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JP-2026514386-A - Polyester blend for home composting applications

JP2026514386AJP 2026514386 AJP2026514386 AJP 2026514386AJP-2026514386-A

Abstract

For manufacturing household composting products, Based on the total weight of polylactic acid a) and aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable polyester b), 10 to 85% by weight of at least one polylactic acid a), Use of a polymer composition comprising 15 to 90% by weight of at least one biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic polyester, based on the total weight of polylactic acid a) and aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable polyester b).

Inventors

  • カイ オリヴァー ズィーゲンターラー
  • ジェローム ローマン
  • ミヒャエル ベアンハート シック
  • グラウコ バッタグリアリン

Assignees

  • ビーエーエスエフ ソシエタス・ヨーロピア

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20240327
Priority Date
20230327

Claims (12)

  1. For manufacturing household compostable materials, a) 15 to 85% by weight of at least one polylactic acid a) based on the total weight of polylactic acid a) and aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable polyester b), b) 15 to 85% by weight of at least one biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic polyester (b) derived from the following, based on the total weight of the polylactic acid a) and the aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable polyester b): b-1) 20 to 70 mol% of at least one aliphatic C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acid or C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acid derivative based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), b-2) Based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), 80 to 30 mol% of at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid or aromatic dicarboxylic acid derivative, Based on the total amounts of b-3), b-1), and b-2), 98 to 102 mol% of aliphatic C2 - C10 diols, b-4) 0 to 2% by weight of at least trihydric alcohol based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3), and b-5) 0 to 2% by weight of a chain extender based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3), c) 0 to 40% by weight of at least one biodegradable polyester different from the biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic polyester b) based on the constituent components a) to f), d) 0 to 55% by weight of at least one starch-based polymer or cellulose-based polymer based on the constituent components a) to f), e) At least one inorganic filler in an amount of 0 to 40% by weight based on the constituent components a) to f), f) Use of a polymer composition comprising 0 to 40% by weight of at least one compound selected from crosslinking agents, chain extenders, stabilizers, nucleating agents, lubricants, mold release agents, surfactants, waxes, antistatic agents, antifogging agents, dyes, pigments, UV absorbers, UV stabilizers, oxygen scavengers, dispersants, and other plastic additives, based on components a) to f).
  2. The biodegradable polyester b) is, b-1) Based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), 20 to 70 mol% of at least one aliphatic C6 - C13 dicarboxylic acid or C6 - C13 dicarboxylic acid derivative, b-2) Based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from terephthalic acid, franzicarboxylic acid, their derivatives, and mixtures thereof, in an amount of 80 to 30 mol%, Based on the total amounts of b-3), b-1), and b-2), 98 to 102 mol% of aliphatic C3 - C4 diols, b-4) Based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3), 0 to 2% by weight of at least a trivalent alcohol, The use according to claim 1, derived from 0 to 2% by weight of a chain extender based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3).
  3. The use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the biodegradable polyester b) is selected from poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), poly(butylene azelate-co-terephthalate), poly(butylene adipate-co-sebacate-co-terephthalate), poly(butylene adipate-co-azelate-co-terephthalate), poly(butylene azelate-co-sebacate-co-terephthalate), and mixtures thereof.
  4. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, based on the total weight of the polylactic acid a) and the aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable polyester b), the concentration of the polylactic acid a) is in the range of 10% to 80% by weight, and the concentration of the biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic polyester b) is in the range of 20% to 90% by weight.
  5. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the combined concentration of the polylactic acid a) and the biodegradable polyester b) in the polymer composition is 10 to 100% by weight based on the total weight of the constituent components a) to f).
  6. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the polymer composition is compostable in accordance with ISO 14855-1 (2012), determined by the particles of the polymer composition having a particle size of 100 to 300 microns, and achieving 90% absolute or relative CO2 emissions within 365 days at a temperature in the range of 25 ± 5°C.
  7. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the household compostable article is a single-layer film, a multilayer film comprising at least one layer containing a household compostable polymer composition, an injection-molded article, a thermoformed article, a fiber, or an article having a coating containing a household compostable polymer composition.
  8. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the household compostable article is a bag, an agricultural or horticultural article, a flexible or rigid packaging article, tableware, cutlery, a nonwoven article, a foam, or an expandable bead for foaming.
  9. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the household compostable article comprises a base layer and at least one layer containing the household compostable polymer composition.
  10. A process for producing compostable materials for home use, (i) A step of preparing a household compostable polymer composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, (ii) Depending on the case, a step of processing the polymer composition, (iii) A process comprising the step of producing a household compostable article comprising the polymer composition obtained after step (i) or (ii).
  11. A method for producing a household compostable article containing polylactic acid, 15-85% by weight, b-1) Based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), 20 to 70 mol% of at least one aliphatic C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acid or C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acid derivative, b-2) Based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), at least 80 to 30 mol% of at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid or aromatic dicarboxylic acid derivative, Based on the total amounts of b-3), b-1), and b-2), 98 to 102 mol% of aliphatic C2 - C10 diol, b-4) Based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3), 0 to 2% by weight of at least a trivalent alcohol, b-5) This is achieved by adding 0 to 2% by weight of a chain extender and at least one biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic polyester derived from the polylactic acid, based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3). A method wherein the weight percentage is based on the total weight of the aliphatic-aromatic polyester and polylactic acid.
  12. To improve the compostability of polylactic acid at home, b-1) based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), 20 to 70 mol% of at least one aliphatic C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acid or C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acid derivative, b-2) Based on the total amount of components b-1) and b-2), at least 80 to 30 mol% of at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid or aromatic dicarboxylic acid derivative, Based on the total amounts of b-3), b-1), and b-2), 98 to 102 mol% of aliphatic C2 - C10 diol, b-4) Based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3), 0 to 2% by weight of at least a trivalent alcohol, b-5) Use of a biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic polyester derived from 0 to 2% by weight of a chain extender based on the total weight of components b-1), b-2), and b-3).

Description

The present invention relates to the use of compostable aliphatic-aromatic polyesters derived from aliphatic C6 - C18 dicarboxylic acids, aromatic dicarboxylic acids, and aliphatic C2 - C10 diols to improve the compostability of polylactic acid, and to the use of mixtures containing such aliphatic-aromatic polyesters and polylactic acid for the production of compostable articles. The present invention also relates to a method for producing compostable articles from compositions containing such aliphatic-aromatic polyesters and polylactic acid. The use of thermoplastic materials such as polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyurethane has long been established in many technological fields, particularly in packaging. However, these conventional thermoplastic materials are increasingly criticized for environmental reasons, especially regarding plastic litter and a sustainable circular economy. To avoid these problems, biodegradable thermoplastic polymers have been developed from both natural and fossil resources. Such biodegradable alternatives include aliphatic-aromatic polyesters such as poly(butylene-co-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), poly(butylene-co-azelate-co-terephthalate) (PBAzT), and poly(butylene-co-sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT), aliphatic polyesters such as poly(butylene-co-succinate) (PBS), starches and their derivatives such as thermoplastic starch (TPS), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyglycolic acid (PGA), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). It should be noted that terms such as "biodegradability," "biodegradable," and "compostability" are used to refer to biological decomposition under a wide range of different environmental conditions. Biodegradability generally means that a polymer or polymer mixture decomposes within a reasonable and demonstrable timeframe. Biological decomposition can occur enzymatically, hydrolyzably, oxidatively, and/or through exposure to electromagnetic radiation such as UV irradiation, but is mostly caused by exposure to microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and algae, and is dependent on specific ambient conditions. As a result, various standards have been developed to determine biodegradability or compostability under specific conditions. Requirements and examples of methods for quantifying the biodegradability of polyester in compost are defined in DIN EN 13432 (December 2000, "Requirements for packing recoverable through composting and biodegradation"). Compostability according to this standard simulates decomposition in an industrial composting plant and requires that materials mixed with compost under specified conditions of 58±2°C, oxygen, and moisture in the presence of microorganisms specified in ISO 14855:1999, be biodegraded to water, carbon dioxide, and biomass within a maximum of six months, by at least 90% overall ("absolute" CO2 emissions), or to 90% of the maximum biodegradation of a reference material, such as cellulose ("relative" CO2 emissions). The biodegradation rate is based on the conversion of the test material's carbon to carbon dioxide. Compostability under these conditions is also known as industrial compostability. Another example is DIN EN 17033:2018, which defines a polymer blend used in the manufacture of soil biodegradable root cover films as "biodegradable in soil" if, under the conditions specified in DIN EN ISO 17556, it achieves at least 90% overall biodegradation or 90% of the maximum biodegradation of the reference material within two years. Other methods for determining biodegradability are described, for example, in ASTM D5338 and ASTM D6400. The compostability of a polymer composition can also be determined by following the methods described in ISO 14855-1 (2012) or EN ISO 14855-2, but using lower temperatures. Criteria for achieving compostability are defined, for example, in ISO DIN EN 17427:2022. According to this standard, a polymer composition can be classified as compostable if it achieves 90% absolute or relative CO2 emissions within 365 days at temperatures within the range of 25 ± 5°C, meaning the polymer composition is biodegradable under simpler conditions than industrial composting conditions. Home compostability is valuable, for example, for items used as single-use packaging in homes. In particular, its biodegradability is desirable for food-contaminated packaging that cannot be properly mechanically recycled. Home composting is beneficial in countries and regions where established infrastructure for industrial biowaste treatment facilities, such as composting plants or anaerobic digestion plants, is unavailable. Articles such as food containers made from compostable polymers are not automatically considered or certified as compostable. This is due to possible modifications to the article, such as size, shape, and thickness, and other components that may be present. Therefore, the manufacturer of the article must demonstrate its compostability. For example, depending on the information al