Materials New biaxially
Materials New biaxially oriented sheet product Biobased card sheet stock launched at Cartes Secure Connexions At this year’s Cartes Secure Connexions digital security trade show, BI-AX International, a US manufacturer of oriented film, teamed up with biopolymer producer NatureWorks for the introduction of an entirely new line of Evlon biaxially oriented sheet products. The newly developed biobased Evlon sheet, which the company developed in collaboration with NatureWorks, is an extension of BI-AX International’s Evlon biaxially oriented film, which is likewise made from Ingeo biopolymer. Available immediately, the new biobased sheet provides a competitive alternative to the traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) used for credit, key and gift cards, as well as signage and folded cartons made from those petroleum-based plastics. This extension to the Evlon line offers a heat stable sheet with exceptional stiffness – ideal performance factors for sheet stock used for cards, signs, and cartons. The development of a bi-axially oriented Ingeo-based sheet is the latest innovation made by the two companies which have been collaborating on biobased solutions for more than a decade. “What we recognized,” explained Brad Harrow, Sales Manager at BI-AX, “is that the technology we’ve been using to biaxially orient films gives us the unique ability to produce tough, higher gauge sheet products, without the nucleants or impact modifiers on which other manufacturers must rely.” With its first sheet product offered in 254 µm (10 mil) gauge in white and clear formats, this entrant marks a significant product line expansion for BI-AX, as the company adds heavier gauge sheet products to what was already a comprehensive Evlon portfolio of 20 – 75 µm films. Moreover, it effectively challenges the perception that heat stable sheet products cannot be achieved without sacrificing high biobased content. As Koen Bastiaens, NatureWorks NA Business Leader Films & Cards pointed out: “Ingeo biobased cards not only offer performance enhancements, but also deliver price stability compared to volatile, petro based materials. Evlon sheet stiffness allows thin-gauging and materials savings.” Evlon’s high gloss sheet possesses high surface energy, parameters which provides for outstanding printing. BI- AX co-extrusion capabilities mean the company is able to offer multilayer structures with an adjustable skin layer which facilitates customization of surface properties such as coefficient of friction, heat sealability, and tint. This coextrusion capability has allowed Evlon film to seal at lower temperatures than most orientated polypropylene (OPP) films, making it ideally suited for flexible film packaging. The table below shows how the new 254 µm Evlon biobased sheet offers much better stiffness and impact resistance compared to PVC and HIPS. These properties lead to great durability as well as the ability to reduce the gauge of the sheet while maintaining the performance of thicker gauge petroleum based materials. KL www.biaxinc.com. www.natureworksllc.com. Comparative data for sheet products PVC HIPS Evlon Method Stiffness 1,805 1,613 3,654 Impact resistance Biobased card content 7.4 5.1 18.4 Tensile modulus in machine direction [MPa] Gardner impact [N-m/mm] 0 % 0 % 100 % ASTM 6868 Evlon sheet offers high clarity, folds cleanly and retains its shape making it an excellent choice for folded cartons 28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/15] Vol. 10
Book Review Handbook of Biodegradable Polymers, 2 nd Edition By: Harald Kaeb narocon Berlin, Germany This 700-page book is a compilation of key topics associated with biodegradable polymers. The first five chapters (175 pages), written by seven different authors, focus on aspects of biodegradability and ecotoxicity and describe various methods, standards and certification schemes. Whilst these are changing over time, according to a chapter written by R.-J. Müller our fundamental knowledge and basic understanding of scientific biodegradation mechanisms would seem to date back to the early 1990s. Chapters 6 to 12 (300 pages) are a compilation of material and production data on the main types of biodegradable polymers. The focus is on the well-known commercial polyester-based polymers and compounds, although proteins, enzymatic monomer synthesis and polymerization processes are also discussed. A 20-page chapter offers a detailed introduction to life cycle analysis methodology, followed by a comprehensive, 50- page description of Italy’s organic recycling concept and the role of compostable bags. The final three chapters provide general overviews of bioplastics (by R. Narayan), biorefineries (T. Hirth, R. Busch) and EU funding opportunities (A. Perrazzelli). A 50-page index makes it possible to search for a multitude of keywords. The book’s greatest strength is that it has brought together the various elements that are linked to biodegradable polymers, affording readers a quick entrance to a complex world. It is assumed this will in particular benefit professional newcomers, and ambitious readers from non-core-business layers. The contents are a bit repetitive and the chapters vary in language and in the degree to which they delve into detail, which is a consequence of the mixed author compilation. Nevertheless, the content follows and mirrors the concept and communication of Novamont, the company that can be considered the intellectual leader of the technology. Readers may miss timeliness in some chapters, for example, an update on the science and mechanisms of biodegradation in various biological systems. A more stringent structuring with less overlap may have helped to include more material performance, application and market data. http://bit.ly/1MP0JtF organized by supported by 20. - 22.10.2016 Messe Düsseldorf, Germany Bioplastics in Packaging BIOPLASTICS BUSINESS BREAKFAST B 3 PLA, an Innovative Bioplastic Bioplastics in Durable Applications Subject to changes Call for Papers now open www.bioplastics-breakfast.com Contact: Dr. Michael Thielen (mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com) At the World‘s biggest trade show on plastics and rubber: K‘2016 in Düsseldorf bioplastics will certainly play an important role again. On three days during the show from Oct 20 - 22, 2016 bioplastics MAGAZINE will host a Bioplastics Business Breakfast: From 8 am to 12 noon the delegates get the chance to listen and discuss highclass presentations and benefit from a unique networking opportunity. The trade fair opens at 10 am. bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/15] Vol. 10 29
