Algriplast is a 5-partner project financed by the Normandy region and ERDF funds. Starting at the end of 2019, it aims to develop plastic materials and finished products based on the recovery of by-products and co-products from algae, cereals and vegetables. The functionalities provided by these by-products should make it possible to provide a technical response to targeted specifications as well as current and future legislation in terms of the end-of-life of plastic products.
Upgrading by-products and by-products
The use of by-products and by-products enables :
– Obtaining finished products for different applications by modifying polysaccharides.
– Modulation of material lifespan, and in particular acceleration of biodegradation kinetics through better understanding and control of fragmentation phenomena.
– Obtaining new functionalities by incorporation into biodegradable polymers.
All the partners met on October 11th at the EVA Laboratory of the University of Caen to discuss the work carried out in recent months. The first fructan extractions from leeks carried out on a pilot scale by Algaïa and the EVA laboratory have enabled NaturePlast to carry out encouraging plasticization trials on wheat.
From laboratory to prototyping…
In parallel, other plasticized wheat by-product formulations have been developed. Some of these have proved interesting, and will be produced on a larger scale in the coming months, so that prototypes can be tested. A domestic composting end-of-life is favored, and applications such as thermoformed food packaging and injected objects for the horticultural sector are envisaged.
Finally, UniLaSalle, the partner responsible for biodegradation, has obtained initial results from the simulation tests launched several months ago. By simulating domestic compost conditions (25°C, 60% RH), UniLaSalle was able to demonstrate, after 3 months, interesting synergies between certain biodegradable polymers and by-products, accelerating biodegradation kinetics.
The final stage of the project, scheduled to run until June, will see the production of prototypes and the completion of Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) on a number of concrete cases.
About NaturePlast NaturePlast is a French company based in Normandy (Ifs – 14), specializing in bioplastics. With over 14 years’ experience in this field, it boasts the broadest portfolio of biobased and/or biodegradable raw materials and compounds in Europe. Together with its daughter company BiopolyNov, it also supports manufacturers from the birth to the industrialization of their innovation projects. Thanks to the R&D know-how acquired over the years, NaturePlast and BiopolyNov are now experts in the development and production of formulations for customer or collaborative projects.