Copolymers based on lactic acid with improved home-compostability in comparison to commercial PLA have been obtained. Furthermore, formulations of bio-blends and bio-composites for the different applications of the project which perform as home-compostable materials have been developed as well. These developed materials together with the investigations on plasticisers, chain extenders and natural fibers had led to the final formulations for BIONTOP final prototypes.
New water barrier and repellence bio-based coatings have also been developed for films, trays and textiles. The application of BIONTOP bio-based coatings onto films of different thickness was achieved at pilot plant scale. These coated films were used for validation into packaging demonstrators. Additionally, PLA hotmelt and waterborn PLA emulsion with low processing temperature was successfully developed, lamination of PLA film to PLA substrate was demonstrated as possible resulting in a material presenting excellent liquid repellence, a PLA emulsion with good abrasion resistance, good flexibility and good cleanability towards water, wine, coffee and tea but bad washing resistance was obtained and PLA plastisol with excellent abrasion resistance, tunable biodegradability and mediocre flexibility was developed.
Spectroscopic analysis of the developed copolymers has been performed. The results will make possible material sorting for the products which EoL is expected to be recycling. Reprocessability of final formulations was studied and demonstrated at laboratory and pilot plant scale. A strategy for the recycling and reprocessing of BIONTOP materials has been established upon these results.
A comprehensive biodegradation study under different degradation conditions has been performed over the developed bio-based copolymers, bends, composites and coatings. Furthermore, a predictive data modelling tool for the prediction of the biodegradation of BIONTOP materials has been developed.
Biobased and biodegradable monolayer trays with thermosealed lid were validated in relevant environment as packaging for blueberries with not significant differences for their self-life in comparison with conventional materials.
Multilayer biobased BIONTOP materials with good barrier properties did not perform appropriately in industrial packing machines unfortunately. Nevertheless, a small series of 14 cheese packages could be obtained.
Films from recycled BIONTOP formulations were successfully produced. The materials look, behave and are processable very similar to the virgin ones. The mechanical properties are comparable with the virgin materials. 100% based recycled BIONTOP films were successfully welded into secondary packaging bags.
The formulation for fabricating BIONTOP net packaging prototypes was successfully developed at laboratory scale by employing a pilot plant single screw extruder. This formulation was subsequently successfully employed for obtaining biobased and industrially recyclable oriented nets by extrusion melt spinning at industrial level.
Biobased and home compostable biopolymer blends were developed for the fabrication of tea bags. These materials showed very good performance towards processing, mechanical properties and biodegradation behavior under home composting conditions.
