Degradable plastics applied on flexible packaging

For many disposable plastic packaging materials, the effective disposal of packaging waste, has always been a major problem facing the industry, foreign advanced industrial countries, years of experience, summed up the development of plastic packaging materials 3R1D principles, For plastic packaging materials that cannot be recycled and are difficult to be recycled, such as plastic films, a proposal was made to vigorously develop and utilize degradable plastic packaging materials. However, despite decades of efforts, or due to degradation of the performance of plastic products, Poor, or because the price of degradable plastic products is too high, the cost-effectiveness of degradable plastic products has not been ideally resolved. The large number of applications of degradable plastics is still a problem to be solved. At this exhibition, the exhibits of Japan Uniqek and Hong Kong Eco-Environmental Services Co., Ltd. may give us a glimpse of the application of degradable plastics in the field of flexible packaging.

1. Terramac film exhibited by Japan's Uniqka Corporation

Terramac film is a biodegradable film made from polylactic acid. There are three varieties. The basic situation is shown in Table 1.

Table 1

Biaxially oriented film flexible film sheet

Category TF (General Class) JISS (Transparency Class)

The proportion of 1.271.341.26

Melting point °C167 ~ 170163165 ~ 170

Haze %3<602

Thickness μm15,25,3515～200200～700

Mainly used in general plastic seals, paper seals, window stickers, candy packaging, vegetable packaging, melt sealing bags and other garbage bags, cash bags, fertilizer bags, design bags and other vacuum molded products, food trays, stationery trays, boxes, etc.

Particularly encouraging information is that the product developed by the Japanese Uniqka company has been substantially reduced in cost and is approaching the level of ordinary polyolefin products (cost is approximately 1.5 times that of ordinary polyolefin products).

2. Additive TOPTM for degradable plastics exhibited by Hong Kong Environmental Protection Service Company

TOPTM is a photothermal biodegradable additive for plastic products. TOPTM-containing plastic products are oxidized and degraded into low-molecular-weight fragments under the influence of light, heat and pressure in nature, and then under the action of microorganisms. It is finally converted to carbon dioxide, water and organic compounds. The comparison between TOPTM and other environmentally friendly plastic products is shown in Table 2.

Table 2

Project TOPTM Full-Decomposition Photodegradable Starch Type Calcium Carbonate

Decomposition Causes UV, Heat, Pressure UV Microbial Microbes

Decomposition time 3 to 5 years Complete decomposition About 5 years About 2 years About 2 years

The last residue moisture, carbon dioxide, organic material plastic debris can not be decomposed plastic part can not break down the plastic part

According to Ligao Environmental Protection Service, TOPTM added polyolefin resin, which can fully degrade the plastic. The dosage is about 2%. After adding TOPTM, the cost of plastic is increased by about 10%. The tensile strength and elongation of plastic products Long-term, impact resistance, transparency, printability, etc., basically maintain the original level of plastic, and the obtained plastic products comply with the provisions of the US FDA and European SCF, and can directly contact the food. If the information provided at the exhibition is true, TOPTM will play an active role in promoting the industrialization of degradable plastic products in the flexible packaging industry.

At this international plastics and rubber exhibition, there are also high-barrier nano-coating technologies and equipment that are worthy of attention in flexible packaging, as well as performance testing instruments for flexible packaging materials.