a) 100 160 Tensile
a) 100 160 Tensile strength [MPa] 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 Flexural strength [MP a] 0 0 A8 A15 A16 b) 140 160 120 140 Tensile strength [MPa] 100 80 60 40 20 120 100 80 60 40 20 Flexural strength [MP a] 0 A26 A27 A32 A33 0 100 c) Barcol hardness[a.u.] 80 60 40 20 0 A8 A15 A16 A26 A27 A32 A33 Key Benefits • milder process conditions than IPA-based resins • shorter reaction times for esterification phase • better thermal properties for few formulations Join us at the 16th European Bioplastics Conference – the leading business forum for the bioplastics industry. REGISTER NOW! • soluble in state-of-the-art reactive solvents • processable resin formulation • compatible with state-of-the-art curing technologies Figure 3: Towards FDCA-based thermosets. The pictures illustrate the appearance of the unsaturated polyesters based on phthalic acid (PA), and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), both were copolymerized with propane-1,2-diol. 30 NOV - 1 DEC 2021 Mercure Hotel MOA Berlin, Germany 36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/21] Vol. 16 @EUBioplastics #eubpconf2021 www.european-bioplastics.org/events For more information email: conference@european-bioplastics.org
The steadily growing demand from the industry for sustainable solutions underscores the importance of developing biobased high-performance materials. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the particularly promising biobased candidates already established in the packaging segment. The global market for this polymer is growing by around 10 % annually. PLA is also used as a matrix in fibre-reinforced composites. Here, reinforcing fibres are embedded in a matrix in order to improve the mechanical performance of the materials. Researcher at Fraunhofer IAP are currently working on the development of a composite material for technical applications in which both the fibres and the plastic matrix consist entirely of PLA. The resulting self-reinforced singlecomponent composite promises great advantages due to the chemical identity of the fibres and the matrix, as complex separation steps are not required during recycling. In order to incorporate the reinforcing fibres into a molten PLA matrix, the research team is developing a melt spinning process for the production of more thermally stable stereocomplex PLA (sc-PLA) fibres. These have a special crystal structure with a melting point of approximately 230 °C, which is about 50–60 degrees higher than in the case of conventional PLA. This improvement of thermal properties obviously expands the field of possible applications for PLAbased materials. Within a project funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Fraunhofer IAP is working together with partners from industry to transfer the developed process to industrial scale. Partner in the field of fibre development is the company Trevira (Guben Germany), a manufacturer Self-reinforced PLA based on stereocomplex fibres of fibres and filament yarn specialties. Furthermore, the development of sc-PLA flat films is planned. The adhesive tape manufacturer Tesa (Norderstedt, Germany) is participating in this task and will verify the suitability of sc-PLA films as adhesive foils. In a third work package, the Fraunhofer IAP will perform double pultrusion experiments to produce sc-PLA-fibre-reinforced resin, which can be processed by injection moulding. The automotive and textile industries are already showing interest in biobased materials, which are also easier to recycle. In terms of price and availability, PLA would already be competitive here. Now the material is also to be made technically fit for the new tasks. The research project (funding code 2220NR297X) started on June 2021 and is scheduled to run for 2.5 years. https://www.tesa.com | https://www.trevira.de | https://www.iap.fraunhofer.de/ By: Evgueni Tarkhanov Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP Potsdam-Golm, Germany Biocomposites Magnetic for Plastics www.plasticker.com • International Trade in Raw Materials, Machinery & Products Free of Charge. • Daily News from the Industrial Sector and the Plastics Markets. • Current Market Prices for Plastics. • Buyer’s Guide for Plastics & Additives, Machinery & Equipment, Subcontractors and Services. • Job Market for Specialists and Executive Staff in the Plastics Industry. Up-to-date • Fast • Professional bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/21] Vol. 16 37
