09/04/2025

New Types of the Bioplastic PBS for Industrial Applications (9/4/25)

Bioplastics have been at the center of the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics for many years. They can reduce the demand for fossil raw materials, conserve resources, and help lower CO? emissions. For industrial applications, however, they should not only be sustainable, but also easy to process. This is precisely what the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in the Potsdam Science Park is working on, and it will be presenting its developments in the field of bio-based and biodegradable plastics at K 2025, the international trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry. As part of the RUBIO project (Regional Entrepreneurial Alliance for the Development of Value Chains for Technical Bioplastics in Central Germany), around 20 new types of the plastic polybutylene succinate (PBS) have been developed, produced, and processed at pilot scale. Injection molding, deep drawing, extrusion, spinning – the new PBS types, which can be produced from plant-based residues, are suitable for various processing methods and thus for a wide range of applications, including packaging, consumer goods, and textiles. From the laboratory to production Researchers at Fraunhofer IAP have scaled up the synthesis of PBS from the laboratory to a 100-kg scale. A total of around three tons of PBS have already been produced. By varying the synthesis parameters, different types of PBS have been realized. Three variants with different flow properties were developed for injection molding. Other PBS types are suitable for blow molding, thermoforming, blown film or flat film extrusion, as well as for melt-blown processes or spunbonded nonwovens. The polymer structure is decisive for processability. Depending on the processing method, the molecular chains must be structured differently. The researchers were able to produce both fully linear and specifically branched polymer structures – each tailored to the intended processing method. At the same time, the melt stability of the materials was improved: The new PBS types withstand temperatures of over 200 degrees Celsius – an important step for industrial applications. Proven in application Together with industry partners such as Sauer GmbH & Co. KG and Gramß GmbH Kunststoffverarbeitung, the first marketable products were developed: a sports water bottle and the matching cap – produced using blow molding and injection molding processes. The new PBS types have been tested by industrial plastics processors on standard machinery. The results show: the PBS types can be processed under real conditions – stable, efficiently, and with convincing mechanical properties. Outlook Dr. Jens Balko, Head of the Processing Pilot Plant for Biopolymers Schwarzheide, is certain: "As a bio- based and recyclable material, PBS will be a real game changer on the bioplastics market in the near future and will play a decisive role in the circular economy of plastics. Thanks to its appealing feel and soft to medium hardness, PBS is a genuine alternative for products that still use polyethylene today." PBS plastic can be produced from regional plant-based residual materials. The processes for extracting succinic acid, a key molecule in PBS synthesis, still require further development and partners.