Together with the company Teamplast from Heteren, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research has researched whether bio-PBS (polybutylene succinate) is a suitable biobased alternative for PP in this application. Bio-PBS is a biodegradable thermoplastic based on the biobased succinic acid developed by Reverdia.
The material properties make bio-PBS very suitable as a replacement for polypropylene, but it is still more expensive. That is why Teamplast is looking for a ‘launching customer’; a company that wants to pay an additional price in order to continue the development.
Except for caps and closures, bio-PBS can also be used in reusable trays for the agricultural market. For this, the (estimated) life span of the material has been extended to more than 25 years with the help of additives. For this research, use was made of accelerated aging tests. The material still has to prove itself in practice.
Visit the BPM Symposium
Would you like to know more about this project, or other results of projects within the Biobased Performance Materials program of Wageningen Food & Biobased Research? Visit the seventh Biobased Performance Materials symposium on 14 June in Wageningen. A day full of examples of recent and future developments from the program, presented by companies active in the circular and biobased value chain.
