The threat of new materials
09.06.2025
The launch of a new and experimental material feels like a daily occurrence. There seems to be no waste stream that isn’t fodder for potential new materials. Many years ago it started with wood chips mixed with plastic; now it’s anything from algae to tea leaves, Hackney street dirt to pineapple leaves. There are so many crafty innovations, it’s almost impossible to keep up.
Bionics in the Plastics Industry
28.05.2025
Bionics is the science that transfers natural principles to technical developments. This principle is also widely applied in the plastics and rubber industry. This is because nature offers fascinating role models when it comes to the challenges of sustainability, resource efficiency and material requirements.
Plastic Batteries in the Focus of Research
21.05.2025
The demand for sustainable energy storage systems is growing. However, many conventional batteries rely on critical raw materials such as lithium. Prof Birgit Esser is researching an exciting alternative at the University of Ulm: plastic batteries.
Biodegradable Mulching Films for Sustainable Agriculture
05.05.2025
Sirmax introduces biodegradable BioComp® mulching films for agriculture. A study by the University of Turin confirms the films’ effectiveness in controlling weeds without leaving microplastics in the soil, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional solutions.
Durable Plastic Gets a Sustainability Makeover
17.03.2025
Car tires, replacement hip joints, and bowling balls – all these products rely on thermosets, a class of plastics known for their extreme durability. However, their crosslinked polymer structure makes them impossible to recycle, leading to landfill waste and environmental concerns.
Plastics in the camping industry
12.03.2025
Plastics play a key role in the manufacture of camping products as they offer versatile properties that are essential for many products. Materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are used in tarpaulins, caravan covers, camping furniture and cookware and are characterised by their durability, lightness and weather resistance.
Sustainable Automotive Materials: SK chemicals and Hyundai Collaborate
24.02.2025
SK chemicals and Hyundai·Kia are driving sustainability in the automotive sector through innovative recycling technology. By incorporating circular and bio-based materials into Kia's EV3 Study Car, the collaboration paves the way for a more eco-friendly vehicle production model.
Packaging law and Recyclability
15.01.2025
Recyclability as the key to the circular economy: A reform of Section 21 of the German Packaging Act could ensure that ecological packaging is consistently preferred. Financial incentives and objective criteria play a key role in changing the market in the long term.
Dow expands Sustainable Footwear Materials Portfolio
13.12.2024
Dow has introduced a suite of low-carbon material solutions designed to assist the footwear industry in producing more sustainable products without compromising performance. This expanded portfolio includes bio-circular materials, reversible cross-linking resins, post-consumer recycled resins, and polyolefin elastomers suitable for artificial leather applications.
Advancing Running Shoe Sustainability with Biopolymers
25.11.2024
Mount to Coast, a leader in ultrarunning footwear, has partnered with BASF to introduce CircleCELL™, an innovative running shoe midsole. The midsole, made from BASF’s ecoflex® BMB, blends sustainability with high performance, offering enhanced durability and energy return. This collaboration marks a significant step toward eco-friendly advancements in sports footwear.
Virginia Tech develops biodegradable bioplastics from food waste
06.09.2024
This innovative approach not only offers a sustainable solution to plastic pollution but also provides a new life for materials that would otherwise be discarded.
Jogging shoes and co.: plastics in sportswear
31.07.2024
The right outfit for every sport. Even for a short jog after work, sports enthusiasts can access sophisticated equipment. From breathable sports shirts and cooling running tights to running shoes. The choice is diverse. However, there is one unifying factor that most models have in common - plastics are used in their manufacture.
Bioplastics Made of Olive Pits
05.07.2024
Biolive, a pioneering biotechnology company, has launched a new biopolymer production facility in Istanbul, Türkiye, capable of producing 9,600 tons annually. Using olive pits as raw material, this innovative process aims to replace fossil-based plastics, offering a sustainable solution for the plastics industry.
Bend it like PU – Plastics in football
31.05.2024
The European Men's Football Championship is casting its shadow ahead. It will take place in Germany from 14 June to 14 July 2024 and promises exciting matches and thrilling moments. But it's not just the players who are in the spotlight. The materials used also play a decisive role in the success of a match: plastics.
Biopolymer coating for textiles – protective bacteria
03.05.2024
It defies wind and weather and protects us from a wide range of environmental influences: Functional clothing. Special coatings are responsible for this. Polyacrylates or polyurethanes, which are based on crude oil and therefore a finite resource, are often used for this purpose. The DITF are therefore researching alternatives from renewable sources – including polymers from bacteria.
The rediscovery of plastics in the textile industry
27.03.2024
The textile industry is in the midst of a green transformation, with sustainability and recycling taking centre stage. This change is being driven by a growing awareness of the environmental impact of textile production and consumption. Plastics, particularly synthetic fibres such as polyester and nylon, are ubiquitous in the industry due to their versatility and cost-effectiveness.
Enzyme-Powered Recycling of Bioplastics
11.03.2024
Scientists at King's College London have unveiled a novel chemical recycling method, leveraging enzymes found in laundry detergents, to break down single-use bioplastics in record time. Published in Cell Reports Physical Sciences, this innovative approach promises a more sustainable cycle for plastics, traditionally seen as a challenge due to their long degradation period.
World's First PET Biorecycling Plant
01.03.2024
In a significant advancement for sustainable materials management, CARBIOS has teamed up with De Smet Engineers & Contractors (DSEC), renowned for its Engineering, Procurement, and Construction services in the biotech and agro-processing sectors. This collaboration aims to launch the world's first PET biorecycling plant in Longlaville, France, set to be operational by 2025.
Innovative bioplastic from KraussMaffei and Synergy Horizon
02.02.2024
KraussMaffei and Synergy Horizon have jointly developed a new type of bio-based reinforced thermoplastic that prioritises functionality and sustainability.
They see me rollin' - Plastics in bicycles and current best practices
04.10.2023
Anyone who chooses the bicycle as a means of transport instead of the car every day saves the environment 3.2 kilograms of climate-damaging CO2. In addition, plastics can help to reduce CO2 emissions from the production and transport of bicycles. They can be used in all components and therefore make cycling even more environmentally friendly. This is shown by the following examples:
Digital meets material: a software transforms additive manufacturing
17.08.2023
ADAM could redefine plastics manufacturing. A big claim, but not without reason: Behind the acronym ADAM is a software called "Advanced Dimension Additive Manufacturing" that caused a real stir at K 2022. The impressive result of this software in action? A high-performance screw extruder controlled by an agile jointed-arm robot.
The green side of asparagus: a new approach to bioplastics production
19.07.2023
The asparagus season in Germany has officially been over for about a month now – but at the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (IfBB), it is still going strong. The "SpaPlast" research project shows how asparagus peels can be used as a filler for bioplastics. The project is funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.
Bioeconomy startup traceless receives millions in funding from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment
22.06.2023
The startup traceless materials GmbH has developed the compostable biomaterial traceless®, which is considered a nature-based, environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. The project is funded with around 5 million euros from the Environmental Innovation Program of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV).
Bioplastics become more attractive for industry
08.06.2023
As part of project RUBIO, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP is developing novel types of the bioplastic polybutylene succinate (PBS). The bioplastic films made from PBS are recyclable, biodegradable and can be processed on standard extrusion lines.
LAPP uses new bio-based plastic from BASF – Organic ETHERLINE® now available too
18.05.2023
The company LAPP is using a new bio-based plastic from BASF for the sustainable version of its ETHERLINE® FD P Cat.5e for Industrial Ethernet. The bio-based plastic is Elastollan® N, the thermoplastic polyurethane from BASF, which is part of its circular economy strategy.
CO2BioClean: Turning CO₂ into biodegradable plastics
17.05.2023
CO2BioClean is using an innovative process to produce biodegradable plastics and polymers from CO₂ as a circularly sourced feedstock. What is driving them is their vision for a sustainable future and the potential of their technology to contribute towards global efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions and the use of fossil fuels in the production of plastics.
Chemists redesign biological PHAs, 'dream' biodegradable plastics
11.05.2023
Colorado State University polymer chemists have created a synthetic Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) platform. These newly designed PHAs are mechanically tough, even outperforming the two most common commodity plastics. Among other things, this is intended to address the thermal instability of conventional PHAs and is a major step toward sustainability.
BluCon Biotech welcomes strategic investment by major chemical group LG Chem
27.04.2023
The two companies BluCon Biotech GmbH and LG Chem Ltd entered into an investment agreement. Together, they plan to work on a novel process to convert lignocellulosic non-food raw materials into high-purity lactic acid.
Bio-based flame retardants for bioplastics in electrical engineering and electronics
06.02.2023
Fraunhofer researchers, in collab with industrial partners, have achieved initial success in the development of bio-based flame retardants in bioplastics. In the future, it could therefore be possible to utilize plastics in electronics and electrical engineering that consist of 100% bio-based materials. Processing was tested by means of compounding, injection molding and additive manufacturing.
traceless: material made from plant-based polymers protects climate and environment
19.01.2023
As early as 1908, textile engineer Jacques Brandenberger invented cellophane, a film made of natural polymers. However, the material was displaced by synthetic polymers with the development of numerous plastics. In the wake of the climate crisis, natural polymers are now coming back into focus as an alternative to fossil raw materials. traceless offers such an alternative.
Borealis and REHAU accelerate circularity for furniture products with Bornewables™ premium circular polyolefins
22.11.2022
REHAU chooses Borealis' Bornewables™ over conventional polypropylene (PP) for production of their RAUKANTEX evo sustainable edgebands. The robust and durable Bornewables™ feature color-stable chemistry and flexibility and are suitable for processing straight and contoured edges.
New PET-like plastic made directly from waste biomass
11.07.2022
Scientists from EPFL's School of Basic Sciences have successfully developed a biomass-derived plastic. Similar to PET, it meets the criteria for replacing several current plastics while being more environmentally friendly.
Braskem and Sojitz Corporation join hands to bring renewable MEG technology to the market
09.05.2022
The two companies Brüskem and Sojitz cooperate within a partnership to produce and market the bioMEG (monoethylene glycol) and bioMPG (monopropylene glycol). This joint venture aims to promote sustainable development and combine the expertise of both companies.
Edible, biodegradable, anti-microbial plastic boasts higher tensile strength than petroleum-based plastic
12.04.2022
A research team at São Paulo State University (UNESP) made their bioplastic from type B bovine gelatin. Besides nanoclay the material is produced from clay and a nanoemulsion of black pepper essential oil.
AlgX: from green algae to green plastic
18.01.2022
With AlgX, the French industrial project Eranova has developed a product that responds to two global problems: Plastic pollution and algae pollution. It is a technology patented in 30 countries that allows the production of bio-based, recyclable, biodegradable and compostable plastics from green algae in the spirit of upcycling.
Water meets cellulose: Environmentally friendly plastic made from hydroplastic polymers
27.10.2021
Researchers at the University of Göttingen have developed a new method to create environmentally friendly bioplastics from renewable raw materials.
Röchling BioBoom: bioplastics make cars greener
27.07.2021
Alongside many other industries, the automotive sector is also moving in the green direction. Electromobility is booming. However, plastics produced from non-renewable raw materials such as petroleum are also installed in e-cars. Röchling Automotive has recognized the need for bioplastics that meet the high requirements for automotive applications – and has developed BioBoom.
The Brazilian plastics market and Braskem's contribution to the Circular Economy
22.07.2021
While the Corona pandemic initially had a negative impact on almost all markets, the plastics industry benefited in the course of 2020 due to the increasing demand for personal protective equipment, to-go packaging for food and household items. The chemical company Braskem is also noticing this development in Brazil.
Do it Yourself plastic anno 1530
09.06.2021
Instructions for the production of artificial cow horn. Almost 500 years old is the recipe for the production of artificial horn and thus currently the oldest known German recipe for plastic.
Cleaning up the polluted edge of the world: Lindner and Comberplast recycle fishing nets
31.05.2021
Presented at K 2019 in Düsseldorf and now used to clean up the edge of the world: Lindner Recyclingtech’s Micromat 1500. Circular economy pioneer Comberplast has been using the machine to successfully shred old fishing nets and ropes collected from the coast of Patagonia.
Fraunhofer researchers develop recyclable, fiber-reinforced material made from 100 percent bio-based polylactic acid
17.05.2021
The Fraunhofer IAP wants to develop a composite material that consists entirely of bio-based polylactic acid (PLA) and is significantly easier to recycle than conventional fiber composites.
New biodegradable polyurethane foams are developed from wheat straw
01.04.2021
Every year around 734 million tons of wheat straw are produced worldwide, a large amount of waste, which is cheap and has had no well-defined use until now. Recently, research groups at the University of Córdoba have been able to give a new use to this agricultural excess material, by using it as the foundation in order to manufacture polyurethane foams.