BIO-ON
Containers made from paper and bioplastic in historic breakthrough / Polymer functionality retained / Extrusion grade suitable for food contact
For the first time, Tetra Pak-type containers have been made from a combination of paper and bioplastic by biotechnology company Bio-on (Bologna / Italy; www.bio-on.it) and partner Tampere University of Technology Finland (www.tut.fi). Researchers at the two organisations replaced the PE contained in existing packaging and developed a material that was totally naturally biodegradable and based on renewable sources, while also maintaining all of the plastic’s impermeability. They said this was the first time in history such a material had been created.
The bioplastic was developed from Bio-on’s Minerv polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) extrusion coating project which was launched at the end of 2015. The aim was to develop specific, eco-sustainable and, for the first time, fully biodegradable formulations which could be fused directly onto paper by an extrusion process without sacrificing any of the end-product’s functionality and aesthetics.
Bio-on’s exclusive process produces PHA polymers from agricultural waste, including molasses, sugar cane and sugar beet syrups. It said the revolutionary biopolymer could replace the main traditional plastics in terms of performance, thermo-mechanical properties and versatility and has been tested in dozens of applications from automotive to design to biomedical. The Minerv PHA extrusion coating grade was also safe and particularly suited for use with food, noted Bio-on.
Jurkka Kuusipalo from the Tampere University of Technology Finland said the PHAs made by Bio-on were very versatile and could achieve performances never seen before. “Being able to do this with completely natural products will put us at the cutting edge of research and development in the coming decades,” he said.
In January this year, Bio-on announced it was building a glycerol-based PHA plant in Italy with partner Eridania Sadam (Jesi, Italy; www.eridaniasadam.it) – see Plasteurope.com of 12.01.2016.
Bio-on’s PHA has been classified as 100% natural and completely biodegradable by Belgian certification organisation Vincotte (Vilvoorde; www.vincotte.com) in Europe, and by the US Department of Agriculture.
The bioplastic was developed from Bio-on’s Minerv polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) extrusion coating project which was launched at the end of 2015. The aim was to develop specific, eco-sustainable and, for the first time, fully biodegradable formulations which could be fused directly onto paper by an extrusion process without sacrificing any of the end-product’s functionality and aesthetics.
Bio-on’s exclusive process produces PHA polymers from agricultural waste, including molasses, sugar cane and sugar beet syrups. It said the revolutionary biopolymer could replace the main traditional plastics in terms of performance, thermo-mechanical properties and versatility and has been tested in dozens of applications from automotive to design to biomedical. The Minerv PHA extrusion coating grade was also safe and particularly suited for use with food, noted Bio-on.
Jurkka Kuusipalo from the Tampere University of Technology Finland said the PHAs made by Bio-on were very versatile and could achieve performances never seen before. “Being able to do this with completely natural products will put us at the cutting edge of research and development in the coming decades,” he said.
In January this year, Bio-on announced it was building a glycerol-based PHA plant in Italy with partner Eridania Sadam (Jesi, Italy; www.eridaniasadam.it) – see Plasteurope.com of 12.01.2016.
Bio-on’s PHA has been classified as 100% natural and completely biodegradable by Belgian certification organisation Vincotte (Vilvoorde; www.vincotte.com) in Europe, and by the US Department of Agriculture.
29.04.2016 Plasteurope.com [233927-0]
Published on 29.04.2016