bioplasticsMAGAZINE_0905

Fig.4: Mater-Bi technology: layered structure
alcohol (PVOH) and/or polyalkylene glycols has been widely considered
since 1970. In recent years the thermoplastic starch/PVOH system
has been studied, mainly for producing starch-based loose fillers as
a replacement for expanded polystyrene.
Micro- and Nanostructured Composites
The most important achievement of recent years in the sector of
starch technology is seen in the creation of micro and nanostructured
composites of starch with polyesters of different types and particularly
with aliphatic-aromatic polyesters and with rubber. This technology
has been developed and patented by Novamont. In these families
of products starch gives a technical contribution to the mechanical
performance of the finished products in terms of increased toughness
and excellent stability at different humidities and temperatures. With
this generation of products it is possible to cover a wide range of
demanding applications in the film sector and to meet the different
needs of end-of-life conditions up to home compostability and soil
biodegradation. Moreover, it is possible to obtain low hysteresis rubber
for low rolling-resistance treads in tyres. The last developments in
this sector have been achieved within the EU Biotyres project which
has led Goodyear to produce the tyres used in the new BMW 1-series
models.
The development of aliphatic and aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters
containing monomers from vegetable oils, covered by a new range
of Novamont’s patents, has further improved and widened the
performances of these products from an environmental and technical
point of view. Such development has justified the significant industrial
investment made by Novamont to build the first local biorefinery of
this type in Europe, which comprises plants for the production of
nanostructured starch and polyesters from vegetable oils. Moreover
new investments in monomers from vegetable oils from local crops
will permit a further up-stream integration of the biorefinery.
This family of tailor-made products has permitted Novamont to
work on many case studies aimed at demonstrating the opportunity
offered by biodegradable and bio-based plastics to rethink entire
application sectors, thereby affecting not only the manner in which
raw materials are produced, but also permitting verticalisation
of entire agro-industrial non-food chains, or which are synergistic
with food, and the way in which products are used and disposed of,
expanding the scope of experimentation to local areas. This is the
way Novamont believes bio-plastics may become a powerful, largescale
case study for sustainable development and cultural growth - a
real example of transition from a product-based to a system-based
economy.
Fig. 6: Biotyre
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/09] Vol. 4 45