Aimplas Plastics Technology Centre, based in Spain, has begun work on a project aimed at improving the performance of bioplastics used in packaging.
Although bioplastics are considered a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastics made from fossil fuels, many biodegradable and compostable materials still struggle to meet the demands of shelf-life, durability and product protection, particularly in food and cosmetic applications.
To address these challenges, Aimplas is leading the Bioprocess project. The initiative focuses on enhancing the mechanical and barrier properties of bioplastics to make them suitable for high-performance, flexible packaging.
These materials could be used across various industries, including food, personal hygiene, household cleaning products, and cosmetics.
The project involves two partner companies: Potato Bioplastics, which manufactures renewable-source bioplastics, and Gaviplas, a producer of flexible films.
‘One-step approach’
Alicia Naderpour, packaging researcher at Aimplas, said: “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 the materials.
“Additionally, the goal is to enhance the properties of bioplastics by orienting polymer chains for packaging applications without compromising their biodegradability and/or compostability.”
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, she added.
“Therefore, using bioplastics in such applications allows for the organic recovery of packaging waste to produce high-quality compost,” she said.
One key part of the research is the use of machine direction orientation (MDO) extrusion technology. Aimplas has applied this technique to a number of commercially available bioplastics, aiming to create more durable and flexible packaging films.
Polysaccharides and proteins
The centre is also developing new bioplastics formulations from natural polymers, including polysaccharides and both animal and plant proteins. These materials are being tested using MDO and non-oriented sheet extrusion to analyse how their properties can be improved.
Sources for these natural materials include algae, corn and potato starch, as well as gelatines and proteins. In many cases, they are byproducts of other industries, which could help lower production costs and reduce waste.
Rosa González, lead researcher of the Packaging Cluster at Aimplas, said: “The use of chemically unmodified natural polymers is gaining ground in these applications, as they are suitable for manufacturing packaging and plastics products that are banned under the EU Single-Use Packaging 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 requirements to preserve the products they contain.”
The Bioprocess project was launched under the 2024 funding call for research and development collaborations in the Valencian Community. It is supported by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) and co-funded by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund as part of its 2021 to 2027 operational programme.
