Biopolymers

Plastics offer numerous advantages, such as customizable molecular structures, low weight and easy formability, which make them indispensable. They are often criticized because of the use of fossil raw materials and the waste problems typical of plastics. Biopolymers are a promising alternative because they can expand the raw material mix to include biogenic raw materials and reduce the CO2 footprint. Many bio-based plastics are also biodegradable and can be converted into water and CO2 by microorganisms. The property of compostability offers optimal degradation conditions in particular.

At the Fraunhofer CCPE, we combine decades of experience in various areas of biopolymers. This includes polymer synthesis, such as PLA copolymers, compounding of composites and blends as well as a variety of processing techniques, including injection molding, blown and flat film production, thermoforming, extrusion, foaming and fiber spinning. In addition, we offer extensive chemical, thermal and mechanical characterization, degradation testing and structural analysis to explore and optimize structure-property-processing relationships.

Would you like to make your plastic products more sustainable and improve your material? We are happy to support you with suitable solutions and offer you a comprehensive research and testing infrastructure.