Biopolymers
Bringing mineral science to bioplastics
Minerals including kaolin, calcium carbonate, mica and diatomite can all help improve the opacity, stability and cost of bioplastics while reducing tack (stickiness) and overall carbon footprint.
Bio-based polymer plastics are seen as a key way to reduce our use of hydrocarbons. Their increasing popularity is leading to greater innovation and lower costs, with popular applications including agricultural films, compostable shopping bags and disposable items such as food packaging and cutlery.
Our FilmLink® 500 range can be added to fully biodegradable and compostable polyester to improve both the processing and tear strength. It can also be used to improve flexural modulus in biopolymer-based molded parts.
High-performance talcs* and micas can also be used as biopolymer reinforcement fillers in rigid bioplastics such as polylactic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoate. They will increase stiffness and improve dimensional stability while reducing shrinkage and thermal expansion and improving barrier properties. They are natural, inert, minerals and do not impede material recyclability, making it an ideal reinforcing agent for green plastics.
In addition to functional improvements, adding minerals to biopolymers contributes to a lower carbon footprint for the final product as minerals generally require relatively low processing energy compared to the polymer. In BOPLA film applications, our Supercoat® 70S engineered calcium carbonate is an excellent solution for achieving density reduction and high opacity due to its ability to promote cavitation and microvoid formation during orientation.
If you’re working with biopolymers, no matter what the application, talk to our mineral experts about how we can lower your costs while improving your eco credentials – and the performance of your products.
*Talc products are not available in the USA and Canada. Contact us for an alternative range.
Key benefits
Kaolin
Kaolin is a rock from which the clay mineral kaolinite is derived. This one has been used for millennia as the principal ingredient in porcelain tableware. Today Imerys kaolins bring critical properties to a host of end applications ranging from paper to paints, fiberglass to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Abrasives
Whether you are looking to polish, sand, smoothen, grind, or even cut a workpiece, you want to be sure that the material used, its hardness and grain size are right for the job at hand. We are the world leader in fused minerals for abrasives, ready to assist and deliver on all your finishing needs.
