Issue 04/2016

Toys
Cracking the code of durable
Over the past 50 years, thermoplastics have largely replaced
metal and wood as the preferred materials used
for toy manufacturing. Amongst all commodity thermoplastics,
ABS is one of the most commonly selected resins for
high-end toy applications that demand long-term durability.
Although ABS has been developed, refined and optimized over
several decades to meet the performance requirements of the
toy market, it has remained a fully fossil fuel-based material
and includes a number of additives that have been identified
as potentially harmful to human health and the environment
(as defined by California’s Proposition 65 [1]). And then, enter
Solegear Bioplastic Technologies who has focused its attention
on developing bioplastics with maximum bio-based
content for high performance markets like toys and other
ABS applications. The company’s most recent research and
development has led to the successful development of a new
generation of durable biopolymers with over 95% bio-based
content and performance characteristics that make it a real
contender as a bio-based replacement for ABS.
ABS or Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is a ter-polymer in
which each of the three polymers brings unique characteristics
on their own and also in synergy with one another. Acrylonitrile
(A) delivers mainly hardness and gloss, butadiene (B) creates
impact resistance, and styrene (S) brings heat resistance, gloss
and lowers the overall material cost. There are also significant
differences in the ratio of each polymer and additive used in ABS
formulations, depending on their end-market uses (such as
water drainage tubing, interior and exterior automotive parts,
computer and printer housings, electrical and electronics
casings, toys, – to name just a few). Formulations designed for
plastic toys are in the upper spectrum of all ABS formulations,
as high-end toys are expected to retain their gloss, mechanical
and chemical resistance, as well as show no significant signs
of aging over time. This is quite important, as toys are well
known to retain sentimental value and be passed down from
generation to generation.
Bioplastic producers around world have grappled with
the challenges of replicating the durability and synergistic
properties of ABS using bio-based materials, but Canada’s
Solegear Bioplastic Technologies embarked on this
quest several years ago in response to demands from
manufacturers for materials made with fewer chemicals of
concern and more renewable resources. Earlier last year, the
world-leading toy manufacturer, LEGO ® , announced a longterm
initiative to address the issue (cf. p. 31). The Danish
company announced an investment of 1 billion DKK to boost
search for more sustainable materials replacing ABS and
others plastics by 2030 [2]. Similarly did Italy-based Bio-on
Laboratories (cf. p. 26) who recently kicked off a contest to
formulate products using their naturally biodegradable PHA.
In late 2015 the “Minerv PHA Supertoys project was launched
by Bio-on Laboratories with no commercial goals” [3].
Table 1: Properties for Novadur 650
(Lanxess Engineering Chemistry, Styrenics Resins Asia
Pacific - Product Range and Reference Data (2006).)
Figure 1: Comparison of properties of SGB XD1000, XD1010 and
ABS Novadur 650
Property
Testing
methods
Values
Specific gravity ISO 1183 1.04
Tensile strength at break (MPa) ISO 527 33
Elongation at yield, at break (%) ISO 527 20
Tensile modulus (MPa) ISO 527 2,250
Flexural strength (MPa) ISO 178 68
Flexural modulus (MPa) ISO 178 2,200
Notched IZOD Impact 23 °C (KJ/m 2 ) ISO 180 22
Heat distortion Temperature 1.80 MPa (°C) ISO 75 91
Heat deflection
(°C)
Flexural
modulus
(GPa)
Flexural strength
(MPa)
Tensile modulus
(GPa)
Impact izod notched
(J/m)
Ultimate tensile
strength (MPa)
Elongation @ yield
(%)
Elongation @ break
(%)
XD1000
XD1010
ABS
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11