Mondi launches blown film based on plant oils

"Sustainex" bioplastics for Form-Fill-and-Seal

At the Bioplastics in Packaging exhibition at Interpack 2008, Mondi launched an innovative and novel blown film for Form-Fill-and-Seal (FFS) applications under the brand name “Sustainex”. This bioplastics film is made from biopolymers based on vegetable oils. It has excellent print properties, workability, and mechanical properties such as strength, impact, and tear-resistance.

The goal in developing this film was to ensure customers do not have to compromise, as it can be used universally on various FFS bag-making machines. Sustainex features include its double-sided heat sealability, allowing overlapping (Lap-Seal) as well as fin-shaped (Fin-Seal) longitudinal welds, and the fact that it can be used on production machinery with permanently heated sealing tools. Sustainex bioplastics packaging film has the similar visual and characteristics as standard plastic film. Therefore there are numerous potential applications; initial trials are currently in progress at leading frozen foods producers.

Following extensive development work, Mondi Coating & Release is now able to offer sustainable extrusion-coated and laminated packaging materials that use biopolymers, also under the brand name Sustainex. During the extrusion coating process, the biopolymer melt is applied as a functional coating to a carrier substrate such as paper. In extrusion laminating, the biopolymer melt is used as a “glue” to combine substrates. Both technologies require the polymer to have high thermal stability and melt resistance, which biopolymers do not inherently possess. Mondi engineers have found a technique that allows using biopolymers in the extrusion-coating and -lamination process.

Sustainex combines the material properties of paper or board with those of biopolymers. It is a versatile biodegradable and sustainable packaging material thanks to its excellent sealability, gas and grease barrier, and thermal resistance. Dr. Jürgen Betz, head of product development at Mondi Coating Zeltweg, sees enormous potential and numerous applications for Sustainex, e.g. dry food and fast food, milk and dairy, single-use paper cups and bowls, and hygiene products.

Dr. Peter Prader, project coordinator within the Mondi Innovation programme, commented: “Product innovations with sustainable customer value have always been top priority for Mondi. This applies especially to bioplastics, which are currently used for numerous innovative developments in sustainable packaging.”

Press release Mondi launches biodegradable packaging solutions

(Cf. news of 2008-05-08.)

Source

Mondi, press release, 2008-04-24.

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