Masterbatch News A colorful world of bioplastics, tested on sustainability Because of the fast-growing environmental awareness and the desire for sustainability, the need for bioplastics is rapidly growing. A range of materials, which are partly or 100 % based upon renewable raw materials and/or biodegradable materials has in the meantime established its market position. Bioplastics should be as easy to colour or to modify as conventional plastics. Colour masterbatches improve the optical appearance of the end product, without further reducing the partly critical raw material properties. Granula (Merenschwand, Switzerland and Rudolstadt, Germany) has been quick to respond to this growing market demand for more sustainable solutions. The masterbatch and compounding experts have developed technology to create new biobased color masterbatches, additives and compounds for injection molding and extrusion applications. “Our biobased masterbatches are currently based for the most part on PLA and have found application in products such as PLA 3D printing filaments, and compostable coffee capsules”, say Barry de Groot, Sales & Marketing Manager of Granula. “However, our technology allows us to formulate these new products based on any bioplastic specified by the customer, including, for example, bio-PE.” The biobased Granula ® masterbatches meet the highest requirements of the EN 13432 standard regarding biodegradability or compostability. Granula’s colour concept (consisting of more than 20 tested colour and special effect pigments) enables end customers to get their products certified according to EN 13432 (DIN CERTCO or OK compost by TÜV Austria Belgium) quickly. Examples of final applications in which Granula biobased masterbatches are already used include coffee capsules and coffee to go cups. MT www.granula.eu New generation of CaCo 3 masterbatches Carbomax ® bio is a new generation of patented masterbatch produced in pellet form and made of calcium carbonate and a blend of biodegradable polymers. It has been developed by CABAMIX, an innovative French company, to meet with the needs of bioplastics manufacturers and fulfilling the requirements of the established composting standards. The masterbatch is suitable for film extrusion, blown or cast film production, injection moulding and thermoforming. It is ideal for the use in finished products, such as plastic bags for fruits, vegetables, bakery, meat etc. It can be used for organic waste bags, agricultural film such as mulching film. Single-use products include cutlery, dishes, cups etc or food packaging, e.g. thermoformed trays or packaging films. The quality of Carbomax bio has been specially developed for use in bioplastics in order to achieve different targets: In the manufacturing process the goals are to avoid hydrolysis, to stabilize the process, increase flow, reduce consumption of energy or to unmould more rapidly in the injection moulding process. On the finished product Carbomax bio can be used as opacifier or to colour white (also to reduce the amount of TiO 2 needed). Depending on the base bioplastics better mechanical properties of film can be achieved as well as improved elongation or better tear resistance. Carbomax bio is unique on the global market. Carbomax bio can be mixed up to 50 % in the formulation with various biodegradable materials/compounds available on the market today. These include Estabio ® , MaterBi ® , Ecovio ® , Bioplast ® , Biograde ® , Bioflex ® , differerent PLA, PBS, PBAT materials and many more. The materbatch’s biodegradability is certified by TÜV Austria Belgium (OK compost Industrial, OK compost Home and OK biodegradable Soil). It is also REACH compliant and it is able to be compliant for food contact. The calcium carbonate used is renewable according to ISO 14021 and meets the composting criteria according to EN 13432 (2000), NF T51-800 (2015), ASTM D6400 (2012) & ISO 17088 (2012). MT www.cabamix.net 18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/20] Vol. 15
Additives/Masterbatches New “NATURALS” colour masterbatches launched PolyOne OnColor Naturals Range At PCD, the Packaging of Perfume, Cosmetics and Design show, last January in Paris, France, PolyOne (headquartered in Avon Lake, Ohio, USA) launched OnColor Naturals, the latest addition to its sustainable solutions portfolio. Fully customizable, OnColor Naturals includes a range of colorants made with natural pigments derived from plants, flowers, roots and minerals. The collection of eleven earthy and elegant bioderived colours can be used with recycled and bioderived resins, and can also be formulated for use with fully biodegradable and compostable resins. Mineral and botanical pigments can be mixed together to adjust colour tones, with plant-based pigments enabling vivid colour and mineral pigments helping achieve calm and earthy tones. As with conventional colorants, OnColor Naturals can be customized and combined with special effects formulated with ingredients such as almond shells, natural fibers and wood particles to increase design possibilities and deliver natural aesthetics. OnColor Naturals are complementing PolyOne’s rage of additives that include OnColor BIO color concentrates, specially designed to perform well with bioplastics such as PLA, PHA, PHBV, PBS, PBAT and special blends of those materials. Most importantly, these colorants don’t compromise the organic recyclability of the resins they enhance. The ingredients in OnColor BIO color concentrates were carefully chosen to meet industry requirements and legislation, while offering a full pallet of color choices. Custom shades are available upon request. Combining OnColor BIO with biobased polymers helps to reduce the risk and cost of post-process testing. This then enables converters to take full advantage of the emerging market for home-compostable bags and packaging. OnColor BIO concentrates have received OK compost HOME certification from TÜV AUSTRIA, a leading independent testing firm. Using these concentrates in biodegradable packaging can help avoid the significant costs and time required to test products for at-home compostability. But PolyOne not only offers color masterbatches. The OnCap BIO additives help deliver sustainable products that don’t compromise on performance or manufacturability. These additives are specially designed to enhance bioplastics in a number of ways, including antiblock performance, slip performance, impact modification, antistatic performance, UV protection or Blue tone. These concentrates are available to improve the performance of a wide range of biobased resins including, but not limited to PLA, PBAT, PBS, Starch and PHA. The additive concentrates are not only suitable for most manufacturing processes, they also meet relevant industry and composting standards, and can be combined with OnColor BIO color concentrates to deliver performance and color in a single masterbatch. MT www.polyone.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/20] Vol. 15 19
