Recently, LG Chem took the lead in the world to successfully develop new biodegradable materials with the same mechanical properties as synthetic resins. As the only 100% biodegradable material made of glucose and glycerin in corn in the world, this material has the same mechanical properties and transparency as PP (polypropylene), greatly improving the existing biodegradable materials. Flexibility (elongation) and transparency.
The flexibility of the new biodegradable material developed by LG Chem is more than 20 times higher than that of the current biodegradable material, and it can maintain transparency even after processing. The current biodegradable resin is mixed with other mixed materials and can only be used as non-transparent packaging materials. Therefore, this new type of biodegradable material has a great positive impact on the environmental packaging industry that mainly uses biodegradable materials.
In addition, the existing biodegradable materials must be mixed with other plastic materials or additives to improve physical properties and flexibility, resulting in uneven performance and price of biodegradable materials on the market. The new biodegradable material developed by LG Chem is a single material that can provide products with the quality and different uses required by customers.
DIN CERTCO, an international certification body for biodegradable materials in Germany, has confirmed that according to European industrial biodegradability certification standards, LG Chem’s newly developed biodegradable materials can biodegrade more than 90% within 120 days.
The key to LG Chem's successful development of new materials is its original technology of biodegradable core materials. LG Chem holds a total of 25 patents at home and abroad through advanced research, including biodegradable polymers, compositions and manufacturing processes. On this basis, the LG Chem Future Technology Research Center has continued to conduct research on increasing the molecular weight of biodegradable core materials and polymerization technology, and has successfully developed new biodegradable materials with different properties from existing materials.
With the strengthening of regulations on the use of disposable products worldwide, including China, the demand for biodegradable materials is increasing. According to data from market research companies, the market for biodegradable materials is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 15%, from US$3.7 billion in 2019 to US$8.5 billion in 2025. In the future, the application scope of this material will gradually expand to various fields such as plastic bags, air cushioning materials, disposable cups, foam products and non-woven masks.
In the future, LG Chem will accelerate the pace of entering the biodegradable material market based on new technologies, and will also ensure that the demand for biomaterials is used for business expansion. It is planned to conduct trial product evaluation for customers in 2022 and realize mass production in 2025.
LG Chem`s CTO Lu Ki-soo said, “With the increasing global attention to environmentally friendly materials, it is of great significance to successfully develop new biodegradable materials using 100% biological raw materials and original technologies. We will continue to focus on environmentally friendly materials To become an enterprise that leads a virtuous cycle of resources and environmental protection."