BASF is expanding its range of high performance foam products with ecovio EA, the first expandable, closed-cell foam material which is biobased and certified compostable.
Largely biobased, it is made of BASF’s biodegradable polymer ecoflex and polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from corn or other sugar-generating plants such as manioc. This innovative patented particle foam offers properties similar to those of EPS and boasts outstanding energy absorption and very good resilience, even when subjected to multiple impact loads. This makes it particularly suitable for transport packaging applications, particularly for high-value or delicate goods requiring a high level of impact resistance and robustness.
To produce ecovio EA, expandable granules are charged with the blowing agent pentane in an innovative process. This step enables trouble-free pre-expansion of the material on conventional EPS pre-expanders and subsequent molding.
The granules are pre-expanded with the addition of steam to produce closed-cell beads with an adjustable minimum bulk density of 25g/l. A short prefoaming time contributes to a low energy consumption in this production step.
The expanded granules can subsequently be processed into a variety of different molded parts on existing EPS or EPP production machines – no conversions or modification of the production process required.
The processing process also strongly resembles the processing of EPS, although in general it is necessary to adapt the process parameters. This is reflected in a shorter steaming time while the cycle time in the forming step remains the same overall. Due to a shrinkage rate of approximately 1.5%, the mold geometries will need to be adapted. To ensure a very high quality of molded part and dimensional stability it is advisable – similar to EPP processing – to carry out component conditioning in a heating oven after the shaping.
Its lower rigidity - ecovio EA is somewhere between EPS and EPP when it comes to its energy absorbing capacity – make it perfect for use in the E&E sector, as well, in particular for heavy and delicate packaged goods such as washing machines or televisions that are easily damaged during transport. The material offers a minimum thermal conductivity of 34 mW/(mK), and is therefore also outstandingly suited to all thermal insulation applications in the transport sector. ecovio EA helps to maintain the cold chain at all times for temperature-sensitive goods such as packaged vegetables, fruit, meat, frozen goods or even medicines, preventing spoilage.
Its inherent properties also allow storage at temperatures of up to 100°C over a period of several hours, which means that Ecovio EA is also suitable for hot-melt adhesive applications. And, while displaying good resistance to solvents such as acetone, as a certified compostable product, it contains no flame retardants.
BASF is currently developing an ecovio EA grade approved for food contact applications. The material is constantly durable under normal environmental conditions. Special conditions, as are found in industrial composting plants, are required to initiate the biological degradation process. In places where appropriate waste disposal channels are available through local composting plants, this scenario also makes it easier to dispose of the foam – the certified compostability means that it is possible to dispose of it along with leftover food waste – without needing to separate the materials beforehand.
Due to the high porosity and the specific surface area of the foam beads, ecovio EA degrades very quickly in industrial composting plants. Composting tests have shown that, for example, cubes of ecovio EA with an edge length of 5 cm and densities of 28-47g/l break down within the space of five weeks to form water, CO2 and biomass. Prior to composting, the material can also be recycled in grades in customary recycling processes.
http://www.basf.com
Ecovia = 50% PLA en 50% Basf grondstoffen.(red.XEA.nl)
tijd 10.03
De DAX 9.772.78 -3,34 -0,03% Basf EUR 69,52 +5ct vol. 62.000 |
