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Automotive Casein is a protein that makes up to 80% of milk protein and Category 10 Years ago Published in bioplastics MAGAZINE Fibers & Textiles What is casein? Fibers & Textiles is thus one of the major proteins in milk. Casein is employed as a binder and excipient. In milk the casein consists of 18 out of the known 22 amino acids. Casein has an extremely high content of glutamine and calcium. With approximately 20% of glutamine no other protein contains as much glutamine as casein. Qmilk is particularly suitable for underwear, as this kind of apparel is worn directly in contact with the skin. Thus skin kindness and hygiene are of utmost importance. In addition to the antibacterial and moisture regulating properties the Qmilk fibres feel very smooth and, thanks to their smooth surface, skin irritations and itching are effectively avoided Asked whether she feels she has been dressed in a Treehugger-Shop when wearing apparel from Qmilk, Tanja says: “Absolutely not. That kind of fashion in the 70s and 80s wanted to differentiate itself from the conventional fashion of those days. Fashion from Qmilk is not only sustainable, but also beautiful, fashionable and sexy.” Other typical fibre applications are pillow cases, bed sheets and mattress covers. Niten Trasy, purchasing manager of Sunham Home Fashion in New York, is convinced that sleeping in a Qmilk-bed is healthier than in any other textile [2]. Potential applications apart from fibres and textiles can be found for example in toys or in dashboard components for automobiles. Since Qmilk features a natural resistance to diesel, ethanol, E10, polyethylene glycol, acetic acid, sodium hydroxide, and oleic acid, it fulfils many requirements that could be applied in the automotive industry. Qmilk collect Qmilk are working to build the first logistics system for the collection of unused, and so far technically, unmarketable milk. www.en.qmilk.eu www.qmilk-collect.com References [1] www.en.qmilk.eu (Website of Qmilch Deutschland GmbH, last accessed Sep. 18, 2013 [2] Qmilk, natural fibre, Brochure of Qmilch Deutschland GmbH [3] Polymerization: From Milk to Plastic - University of Manitoba, [4] Food wastage footprint: Impacts on natural ressources, FAOreport, Sept. 2013 Technical Specifications: Fineness 1.6 dtex fibre cross section* round colour milky white specific weight 1.17 g/cm 3 cutting length 30-60 mm number of filaments 1400 thermal shrinkage (150°C} 0.4 (ow Fest) decomposition temperature 200 °C loop strength 72% moisture absorption 13.6- 16.3 % *Special cross-sections and titers upon request Fibers & Textiles The fibres In a first step the casein powder is mixed with water and melted in an extruder to become a biopolymer-precursor. Already now the material can be dyed. This avoids the additional need for water in a later dyeing step, as is required for example with cotton fibres. Now the biopolymer mass is pressed into a specially shaped spinneret in a continuous process to form the fibres. Since the process temperature is below 100°C the special properties of the milk-casein can be maintained. Water is used as a plasticizer. Qmilk offers a wide range of cross-sections and versatilities in clothing, home textiles and technical textiles. The Qmilk fibre can be obtained as a staple fibre and filament. Because of its smooth surface it is ideal for sensitive skin and gives the feeling of wearing something rather silky. 26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/13] Vol. 8 Special Features of the fibres are: • antibacterial • pleasant to touch “Sustainability is an integral part of our corporate culture and we are committed to our corporate values i.e. to work sustainably and in a socially responsible manner”, says Anastasia Bresler, PR Manager of Qmilk.”In the focus of our sustainable policy are our products, innovations and technologies. We set new standards in the field of man-made fibre.” • temperature regulating • controlled shrinkage • natural UV filter • B2 flammability in accordance with DIN 41021 and DIN 75200 • heat resistant up to 200°C The raw material: No food • washable up to 60°C To develop sustainable innovations and processes and to take advantage of natural materials, are the cornerstones of the Qmilk company‘s philosophy. • lower density than cotton and silk • non allergic The casein, which is the main resource of Qmilk’s products, is made from raw milk that is no Ionger suitable for sale and, under the current legislation cannot be used as food. ln Germany alone every year 1.9 million tonnes of milk must be disposed of. Globally more than 100 million tonnes of milk are wasted every year [4]. Reasons for this are, for example, heat, cellular problems, or germs. This kind of milk must be be disposed of at the expense of the farmer. In many cases this milk ends up – albeit prohibited – in the sewerage. But not only milk that does not fulfill the hygiene requirements of the dairy industry is abuntantly available. There are also waste products e.g. from cheese making etc. that need to be disposed. • good moisture absorbance • good colouring performance Antibacterial Activity Qmilk is naturally antibacterial. There is no need to use anti-bacterial treatment. It is another advantage of crosslinked polymers (see above) that textiles made with such fibres cannot mildew and will behave absolutely neutral in terms of their odour. Qmilk also has an antibacterial action against E. coli and even Staphyllococcus aureus. The bacteria cannot multiply in the Qmilk fibre and thus it gives a However, this milk still contains valuable ingredients and offers great potential for technical purposes. “We use a raw smoothing freshness throughout the day. Moisture absorption The Qmilk fibre easily absorbs moisture and is therefore particularly suitable for applications in underwear, functional sports clothing, and the home textiles sector, but also for technical textiles. Fire protection class The Qmilk fibre reaches fire protection class B2 according to DIN 4102-1 and DIN 75200 and can therefore be used in home decoration, but also in the automotive industry. The textiles The smooth surface of the Qmilk fibre avoids skin irritation and promotes an optimum skin feeling. Qmilk fibre can be modified in its visual aspects and properties for textile surfaces. “The fibres are very smooth and on my skin it feels like silk,” says Tanja Berthold, fashion tailoress at Qmilk. “I love it for my pyjamas”, she adds. “I don’t want to sleep in anything else – ever!” At night she never feels cold, or sweats, thanks to the excellent moisture properties of Qmilk. bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/13] Vol. 8 27 material which inevitably becomes available and thus we only extend its product life cycle”, says Anastasia. “Additionally, we pay attention to sustainable animal husbandry by our suppliers.” The bioplastic Fibers & Textiles N The principle of converting milk into a biopolymer and eventually into fibre products is based on the concept of white biotechnology, one of today’s key technologies. The biotechnological advances allow many new industrial processes which are cheaper and more ecological. In addition, the use of renewable resources was brought to the fore, and we all strive to reduce the use of raw material and energy. The advantage of the new manufacturing process is the ability to produce a biopolymer comprised of 100% natural and renewable raw materials - milk. “The production of 1kg of the biopolymer needs only 5 minutes and a maximum of 2 liters of water”, explains Ines Klinger, head of technical development at Qmilch. “This implies a particular level of cost efficiency and ensures a minimum of CO 2 emissions.” There are lots of options for modification of the polymer which offers the potential for numerous applications. However, one has to keep in mind the fact that Qmilk is a cross-linked, thermoset material. The cross-linking of the molecules makes the material (including the fibres) water resistant, as opposed to approaches in the past when chemicals had to be added to achieve water resistant caseinbased fibres. The material can be made flexible or rigid. It absorbs colour very easily and has good colour brilliance. It is antibacterial and therefore complements a wide range of applications even outside the fibre and textile industry. Qmilk is resistant to water, ethanol, acetone, methanol, fuels, and oils, weak acids, alkalis and minerals. Its temperature stability is above 200°C and the density is at 1.17 g/cm³. The Qmilk biopolymer is compostable in a few weeks. ature produces a versatile resource, namely milk. Incredible amounts of milk have to be disposed of every day because it is longer marketable and legislation says that it should not be used as food. Qmilch Deutschland GmbH (Hanover, Germany) have developed an innovative and unique technology for the production of textile fibres made from the milk protein, casein. Qmilk ® produces textile fibres for various applications including clothing, home textiles, industrial applications, medical equipment and automotive equipment. And the company is working continuously to advance the unique biopolymer with an excellent product quality and an outstanding performance in the field of man-made fibres. The company Bioplastic fibres from m Founder of the company is Dipl.-Biologist Anke Domaske who originally was searching for chemically untreated clothing for her stepfather who had cancer, and eventually for bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/13] Vol. 8 25 By M other people who were suffering from allergies, Then she had the idea of creating a product th only help people, but is also good for the environm Eventually milk proteins came to her notice. Suc had already been processed into textiles in the 1930 fibres were treated with various chemicals and produ complex process. Qmilk began as a classic start-up – however, not in a g but in a kitchen. Since the company and its developm not a university spin-off, there was initially no laborato work in, just the idea of developing a fibre that is chemic untreated. The necessary equipment was bought in a groc store and built into a laboratory for about € 200. In April 2011 the Qmilch GmbH was founded. There is now a group of companies – Qmilch IP GmbH, Qmilch Holding GmbH and Qmilch Deutschland GmbH – engaged in the production and development of biopolymers, based on milk proteins and other natural and renewable raw materials. 24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/13] Vol. 8 tinyurl.com/qmilk2013 32 bioplastics MAGAZINE | Renewable Carbon Plastics [05/23] Vol. 18
Automotive Stay informed the fastest way! Categroy for example. at can not ent itself. h proteins s, but the ced in a arage, ent is ry to ally ery ilk ichael Thielen In September 2023, Anke Domaske (now Anke Nagler), founder of Qmilk, said: Even if the development of biopolymers and fibres from milk-based protein was a great success, our main focus today is on dental care products for dogs and cats. This may sound strange, but our extensive research about 10 years ago also revealed a very positive influence of milk protein-based products on the oral flora. So, we not only put our emphasis on polymers and fibres, as described in the article, but also on other applications. After a couple of really successful years, however, for different reasons, the pandemic and its influence on the textile market on the one hand, but also changing personel and shifting priorities in our partner companies made it difficult recently to successfully market our initial products. Our current main focus on pet oral care showed very good market opportunities, and the success in Germany as well as in many other countries proves us right. You may want to check our website. But even if our focus today is on such kinds of products, we are still active in some segments of the initial applications and we are still interested to partner with companies that want to bring milk protein-based polymers and fibres to successful products into the market. Oh, and it‘s for FREE... Subscribe to our Newsletter https://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/newsletter/ NEWS www.qchefsdental.de bioplastics MAGAZINE | Renewable Carbon Plastics [05/23] Vol. 18 33
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