Polyplastic launches PP-cellulose fiber resin for lightweighting and rigidity

Japan-based Polyplastic has released plastic with a low product carbon footprint (PCF) made from PP resin and 30% cellulose fiber. 

PP is often used in packaging for snack bags, food containers, bottles, and caps due to its strength and durability, while cellulose fibers can provide a lightweight and eco-friendly alternative in packaging products.

The Plastron long fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) RA627P is low-density and lightweight. Moreover, its damping properties make it a useful material for speakers, fans, MRI housing, and other vibrating machines. 

Plastron LFT RA627P combines large-loss-coefficient PP resin with regenerated long cellulose fiber. The cellulose fiber is high-strength and high-elasticity, made by choosing the correct spinning conditions and degree of polymerization for the raw cellulose materials.

The product has roughly 10% lower density than 30% short glass fiber-reinforced PP resin, a useful quality for lightweight material needs. Its PCF is approximately 30% less than short glass fiber-reinforced PP resin, indicating the material as an eco-friendly option.

Cellulose -based materials

Polyplastic’s new resin moves away from traditional glass and carbon fiber and toward more eco-friendly cellulose-based materials that can be reused or recycled. 

In a similar development, Huid transformed onion skins into compostable, cellulose-based packaging to address challenges related to single-use plastic and paper-based solutions by repurposing food waste into scalable packaging materials. 

Meanwhile, James Cropper developed a fiber-based whiskey bottle wrap for Bruichladdich Distillery’s 18-, 21-, and 30-year-old whiskies. The beverage company used various fibers, including cellulose, to create the bottle wraps.