Issue 02/2019
Highlights: Thermoforming Building & Construction Basics: Biobased Packaging
Highlights:
Thermoforming
Building & Construction
Basics: Biobased Packaging
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Thermoforming / Rigid Packaging<br />
By:<br />
Patrick Zimmermann, Director Marketing & Sales,<br />
Denise Martha, Marketing Manager - Public Relations<br />
FKuR Kunststoff<br />
Willich, Germany<br />
Bio-Flex S 5630 WH is noted for its balanced ratio<br />
of extensibility and stiffness. Furthermore, products<br />
made from this grade have pleasant, high-quality tactile<br />
properties. The most common application apart from<br />
trays is caps for coffee capsules.<br />
Biobased and highly transparent<br />
A partially biobased PET suitable for the production of<br />
thermoformed film in FKuR’s product portfolio is Eastlon<br />
PET CB-6<strong>02</strong>AB produced by the Taiwanese Fenc Group.<br />
It is chemically identical to conventional fossil based<br />
PET and consists 70 % of terephthalic acid and 30 % of<br />
biobased monoethylene glycol (Bio-MEG). The basis for<br />
the Bio-MEG used here is, however, ethanol, which is<br />
obtained from the renewable vegetable raw material,<br />
sugar cane.<br />
The properties and processing of Eastlon correspond<br />
to those of conventional PET. Like the latter, it can be<br />
printed, punched, embossed and bonded, and it also<br />
combines high optical clarity with good resistance to a<br />
variety of chemicals and oils. For this reason, Eastlon CB-<br />
6<strong>02</strong>AB has proved itself as a drop-in solution in a variety<br />
of thermoforming applications, for which conventional<br />
PET was previously used, including above all transparent<br />
packaging solutions. In existing PET material flows, it is<br />
completely recyclable.<br />
Polyethylene from sugar cane<br />
The product Green HDPE SHE 150 in FKuR’s portfolio,<br />
which is suitable for the production of film and subsequent<br />
thermoforming, is a member of the biobased “I’m<br />
green” PE family from Braskem, which is produced on<br />
the basis of sugar cane. The recyclability and mechanical<br />
properties correspond to those of conventional HDPE<br />
from crude oil, which means that this material can also<br />
serve as a drop-in product. The proportion of renewable<br />
raw materials in Green HDPE SHE 150 is 94 %.<br />
Much stronger demand expected<br />
Ibrahim Göncay from Göncay Plastic sees a clear trend<br />
towards an increase in the demand for such products:<br />
“At the moment, the limited availability and the price are<br />
putting a brake on the use of biobased thermoplastics.<br />
But I am confident that the packaging segment in<br />
particular will react to the current lively discussion about<br />
the use of plastics and will increasingly turn to biobased<br />
varieties in the near future. I also believe that the market<br />
availability of biobased plastics will play an important role<br />
in implementing the impending changeover.”<br />
www.fkur.com | www.goncayplastik.com | www.kumrukimya.com<br />
Cup lid for hot drinks, thermoformed from<br />
Bio-Flex S 7711 (Photo: Göncay Plastik)<br />
Thermoformed trays made from the biobased PLA blend<br />
Bio-Flex from FKuR offer an attractive opportunity for greater<br />
sustainability in the packaging segment. (Photo: FKuR)<br />
Charpy notched<br />
impact strength<br />
(kJ/m²) 100 %<br />
= 7.2<br />
Tensile modulus of elasticity (MPa) 100 % = 3,300<br />
100<br />
80<br />
60<br />
40<br />
20<br />
0<br />
Elongation at break (%) 100 % = 24<br />
Tensile strength<br />
(MPa) 100 % = 57<br />
Bio-Flex F 7510<br />
Bio-Flex S 5630 WH<br />
Bio-Flex F 6611<br />
Bio-Flex S 7711<br />
A direct property comparison shows the relative strengths of the<br />
Bio-Flex grades suitable for thermoforming – for example the<br />
stiffness and strength of F 7510 compared with the ductility of<br />
F 6611 and the balanced properties of S 5630 WH.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>02</strong>/19] Vol. 14 13