Issue 04/2023

ioplastics MAGAZINE [04/23] Vol. 18
9
Paques and Senbis collaborate on PHA
Paques Biomaterials (Balk, the Netherlands) and Senbis
Polymer Innovations (Emmen, the Netherlands) have partnered
strategically to develop new applications for a breakthrough
biopolymer with all the advantages of conventional plastics
but without its disadvantages.
Paques Biomaterials has been working on a new value
chain in which bacteria in organic waste streams produce the
biopolymer PHA for more than ten years. “Our background
is in biotechnology”, says Joost Paques, founder of Paques
Biomaterials, “and with this collaboration, biotechnology
and chemistry join forces which is a formula for success
for a biopolymer. We are convinced we will soon produce a
high-quality alternative to fossil plastics, which can be widely
applied and prevent microplastics”.
Senbis Polymer Innovations is a chemical R&D company
specialising in biopolymers. “We will help Paques Biomaterials
develop different PHA grades suitable for a wide range of
applications”, explains Gerard Nijhoving, managing director
of Senbis. “Paques Biomaterials develops the PHA, but we
give direction on which way it must be developed and then
evaluate it. Paques Biomaterials has a promising biopolymer
in hand with Caleyda. It is biobased and highly biodegradable
in all kinds of environments. Their product is unique because
it is made from waste streams and doesn’t use genetically
modified bacteria. That makes it sustainable and natural on
all sides. This involves a major challenge to deliver consistent
quality, as for plastic processing purity is the key.
Senbis has all commercially available biopolymers inhouse
and has researched them. We know what works for
which application. Many PHAs we see now need to catch up
in mechanical and thermal properties compared to other
bioplastics. If we can improve these topics with Paques
Biomaterials, their PHA Caleyda will soon be a serious
player in the market”.
“We also see much potential for this material for socalled
compounds. That means mixing the PHA with other
biopolymers. For some applications, you need a mix of
bioplastics to get the required mechanical properties and
velocity of biodegradability”, says Gerard Nijhoving. “Like
applications such as injection moulding, yarns, 3D printing
or films. With this knowledge, Paques Biomaterials can
optimise Caleyda where necessary, and we work together
towards a high-quality PHA. Furthermore, you can use
these compounds to serve new applications. We also see
opportunities for this in our customer portfolio and even within
our product development”.
The beginning of this new circular value chain is already at
an advanced stage. Paques Biomaterials has already signed a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kolon Industries
and Kolon Global in South Korea, launching large-scale
production of PHA from food waste. In Europe, the first full-scale
plants in which bacteria make PHA in industrial wastewater,
sewage sludge, and organic waste streams (vegetable/fruit
waste) are also under development. In cooperation with five
Dutch Water Boards and waste and energy company HVC,
Paques Biomaterials has been optimising this process with a
demo plant in the last few years. The PHA biomass is a reality,
and in the next phase of the value chain, this biomass will be
extracted and purified into a clean biopolymer PHA called
Caleyda. For this phase, the cooperation with Senbis is crucial.
With their knowledge and expertise, Paques Biomaterials will
make Caleyda, a natural and high-quality bioplastic without
the disadvantages of fossil plastics. AT
www.paquesbiomaterials.nl | www.senbis.com
daily updated News at
Avantium and SCGC partner on CO 2
– based polymers
Avantium (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), a leading technology provider in renewable chemistry, announces that it has
agreed to partner with SCGC (Bangkok, Thailand), a leading integrated chemical player in Asia and an innovator of chemical
innovations and solutions.
Under this partnership, Avantium and SCGC agreed to further develop CO 2
-based polymers and to scale up to a pilot plant with
an indicative capacity of 10 tonnes per annum.
Avantium is a frontrunner in developing and commercialising innovative technologies for the production of chemicals and
materials based on sustainable carbon feedstocks, i.e. carbon from plants or carbon from the air (CO 2
). One of Avantium’s
innovative technology platforms, called Volta Technology, uses electrochemistry to convert CO 2
to high-value products and
chemical building blocks including glycolic acid. By combining glycolic acid with lactic acid, Avantium can produce polylacticco-glycolic
acid (PLGA), a carbon-negative polymer with valuable characteristics: it has an excellent barrier against oxygen and
moisture, has good mechanical properties, is recyclable and is both home compostable and marine degradable. This makes PLGA
a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to, for example, non-degradable, fossil-based polymers.
Since early 2023, Avantium and SCGC have been working together to further evaluate PLGA. To this end, Avantium has produced
samples of different PLGAs, which have been evaluated at SCGC’s Norner AS facility. The two parties have now agreed to take the
next step in their cooperation and establish a Joint Development Agreement. Under this agreement, Avantium and SCGC intend
to further evaluate PLGA in order to subsequently scale up production of glycolic acid monomer and PLGA polyester in the next
two years to a pilot plant.
“We are delighted that we have entered into this partnership with SCGC, a partner that understands that innovation and bold
action is the key to lasting positive impact for a sustainable future. Under this partnership, we can further develop the very promising
carbon-negative plastic PLGA and bring this material to the next commercialization phase. Both Avantium and SCGC would also
welcome other strategic and complementary partners to participate in this collaboration”, says Tom van Aken, CEO at Avantium. AT
www.avantium.com | www.scgchemicals.com