Barrier Barrier… but
Barrier Barrier… but also bio-based and thermoformable! Like its precursor Wheylayer ® , the barrier biomaterial featured in a past issue of this publication [1], ThermoWhey is a barrier coating based on whey protein. As a by-product of cheese manufacturing, whey is available in abundance, which means there is no direct competition with food resources. Wheylayer [2] offers an excellent barrier against oxygen. Although it has the potential to replace current synthetic barrier layers, such as ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers – EVOH – used in food packaging, it is mainly aimed at plastic laminates (e. g. pouches, tubes, lids, etc.). While it is able to be thermoformed, as demonstrated by the production of blisters, this is limited to a small stretch ratio unless performed right after the coating application. Indeed, upon storage, the flexibility and thermoformability of the coating decreases due to the formation of different new intermolecular interactions in the protein network [3]. Thermoforming is one of the dominant and growing technologies in the packaging market. However, the limited thermoformability of Wheylayer may well have stood in the way of certain applications, such as trays, for which there is an actual need. Indeed, despite having existed on the market for years, bio-based trays do not meet the barrier properties required for sensitive food products (e.g. for products packed in modified atmosphere – MAP). Therefore, selected partners from Spain (IRIS, Serviplast) and Germany (Fraunhofer IVV, MLANG), who had participated in the previous project, decided to work together with a tooling company (GEBA) to improve the long term thermoformability of whey protein-coated packaging, with an ultimate goal the production of jars, cups, etc. To this end, during the first year of the Thermowhey project [4], the researchers performed different modifications of the whey proteins and adjusted the coating formulation to obtain materials with a more thermoplastic-like behavior, i. e. displaying both stable processability and barrier properties versus storage time. After this had been successfully carried out, different deep trays were produced under optimized processing conditions from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) to which the Thermowhey coating was applied. Further tests will be performed on bioplastic substrates. Over the next year, the production of the material will be industrialized by the participating SMEs and resulting packaging will also be validated in contact with selected food products. The ThermoWhey project is expected to have a very positive impact on the environment, as it solves multiple challenges: finding a new commercial use for a cheese byproduct that is currently discarded, replacing petroleumbased plastics with natural biopolymers that allow packaging recycling or composting while safeguarding their performance. The author wishes to acknowledge the European Community‘s Seventh Framework Programme for Research, technological development and demonstration for co-funding the Thermowhey project under the Manunet programme through the Catalan Agency ACCIÓ (grant agreement RDNET 13-3-005) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (managed by the KIT Project Management Agency Karlsruhe). www.thermowhey.eu References: [1] E. Bugnicourt, M. Schmid, “Films with excellent barrier properties”, bioplastics MAGAZINE; Vol. 8, p44; 2013. [2] For more info, see www.wheylayer.eu [3] M. Schmid, K. Reichert, F. Hammann, A. Stäbler; Storage timedependent alteration of molecular interaction - property relationships of whey protein isolate-based films and coatings; Journal of materials science, 50(12), June 2015, pp. 4396 – 4404 [4] For more info, see www.thermowhey.eu By: Elodie Bugnicourt Group Leader EcoMaterials Innovació i Recerca Industrial i Sostenible (IRIS) Castelldefels, Spain 36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/15] Vol. 10
PP EPDM PE PVC PET Propylene MEG PBAT PMMA PBT Vinyl Chloride Ethylene Teraphtalic acid SBR PET-like Methyl Metacrylate Ethanol p-Xylene PU Sorbitol Isobutanol THF Isosorbide PC Glucose PHA 1,4 Butanediol 1,3 Propanediol PTT Lactic acid Succinate Adipic PLA Acid Starch Saccharose HMDA 3-HP PU Lysine Lignocellulose Acrylic acid Natural Rubber PA Caprolactam Plant oils Fructose Glycerol Fatty acids HMF Natural Rubber Starch-based Polymers Lignin-based Polymers Cellulose-based Polymers Epoxy resins Epichlorohydrin PU PU Polyols Diacids (Sebacic acid) PA FDCA PHA PU PBS PEF Superabsorbent Polymers Other Furan-based polymers Market study on Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends towards 2020 Fast Growth Predicted for Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World – Production Capacity will triple towards 2020 The new comprehensive 500 page-market study and trend reports on “Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World – Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends Towards 2020” has been released by German nova-Institut GmbH. Authors are experts from the nova-Institute in cooperation with ten renowned international experts. Bio-based polymers: Evolution of worldwide production capacities from 2011 to 2020 million t/a 20 15 http://bio-based.eu/markets actual data forecast Constant Growth of Bio-based Polymers is expected: Production capacity will triple from 5.1 million tonnes in 2013 to 17 million tonnes in 2020, representing a 2% share of polymer production in 2013 and 4% in 2020. Bio-based drop-in PET and the new polymers PLA and PHA show the fastest rates of market growth. The biobased polymer turnover was about € 10 billion worldwide in 2013. Europe looses considerable shares in total production to Asia. What makes this report unique? ■ The 500 page-market study contains over 200 tables and figures, 96 company profiles and 11 exclusive trend reports written by international experts. ■ These market data on bio-based building blocks and polymers are the main source of the European Bioplastics market data. ■ In addition to market data, the report offers a complete and in-depth overview of the bio-based economy, from policy to standards & norms, from brand strategies to environmental assessment and many more. ■ A comprehensive short version (24 pages) is available for free at http://bio-based.eu/markets To whom is the report addressed? ■ The whole polymer value chain: agro-industry, feedstock suppliers, chemical industry (petro-based and bio-based), global consumer industries and brands owners ■ Investors ■ Associations and decision makers © 10 5 2011 -Institut.eu | 2015 2012 Epoxies PE 2013 2% of total polymer capacity 2014 PUR PBS 2015 CA PBAT Content of the full report This 500 page-report presents the findings of nova-Institute’s market study, which is made up of three parts: “market data”, “trend reports” and “company profiles” and contains over 200 tables and figures. The “market data” section presents market data about total production capacities and the main application fields for selected biobased polymers worldwide (status quo in 2013, trends and investments towards 2020). This part not only covers bio-based polymers, but also investigates the current bio-based building block platforms. The “trend reports” section contains a total of eleven independent articles by leading 2016 PET PA 2017 PTT PHA 2018 PEF Starch Blends 2019 EPDM PLA 2020 Full study available at www.bio-based.eu/markets experts in the field of bio-based polymers. These trend reports cover in detail every important trend in the worldwide bio-based polymer market. The fi nal “company profiles” section includes 96 company profiles with specific data including locations, bio-based polymers, feedstocks and production capacities (actual data for 2011 and 2013 and forecasts for 2020). The profiles also encompass basic information on the companies (joint ventures, partnerships, technology and bio-based products). A company index by polymers, with list of acronyms, follows. Two years after the fi rst market study on bio-based polymers was released, Germany’s nova-Institute is publishing a complete update of the most comprehensive market study ever made. This update will expand the market study’s range, including bio-based building blocks as precursor of bio-based polymers. The nova-Institute carried out this study in collaboration with renowned international experts from the field of bio-based building blocks and polymers. The study investigates every kind of bio-based polymer and, for the first time, several major building blocks produced around the world, while also examining in detail 112 companies that produce biobased polymers. Order the full report The full report can be ordered for 3,000 € plus VAT and the short version of the report can be downloaded for free at: www.bio-based.eu/markets Contact Dipl.-Ing. Florence Aeschelmann +49 (0) 22 33 / 48 14-48 florence.aeschelmann@nova-institut.de Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends towards 2020 Florence Aeschelmann, Michael Carus, Wolfgang Baltus, Howard Blum, Rainer Busch, Dirk Carrez, Constance Ißbrücker, Harald Käb, Kristy-Barbara Lange, Jim Philp, Jan Ravenstijn, Hasso von Pogrell
