K‘2013 Preview Kaneka
K‘2013 Preview Kaneka Kaneka Biopolymer AONILEX (PHB) is biodegradable, yet strongly resistant to heat and hydrolysis and can act as a barrier to water vapor. It is the world’s first 100% plant-based biopolymer to offer both flexibility and heat resistance. It exhibits a range of properties from hardness through to softness as well as a number of key characteristics of polyethylene and polypropylene materials. This biodegradable polymer, which uses vegetable fats and oils and other biomass as its primary raw materials, eventually degrades into carbon dioxide and water. With excellent biodegradability and heat resistance characteristics, it is suitable for a host of applications, including for materials used in agriculture, civil engineering, packaging and automobile interiors. It has a smaller carbon footprint than comparable petroleum-based polymers, thus contributing to the preservation of the environment. www.kaneka.com 6A 40 DSM With the launch of EcoPaXX in 2009, its castor oil-derived PA410 product range, DSM convincingly demonstrated its ongoing commitment to sustainability. With a biobased content of 70%, EcoPaXX is 100% certified carbon neutral from cradle to gate, exhibits an excellent set of properties, and is currently found in a wide array of applications. At Daimler, EcoPaXX was selected for use in engine covers for turbo engines, mainly because of its unique combination of high temperature resistance, dimensional stability and high quality surface. Another automotive application where dimensional stability, heat- and chemical resistance were key requirements regards the latest generation of diesel engines developed by the Volkswagen Group, which feature a lightweight multi-functional crankshaft cover in EcoPaXX. In building and construction, EcoPaXX is being used in insulating profiles for aluminum window profiles. And MF Folien GmbH became the first company to produce film based on the polyamide 410 for applications like flexible food packaging. Grafe The Grafe Group is presenting its new product series Biocolen, a masterbatch that is not only suitable for coloring bioplastics (PLA), but also enhances performance for packaging manufacturers. The masterbatch improves the durability, achieving a higher flexibility and reducing the brittleness in the end product without impairing transparency. Due to the material composition, the packaging product is very easy to process and cut. The company is also introducing its innovative Bio-Compalen-Paperlike, which makes it possible for the first time to produce foils that can be torn in any direction. This offers an enormous advantage, particularly in the area of security labels. Up until now, security labels could only be torn in the direction of extrusion. With its new compound, the Grafe Group has made it possible to produce foils with the same tearing properties lengthwise and crosswise. In addition, the foil displays paperlike haptics and very good writability. It comes in white, like paper, but is available in other colors as well. The bio-plastics compound can be made into flat or bubble wrap and requires a relatively low processing temperature, which improves the overall ecological balance. www.grafe.com 6E75 www.dsm.com 6.1N-04 32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/13] Vol. 8
K‘2013 Preview Metabolix Metabolix I6003rp is an effective biobased polymeric additive for increasing the recycle rate and value of PVC. The excellent inherent miscibility in PVC of Metabolix I6003rp additives enables improved mixing of recycle PVC and brings secondary plasticization with low migration and aging effects. PVC recycle usage rates are often limited due to deterioration in physical property performance. Incorporating Metabolix polymeric additives with reuse of recycle scrap PVC helps maintain toughness and tear properties at higher recycle usage rates. The company is also presenting Mvera B5010 for compostable films, which is suitable for use in coextruded films and blends. The material shows good compatibility with other biopolymers such as PHA, PBAT, PLA or PBS. Mvera B5010 processes easily on conventional blown film extrusion equipment and is a durable and versatile material with excellent melt strength. Potential uses include blown and cast film applications such as industrial can liners, retail bags, organics and yard waste collection bags. www.metabolix.com 8bD38 Sukano At K’2013, Sukano is presenting its proven portfolio of ready-to-use compounds and customized bioplastics masterbatches. Its bio-loy compounds are ready-touse biopolymers that can be processed just like standard plastics in many applications. Sukano uses proprietary technology to modify PLA polymer with specific additives. Classical PLA weaknesses are eliminated; instead PLA is endowed with impact strength, durability, and easy processability for semi durable applications. Only low amounts of the highly concentrated masterbatches are added to PLA in the extrusion process to achieve the desired properties. Sukano’s biobased slip/antiblock masterbatches reduce COF while optimizing processability and denesting behavior. Sukano’s biobased UV masterbatches protect the contents of bioplastics films. The company’s transparent impact modifier brings toughness and resistance into the application. Sukano also offers a range of biobased optical products for customized visual appearance. These easyto-process masterbatches incorporate white, black and colorants into transparent or opaque PLA applications. All Sukano bioconcentrates feature information on compostability compliance and biobased carbon content. www.sukano.com 08a/H28 geba Kunststoffcompounds This year at K, geba Kunststoffcompounds GmbH is presenting its Desmovit DP R Eco NF product line, a range of TPU compounds reinforced with natural fibers. Developed in collaboration with geba’s long-term strategic partner, Bayer MaterialScience, Desmovit DP R Eco NF is currently available with 10% and 20% natural-fiber reinforcement. The companies’ goal was to develop a material with good mechanical properties and weight advantages compared to glass-fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane. The new material offers a weight optimization of 8%, and, due to its firmness, is perfectly suited for components and assemblies with low wall thicknesses. Its fracture behavior makes it suitable for use in applications such as sporting goods: it forms no sharp edges on breaking, reducing the risk of injury to a minimum. In the future, the Desmovit DP R Eco series could include a grade consisting of a biobased TPU reinforced with natural fibers, a development which would bring the total percentage of biobased content to over 50%. www.geba.eu 547A bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/13] Vol. 8 33
