Cellulose-Based Food Packaging Material Moves To Testing Phase
A method developed by VTT enables the production of Thermocell plastic, a thermoplastic substance, out of cellulose and bio-based fatty acids, which are suitable for applications such as injection molding, coating of paper and paperboard and 3D printing. Cellulose is the structural ingredient in plants which, just like plastics, is composed of large polymer molecules. When cellulose is extracted from wood, it does not compete with food production, as many other biomaterials do. In addition, efficient production methods have already been established in the production of cellulose. However, cellulose as such has lacked one important feature of packaging plastic: thermoplasticity.
“We have moved from the laboratory to bigger machinery while at the same time improving the quality of the film. Our goal is to show that Thermocell film can be produced on an industrial scale using the same equipment that is used for traditional plastic films, with features that meet the needs of the food industry. For this reason, Arla Foods, Paulig and Wipak are also taking part in the research,” says Jarmo Ropponen, the research team leader at VTT.