Tougher and Greener Durable Bioplastic Advances - 2018!

TAGS:  Green and Bioplastics    

After several years of development starting in the late 1980s to early 1990s bioplastics are becoming greener through increased biocontent, and mechanically tougher as a result of more specialized compounding. In turn being greener and tougher has allowed bioplastics to penetrate into a durable consumer good, automotive, toy, and electronic end-uses.

Top 5 Hot Picks

#1. Eastman Chemical's TRĒVA™ Engineering Bioplastic

Within the last year, Eastman Chemical commercialized its cellulose-based TRĒVA™ engineering bioplastic. The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Bio-preferred program has granted a USDA Certified Bio-based Product label to TRĒVA™’s two-base grades, verifying respectively 45% and 42% biocontent.

Compared to other bioplastics that would require blending and alloying, Eastman’s TRĒVA™ products achieve good intermediate engineering mechanical properties. In thin-wall 30-millimeter spiral flow testing TRĒVA™ is similar to ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and better than PC (PolyCarbonate) and PC/ABS.



Of the five competitive, spiral flow filled bowls each one of the materials was dried and molded based on standard supplier recommendations, but only the TRĒVA™ bowl was the only one that could be easily filled. It has a 470°F (Fahrenheit) molding temperature and a 150°F drying temperature.

Also, the TRĒVA™ engineering grades possess:

• Good chemical resistance
• Impact strength
• UV (Ultraviolet) capability
• Heat aging, and
• Humidity control

End-use TRĒVA™ biocontent applications include automotive interiors, consumer durables, consumer electronics, office furniture, and toys.

#2. World's First Bioplastic Concept Refrigerator Interior by Electrolux

Global appliance maker Electrolux is developing a bioplastic refrigerator concept focused on interior transparent crisper trays and shelving. It represents their strategic starting point move towards more sustainable home appliances.

The bioplastic material used is NatureWorks® Ingeo PLA (PolyLactic Acid) based on corn feedstock. It has an 80% lower carbon footprint compared to conventional fossil fuel-based plastics like PS (PolyStyrene) or SAN (Styrene AcryloNitrile) historically molded in these applications.

Additionally, Ingeo PLA is recyclable. Finally, NatureWorks is actively researching to go beyond current plant-based corn feedstocks to microorganisms that will convert greenhouse gases directly into the lactic acid monomer.

#3. Second-Generation Noah Electric Vehicle

At the Technical University (TU) of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, the TU/ecomotive team composed of engineering students has designed its second-generation Noah EV (Electric Vehicle)that they prototype manufactured from recyclable bioplastics.

The TU student designers refer to Noah as the first global circular economy, cradle to cradle, sustainable vehicle.

Recyclable, flax fiber reinforced, PLA resin matrix based biocomposites were used for the internal components, chassis, and body panels. The team followed and enhanced concepts outlined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to achieve their 100% circular economy car that has remained a long-term TU student goal.



A predecessor TU/ecomotive student team prototyped their earlier Lina EV that used a flax fiber PP (PolyPropylene) thermoplastic composite material system. Also, the newer Noah EV was designed for disassembling and ease of recycling versus the original Lina EV.

Additionally, the two-seat, Noah EV comes with a 15-kW (kiloWatt) motor, weighs 770 pounds (350 kilograms), can accelerate to a speed of 60 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour), and has a travel range of 240 kilometers (150 miles).

#4. LEGO's Biopolyethylene Botanical Toy Elements

Recently LEGO has started volume manufacturing of sustainable LEGO bricks and botanical leave, shrub, and tree toy elements. They are made of a Bonsucro Chain of Custody standard certified bioplastic PE (PolyEthylene) compound that monitors responsibly based sugarcane monomer ingredients.

The LEGO Company’s longer-term 2030 goal to fully use sustainable materials in all core molded toy products and related packaging, with the current botanical parts representing the first step.

#5. Solvay’s Kalix® 1000 - 100% Biocontent, Engineering Grade

Solvay’s Kalix® is a 100% biocontent, engineering grade polyamide resin. It can be compound modified with glass fiber flexural reinforcement and mineral fillers to achieve engineering level performance in terms of increased stiffness and mechanical strength.

These Kalix® 1000 compounded grades exhibit good surface finish with a 30% biocontent that comes from its castor oil-based monomer. This type compound is ideal for structural mobile electronic device housings with a tensile modulus of 20,000 MPa (MegaPascals) and its notched Izod impact strength of 20 kJ/m² (kiloJoules per square meter).

Bioplastic Professionals - Don't Miss Out these Bio-based Materials & Future Trends!

Clarify new opportunities with bioplastics to focus your R&D on right projects with a structured review of game-changing innovations. Join the course: Bioplastic Tour: Innovations & Trends (12th Edition)Now!

Commercially Available Bioplastic Grades in Market