Together with a number of partners in a project aimed at opening up new application areas for bio-based materials, researchers at Fraunhofer Umsicht are working on the development of a biobased TPV material that could conceivably, replace soft PVC in vinyl flooring.

As the demand for renewably-sourced materials grows, the use of bioplastics in areas such as packaging, building and construction and even the automotive industry has been steadily rising over the past several years. Now, with a new bio-TPV in the pipeline, additional opportunities may well be looming on the horizon.

Fraunhofer Umsicht is exploring the possibilities of a new, plasticizer-free, bio-based, thermoplastic vulcanizate (Bio-TPV) consisting of a soft, biobased component, such as natural rubber, dispersed in a PLA matrix. Cross-linking occurs during the production process: the bio-TPV is produced via dynamic vulcanization in the extruder.

Project partner *FKuR will focus on the further development of the material at Fraunhofer Umsicht and the scale-up of the production process to industrial scale. Another project partner, Gerflor Mipolam, a manufacturer of floor coverings, is responsible for the development of suitable process technology: the goal is to produce a homogeneous, resilient floor covering from the new material. Gerflor Mipolam will also handle the subsequent marketing of the new flooring products. (KL)

http://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de

* Purac werkt ook samen met Fkur.