AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre based in Valencia, is leading a new R&D initiative focused on improving the performance of bioplastics for flexible packaging applications. The BIOPROCESS project seeks to enhance both mechanical strength and barrier properties of biodegradable and compostable materials—areas where traditional fossil-based plastics still hold a significant advantage.
Funded by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the BIOPROCESS project is part of a wider 2024 initiative promoting collaboration between research centres and industry in the Valencian Community. Key industrial partners include Potato Bioplastics, a developer of renewable bioplastic materials, and Gaviplas, a manufacturer of flexible packaging films.
“In BIOPROCESS, we have adopted the one-step approach for producing films from natural polymers, as it offers significant advantages in terms of efficiency, sustainability, product quality, and preservation of the natural properties of the materials,” said Alicia Naderpour, Packaging Researcher at AIMPLAS.
The project applies Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) extrusion technology—commonly used in high-performance plastic film production—to a new class of bio-based materials. AIMPLAS is testing both commercial bioplastics and newly formulated natural polymers, including polysaccharides, plant proteins, and gelatins derived from industrial by-products such as algae, corn, or potato starch.
“The goal is to enhance the properties of bioplastics by orienting polymer chains for packaging applications without compromising their biodegradability and/or compostability,” Naderpour added. She also noted that bioplastics offer a viable alternative in applications where food contamination on packaging hinders conventional recycling. “Using bioplastics in such applications allows for the organic recovery of packaging waste to produce high-quality compost.”
The project aligns with broader EU environmental directives, particularly the Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, which has prompted renewed interest in chemically unmodified, naturally sourced materials.
Rosa González, Lead Researcher of the Packaging Cluster at AIMPLAS, emphasized: “The use of chemically unmodified natural polymers is gaining ground in these applications, as they are suitable for manufacturing packaging and plastic products that are banned under the SUP directive. However, these materials must have the appropriate characteristics to be processed using conventional packaging manufacturing technologies, such as extrusion processing, and must also meet the necessary requirements to preserve the products they contain.”
The BIOPROCESS project represents a step forward in bridging the performance gap between bioplastics and conventional polymers. By refining material properties through targeted processing methods, AIMPLAS aims to offer the industry new, scalable solutions that align with both commercial and environmental demands.
As pressure mounts to reduce dependency on fossil-based materials in packaging, such research efforts underscore the potential of innovation-driven collaboration between research centres and industrial stakeholders.
