COM4PHA Champions Eco-Friendly Alternatives with Breakthrough Bioplastics
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biocompatible and biodegradable plastics in soil and marine environments synthesized by a wide variety of microorganisms, which share very similar characteristics with plastics of petrochemical origin. The most recent studies focus on the search for cheaper alternative substrates, such as agro-industrial waste or industrial by-products, and on extraction strategies to reduce product costs. In this way, the aim is to facilitate their incorporation into a market dominated by petroleum-based plastics. The most commercialized PHAs have certain limitations to be processed by conventional technologies, so one of the objectives is to optimize them so that they can be used in different applications within the plastics industry, as well as to scale up their production and supply companies in the sector.
In this sense, the COM4PHA project is dedicated to creating novel bioplastic formulations based on the PHAs group in order to support new product development avenues utilizing these biodegradable materials. Using cutting-edge processing processes for this kind of polymer, the project is specifically developing formulations based on the PHBV copolymer for use in the packaging and agricultural industries. These technologies involve covering paper substrates and agricultural mulch films with the copolymer and hollow-body blown extrusion for bottles.
The overall objective of the project is also to optimize the synthesis of the material and favor the scaling up of larger quantities to be able to offer PHBV at an industrial level and reach certain applications that are currently occupied by conventional materials.
The biotechnology company Venvirotech, which specializes in the transformation of organic waste through a proprietary technology that uses bacteria to produce PHA bioplastics, is coordinating this project. The company Enplast a specialist in the creation and manufacture of all types of plastic packaging, is also participating in the project and will be responsible for validating the materials developed. As a link between the two companies, Aimplas, the Plastics Technology Centre, is in charge of the new PHA formulations, both for the production of packaging and for the formulation of coatings.
The new formulations for cosmetic packaging will be biodegradable and compostable and will comply with the established requirements, which will reduce their environmental impact and allow a better acceptance of the product by the market. This innovation may also be of interest to other processors and end-users in the food and beverage sector, in addition to cosmetics.
For coating formulations in the paper and agricultural sectors, developments will improve product quality and extend shelf life. The results can be exploited in the packaging sector, and applied to those where barrier properties are required, such as the food and cosmetics sectors. In the agricultural sector, they will be applied in mulch films to maintain crop quality based on the barrier and antimicrobial properties of the coating.
The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the Next Generation funds of the European Union are financing this action.
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