<br />
at break ranges from 7 to 30 % [15]. It is manufactured<br />
by the reaction of alkali cellulose with a large amount of<br />
ethylene chloride and sodium hydroxide. EC has a wide<br />
range of applications from food through pharmaceutical to<br />
personal care including water barriers, rheology modifiers,<br />
binders, flexible film formers, masking or time-release<br />
agents. Moreover EC provides excellent thermoplasticity<br />
and modification behaviour by using plasticizers, waxes<br />
or other polymers. Therefore, the polymer is available for<br />
conventional thermoplastic processing technologies such<br />
as extrusion, laminating or moulding. The major producers<br />
of EC are DOW Chemical (DOW Wolff) and Hercules.<br />
Methyl cellulose (MC) is a nonionic, surface-active and<br />
water-soluble polymer with a high melting point around<br />
290°C [15]. The tensile strength runs from 58 to 79 MPa and<br />
the elongation at break ranges from 10 to 15 % [15]. MC is<br />
produced through reaction of alkali cellulose with methylene<br />
chloride. Major suppliers of MC as well as mixed methyl<br />
cellulose ethers (e.g. hydroxylpropyl methyl cellulose) are<br />
Clariant, Cognis, DOW Chemical (DOW Wolff), Hercules,<br />
or Shin-Etsu Chemical. MC and its derivatives are used as<br />
thickeners, binder, adhesive, coatings or stabilizer [15].<br />
Sodium carboxylmethyl cellulose (CMC), also known as<br />
cellulose gum, is an anionic mixed cellulose ether with a<br />
wide range of substitution. CMC is soluble in hot and cold<br />
water whereas it is not soluble in organic solvents. Solutions<br />
of CMC tend to be pseudoplastic or thixotropic depending<br />
on the molecular weight [16]. It is produced by reaction of<br />
sodium chloroacetate with alkali cellulose. The molecular<br />
weight of CMC ranges from 9 x 10 4 to 7 x 10 5 and has a high<br />
water binding capacity. In general, CMC is an extremely<br />
versatile polymer for food applications, as adhesives, in<br />
pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, ceramics or paper products<br />
[15]. CMC is produced by a large number of suppliers<br />
worldwide, e.g. Daicel, DOW Chemical (DOW Wolff), Hercules,<br />
Lamberti, Penn Carbose.<br />
www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de<br />
References<br />
[1] T. Heinze, et al.: Esterification of Polysaccharides, Springer,<br />
2006.<br />
[2] D. Klemm, et al.: Comprehensive Cellulose Chemistry<br />
– Volume 1: Fundamentals and Analytical Methods, WILEY-<br />
VCH, 1998.<br />
[3] E. Ott, et al.: Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives, 2nd Edition,<br />
Interscience Publishers, 1954.<br />
[4] H. Krässig, et al.: Cellulose, in: Ullmann‘s Encyclopedia of<br />
Industrial Chemistry, WILEY Interscience, 2004.<br />
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayon [04.12.2009].<br />
[6] http://www.swicofil.com/viscose.html [30.11.2009].<br />
[7] http://idw-online.de/de/news2591 [04.12.2009].<br />
[8] http://www.innoviafilms.com/ [04.12.2009].<br />
[9] K. Balser, et al.: Cellulose esters, in: Ullmann‘s Encyclopedia<br />
of Industrial Chemistry, WILEY Interscience, 2004.<br />
[10] http://www.ides.com/generics/CA/CA_typical_properties.htm<br />
[06.12.2009].<br />
[11] L. B. Bottenbruch: 3. Technische Thermoplaste: Polycarbonate,<br />
Polyacetale, Polyester, Celluloseester, in G. W. Becker, D.<br />
Braun: Kunststoff-Handbuch, Hanser Verlag, 1992.<br />
[12] Eastman cellulose-based speciality polymers, Eastman<br />
Chemical Company, www.eastman.com [06.12.2009].<br />
[13] K. J. Edgar: Cellulose esters, organic, Vol. 9, in H. F. Mark:<br />
Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Part III, Vol.<br />
9-12, 3rd edition, WILEY Interscience, 2004, pp 129-158.<br />
[14] D. Klemm et al.: Comprehensive Cellulose Chemistry – Volume<br />
2: Functionalization of Cellulose, WILEY-VCH, 1998.<br />
[15] T. G. Majewicz, et al.: Cellulose ethers, Vol. 5, in H. F. Mark:<br />
Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Part II, Vol.<br />
5-8, 3rd edition, WILEY Interscience, 2004, pp 507-532.<br />
[16] Ethocel – Ethylcellulose Polymers: Technical Handbook, DOW<br />
Cellulosics, 2005, www.dow.com [11.12.2009].<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 47
Politics<br />
Bioplastics<br />
Situation in Brazil<br />
Article contributed by:<br />
João Carlos de Godoy Moreira<br />
CEO, Biomater Eco-Materiais<br />
São Carlos, SP, Brazil<br />
Décio Escobar de Oliveira Ladislau<br />
Economist<br />
Master in Environmental Science<br />
author of the Blog Bioplastic News<br />
The Brazilian bioplastics industry demonstrates its potential: new<br />
production facilities are ready to go, new applications are in the final<br />
stage of development and the market is gaining the attention of<br />
the government. But there is still a lack of specific legislation, and a lack<br />
of consumer and media understanding.<br />
This article tries to summarise the background to the technical and<br />
market developments which have made biobased and biodegradable<br />
plastics a reality today. Biobased and biodegradable plastics caught<br />
the attention of the mainstream media when several municipalities,<br />
in very different Brazilian states, started to promote municipal and<br />
state legislation banning ‘normal‘ plastic bags, or to grant benefits for<br />
biodegradable and compostable products or for those with a potential<br />
carbon footprint advantage.<br />
Last year there were 44 initiatives, at all levels of government, with regard<br />
to legislation in favour of biodegradable plastics. Apparently independent<br />
from each other, these initiatives were the start of a movement in favour<br />
of, and a general discussion on, biodegradable plastics in the media and in<br />
government. While some legislative projects promoted ‘oxo-degradable‘<br />
plastics, showing a lack of information of the legislators, other federal<br />
Environment Ministry representatives are quite well informed and have<br />
made clear statements on this subject. Two representatives from the<br />
petrochemicals and plastics industry, Plastivida and National Plastic<br />
Institute (INP), have also made clear their derogatory view of ‘oxodegradable’<br />
plastic and support the general negative consensus on these<br />
materials. A Solid Wastes National Policy project is currently at the stage<br />
of final debate in the National Congress and a consensus about the right<br />
initiatives is near.<br />
Recently, some companies directly involved in the compostable<br />
bioplastics business (BASF, Corn Products, Innovia, Biomater Eco-<br />
Materiais, Rodenburg Biopolymers, Natur-Tec and CBPack) got together<br />
and formed ABICOM - the Brazilian Association of Compostable Plastics.<br />
The main aims of this new association are education, and promotion<br />
48 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Bioplastics@<br />
interpack 2<strong>01</strong>1<br />
Düsseldorf, 12-18 May 2<strong>01</strong>1<br />
Your Way to interpack:<br />
www.interpack.com<br />
of biopolymers and compostable plastics in general.<br />
Legislative initiatives will be supported and a ‘compostable<br />
logo‘, based on a third party certification program, is to be<br />
established. This is to be backed by the Brazilian standard<br />
ABNT NBR 15448, which corresponds to ASTM D6400 and<br />
EN13432 standards.<br />
Following the examples from ABA (the Australasian<br />
Bioplastics Association) and TBIA (the Thailand<br />
Bioplastics Industry Association), ABICOM will endeavour<br />
to work in close cooperation with the successful and well<br />
structured European Bioplastics Association. Headed<br />
by Veruska Regolin (Innovia Films), ABICOM is about<br />
to start inviting others players (converters, end users,<br />
consumers, bioplastics and raw material producers,<br />
NGO’s), from all sectors involved in the development of<br />
this supply chain, to join forces. The goals are to pursue<br />
the dialogue with the government, support the education<br />
process and install a certification system with an official<br />
‘compostable and biobased logo‘ for correct identication<br />
and traceability of certified products.<br />
Meanwhile, a number of compostable bioplastics<br />
start-up companies in Brazil are preparing themselves<br />
for the business ahead. Joint ventures are being formed<br />
and all the major players are now scaling up pilot plants<br />
or launching their new bioplastic businesses on an<br />
industrial scale. The first items produced from bioplastics<br />
materials were introduced to the market about 4 or 5<br />
years ago, mostly in the form of packaging and shopping<br />
bags. Many of them were, and still are, produced in<br />
pilot plants or using imported raw materials. Recently<br />
several new and different bioplastic products have been<br />
launched onto market. The market is moving quickly and<br />
the strongest point is that Brazil has an abundance of<br />
clean energy and a huge capacity to produce renewable<br />
agricultural resources on a very competitive basis.<br />
Examples are starches, sugar cane, tobacco, vegetable<br />
oils, or cellulose for PLA, TPS, PHA and other biopolymer<br />
product families.<br />
Also the technologies related to ethanol and vegetable<br />
oil conversion have become commercially available. The<br />
Book noW!<br />
closing Date:<br />
28 Feb. 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 49
Politics<br />
ethanol produced in Brazil today (about 23 billion litres per year) uses only 1.5%<br />
of the arable land. Brazil is working to double productivity in the same area<br />
by investing in technological improvements, without using genetically modified<br />
sugar cane. This means that the use of cane sugar is not impacting the balance<br />
of food production. The crops to produce biofuels are harvested far away from<br />
the rainforests and conservation areas, occupying about 10 million hectares of a<br />
total of 1.6 billion hectares of arable land.<br />
Worldwide production of bioplastics on a commercial level has raised<br />
concerns about possible competition for natural resources and land. Brazil is<br />
trying to convince the global community that it is indeed possible to produce<br />
food, beverages, biomaterials, natural fibres, fuel and electricity in some cases<br />
from agricultural products, in a competitive and sustainable way. Thus there is<br />
no place for the last remnants of neo-Malthusians who want to bury advances<br />
being made in agricultural technology.<br />
Issues such as these promise to generate less controversy on such a scale at<br />
the start the production of bioplastics from non-food biomass, such as bagasse<br />
from cane sugar or agricultural waste or tobacco. Another strong point in<br />
Brazil‘s favour is that biofuel production could also provide a platform for the socalled<br />
second generation of bioplastics, which can also use the lignin, cellulose<br />
(biomass), glycerine and other by-products of biodiesel and others.<br />
The petrochemical company Braskem is a pioneer in the large-scale production<br />
of a sustainable plastic resin made from ethanol, well known in Brazil as<br />
‘Green Plastic‘. However, there are more investment projects by petrochemical<br />
companies in biobased polymers, the most significant in the short-term being:<br />
• Braskem: 200,000 tonnes per annum of HDPE made from ethanol. Investments<br />
of US$ 150 millions. Start-up in 2<strong>01</strong>0.<br />
• Dow Chemical and Cristalsev: 350,000 tonnes per annum of LLDPE made<br />
from ethanol. Investment of US$ 1 billion. Start-up in 2<strong>01</strong>1.<br />
• Solvay: 60,000 tonnes per annum of PVC in 2<strong>01</strong>1 based on ethanol.<br />
• Quattor: 100,000 tonnes per annum in 2<strong>01</strong>2 of propylene based on glycerine<br />
for PP production.<br />
• Oxiteno: Production of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol from the<br />
hydrogenolysis of sugar cane. ‘Biorefinery concept’ using 50,000 hectares,<br />
enough to produce 4 million tonnes of cane per year. Estimated investment<br />
of US$ 300 million.<br />
Apparently the development of technology in many fields of biopolymers is not<br />
a problem for Brazil. There has been a lot of investment and work carried out<br />
for a long period of time in universities, research centres and private companies.<br />
In addition there is a great effort by the government in funding research for<br />
industry and academia.<br />
Especially in this kind of industry the use of renewable resources will be<br />
based on the sustainability triangle (economic, social and environmental). This<br />
opens the market for further agricultural activities providing more than food<br />
and animal feed, thus helping to balance the complicated competitiveness of<br />
this sector which is subject to the weather and its consequences in harvest<br />
productivity and final prices. And better than that, this will create thousands<br />
of new ‘green jobs‘ in these agro-idustries. Brazil is very committed to being a<br />
society living with low-carbon emissions in the near future. And of course this<br />
new industry, in conjunction with sustainable management of agriculture, has<br />
much to contribute to this scenario.<br />
www.biomater.com.br<br />
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 51
Event<br />
Calender<br />
Feb. 17 , 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
CO 2<br />
-Emissionshandel nach 2<strong>01</strong>2 -<br />
die Konsequenzen des Klimagipfels von Kopenhagen<br />
Westhafen Tower (Beiten Burkhardt),<br />
Frankfurt/M., Germany<br />
www.agrion.org<br />
Feb. 24 , 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Algenbiomasse - Eine ökologische und<br />
ökonomische Perspektive für Hessen<br />
Darmstadt, EUMETSAT Zentrale,<br />
Darmstadt, Germany<br />
www.cib-frankfurt.de<br />
March 3-4, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
25. Internationales<br />
Kunststofftechnisches Kolloquium<br />
Eurogress, Aachen, Germany<br />
www.ikv-kolloquium.de<br />
March 8-10, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
GPEC 2<strong>01</strong>0 - Global Plastics<br />
Environmental Conference<br />
The Florida Hotel & Conference Center Orlando,<br />
Florida, USA<br />
www.4spe.org<br />
March 14-16, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
3rd Workshop ,,Fats and Oils as Renewable<br />
Feedstock for the Chemical Industry“<br />
Emden / Germany<br />
www.abiosus.org<br />
March 15-17, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Worldbiofuels Markets<br />
Amsterdam / Netherlands<br />
www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com<br />
March 15-17, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
4th annual Sustainability in<br />
Packaging Conference & Exhibition<br />
Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, Florida, USA<br />
www.sustainability-in-packaging.com<br />
March 16-17, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
EnviroPlas 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Brussels, Belgium<br />
www.ismithers.net<br />
March 31 - April <strong>01</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Bioplastics and Green Composites 2<strong>01</strong>0 Workshop<br />
Delta Hotel, Guelph, Ontario, Canada<br />
www.bioplastics2<strong>01</strong>0.com<br />
April 13-15, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Innovation Takes Root 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
The Four Seasions - Dallas, Texas, USA<br />
www.InnovationTakesRoot.com<br />
52 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Events<br />
April 16-18, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
CannaTrade - International Hemp Fair<br />
Basel / Schweiz<br />
www.cannatrade.com<br />
April 19-21, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
CHINAPLAS 2<strong>01</strong>0 - Green Plastics .<br />
Our Goal . Our Future<br />
Industrial Forum<br />
Shanghai New International Expo<br />
Center, Pudong, Shanghia, China<br />
www.chinaplasonline.com<br />
April 20-22, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
7th Wood-Plastic Composites 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Vienna / Austria<br />
www.amiplastics.com<br />
May 02-04, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
11th International Conference<br />
on Biocomposites<br />
Toronto / Canada<br />
www.biocomposites-toronto.com<br />
May 03-07, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
18th European Biomass Conference<br />
and Exhibition<br />
Frankreich / Lyon<br />
www.conference-biomass.com<br />
May 06, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Nachwachsende Rohstoffe<br />
und pflanzliche Chemie<br />
Frankfurt/Main, Germany<br />
www.agrion.org<br />
June 07-09, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
6th International Conference on<br />
Renewable Resources & Biorefineries<br />
Düsseldorf / Germany<br />
www.rrbconference.com<br />
June 22-23, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
8th Global WPC and Natural Fibre<br />
Composites Congress an Exhibition<br />
Fellbach (near Stuttgart), Germany<br />
www.wpc-nfk.de<br />
Sept. 09-10, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
8th International Symposium „Raw<br />
Materials from Renewable Resources“<br />
Erfurt, Germany<br />
www.narotech.de<br />
April 20-21, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
3. Biowerkstoffkongress<br />
Hannover-Messe 2<strong>01</strong>0, Germany<br />
www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de<br />
April 22-23, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
7th European Thermoforming<br />
onference<br />
Hilton Hotel, Antwerpen, Belgium<br />
www.e-t-d.org<br />
May 17-19, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
3rd International Conference<br />
on Engineering for Waste and<br />
Biomass Valorisation<br />
Beijing / China<br />
www.wasteeng10.org<br />
www.plastico.com<br />
Werbeanzeige:210x148,5 26.<strong>01</strong>.2<strong>01</strong>0 13:59 Uhr Seite 1<br />
May 26-27, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Envase Sostenible<br />
(i.e. Sustainable Packaging)<br />
Sheraton Hotel, Bogotá, Colombia<br />
Sept. 10-12, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
naro.tech 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
Erfurt, Germany<br />
www.narotech.de<br />
Oct. 27 - Nov. 03, 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
K‘ 2<strong>01</strong>0 - International trade Fair No.1<br />
for Plastics & Rubber Worldwide<br />
Düsseldorf, Germany<br />
www.k-online.de/<br />
Bilder: nova-Institut<br />
www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de<br />
Dritter Biowerkstoff-Kongress 2<strong>01</strong>0<br />
International Congress on Bio-based Plastics and Composites<br />
20. – 21. April 2<strong>01</strong>0, HANNOVER MESSE, Convention Center, Raum 2<br />
Partner<br />
Media Partner<br />
Bio-based products are based completely or in relevant quantities on agrarian commodities or wood.<br />
Typically bio-based products are made of Wood Plastic Composites (WPC), Naturalfibre Reinforced Plastics<br />
and Bio-based Plastics. Besides, the congress has the following main topics:<br />
■ Industries and applications<br />
■ Marktsituaton and trends<br />
■ Processing procedures and material qualities<br />
■ Research and development<br />
Practically oriented for developers, producers, trades and users.<br />
Further information regarding the innovation award on bio-based products 2<strong>01</strong>0, programme and re gistration<br />
at: www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de<br />
Organiser<br />
Contact: Dominik Vogt, Tel.: +49 (0) 2233 4814– 49, dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de<br />
You can meet us!<br />
Please contact us in advance by e-mail.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 53<br />
nova-Institut GmbH | Chemiepark Knapsack | Industriestrasse | 50354 Huerth | Germany | contact@nova-institut.de | www.nova-institut.de/nr
Basics<br />
Glossary<br />
In bioplastics MAGAZINE again and again<br />
the same expressions appear that some of our<br />
readers might (not yet) be familiar with. This<br />
glossary shall help with these terms and shall<br />
help avoid repeated explanations such as ‘PLA<br />
(Polylactide)‘ in various articles.<br />
Bioplastics (as defined by European Bioplastics<br />
e.V.) is a term used to define two different<br />
kinds of plastics:<br />
a. Plastics based on renewable resources (the<br />
focus is the origin of the raw material used)<br />
b. à Biodegradable and compostable plastics<br />
according to EN13432 or similar standards<br />
(the focus is the compostability of the final<br />
product; biodegradable and compostable<br />
plastics can be based on renewable (biobased)<br />
and/or non-renewable (fossil) resources).<br />
Bioplastics may be<br />
- based on renewable resources and biodegradable;<br />
- based on renewable resources but not be<br />
biodegradable; and<br />
- based on fossil resources and biodegradable.<br />
Amylopectin | Polymeric branched starch<br />
molecule with very high molecular weight<br />
(biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose)<br />
[bM 05/2009].<br />
Amyloseacetat | Linear polymeric glucosechains<br />
are called à amylose. If this compound<br />
is treated with ethan acid one product<br />
is amylacetat. The hydroxyl group is connected<br />
with the organic acid fragment.<br />
Amylose | Polymeric non-branched starch<br />
molecule with high molecular weight (biopolymer,<br />
monomer is à Glucose) [bM 05/2009].<br />
Biodegradable Plastics | Biodegradable<br />
Plastics are plastics that are completely assimilated<br />
by the à microorganisms present a<br />
defined environment as food for their energy.<br />
The carbon of the plastic must completely be<br />
converted into CO 2 during the microbial process.<br />
For an official definition, please refer to<br />
the standards e.g. ISO or in Europe: EN 14995<br />
Plastics- Evaluation of compostability - Test<br />
scheme and specifications. [bM 02/2006, bM<br />
<strong>01</strong>/2007].<br />
Blend | Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at<br />
least two microscopically dispersed and molecularly<br />
distributed base polymers.<br />
Carbon neutral | Carbon neutral describes a<br />
process that has a negligible impact on total<br />
atmospheric CO 2 levels. For example, carbon<br />
neutrality means that any CO 2 released when<br />
a plant decomposes or is burnt is offset by an<br />
equal amount of CO 2 absorbed by the plant<br />
through photosynthesis when it is growing.<br />
Cellophane | Clear film on the basis of à cellulose.<br />
Cellulose | Polymeric molecule with very high<br />
molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is<br />
à Glucose), industrial production from wood<br />
or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and<br />
fibres.<br />
Compost | A soil conditioning material of<br />
decomposing organic matter which provides<br />
nutrients and enhances soil structure.<br />
(bM 06/2008, 02/2009)<br />
Compostable Plastics | Plastics that are biodegradable<br />
under ‘composting’ conditions:<br />
specified humidity, temperature, à microorganisms<br />
and timefame. Several national<br />
and international standards exist for clearer<br />
definitions, for example EN 14995 Plastics<br />
- Evaluation of compostability - Test scheme<br />
and specifications [bM 02/2006, bM <strong>01</strong>/2007].<br />
Composting | A solid waste management<br />
technique that uses natural process to convert<br />
organic materials to CO 2 , water and humus<br />
through the action of à microorganisms<br />
[bM 03/2007].<br />
Copolymer | Plastic composed of different<br />
monomers.<br />
Cradle-to-Gate | Describes the system<br />
boundaries of an environmental àLife Cycle<br />
Assessment (LCA) which covers all activities<br />
from the ‘cradle’ (i.e., the extraction of raw<br />
materials, agricultural activities and forestry)<br />
up to the factory gate<br />
Cradle-to-Cradle | (sometimes abbreviated<br />
as C2C): Is an expression which communicates<br />
the concept of a closed-cycle economy,<br />
in which waste is used as raw material (‘waste<br />
equals food’). Cradle-to-Cradle is not a term<br />
that is typically used in àLCA studies.<br />
Cradle-to-Grave | Describes the system<br />
boundaries of a full àLife Cycle Assessment<br />
from manufacture (‘cradle’) to use phase and<br />
disposal phase (‘grave’).<br />
Fermentation | Biochemical reactions controlled<br />
by à microorganisms or enyzmes (e.g.<br />
the transformation of sugar into lactic acid).<br />
Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance,<br />
colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless<br />
and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside<br />
animals‘ connective tissue.<br />
Glucose | Monosaccharide (or simple sugar).<br />
G. is the most important carbohydrate (sugar)<br />
in biology. G. is formed by photosynthesis or<br />
hydrolyse of many carbohydrates e. g. starch.<br />
Humus | In agriculture, ‘humus’ is often used<br />
simply to mean mature à compost, or natural<br />
compost extracted from a forest or other<br />
spontaneous source for use to amend soil.<br />
Hydrophilic | Property: ‘water-friendly’, soluble<br />
in water or other polar solvents (e.g. used<br />
in conjunction with a plastic which is not waterresistant<br />
and weatherproof or that absorbs<br />
water such as Polyamide (PA).<br />
Hydrophobic | Property: ‘water-resistant’, not<br />
soluble in water (e.g. a plastic which is waterresistant<br />
and weatherproof, or that does not<br />
absorb any water such as Polethylene (PE) or<br />
Polypropylene (PP).<br />
LCA | Life Cycle Assessment (sometimes also<br />
referred to as life cycle analysis, ecobalance,<br />
and àcradle-to-grave analysis) is the investigation<br />
and valuation of the environmental<br />
impacts of a given product or service caused<br />
(bM <strong>01</strong>/2009).<br />
54 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Basics<br />
Readers who would like to suggest better or<br />
other explanations to be added to the list, please<br />
contact the editor.<br />
[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article<br />
previously published in bioplastics MAGAZINE)<br />
Microorganism | Living organisms of microscopic<br />
size, such as bacteria, funghi or yeast.<br />
PCL | Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil<br />
based), biodegradable bioplastic, e.g. used as<br />
a blend component.<br />
PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters<br />
produced in nature by bacterial fermentation<br />
of sugar or lipids. The most common<br />
type of PHA is à PHB.<br />
PHB | Polyhydroxyl buteric acid (better poly-<br />
3-hydroxybutyrate), is a polyhydroxyalkanoate<br />
(PHA), a polymer belonging to the polyesters<br />
class. PHB is produced by micro-organisms<br />
apparently in response to conditions of physiological<br />
stress. The polymer is primarily a<br />
product of carbon assimilation (from glucose<br />
or starch) and is employed by micro-organisms<br />
as a form of energy storage molecule to<br />
be metabolized when other common energy<br />
sources are not available. PHB has properties<br />
similar to those of PP, however it is stiffer and<br />
more brittle.<br />
PLA | Polylactide or Polylactic Acid (PLA) is<br />
a biodegradable, thermoplastic, aliphatic<br />
polyester from lactic acid. Lactic acid is made<br />
from dextrose by fermentation. Bacterial fermentation<br />
is used to produce lactic acid from<br />
corn starch, cane sugar or other sources.<br />
However, lactic acid cannot be directly polymerized<br />
to a useful product, because each polymerization<br />
reaction generates one molecule<br />
of water, the presence of which degrades the<br />
forming polymer chain to the point that only<br />
very low molecular weights are observed.<br />
Instead, lactic acid is oligomerized and then<br />
catalytically dimerized to make the cyclic lactide<br />
monomer. Although dimerization also<br />
generates water, it can be separated prior to<br />
polymerization. PLA of high molecular weight<br />
is produced from the lactide monomer by<br />
ring-opening polymerization using a catalyst.<br />
This mechanism does not generate additional<br />
water, and hence, a wide range of molecular<br />
weights are accessible (bM <strong>01</strong>/2009).<br />
Saccharins or carbohydrates | Saccharins or<br />
carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family.<br />
Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar<br />
units. For example, there are known mono-,<br />
di- and polysaccharose. à glucose is a monosaccarin.<br />
They are important for the diet and<br />
produced biology in plants.<br />
Sorbitol | Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction<br />
of glucose changing the aldehyde group<br />
to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is used as a<br />
plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch.<br />
Starch | Natural polymer (carbohydrate) consisting<br />
of à amylose and à amylopectin,<br />
gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, tapioca<br />
etc. When glucose is connected to polymerchains<br />
in definite way the result (product) is<br />
called starch. Each molecule is based on 300<br />
-12000-glucose units. Depending on the connection,<br />
there are two types à amylose and<br />
à amylopectin known [bM 05/2009].<br />
Starch (-derivate) | Starch (-derivates) are<br />
based on the chemical structure of à starch.<br />
The chemical structure can be changed by<br />
introducing new functional groups without<br />
changing the à starch polymer. The product<br />
has different chemical qualities. Mostly the<br />
hydrophilic character is not the same.<br />
Starch-ester | One characteristic of every<br />
starch-chain is a free hydroxyl group. When<br />
every hydroxyl group is connect with ethan<br />
acid one product is starch-ester with different<br />
chemical properties.<br />
Starch propionate and starch butyrate |<br />
Starch propionate and starch butyrate can<br />
be synthesised by treating the à starch with<br />
propane or butanic acid. The product structure<br />
is still based on à starch. Every based à<br />
glucose fragment is connected with a propionate<br />
or butyrate ester group. The product is<br />
more hydrophobic than à starch.<br />
Sustainable | An attempt to provide the best<br />
outcomes for the human and natural environments<br />
both now and into the indefinite future.<br />
One of the most often cited definitions of sustainability<br />
is the one created by the Brundtland<br />
Commission, led by the former Norwegian<br />
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. The<br />
Brundtland Commission defined sustainable<br />
development as development that ‘meets the<br />
needs of the present without compromising<br />
the ability of future generations to meet their<br />
own needs.’ Sustainability relates to the continuity<br />
of economic, social, institutional and<br />
environmental aspects of human society, as<br />
well as the non-human environment).<br />
Sustainability | (as defined by European<br />
Bioplastics e.V.) has three dimensions: economic,<br />
social and environmental. This has<br />
been known as “the triple bottom line of<br />
sustainability”. This means that sustainable<br />
development involves the simultaneous pursuit<br />
of economic prosperity, environmental<br />
protection and social equity. In other words,<br />
businesses have to expand their responsibility<br />
to include these environmental and social<br />
dimensions. Sustainability is about making<br />
products useful to markets and, at the same<br />
time, having societal benefits and lower environmental<br />
impact than the alternatives currently<br />
available. It also implies a commitment<br />
to continuous improvement that should result<br />
in a further reduction of the environmental<br />
footprint of today’s products, processes and<br />
raw materials used.<br />
Thermoplastics | Plastics which soften or<br />
melt when heated and solidify when cooled<br />
(solid at room temperature).<br />
Yard Waste | Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings,<br />
garden residue.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 55
Suppliers Guide<br />
1. Raw Materials<br />
10<br />
20<br />
30<br />
40<br />
50<br />
60<br />
70<br />
80<br />
90<br />
100<br />
110<br />
120<br />
130<br />
140<br />
150<br />
160<br />
170<br />
180<br />
190<br />
200<br />
BASF SE<br />
Global Business Management<br />
Biodegradable Polymers<br />
Carl-Bosch-Str. 38<br />
67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany<br />
Tel. +49-621 60 43 878<br />
Fax +49-621 60 21 694<br />
plas.com@basf.com<br />
www.ecovio.com<br />
www.basf.com/ecoflex<br />
1.1 bio based monomers<br />
Du Pont de Nemours International S.A.<br />
2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50<br />
CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex,<br />
Geneva, Switzerland<br />
Tel. + 41 22 717 5428<br />
Fax + 41 22 717 5500<br />
jonathan.v.cohen@che.dupont.com<br />
www.packaging.dupont.com<br />
PURAC division<br />
Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21<br />
4200 AA Gorinchem -<br />
The Netherlands<br />
Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695<br />
Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604<br />
www.purac.com<br />
PLA@purac.com<br />
1.2 compounds<br />
Cereplast Inc.<br />
Tel: +1 310-676-5000 / Fax: -5003<br />
pravera@cereplast.com<br />
www.cereplast.com<br />
European distributor A.Schulman :<br />
Tel +49 (2273) 561 236<br />
christophe_cario@de.aschulman.com<br />
Natur-Tec ® - Northern Technologies<br />
42<strong>01</strong> Woodland Road<br />
Circle Pines, MN 55<strong>01</strong>4 USA<br />
Tel. +1 763.225.6600<br />
Fax +1 763.225.6645<br />
info@natur-tec.com<br />
www.natur-tec.com<br />
Transmare Compounding B.V.<br />
Ringweg 7, 6045 JL<br />
Roermond, The Netherlands<br />
Tel. +31 475 345 900<br />
Fax +31 475 345 910<br />
info@transmare.nl<br />
www.compounding.nl<br />
1.3 PLA<br />
Division of A&O FilmPAC Ltd<br />
7 Osier Way, Warrington Road<br />
GB-Olney/Bucks.<br />
MK46 5FP<br />
Tel.: +44 844 335 0886<br />
Fax: +44 1234 713 221<br />
sales@aandofilmpac.com<br />
www.bioresins.eu<br />
1.4 starch-based bioplastics<br />
Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients<br />
ZAC „Les Portes de Riom“ - BP 173<br />
63204 Riom Cedex - France<br />
Tel. +33 (0)4 73 67 17 00<br />
Fax +33 (0)4 73 67 17 10<br />
www.biolice.com<br />
Grace Biotech Corporation<br />
Tel: +886-3-598-6496<br />
No. 91, Guangfu N. Rd., Hsinchu<br />
Industrial Park,Hukou Township,<br />
Hsinchu County 30351, Taiwan<br />
sales@grace-bio.com.tw<br />
www.grace-bio.com.tw<br />
PSM Bioplastic NA<br />
Chicago, USA<br />
www.psmna.com<br />
+1-630-393-0<strong>01</strong>2<br />
1.5 PHA<br />
Telles, Metabolix – ADM joint venture<br />
650 Suffolk Street, Suite 100<br />
Lowell, MA <strong>01</strong>854 USA<br />
Tel. +1-97 85 13 18 00<br />
Fax +1-97 85 13 18 86<br />
www.mirelplastics.com<br />
Tianan Biologic<br />
No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd,<br />
Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800<br />
Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2<br />
Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0<br />
enquiry@tianan-enmat.com<br />
www.tianan-enmat.com<br />
1.6 masterbatches<br />
Sukano Products Ltd.<br />
Chaltenbodenstrasse 23<br />
CH-8834 Schindellegi<br />
Tel. +41 44 787 57 77<br />
Fax +41 44 787 57 78<br />
www.sukano.com<br />
2. Additives /<br />
Secondary raw materials<br />
Du Pont de Nemours International S.A.<br />
2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50<br />
CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex,<br />
Geneva, Switzerland<br />
Tel. + 41(0) 22 717 5428<br />
Fax + 41(0) 22 717 5500<br />
jonathan.v.cohen@che.dupont.com<br />
www.packaging.dupont.com<br />
3. Semi finished products<br />
www.earthfirstpla.com<br />
www.sidaplax.com<br />
www.plasticsuppliers.com<br />
Sidaplax UK : +44 (1) 604 76 66 99<br />
Sidaplax Belgium: +32 9 210 80 10<br />
Plastic Suppliers: +1 866 378 4178<br />
3.1.1 cellulose based films<br />
INNOVIA FILMS LTD<br />
Wigton<br />
Cumbria CA7 9BG<br />
England<br />
Contact: Andy Sweetman<br />
Tel. +44 16973 41549<br />
Fax +44 16973 41452<br />
andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com<br />
www.innoviafilms.com<br />
4. Bioplastics products<br />
alesco GmbH & Co. KG<br />
Schönthaler Str. 55-59<br />
D-52379 Langerwehe<br />
Sales Germany: +49 2423 402 110<br />
Sales Belgium: +32 9 2260 165<br />
Sales Netherlands: +31 20 5037 710<br />
info@alesco.net | www.alesco.net<br />
Arkhe Will Co., Ltd.<br />
19-1-5 Imaichi-cho, Fukui<br />
918-8152 Fukui, Japan<br />
Tel. +81-776 38 46 11<br />
Fax +81-776 38 46 17<br />
contactus@ecogooz.com<br />
www.ecogooz.com<br />
Postbus 26<br />
7480 AA Haaksbergen<br />
The Netherlands<br />
Tel.: +31 616 121 843<br />
info@bio4pack.com<br />
www.bio4pack.com<br />
210<br />
220<br />
230<br />
240<br />
250<br />
260<br />
270<br />
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH<br />
Siemensring 79<br />
D - 47 877 Willich<br />
Tel. +49 2154 9251-0<br />
Tel.: +49 2154 9251-51<br />
sales@fkur.com<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
Plantic Technologies Limited<br />
51 Burns Road<br />
Altona VIC 3<strong>01</strong>8 Australia<br />
Tel. +61 3 9353 7900<br />
Fax +61 3 9353 79<strong>01</strong><br />
info@plantic.com.au<br />
www.plantic.com.au<br />
3.1 films<br />
Huhtamaki Forchheim<br />
Herr Manfred Huberth<br />
Zweibrückenstraße 15-25<br />
913<strong>01</strong> Forchheim<br />
Tel. +49-9191 81305<br />
Fax +49-9191 81244<br />
Mobil +49-171 2439574<br />
EcoWorks ®<br />
Cortec® Corporation<br />
4119 White Bear Parkway<br />
St. Paul, MN 55110<br />
Tel: +1 800.426.7832<br />
Fax: 651-429-1122<br />
info@cortecvci.com<br />
www.cortecvci.com<br />
Eco Cortec®<br />
31 300 Beli Manastir<br />
Bele Bartoka 29<br />
Croatia, MB: 1891782<br />
Tel: +<strong>01</strong>1 385 31 705 <strong>01</strong>1<br />
Fax: +<strong>01</strong>1 385 31 705 <strong>01</strong>2<br />
info@ecocortec.hr<br />
www.ecocortec.hr<br />
56 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
Suppliers Guide<br />
6.1 Machinery & Molds<br />
9. Services<br />
Minima Technology Co., Ltd.<br />
Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager<br />
No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City,<br />
Taichung County<br />
411, Taiwan (R.O.C.)<br />
Tel. +886(4)2277 6888<br />
Fax +883(4)2277 6989<br />
Mobil +886(0)982-829988<br />
esmy325@ms51.hinet.net<br />
Skype esmy325<br />
www.minima-tech.com<br />
NOVAMONT S.p.A.<br />
Via Fauser , 8<br />
28100 Novara - ITALIA<br />
Fax +39.0321.699.6<strong>01</strong><br />
Tel. +39.0321.699.611<br />
Info@novamont.com<br />
FAS Converting Machinery AB<br />
O Zinkgatan 1/ Box 1503<br />
27100 Ystad, Sweden<br />
Tel.: +46 411 69260<br />
www.fasconverting.com<br />
Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey<br />
Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic<br />
Container Industry<br />
284 Pinebush Road<br />
Cambridge Ontario<br />
Canada N1T 1Z6<br />
Tel. +1 519 624 9720<br />
Fax +1 519 624 9721<br />
info@hallink.com<br />
www.hallink.com<br />
Siemensring 79<br />
47877 Willich, Germany<br />
Tel.: +49 2154 9251-0 , Fax: -51<br />
carmen.michels@umsicht.fhg.de<br />
www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de<br />
Bioplastics Consulting<br />
Tel. +49 2161 664864<br />
info@polymediaconsult.com<br />
www.polymediaconsult.com<br />
Wirkstoffgruppe Imageproduktion<br />
Tel. +49 2351 67100-0<br />
luedenscheid@wirkstoffgruppe.de<br />
www.wirkstoffgruppe.de<br />
Simply contact:<br />
Tel.: +49 02351 67100-0<br />
suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Stay permanently listed in the<br />
Suppliers Guide with your company<br />
logo and contact information.<br />
For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you<br />
can be present among top suppliers in<br />
the field of bioplastics.<br />
For Example:<br />
Polymedia Publisher GmbH<br />
Dammer Str. 112<br />
41066 Mönchengladbach<br />
Germany<br />
Tel. +49 2161 664864<br />
Fax +49 2161 631045<br />
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
35 mm<br />
10<br />
20<br />
30<br />
35<br />
Pland Paper ®<br />
WEI MON INDUSTRY CO., LTD.<br />
2F, No.57, Singjhong Rd.,<br />
Neihu District,<br />
Taipei City 114, Taiwan, R.O.C.<br />
Tel. + 886 - 2 - 27953131<br />
Fax + 886 - 2 - 27919966<br />
sales@weimon.com.tw<br />
www.plandpaper.com<br />
President Packaging Ind., Corp.<br />
PLA Paper Hot Cup manufacture<br />
In Taiwan, www.ppi.com.tw<br />
Tel.: +886-6-570-4066 ext.5531<br />
Fax: +886-6-570-4077<br />
sales@ppi.com.tw<br />
Wiedmer AG - PLASTIC SOLUTIONS<br />
8752 Näfels - Am Linthli 2<br />
SWITZERLAND<br />
Tel. +41 55 618 44 99<br />
Fax +41 55 618 44 98<br />
www.wiedmer-plastic.com<br />
4.1 trays<br />
5. Traders<br />
5.1 wholesale<br />
6. Equipment<br />
Roll-o-Matic A/S<br />
Petersmindevej 23<br />
5000 Odense C, Denmark<br />
Tel. + 45 66 11 16 18<br />
Fax + 45 66 14 32 78<br />
rom@roll-o-matic.com<br />
www.roll-o-matic.com<br />
MANN+HUMMEL ProTec GmbH<br />
Stubenwald-Allee 9<br />
64625 Bensheim, Deutschland<br />
Tel. +49 6251 77061 0<br />
Fax +49 6251 77061 510<br />
info@mh-protec.com<br />
www.mh-protec.com<br />
6.2 Laboratory Equipment<br />
MODA : Biodegradability Analyzer<br />
Saida FDS Incorporated<br />
3-6-6 Sakae-cho, Yaizu,<br />
Shizuoka, Japan<br />
Tel : +81-90-6803-4041<br />
info@saidagroup.jp<br />
www.saidagroup.jp<br />
7. Plant engineering<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH<br />
Holzhauser Str. 157 - 159<br />
13509 Berlin<br />
Germany<br />
Tel. +49 (0)30 43567 5<br />
Fax +49 (0)30 43567 699<br />
sales.de@thyssenkrupp.com<br />
www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com<br />
8. Ancillary equipment<br />
10. Institutions<br />
10.1 Associations<br />
BPI - The Biodegradable<br />
Products Institute<br />
331 West 57th Street, Suite 415<br />
New York, NY 10<strong>01</strong>9, USA<br />
Tel. +1-888-274-5646<br />
info@bpiworld.org<br />
European Bioplastics e.V.<br />
Marienstr. 19/20<br />
1<strong>01</strong>17 Berlin, Germany<br />
Tel. +49 30 284 82 350<br />
Fax +49 30 284 84 359<br />
info@european-bioplastics.org<br />
www.european-bioplastics.org<br />
10.2 Universities<br />
Michigan State University<br />
Department of Chemical<br />
Engineering & Materials Science<br />
Professor Ramani Narayan<br />
East Lansing MI 48824, USA<br />
Tel. +1 517 719 7163<br />
narayan@msu.edu<br />
University of Applied Sciences<br />
Faculty II, Department<br />
of Bioprocess Engineering<br />
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Josef Endres<br />
Heisterbergallee 12<br />
30453 Hannover, Germany<br />
Tel. +49 (0)511-9296-2212<br />
Fax +49 (0)511-9296-2210<br />
hans-josef.endres@fh-hannover.de<br />
www.fakultaet2.fh-hannover.de<br />
Sample Charge:<br />
35mm x 6,00 €<br />
= 210,00 € per entry/per issue<br />
Sample Charge for one year:<br />
6 issues x 210,00 EUR = 1,260.00 €<br />
The entry in our Suppliers Guide is<br />
bookable for one year (6 issues) and<br />
extends automatically if it’s not canceled<br />
three month before expiry.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5 57
Companies in this issue<br />
Company Editorial Advert<br />
A&O Filmpac 56<br />
A. Schulman 13<br />
ABICOM 49<br />
Acetati 45<br />
Achilles Papierveredelung 42<br />
Adsale 52<br />
alesco 56<br />
Albis Plastics 46<br />
Arkhe Will 56<br />
BASF 6, 10, 48 56<br />
BIO4PACK 56<br />
Biomater 48<br />
bioplastics24 31<br />
BioPro 10<br />
BMBF 10<br />
Bosch 10<br />
BPI 57<br />
Braskem 7, 50<br />
CBPack 48<br />
Celanese 45<br />
Cereplast 32 56<br />
Clariant 22<br />
Corn Products 48<br />
Cortec 8, 56<br />
Costanera Norte 37<br />
Daicel 45<br />
Daimler 10<br />
DLR 15<br />
Dow 46, 50<br />
Dr. Boy 6<br />
DSM 5<br />
Dt. Inst. F. Kautsch. Tech. 42<br />
DuPont 34 56<br />
Dyne-a-Pak 30<br />
Eastman 45<br />
Equilicua 34<br />
European Bioplastics 3, 7 48, 57<br />
FAS Converting Machinery 57<br />
FH Hannover 6, 42 57<br />
Fischerwerke 10<br />
FKuR 6, 26, 46 2, 56<br />
FNR 15<br />
Ford 12<br />
Forestal Minico 37<br />
Four Motors 14<br />
Fraunhofer UMSICHT 6, 26, 46 57<br />
Futerro 6<br />
Galactic 5<br />
Genencor 20<br />
Goodyear 20<br />
Grace Biotech 56<br />
Hagedorn 46, 50<br />
Hallink 57<br />
Hercules 47<br />
Hiendl 8<br />
Hyundai 16<br />
Inapol 37<br />
Huhtamaki 56<br />
Inde Plastik 26<br />
Innovia Films 45, 48 56<br />
Kaneka 28<br />
Lamberti 47<br />
Company Editorial Advert<br />
Land NRW 42<br />
Limagrain 56<br />
Mann + Hummel 10 57<br />
Mazzuchelli 46<br />
Michigan State University 57<br />
Minima Technology 57<br />
National Plastics Institut (Brazil) 48<br />
NatureWorks 5, 30, 32, 33<br />
Natur-Tec 48 56<br />
Nobel 46, 50<br />
nova Intstitut 8 53<br />
Novamont 20, 35 57, 60<br />
Novarese Zuccheri 35<br />
Novozymes 7<br />
Oekametall 34<br />
Olymp 35<br />
Omodo 5<br />
Ontario BioAuto Council 18<br />
Ontario BioCar Initiative 12<br />
Oregon State Univ. 17<br />
Oxiteno 50<br />
Penn Carbose 47<br />
Plantic 56<br />
Plastic Suppliers 56<br />
Plasticker 31<br />
Plastividia 48<br />
President Packaging 57<br />
Proyectos Plasticos 37<br />
PSA Peugeot Citroën 19<br />
PSM 56<br />
Purac 24 56<br />
Qingdao HuaSheng 8<br />
Quattor 50<br />
Reifenhäuser 8<br />
Rhodia 45<br />
Rodenburg 48<br />
Roll-o-Matic 36 57<br />
Rotuba 46<br />
Sacme 36<br />
Saida 57<br />
Sealed Air 30<br />
Sekisui 29<br />
Sidaplax 56<br />
Solvay 50<br />
Sommer Needlepunch 5<br />
Staedtler 8<br />
Sukano 6 56<br />
Sulzer Chemtech 24<br />
Supla 33<br />
Symphony Environmental 7<br />
Synbra 24<br />
Telles 36 56, 59<br />
Tianan 56<br />
Total Petrochemical 6<br />
Transmare 56<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer 57<br />
Unitika 29<br />
Univ. Braunschweig 10<br />
Univ. Concepción Tech. Dev. 37<br />
Wei Mon 21, 57<br />
Werzalit 8<br />
Wiedmer 57<br />
Next Issue<br />
For the next issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE<br />
(among others) the following subjects are scheduled:<br />
Month Publ.-Date Editorial Focus (1) Editorial Focus (2) Basics Fair Specials<br />
March / April April 06, 2<strong>01</strong>0 Rigid Packaging Material Combinations Certification<br />
May /Jun June 07, 2<strong>01</strong>0 Injection Moulding Natural Fibre Composites Polyamides<br />
Jul / Aug Aug. 02, 2<strong>01</strong>0 Additives / Masterbatch / Adh. Bottles / Labels / Caps Compounding<br />
Sep / Oct Oct. 04, 2<strong>01</strong>0 Fibre Applications Polyurethanes / Elastomers Polyolefins K‘2<strong>01</strong>0 Preview<br />
58 bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>01</strong>/10] Vol. 5
A real sign<br />
of sustainable<br />
development.<br />
There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable development.<br />
Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working on<br />
an ambitious project that combines the chemical industry,<br />
agriculture and the environment: "Living Chemistry for<br />
Quality of Life". Its objective has been to create products<br />
with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamont's<br />
innovative research is the new bioplastic Mater-Bi ® .<br />
Mater-Bi ® is a family of materials, completely biodegradable<br />
and compostable which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and<br />
vegetable oil derivates. Mater-Bi ® performs like traditional plastics but it saves<br />
energy, contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect and at the end of its life<br />
cycle, it closes the loop by changing into fertile humus. Everyone's dream has<br />
become a reality.<br />
Living Chemistry for Quality of Life.<br />
www.novamont.com<br />
Inventor of the year 2007<br />
Mater-Bi ® : certified biodegradable and compostable.