Application News
Application News Breathable food storage container Zi pac GmbH, a supplier of packaging made from paper, carton and bioplastics based in Meissen, Germany, is now also acting as the exclusive agency of the S.E.E. brand of AGT Green Technology Co., Ltd. – Taiwan for Germany and Austria. Just recently they released the new product Breere breathable food storage containers, “to bring a greater ease and a life of fewer worries” to their customers, as they say in their latest brochure. Created via the concept of S.N.P. (Simplicity, Natural and Practicality), Breere is the practical and safe food storage container made from renewable raw materials (CPLA), carbon foot print certified by TÜV Rheinland, free of any toxic substances such as phthalate plasticizers or Bisphenol A. The Breere food storage boxes are tough and long lasting. However the container shells still represent a valuable raw material, meaning that after a long life in use they can eventually be transformed back into lactic acid and thus become a raw material for the manufacture of new products. This creates a closed material cycle. The containers are closed with lids made of food grade silicone with integrated grip zones that allow a safe handling even when the box itself is very hot or cold. A specially designed P-shaped groove in the lid allows a safe and tight sealing. Each lid is equipped with a special air-valve caps making the whole system breathable. Insert the cap into one of the two holes in the lid and gently press down the whole lid. Then close the cap with the second little hole. The lid, now in its inwardly curved shape, tells the user that the Breere storage box is working correctly. The silicone lids in different colours, combined with the air-valve caps with different pictograms, help to maintain an overview in the refrigerator contents. The containers are perfectly stackable and can be used in a microwave oven. MT www.zipac.de www.see-gaia.com Earth Bottle Earth Renewable Technologies (ERT), a pioneer in renewable packaging solutions based in Brevard, NC, has announced the launch of EarthBottle, plant- and mineral-based packaging made from the company‘s proprietary EarthMatter formulation. The material is based on 90 % Ingeo PLA from NatureWorks and 10 % additives which include minerals which increases the characteristics of PLA. “Consumers are more and more seeking products that reflect a comprehensive consciousness to the environment, which includes the container it‘s packaged in,“ Owen Schultz, Vice President of New Business Development told bioplastics MAGAZINE. “The EarthMatter material is a versatile plant- and mineral-based solution for brands looking to meet the demands of end users with packaging options that respect our resources and protect our Earth, at a cost that may be comparable to what they are using now.“ The use of PLA-based biopolymers for packaging greatly reduces the use of fossil resources and emits fewer greenhouse gases than the use of traditional petroleum-based packaging. ERT adds proprietary plant- and mineral-based natural ingredients to create a modified resin offering improved heat resistance and strength and barrier properties compared with non-modified PLA. The water-vapor and oxygen-transfer rates of EarthBottles make them suitable for a variety of products, including supplement capsules, dietary powders, vitamin tablets, lotions, shampoos, soaps, cold-fill liquid and dry goods. They are free of BPA and phthalates. All EarthBottles are made using plant-based materials without toxic plasticizers or fossil fuels. “Currently we are in the market for opaque, non-beverage cansisters, packers, shampoo-bottles etc,,” Owen says. “But we are targeting at other markets too, as our material can be run on different kind of processing machinery. This includes films and fibres and also food packaging.” ERT not only sells the resin, but also sell finished products where it makes sense. In the third quarter of 2015, ERT will also enter into a business model that will be working with distributors. www.earthbottle.com 42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/15] Vol. 10
Applications Biotex Flax improves impact performance for bamboo bike Composites Evolution’s Biotex Flax has been used by Guapa Cycles to improve the impact performance of its Urban One Bamboo bicycle. UK-based Guapa Cycles designs and engineers wood composite bicycles by using technology proven to excel in the harsh conditions experienced in surf and snow sports. Whilst researching alternatives to carbon for use in its bamboo and composite bicycle, Guapa were introduced to Flax, which was interesting due to its performance and processability as well as the bonus it offered being environmentally-friendly. Thomas Henry Williams, Co-Founder & Design Engineer at Guapa said “The ability to incorporate a material such as flax into our bike wasn’t a decision forced through the need to find a material that has its environment credentials; rather an educated decision to find the best performing material for our application. The natural mechanical properties that the flax and the wood composite provides is, for our application, better than using a material such as carbon; the flexural stiffness provided by the fusing of these two natural materials provided us with the desired strength, flex and ultimate vibrational characteristics. The proximity & environment impact of the product is then extremely closely linked to our brands philosophy of smarter manufacture, building closer to home and nearer to the end consumer.” Guapa describe the ride as stiff yet extremely smooth, vibrationless with no noise, just pure efficient fun. Through European standard testing, the bicycles have been proven to be as strong if not stronger than Carbon, Aluminium or Steel frames. All with a frame weight of just 3.3 kg. Brendon Weager, Technical Director at Composites Evolution, commented “It’s been great to work with Guapa Cycles and we are really pleased to see that they recognised the outstanding performance of the Biotex materials. We look forward to working with them in the future.” Composites Evolution is a supplier of innovative, sustainable materials to the composites industry, including Biotex highperformance natural composites. Their product lines include fibres, resins and intermediates based on natural, bio-derived, recycled and recyclable feedstocks, which enable customers to meet cost, weight and environmental targets Biotex natural reinforcements and intermediates provide the high performance and easy processing normally associated with glass fibre composites but with lower weight and environmental impact. They are suitable for semi-structural and decorative applications in sectors such as automotive, construction, marine, sports and consumer goods. Biotex uses a unique Twistless Technology to ensure a high degree of fibre alignment and performance. Standard materials include Jute, Flax, commingled Flax/PLA and commingled Flax/PP (others available on request) in formats including yarns, fabrics (woven and non-crimp) and preconsolidated sheets www.guapa.cc www.compositesevolution.com Photo Guapa Cycles. bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/15] Vol. 10 43
