SKC to develop new degradable bioplastic tech
New PBAT to be commercialized by 2021
SKC will co-develop a new biodegradable bioplastic production technology with local government research institutes, the company announced Monday.
It will develop the technology together with 16 institutes, including the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan City and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, it said.
SKC and KRICT will develop the technologies for making the materials, those for application scalability as well as techniques to control the speed of degradation.
Ulsan will provide facilities and landfill for the plastics, among other administrative support.
SKC has received the technology for making the strengthened polybutylene adipate terephthalate, or PBAT, a biodegradable random copolymer, from KRICT.
The strengthened PBAT adds nanocellulose from trees as enforcement agent to increase the tensile strength.
SKC and KRICT plans to commercialize the technology by 2021 and supply them to companies that make plastic bags, straws and injection molds