For almost every traditional petrochemical plastic material and application, there is a bioplastics alternative with the same properties and, potentially, additional advantages.
Biobased and biodegradable plastics offer new end-of-life without negative impacts on the environment, and using renewable resources contributes to a more sustainable society and the reduction in CO2 emissions during production.
Products made of bioplastics can be used in many different sectors such as:
• Packaging
• Food-services
• Agriculture and Horticulture
• Consumer electronics
• Pharmaceutical
• Medicine
• Waste management
Bio-Mi is developing the MI family of materials, based on a wide range of bio-polymers, degradable polyesters and co-polyesters such as PLA, starch, PBAT, PHAs, PCL, PBS, monomers/oligomers, additives, chain extenders, compatibilizers, nucleating agents, fillers etc.
• Blow extrusion
• Cast extrusion
• Blow moulding
• Injection moulding
In terms of the mechanical processing, any machine that uses the most common technologies to process traditional, fossil plastics can also be used to process bioplastics. On the other hand, the process parameters to be determined are significantly different from the parameters used in fossil plastics and must be adjusted, otherwise the final product will not have the required quality and properties. Bioplastics is a combination of several different materials, so the process parameters and adjustment of the machine will not be the same for every blend.
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Scaling up processes from lab to production -
Optimisation of both: product and process quality -
Development and production of new polymer materials/grades via extrusion and compounding technologies -
Production of compounds from recycled materials and bio-polymers
In addititon to R&D of biobased, biodegradable and compostable thermoplastic material, we produce both semi-finished and finished products based on our MI blends. We specialize in the production of flexible and semi-rigid films used for the production of primary and secondary packaging, as well as biodegradable and compostable final products that can considerably replace products made of traditional plastics, that have a negative impact on the environment.
Carrier bags – in addition to grocery shopping, they can also be used in households to collect organic waste
Compostable fruit and vegetable bags – the perfect replacement for fossil bags that are mostly disposable and create a big problem for the environment since they are non-recyclable
Bags for organic waste collection- a product used by local waste management companies that have industrial composting plants. They decompose, under certain conditions, together with the waste, producing either recyclable gas or compost, depending on whether it is anaerobic or aerobic digestion..
Mulch films –Fossil-based mulch films are generally not recyclable, thus creating a problem for the environment. Biobased and biodegradable alternative is a much favourable solution for this sector.
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Did you know? The latest research indicates that soil microbes can use compostable mulch films made from PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate) as food, they use carbon from the polymer both to generate energy and form biomass. That means that compostable plastics biologically degrades in the soil and does not remain there as microplastics. |
