3rd Prize BIOPOLYMER Award 2023

SoBiCo GmbH (Germany)

Innovation: Plactid® PLA-Copolymer

Plactid® represents a new, groundbreaking approach to opening up numerous new applications for polylactic acid (PLA). Behind this relatively new brand lies a growing family of copolymers that can impart a wealth of new, desirable properties to the globally popular bioplastic. In many cases, the key environmental advantage of PLA is retained: biodegradability.

Jury statement

The relatively low elongation at break, limited impact strength, and milky appearance have so far limited PLA's range of applications. Classic modification attempts often fail due to the complex migration and crystallization behavior of plasticizers and other additives in PLA. The team led by SoBiCo Managing Director Johannes Fuchs therefore sought fundamentally different solutions. This led to the concept for Plactid®, a PLA copolymer family produced using a novel process – reactive compounding. In addition to bio-based lactide, various polyols are used, which can come from biological or fossil sources depending on the application. The PLA copolymers can be specifically adjusted from hard/brittle to soft/ductile, in many cases while maintaining biodegradability. This makes soft films of high crystallinity possible, for example. Injection-molded grades with a significantly higher crystallization rate and impact strength than standard PLA can also be produced. Furthermore, the PLA copolymers are also suitable as additives for modifying standard PLA. In addition to these groundbreaking results, the jury also recognized the perseverance of the SoBiCo team, which invested seven years of research and development work to achieve product maturity.

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