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Additives / Masterbatches Biobased masterbatches for PLA, PBS and biobased blends Sukano AG (Schindellegi, Switzerland) is proud to have embarked on the bioplastics journey over a decade ago (cf. p. 51). By leveraging their expertise, focus and dedication in conventional polyester plastics to bioplastics, their biobased masterbatches portfolio has grown significantly with a product range for any kind of PLA, as well as PBS and bio PET. Today the spotlight is on what PBS based masterbatches can do to strengthen this revolutionary resin and its blends, mainly with PLA, with its two-fold bio properties. Being essentially biobased, bio-PBS resin and masterbatches are also biodegradable and compostable. Sukano tailor-made bio-PBS masterbatches are easily compounded with another bioplastic material. They provide a drop-in type of masterbatch to be added to the resin, and require no process changes, nor new machinery machinery to achieve great results according to customer’s manufacturing needs at the same throughput as comparable conventional plastics. Bio-PBS is a resin that needs bio-PBS based masterbatches, highly compatible to this polymer, to support its material environmental friendly, food compliant, printability and heat resistance properties. To achieve the best benefits from this choice, the masterbatches are also formulated for biobased content with cradle-to-cradle biopolymer and ingredients. Knowing that Bio- PBS is naturally compostable at 30 °C into H 2 O, CO 2 and biomass either in a composting facility or at home, Sukano developed three main product grades to enhance the final product even further. This enables it to finally replace several flexible packaging structures out in the market while still complying with the biodegradability regulations. Sukano’s masterbatches are designed to maintain the main resin characteristics, and therefore to be disposed of along with organic waste. The array of applications and assessments made by their experts indicate that Sukano’s masterbatches support applications that can be used for food contact at up to 100 °C. This high service temperature performance means it is suitability for hot beverages, boxes and utensils for freshly cooked food and food containers. The modified resin with Sukano’s masterbatches achieves its heat seal performance at the same level of sealability properties as fossil-based polymers. These characteristics, in addition to potential blends, means that bio-PBS can be also targeted for key end applications such as paper coatings, single use food service and flexible packaging. Paper cups are among the main target of PBS and PLA resins or blends as replacements for PE coatings. This 18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/18] Vol. 13
By: Alessandra Funcia Head of Sales and Marketing Sukano AG Schindellegi, Switzerland application is certainly one of the most commonly misunderstood when it comes to its compostability claim. Today, many paper cups are still laminated with conventional plastics to prevent liquid from leaking out or soaking the paper, ultimately causing the cup to collapse. This thin fossil-based plastic coating negatively impacts the biodegradation process of the paper, making it almost impossible to biodegrade, especially when both sides of the cup are coated. However, using Bio-PBS or PLA coated paper cups makes them indeed compostable. Additionally, the bio-PBS masterbatches added to the bio- PBS paper cups or heat stable PLA means the cups can still be filled with hot and cold beverages, and consumers can safely enjoy their drinks in an environmentally improved product type. Other applications where the use of highly compatible masterbatches enable bio-PBS and its blends to outperform conventional plastics is in the injection molding process for food service applications. The blended products achieve improved mechanical properties, such as impact strength, in addition to higher service temperatures, keeping dimensional stability at desired levels, allowing the material to flow smoothly, the parts to be molded properly and at industrial yields needed, while still being compostable. What’s more, the greatest breakthrough where Sukano biobased masterbatches in PBS and PLA are present is in flexible packaging. A typical flexible packaging is based on dry lamination of many layers, where each layer has a predefined role of its own. Sukano masterbatches based in PBS and PLA are used in combination with bio-PBS and special grades of neat PLA, creating a combination of resins that have a compostable sealing performance compared to other bioplastics, yet still provide a higher gas barrier than low density PE, and retain the aroma of the packaged product longer. Sukano masterbatches do not interfere in the packaging transparency, thus allowing the product to be seen so it can display its appetite appeal on the shelves naturally. The flexible packaging structures can be used for dry, baked and frozen food, fruits and vegetables. Sukano masterbatches enable flexible packaging structures to remain recyclable, compostable and be produced using less conventional plastic. The circular economy concept indicates the design phase for new packaging as the key disruptive point for higher environmental credentials of packaging. Flexible package is in the top of the list of targeted packaging where urgent improvements are required. Sukano masterbatches enable creative and functional changes for the flexible packaging market, protecting food from wastage, being compostable, transparent and using less plastic – and all able to be processed on existing industrial manufacturing lines. www.sukano.com EMERY OLEOCHEMICALS – THE FIRST CHOICE IN SUSTAINABLE POLYMER ADDITIVES. LUBRICANTS RELEASE AGENTS SPECIAL PLASTICIZERS SURFACE FINISH AGENTS VISCOSITY REGULATORS CREATING VALUE www.emeryoleo.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/18] Vol. 13 19
