Top 5 Biodegradable Resins For Your Plastic Injection ...

29 Apr.,2024

 

Top 5 Biodegradable Resins For Your Plastic Injection ...

The use of biodegradable plastics is soaring across industries, as consumers continue to demand more eco-conscious products in the wake of the green movement. In fact, according to recent research from Market Research Futures, the biodegradable plastics market will reach $27.3 billion by 2027—an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9 percent from 2022 levels—spurred largely by consumer demand.

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Whether your customers and clients are demanding a switch to biodegradable plastics or your consideration is being driven by a personal desire to use eco-friendly resins, it pays to understand what options you have when it comes to biodegradable resins that can be used in plastic injection molding.

Below, we explore the top five biodegradable plastics that you may be able to use for your plastic injection molding projects, as well as one emerging material that may be poised for strong growth.

Types of Biodegradable Plastic Resin

Biodegradable plastic is any of a number of plastic varieties that can decompose naturally in the environment, compared to traditional plastics which do not decompose as readily. Most biodegradable plastics are created by the fermentation of canola oil or sugar, and they decompose under the right temperature and humidity conditions.

This quality makes biodegradable plastic especially well-suited for items and products which will be discarded after one use. The most common types of biodegradable plastic resins used in plastic injection molding include:

  • Thermoplastic Starch-based Plastics (TPS)
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)
  • Polylactic Acid (PLA)
  • Polybutylene Succinate (PBS)
  • Polycaprolactone (PCL)

1. Thermoplastic Starch-Based Plastics (TPS)

Starch-based thermoplastics (TPS) are cheap and abundantly available. They are often combined with other materials for use in plastic injection molding. They can be used for food packaging, carryout packages for fast food, and disposable utensils. Starch-based plastics are completely biodegradable and may end up being completely carbon neutral, an important consideration given the increased awareness that average consumer have regarding carbon emissions and global warming.

2. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) is a plastic resin created by the action of bacteria on sugars or lipids. By combining various molecules, the resulting plastic resin takes on a variety of properties. PHAs are stable under exposure to UV, highly moisture resistant and do not easily absorb odors, making them ideal for food and cosmetics packaging, as well as certain medical devices, such as surgical mesh or sutures.

3. Polylactic Acid (PLA)

Polylactic acids (PLA) are derived from tapioca, cassava, sugarcane, or cornstarch. PLAs are used to manufacture a number of different kinds of goods, including medical implants—such as rods or screws—and also in consumer products—such as cups, food packaging, disposable tableware, and loose-fill packaging.

As a note: It is important that this material is thoroughly dried prior to being processed via plastic injection molding.

4. Polybutylene Succinate (PBS)

PBS (polybutylene succinate) is an aliphatic polyester with properties similar to polypropylene, but which naturally degrades into water and CO2. It is made from succinic acid, a naturally occurring chemical common to most living organisms. PBS is used in packaging for food and cosmetics, medical implants, and drug encapsulation. PBS is often mixed with PLA to change strength or impact resistance of a part or product, without unduly affecting thermal or tensile properties.

5. Polycaprolactone (PCL)

Polycaprolactone, or PCL, is used in the production of polyurethanes to improve impact resistance or to add resistance to water, solvents, oils, and chemicals. It is made from vegetable oils and often mixed with starch-based plastics to reduce costs or to change the tensile characteristics of the material. Typical medical uses include drug delivery devices, sutures, or adhesion barriers and scaffolding to help in tissue repair.

6. Hemp: A New Entrant

Though the five types of biodegradable plastic resins discussed above have a firm hold on the biodegradable plastics market, there is another emerging source of biodegradable plastic: Hemp.

Hemp plastics may be made from 100 percent hemp and infused with hemp fibers for strength and durability, or they may be mixed with other plastics. Hemp plastics can be up to five times stiffer and 2.5 times stronger than polypropylene, and it can be used in standard plastic injection molding machines without requiring any machine modifications.

Hemp plastic is used extensively in the automotive industry for panels, and in the building industry for a variety of products where fire-retardant properties are desirable. Hemp plastic water bottles eliminate the concerns associated with BPA plastics and are completely biodegradable.

Hemp currently accounts for more than 500,000 tons per year in the European Union alone, with extremely high projected growth rates.

Choosing the Right Biodegradable Plastic for Your Injection Molding Project

If you are considering using a eco-friendly resin to create your plastic injection molded part or product, you’ve got a number of options at your disposal. Which resin or composite resin will make the most sense for you will depend on a number of factors, including the properties you desire in the end product. Though popular among consumers, it is important to bear in mind that biodegradable plastic resins may not be an appropriate choice for all projects.

Starch based biodegradable & Compostable resin - Huawei

Product Description

Biodegradable Resin

Biodegradable resin is a type of plastic that can break down into natural materials through the action of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. Biodegradable resins are typically made from renewable resources,  and are designed to decompose into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Biodegradable resin is used for a variety of applications, including packaging, agriculture, and consumer goods. 

Starch-modified blown plastic developed in accordance with EN13432, ASTM6400. It can be processed on various types of film blowing machines, printing machines, bag-making machines, and sealing machines.

Starch based biodegradable & Compostable resin is applicable for various kinds of bags, such as T shirt bags, Garbage bags, Produces bags, Draw Stringbags etc.

An analysis of a new market research report stated that “starch blends are expected to account for the largest share in the market” from 2015 to 2020. Out of the 2.05 million tons of bioplastics produced in 2017 worldwide, starch blends accounted for 18.8%.

Starch can be used to reduce the carbon footprint of traditional resins because they can replace petroleum-based polymers with natural ones. It is also highly degradable, meaning it can be used alongside a compostable polymer without interfering with the degradation process. In fact, starch-based bioplastics are widely employed in the medical industry because of their biocompatibility, low toxicity, degradation properties and mechanical properties.

Advantages of biodegradable resins

Environmentally friendly: Biodegradable resins are made from renewable resources, and they break down into natural materials that do not harm the environment.

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Reduced waste: Biodegradable resins can reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills or the ocean.

Cost-effective: Biodegradable resins can be made from inexpensive raw materials, making them a cost-effective alternative to traditional plastics.

Versatility: Biodegradable resins can be used for a variety of applications, including packaging, agriculture, and consumer goods.

Some common applications of biodegradable resins

Packaging: Biodegradable resins can be used to make packaging materials, such as bags, wraps, and containers, that can break down in the environment.

Agriculture: Biodegradable resins can be used to make mulch films, which are used to control weeds and retain moisture in soil.

Consumer goods: Biodegradable resins can be used to make products such as disposable razors, toothbrushes, and cutlery.

Medical: Biodegradable resins can be used to make implants and other medical devices that can be broken down in the body over time.

Why Choose Compostable Materials

Compostable materials are materials that can be broken down by microorganisms into natural substances such as water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. They are similar to biodegradable materials in that they decompose, but they are specifically designed to break down in a composting environment, which is a controlled environment that mimics the natural process of decomposition. Choosing compostable materials has several benefits:

Environmentally friendly: Compostable materials break down into natural substances that do not harm the environment. They also reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.

Reduced waste: Compostable materials can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Cost-effective: Compostable materials can be made from inexpensive raw materials, making them a cost-effective alternative to traditional plastics.

Versatility: Compostable materials can be used for a variety of applications, including packaging, agriculture, and consumer goods.

Closed loop system: Compostable materials can be used as a nutrient-rich organic matter for soil, this is a closed loop system that can be beneficial to the environment.

Encourage composting: Choosing compostable materials can encourage more people to start composting, which can help reduce waste and improve soil health.


The differentiation is very simple. It can be divided into three aspects:

First, visual investigation. Starch products are matte, reflecting yellowish or milky white. Non-starch products are dark or bluish white.

Second, odor distinction. After similar products conflict with each other, starch products have a light corn burny smell or plant fragrance, while other products have a plastic smell.

Incineration is another way to distinguish. When the second sort of products are burned, starch produces red flame, and the ash can be crushed  into black powder. Other categories produce blue flame, and the ash are relatively lighter is other products. The main components are carrier resin, corn starch, coupling agent, moisture agent, phase solvent and other low molecules. Floating objects may have two conditions caused by the addition of lubricant and not completely removed from the surface during the process of deashing. Inorganic objects like talc powder are formed by the large amount of heavy calcium. Advantages modification of natural original use natural corn starch as material, giving sustainable supply, so that the natural resources can be reused and cycled. Safe degradable material is a natural polymer compound and can be degraded in a natural environment.Green environmental protection products can be quickly degraded by microorganisms in the natural environment, becoming plant nutrients, truly derived from nature and giving back to nature, which can solve the environmental damage caused by white pollution. Materials are non-toxic. Production is sterile. Disinfection inspection is strict. Degradation will not be toxic to the soil and air. And there’s no secondary pollution damage. It has strong substitution that can replace the plastic products which take oil as material and the paper products which take wood as material.


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