Biome and BDC install new polymerisation reactor to scale-up novel bioplastics production
Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.
Biome
Bioplastics Ltd (Biome) and the Biorenewables
Development Centre (BDC) in partnership with the Green Chemistry Centre
of Excellence (GCCE) at the University of York have strengthened their
relationship by purchasing and installing a new specialist polymerisation
reactor.
Press release: “New
polymerisation reactor system strengthens on-going development and scale-up of
novel bioplastic polymers”, 19/6/2019.
Figure 1. Polymerisation reactor to scale-up
novel bioplastics production (taken from the press release)
Over the last 3 years, Biome has worked closely
with the University of York’s Biology and Chemistry departments and the BDC on
a R&D project. Funded with the support of Innovate UK, this comprehensive
work has led to the creation and evaluation of a family of novel, bio-based
plastics that are highly functional and biodegradable. Part funded by the
University of York‘s Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), this new piece of
equipment installed at the BDC will play a central role in further process
optimisation, production and scale-up of Biome’s growing portfolio of novel bioplastics (high temperature,
non-woven, cords, flexible films, coating and lamination).
In recent months, the BDC has provided the
expertise and access to their R&D facilities to enable the polymerisation
of a selected number of these new bioplastics at kilogram quantities. This new
reactor will enable the further scale-up of the manufacturing process to
produce tens of kilograms of these new materials for further technical and
commercial evaluation.
