NPE Review Stratasys
NPE Review Stratasys Stratasys Advanced Materials demonstrated a PLA compound for high impact strength and toughness, optimized for extrusion in Stratasys and MakerBot FDM printers. The compound is based on technology gained from Stratasys’ acquisition of Interfacial Solutions in 2014. deTerra ® compounds of PLA are rheology modified PLA-based polymers produced by the process of hyperbranching. The material shown demonstrates mechanical properties and toughness equivalent to ABS, but with high biobased content and excellent flow characteristics afforded by PLA. Stratasys Advanced Materials plans to build upon the former business of Interfacial Solutions in custom compound development to begin custom FDM materials options for Stratasys customers. This will allow users of Stratasys printers to work with Stratasys Advanced Materials to produce custom materials for their individual applications. www.stratasys.com RTP Company Growing marketplace demand for environmentally friendly products has led RTP Company to develop an expanded line of PLA bioplastic compounds products with mechanical properties that are similar to common petroleum based thermoplastics such as ABS, acrylic, and high impact polystyrene. Resulting impact modified, nucleated, and mineral reinforced compounds make PLA suitable for select semi-durable and durable products. Mineral reinforced and nucleated PLA compounds provide increased thermal performance and shorten molding cycle times. Impact modified grades are available in translucent or opaque versions and can also incorporate FDA compliant ingredients. All are fully colorable and a high gloss surface finish is easy to obtain. A full range of PLA bioplastic compounds allows cost, performance, and renewable resource content to be tailored to individual application specifications. Biocontent in PLA compounds can range up to 95 % depending on end-use requirements. Another topic is RTP Company’s first-in-the-industry glass fiber reinforced PLA compounds to overcome the shortcomings of unmodified PLA by increasing its strength and stiffness with 10 – 40% loadings of glass fiber. Glass fiber reinforced PLA compounds from RTP Company have the mechanical properties necessary to be used under many conditions as drop-in alternatives to reinforced polypropylene, polyesters, and nylons. They can be easily processed in existing tools and equipment; their colorability and resin-rich surface finish allows them be used for many types of branded durable and semi-durable goods. www.rtpcompany.com Arkema Arkema’s Specialty Polyamides group highlighted the expansion of its biosourced portfolio and exciting Pebax ® resin developments. Excellent energy return, toughness, flexibility, elasticity, and shock resistance make lightweight Pebax resins a world-renowned solution for high performance sports equipment, such as running shoes and cleats. At NPE, Arkema highlighted an exciting new area for Pebax materials, breathable nonwovens. Biosourced solutions have been the keystone of the Specialty Polyamides’ offering since the development of Rilsan ® polyamide 11 over 60 years ago. Founded on the proven sustainability and use of renewables, Arkema continues to expand its biosourced portfolio with the addition of PA10.10, PA10.12, PA6.10 and now transparent grades in the Rilsan Clear Rnew ® family. These new grades, Rilsan Clear G850 Rnew and Rilsan Clear G120 Rnew, make Arkema the only supplier of biosourced transparent polyamides. www.arkema.com SPI Bioplastics Division / Eastman Kodak SPI, the Plastics Industry Trade Association and the SPI Bioplastics Division announced on Wednesday March 25, that Eastman Kodak was the winner of this year’s Innovation in Bioplastics Award for its creation of a biotoner, designed for the electro-photographic printing industry that contains more than 90 % biobased and biodegradable materials. “The term bioplastics’ has quickly grown to become synonymous with innovation, and Eastman Kodak’s creation of a biotoner that is formulated with biobased and biodegradable materials continues that tradition,” said SPI President and CEO William R. Carteaux. “SPI congratulates Eastman Kodak for winning the 2015 Innovation in Bioplastics Award and thanks all of this year’s entrants for their continuing pursuit of new applications for biobased and biodegradable materials and for supporting the expansion of choices that plastics manufacturers have when it comes to which materials they use in their products.” For more details about the biobased toner please see a comprehensive article in bioplastics MAGAZINE 06/2014. http://bit.ly/1IE2nO3 38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/15] Vol. 10
NPE Review ALGIX ALGIX from Meridian, Massachussetts, is a company utilizing the vast potential of algae to improve our planet by revolutionizing systems essential to life by providing clean water, proteinrich foods, and sustainable plastic products to the world. Their Solaplast resins are created by blending algae with a variety of base resins, conventional plastics such as PE or PP as well as bioplastics such as PLA. The benefits of their products include resource utilization, carbon sequestration or enhanced biodegradation, competitive pricing, thermal stability, the cleaning of fresh water resources, and zero impacts on food. Some other bioplastics use arable crop land and consume food sources in order to be produced, but Solaplast plastics are helping to create food by cleaning water and helping the aquaculture industry. Algix currently offer resins in film, extrusion, molding, and foaming grades. At NPE the company launched their Collaborate Campaign for the purpose of reaching out to the Industrial Design community as well as the “Green is my favorite color” Video Campaign for the purpose of raising awareness about sustainability and asking people why it is important to them. SHAPING SMART SOLUTIONS www.algix.com Register now! 5/6 November 2015 MARITIM proArte Hotel Berlin For more information email: conference@european-bioplastics.org www.conference.european-bioplastics.org bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/15] Vol. 10 39
