Aimplas directs EU-funded project to advance bioplastics for packaging
The Spanish plastics technology center Aimplas is leading the Bioprocess project to enhance the mechanical and barrier properties of bioplastics. The project aims to develop flexible and compostable films for packaging across sectors, including food, cosmetics, personal care, and cleaning products.
Working in collaboration with Potato Bioplastics, a manufacturer of bioplastics, and Gaviplas, a flexible film manufacturer, Aimplas is applying machine direction orientation (MDO) extrusion technology to commercial bioplastics. The project also explores new formulations using natural polymers, such as polysaccharides, as well as animal and plant proteins.
Alicia Naderpour, packaging researcher at Aimplas, says: “In Bioprocess, we have adopted the one-step approach for producing films from natural polymers, as it offers significant advantages in terms of efficiency, sustainability, product quality, and preservation of the natural properties of materials.”
“Additionally, the goal is to enhance the properties of bioplastics by orienting polymer chains for packaging applications without compromising their biodegradability or compostability.”
The naturally sourced materials are by-products of various industries.Naderpour highlights that the use of bioplastics in the packaging sector is proposed as “an alternative to conventional plastics in cases where food residues remain in the packaging, making recycling difficult. Therefore, using bioplastics in such applications allows for the organic recovery of packaging waste to produce high-quality compost.”
Low-cost materials
The naturally sourced materials may come from algae, corn or potato starch, gelatins, or proteins. They are processed through non-oriented and MDO extrusion to study the modification of their mechanical and barrier properties.
Rosa González, lead researcher of the Packaging Cluster at Aimplas, says: “The use of chemically unmodified natural polymers is gaining ground in these applications, as they are suitable for manufacturing packaging and plastic products that are banned under the SUP directive.”
“However, these materials must have the appropriate characteristics to be processed using conventional packaging manufacturing technologies, such as extrusion processing, and must also meet the necessary requirements to preserve the products they contain.”
Funded under the EU’s European Regional Development Fund through the 2021–2027 Operational Program, the Bioprocess project is part of the 2024 call for aid aimed at technology centers in the Valencian Community for R&D projects in collaboration with companies, promoted by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation.
