Cereplast Unveils the World's First Sustainable Polypropylene: Biopropylene
Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based sustainable plastics,announced the launch of a new family of resins, Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM). The new resins will complement Cereplast's existing line of compostable resins, Cereplast Compostables(TM),expanding market applications for Cereplast resins. Both resin families, Cereplast Compostables(TM) and Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM), are perfectly suited to meet the needs of all converters, manufactures and brand owners interested in producing and selling environmentally sustainable plastic.
Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM), also known as Biopolyolefins(TM), replace 50 percent or more of the petroleum content used in traditional plastic resins with bio-based materials such as starches from corn, tapioca, wheat and potatoes. With nearly the same physical characteristics and price point as traditional polyolefin, Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) are an ideal way for plastic manufactures to reduce their reliance on petroleum.
"The Launch of the Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) represents an outstanding opportunity for companies across the plastic supply chain to become more environmentally sustainable and reduce the industry's reliance on oil. Biopropylene(TM) is the result of a successful research and development project which demonstrates Cereplast's capability to listen to the growing demand for more sustainability from the plastic industry," said Frederic Scheer, chairman and CEO of Cereplast. "Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) have similar characteristics to traditional polyolefin,while reducing the petroleum content by 50 percent, opening up more applications and uses for bio-based resins."
Polyolefins have the largest market share of any synthetic polymers, representing more than 250 billion pounds globally(1). Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) are ideal for nearly all brand owners and converters looking to enhance sustainability in their processes by replacing traditional petroleumbased plastic in multiple markets, including automotive, consumer electronics, toys, medical, entertainment packaging, furniture, cosmetic packaging, consumer goods and construction.
With significant content derived from starches, the pricing of Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) is not as influenced by volatile oil prices as traditional plastics. In addition, Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) can be processed at the same cycle time as traditional plastics on conventional equipment, but requires less energy in the production process by using significantly lower machine temperatures.
The first resin from the Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) family, Biopropylene(TM) is based on 50 percent petroleum and 50 percent starches creating similar properties to traditional polypropylene. Currently, the polypropylene global market is greater than 100 billion pounds and Biopropylene(TM) can replace traditional polypropylene in the vast majority of applications.
Biopropylene(TM) can be used in a variety of manufacturing processing including injection molding, thermoforming, profile extrusion, and extrusion blow molding and meets the requirements for toxicity set by ASTM D 6400-04 specifications, making Cereplast Hybrid Resins(TM) safe for all applications. Additional Biopropylene(TM) resins will become available in different formulations, replacing anywhere from 50 percent to 70 percent of the traditional petroleum content.
"The significant breakthrough for Biopropylene(TM) is the fact we are able to approximate the proprieties of traditional polypropylene in regards to heat deflection, modulus and impact strength,all while replacing about half of the resin content with renewable starches," said Dr. Shriram Bagrodia, SVP Research and Development. "The surface energy of Biopropylene(TM) is higher than untreated polypropylene leading to improved printability on its surface. The applications for Biopropylene(TM) are wide ranging and are perfect for converters and brand owners seeking alternatives to traditional plastic."
