{"id":104409,"date":"2024-08-12T09:38:32","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T06:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/polymervapooshesh.ir\/?p=104409"},"modified":"2024-08-20T13:31:47","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T10:01:47","slug":"making-a-play-with-pha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/polymervapooshesh.ir\/en\/making-a-play-with-pha\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a Play With PHA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iranpolymer\/Baspar\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em>The drive toward sustainability is requiring North American processors \u2014 especially those serving the disposable packaging markets \u2014 to give more consideration to their material choices. Whether driven by their brand owner customers or internal demands or goals, molders and extrusion processors slowly are investigating and even in some cases deploying new materials and structures aimed at making their products greener.<\/p>\n

Of course, sustainability has many definitions and takes on many shapes and forms. Where material choices are concerned, it could mean moving toward single-resin structures that are more readily recyclable. This is an emerging trend in flexible packaging, where all-PE multilayer structures are replacing multipolymer systems of those that combine plastics and other materials. There is also a growing push in packaging and beyond, or products made with a healthy dose of postconsumer reclaim. And biopolymers are also gaining a toehold in the green movement.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of studies out there projecting the future of the biopolymers market, and all are projecting robust growth. One, from\u00a0BCC Publishing, forecasts the global market for the materials to increase from $4.8 billion in 2022 to $14.4 billion by 2027, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.8% from 2022 through 2027.<\/p>\n

One of the leading biopolymer choices is polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). In Auburn, Massachusetts,\u00a0CJ Biopolymers\u00a0has an application development and technical support team aimed at helping processors transition from conventional polymers to PHA for products that include blown and cast films. molded cutlery to extruded straws and thermoformed food service bowls.<\/p>\n

PHAs are naturally derived \u2014 sugars sourced from plants like sugar cane, tapioca, corn and cellulosic biomass \u2014 and produced sustainably. They can be used as building blocks replacing and improving the functional characteristics of a broad range of polymers in the production of finished goods or as starting points for sustainable chemistry. PHAs work well as modifiers to other polymers or biopolymers and can be used to increase biobased content, accelerate biodegradation and improve the functional properties of resins and finished products.<\/p>\n

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CJ develops custom blends using amorphous PHA polymers with other polymers, notably other bioresins such as polylactic acid (PLA). These PHA-based products can be compounded and processed using conventional plastics processing equipment. CJ can increase PHA content in microorganisms from about 5% accumulation in the wild to up to 85% through fermentation via engineered microbial strains.CJ is one of the world\u2019s largest biotechnology companies and, though South Korea\u2019s CJ BIO, is reportedly the world\u2019s largest supplier of fermentation-based bio products. It extended its technology platform downstream to polymers in 2016 with the purchase of Metabolix. In 2021, it brought on Max Senechal as its chief commercial officer. It was a return of sorts for Senechal, who had been with Metabolix under its prior regime.<\/p>\n

\u201cI often catch myself saying I rejoined CJ, but I have actually rejoined the company that CJ acquired,\u201d Senechal says. The purchase of Metabolix by CJ represented a relaunching and \u201cturbocharging\u201d of the product line, he notes. Senechal elaborates, \u201cWe have learned quite a bit, and CJ has been able to improve the technology significantly from a fundamental microbial perspective and from a fermentation scale-up perspective. That has had an impact on the economic performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The facility is equipped with lab-scale compounding equipment and blown film lines, small-tonnage injection presses and an additive manufacturing machine. \u201cWe can test and develop tailored formulations, do testing on the performance and the properties of the technology. We also invite customers here to work with them and talk to them about how to use it on their machines,\u201d Senechal adds.<\/p>\n

CJ does not produce commercial quantity resins in North America. From Woburn, it can provide its customers with small quantities to conduct trials. Senechal elaborates, \u201cA customer might come to us and say, \u2018I want to try it on my production lines. Can I get a couple of hundred pounds? And the answer is yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

When necessary, it will utilize the services of its toll compounding partners for larger runs. Or, in the case of a processor that does its own compounding or has a network of compounding partners, it will provide just the formulation. Neat resin is furnished from a plant in Indonesia, which has 5,000 tons of pelletizing capacity on two lines, one devoted to its amorphous grade the other to its more recently launched semicrystalline line.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest differences made by CJ can be seen by visitors to its North American headquarters in Auburn, Massachusetts. \u201cNow it\u2019s a polymer science lab, which we call our Center of Excellence,\u201d Senechal says, \u201cand that is a significant transition for us. If you came here two years ago, you would have seen fermenters, etc. But once we relaunched the technology, we needed to reconnect the technology to the polymer world. We were no longer talking in terms of strains \u2014 we were talking about science and connecting these two worlds was a challenge for the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Explains Senechal, \u201cWe are first and foremost a PHA resin manufacturer and supplier. We don\u2019t own compounding capabilities in the U.S. We have strong relationships with a few compounders, and if we need to provide compounds, we will work with these tollers to prepare a compound needed by the customer. Of course, it is easier for us to sell the neat resin. But we understand that, depending on the application, customers need some tweaking in the formulation. There is no silver bullet that there\u2019s no one polymer that does everything, so therefore the compounding becomes necessary. We will work with people to help develop that compound. Sometimes we\u2019ll just provide the formulation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Wide Range of Applications<\/h3>\n

For film extrusion, CJ Biomaterial offers five grades, all compounded resins based on PLA and aPHA (tradenamed PHACT A1000P). These semicrystalline biopolymer compounds are said to improve functional performance and enable faster composting relative to PLA. The films made of PHACT compounds also are said to have superior sealability, flexibility and less noise compared to PLA-only films. Final products made of PHACT compounds are said to have faster rates of biodegradability than PLA-only films.<\/p>\n

For tube extrusion, CJ Biomaterials has a grade suited to straws. This is an environmentally friendly semicrystalline biopolymer compound that improves functional performance and enables faster composting relative to PLA. The addition of aPHA to PLA increases flexibility and impact strength, and is well suited for straw applications.<\/p>\n

For sheet\u00a0extrusion\/thermoforming, its product line consists of three semicrystalline biopolymer compounds that are said to improve functional performance and enable faster composting relative to PLA. The addition of aPHA to PLA increases flexibility and impact strength, limiting breakage during production and distribution, CJ says. These blends can also improve productivity during the thermoforming process. These compounds are said to reduce the thickness of final products by 12-15% compared to PLA, resulting in cost savings.<\/p>\n

For injection molding, two semicrystalline biopolymer compounds are available that reportedly improve functional performance and enable faster composting relative to PLA. The addition of aPHA to PLA increases flexibility and impact strength, and enhances water\/oil resistance. Aimed at cutlery, containers and other products, these compounds are also said to improve processability during molding, enabling greater design flexibility. CJ says the mold shrinkage of these grades is like that of ABS, meaning existing molds for ABS can be used.<\/p>\n

CJ also offers material in masterbatch form for these processes.<\/p>\n

States Senechal, \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a lot of traction right now in food service, meaning disposable cutlery, straws, plates and such. There is a lot of momentum in this space because there is a strong push for compostable solutions. A lot of the venues, for example, today are looking for all-compostable solutions. They\u2019ll draw a perimeter around the venue so that everything that comes in can be composted. Biopolymers are particularly well-suited in this case of applications.\u201d<\/p>\n

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