Issue 02/2017
bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1702
bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1702
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
From Science and Research<br />
This article is focused on the development of<br />
new packaging for vegetables based on the<br />
following steps:<br />
• Extraction of fatty alcohols from fermentable sugars that<br />
can be found in vegetable waste (fruits, such as melon<br />
and watermelon, and vegetables, such as cucumbers,<br />
peppers and courgettes).<br />
• Chemical modification of commercial biopolyesters by<br />
grafting fatty alcohols onto their polymer chain by means<br />
of reactive extrusion in order to improve their elastic<br />
properties.<br />
• Obtaining new biopolyesters suitable for the extrusion of<br />
nets and shrink film.<br />
• Currently, the project has exceeded its one third<br />
development baseline schedule; during this first period,<br />
the researchers have achieved the following:<br />
• Formulation of the definition of the material<br />
requirements and characteristics to be met by both<br />
packaging types.<br />
• Chemical modifications have been carried out in PLA<br />
at laboratory level using commercial fatty alcohols with<br />
different purities.<br />
In this step, PLA was modified by using commercial oleic<br />
alcohol with two different purities; high purity (80 – 85 %)<br />
and low purity (60 %). Both alcohols were grafted onto the<br />
PLA polymer using direct grafting radical reactions.<br />
A test was performed in which the radical agent was<br />
optimized, on the basis of the percentage used in the<br />
reaction, the percentage of oleic alcohol employed, as well<br />
as the temperature and the reaction time. Once the reaction<br />
conditions had been optimized with the commercial<br />
alcohol, the same reaction was performed using oleic<br />
alcohol obtained through the fermentation of sugars from<br />
vegetable waste. A summary of the results is shown in the<br />
following table:<br />
c) Chemical modifications at laboratory level<br />
Purity of the oleic<br />
alcohol<br />
Commercial<br />
60 %<br />
Commercial<br />
80 – 85 %<br />
Oleic alcohol percentage<br />
employed in the<br />
reaction (%)<br />
Grafting<br />
reaction<br />
efficiency (%)<br />
1 82,5<br />
2 99<br />
3 95<br />
1 71<br />
2 91<br />
3 70<br />
a) Shrink Film Requirements<br />
b) Packaging Nets Requirements<br />
Shrink film for cucumber<br />
Processable material produced<br />
through<br />
Blown Film Extrusion<br />
Film with good transparency.<br />
Packaging nets for green beans and garlics<br />
Processable material produced using<br />
Extrusion Melt Spinning technology<br />
• Garlic: Oriented nets<br />
• Green Beans: not oriented nets<br />
In this step, the researchers developed a route to graft<br />
oleic alcohol onto the PLA polymer. Using this methodology,<br />
the efficiency of the grafting reaction using 2 % of fatty<br />
alcohol was higher than 90 % in both cases. Additional trials<br />
using the oleic alcohol derived from fermented vegetable<br />
waste, are under development.<br />
Future steps:<br />
In the second part of the project, this chemical<br />
modification process will be scaled up from laboratory to<br />
pilot plant level. Both products (shrink film and packaging<br />
nets) will be manufactured. The packaging characterization<br />
will continue and the validation of both types will start,<br />
bearing in mind their functionality. At the end of the project,<br />
the scaling up of new bio-compounds and the production of<br />
final products will be also carried out.<br />
Partners<br />
This Spanish project, coordinated by La Union, is being<br />
carried out by a consortiumof six companies: La Unión,<br />
Neol, DOMCA, Torres Morente, Ecoplas and Morera y<br />
Vallejo.<br />
These companies have subcontracted four research and<br />
development centers to perform a number of tasks: CIDAF,<br />
Las Palmerillas, Tecnalia and AIMPLAS, who is also in<br />
charge of the technical coordination of the project.<br />
Acknowledgement<br />
This project has received funding from INNTERCONECA<br />
(ITC-20151281) a programme funded by CDTI (Spanish<br />
Government).<br />
www.aimplas.es<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [<strong>02</strong>/17] Vol. 12 41