Plastics are widely used as convenient materials in our lives because of their light-weight, durability, and good workability. However, their high chemical stability precludes degradation in the natural environment. Therefore, plastics entering the oceans are causing increasingly serious marine pollution. Currently, biodegradable plastics are not extensively utilized and formulated to degrade in soil or compost on land, with very few designed to biodegrade in the oceans. Against this backdrop, Nippon Shokubai has successfully developed novel marine biodegradable plastics. We are conducting cutting-edge research and development ahead of the world with the aim of contributing to reduction of marine plastic waste in the future.
Key Features
- Marine biodegradability: Biodegradable in the marine environment, comparable to cellulose
- Mechanical properties: Tensile and tear test results show mechanical properties similar to LDPE, with high flexibility
- Gas-barrier properties: High oxygen barrier characteristics
- Formulation in PLA: Achieves complete biodegradability of PLA even in soil and marine environments
Applications
Plastic materials which may eventually enter the ocean in the end of their lives. Plastic films and compounds used in the field of agriculture, horticulture, fishery, etc.
