Issue 06/2020

Automotive
10
Published in
bioplastics MAGAZINE
ago
Years
B
Films | Flexibles | Bags
How to
Produce
BOPLA Films
iaxially oriented PLA films have certain properties • Units for film surface treatment adapted to the material
which are advantageous for specific packaging requirements.
Their excellent optics combined with
• Winding and tension control optimized for BOPLA’s high
modulus
high stiffness make BOPLA an attractive cover for food. Resistance
against oil, fat and alcohol and a low water vapor
• Complementary state-of-the-art process control system
barrier are beneficial for a variety of ‘challenging’ foodstuff. Successfully modified BOPLA line at Taghleef Industries
Low sealing temperatures, high sealing strength, good printability
and excellent twistability provide a wide range of ap-
Taghleef Industries, a worldwide leading BOPP producer,
and Brückner teamed up in order to modify one of Taghleef’s
plications too.
existing lines in Italy to produce BOPLA. The raw material
Stretching lines for biodegradable film need a special supplier NatureWorks LLC was included in the process of
design
finding the right layout and parameters. Extensive tests on
Brückner’s laboratory line have confirmed the layout data in
At Brückner, research and development with PLA was
a parallel process. The start-up of the new line took place in
first performed over 10 years ago - at a time, when the raw
August 2010, since then the new ‘NATIVIA’ films have been
material was still new and unexplored. The concepts for new
produced successfully for multiple applications such as
film stretching lines or the modification of existing lines
bakery, confectionery, fresh produce, snacks, dairy, lidding
offered today are based on comprehensive PLA tests at the
or labeling and stationery in the non-food sector.
company’s technology center. Experiences from these trials
lead to
Main reasons for BOPLA film’s bright future
• Special raw material handling systems for the hygroscopic • Consumption decisions based on sustainability and
material PLA
renewability have become a characteristic behavior for an
increasing number of consumers
• A specially adapted extruder screw design for PLA ensuring
gentle plastification. An option could be to change the whole • There will be more and more BOPLA applications
extrusion system to a twin screw design which processes
• The growing demand for BOPLA packaging material is
the melt more gently and already includes the moisture
triggered by the food industry, which is looking for the
extraction system.
suitable packaging of their healthy nutrition
• Adaption of all melt leading components ensuring gentle
• Today, the supply of BOPLA resin is safe
handling of the acidic PLA
• A strong interaction between resin manufacturers, film or
• Electrostatic pinning system
other plastic goods producers, machine suppliers, the big
• Machine and transverse direction orientation adapted to food companies and the retail chains
specific stretch ratio and stretch temperatures of PLA
• Special trimming and edge trim recycling
www.brueckner.com
In November 2020 Dr.
Stefan Seibel, Head of New
Technologies, Brückner
Maschinenbau says:
Biopolymers have long
been a part of our portfolio,
we’ve even developed the first
elements of a ‘biofilm-kit’.
However, packaging made
from these raw materials is
still largely a niche solution.
This also applies to BOPLA:
this technology is very rarely
requested by our customers.
A lack of recycling streams,
difficult sorting, lacking
home compostability, high
raw material prices and
reduced finishing properties
all set limits here. It
remains to be seen, if current
legislative efforts will
change the BOPLA approach.
tinyurl.com/2010-bopla
bioplastics magazine [06/10] Vol. 5 25
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/20] Vol. 15 53