Jürgen Lörcks

Properties and applications of compostable starch-based plastic material

Biodegradable and compostable plastics, especially those based on renewable resources from the agricultural industry, are an essential innovation. This innovation offers substantial impulses for the future technologies. A lot of jobs and a potential market of > 1 million tonnes/year for biodegradable plastics in Europe is proposed by the EU Commission Directorate General XII. Bioplastics based on starch use the benefits of natural polymerization and the availability of raw material and process technology. Thermoplastic starch TPS® and blends of TPS® with hydrophobic biodegradable polymers are in the BIOTEC® research and production program. Latest development results are reaction-compounding process technologies to produce TPS® derivatives and starchesters in a continuous extrusion process. Applications for TPS® bioplastic granules BIOPLAST are film extrusion and injection moulding. The BIOFLEX film has mechanical properties, such as PE films are opaque to transparent, printable, sealable, shrinkable and can be colourized. BIOFLEX is permeable to vapour and has good barrier properties to oxygen. BIOFLEX can be used in the same way as conventional foils, for instance for garbage sacks, shopping bags, packing up, nets for food packaging, diapers, agricultural or technical uses. According to DIN 54900, TPS® bioplastics are completely biodegradable and compostable. The innovation of this bioplastic technology is an excellent example for a sustainable development, which means the responsible use of available natural resources and production processes that take environmental aspects and natural circulations into consideration.