SAS scientists mixed a new biodegradable plastic
Polymer chemists from the Slovak Academy of Sciences bring a new recipe for a biodegradable and compostable polymer material. Its essence is a new compatibilizer, which they selected from the group of liquid rubbers. The economic and social importance of biodegradable and ecological materials has seen a sharp increase in recent times. It is therefore extremely important to bring sustainability concepts, to support the growth of the recycling industry and the use of biopolymers as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics, especially in the packaging industry.
"When using a new type of compatibilizer, we can create biodegradable polymer mixtures based on several different biodegradable plastics with a thermoplastic starch content of up to 50%. The utility properties of these mixtures exceed the mechanical properties of polyethylene as the most used plastic for packaging films, at a production price that can be even lower compared to plastics based on fossil fuels," said Prof. Ivan Chodák of the Polymer Institute SAS.
At present, the use of biodegradable plastics represents just over 1% of the total volume of plastic applications. The main reason is their significantly higher price compared to plastics produced from fossil sources. One of the possible solutions to increase their economic competitiveness is to prepare mixtures with cheap polymer components while paying attention mainly to starch, mostly in the form of thermoplastic modification.
"The new biodegradable plastic with thermoplastic starch brings the possibility of a significant reduction in material costs for the production of films and better mechanical properties, especially strength. We are extremely pleased that, after more than 20 years of research into biodegradable materials, we are coming up with another new solution that will benefit society and sustainability for future generations," added Ivan Chodák.
NOVPLASTA, s. r. o. company from Šenkvice was also significantly involved in the development of the formula in question, especially in the case of formulae testing in the semi-operational scope for blown films. A national (Slovak) patent application has been filed for the new solution. SAS offers industrial partners the opportunity to express interest and discuss the possibilities and conditions of using the patented solution for industrial applications.
Edited by Monika Tináková
Photo: unsplash.com/FlyD