Maximilian Lackner
University of Applied Sciences FH Technikum Wien, Austria
Title: PBAT-A versatile material for biodegradable and compostable packagings
Biography
Biography: Maximilian Lackner
Abstract
PBAT (polybutyrate adipate terephthalate, or short polybutyrate) is a biodegradable random copolymer. The copolyester of adipic acid, 1,4-butanediol and dimethyl terephthalate is available commercially as resin and as compound with PLA or starch. Today, the building blocks are made from fossil resources, with some manufacturers having plans to switch to renewable resources. rnAs a “drop-in” polymer, PBAT ressembles LDPE in its properties. Global annual production capacities are currently around 100,000 tons. Typical applications are packagings (e.g. plastic films, bottles), coatings (e.g. of paper and cardboard) and foam. rnA major advantage of PBAT is its compostability, in contrast to e.g. polylactic acid (PLA), where industrial fermentation conditions (60°C) are necessary. The costs of PBAT are between those of PLA and PHA.rnIn this keynote lecture, properties of PBAT and its compounds are presented, alongside application examples and an outlook into the future.rn