Teijin Limited@announced that it has developed film and sheet versions of its BIOFRONT highly heat-resistant bioplastic, which already is available as fiber and resin, opening up many new possibilities for this versatile, plant-based, high-performance bioplastic.
BIOFRONT film and sheet exhibit high transmission properties due to a unique stereocomplex crystalline structure achieved with high-purity L-lactate and D-lactate polymer made from renewable plant resources.
BIOFRONT film and sheet can be used for a wide range of applications, including packaging and printing substrate requiring high transmission and strength; optical film requiring high transmission, low heat-shrinkage and optical isotropy (uniform properties in all directions); white reflective film and printing substrate requiring strong light scattering; transparent substrate, decorative film, insert molding and blister packaging requiring high transparency and non-crystalline properties.
BIOFRONT has a melting point of at least 210Ž, which is significantly higher than that of conventional bioplastic. It also has good hydrolytic stability and achieves semi-crystallization in just 20-25% of the time required by conventional bioplastic, making it an excellent choice for molded plastic, clothing and interior materials.
BIOFRONT film and sheet were developed with support from the Innovation Promotion Program of Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
About the Teijin Group
Based in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, Teijin is a global technology-driven group operating in eight main fields: aramid fibers, carbon fibers & composites, polyester fibers, plastics, films, medical & pharmaceuticals, fiber products marketing and IT businesses. Teijin Limited, the holding company for the Teijin Group, is listed on the Tokyo and Osaka stock exchanges. The group, comprising 150 companies and 17,542 employees worldwide, had consolidated sales of JPY 815.7 billion (USD 10.6 billion) and total assets of JPY 761.5 billion (USD 9.9 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011.