CJ Biomaterials, a division of South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang, has added a new PHA compound to its PHACT-branded portfolio for straw manufacturing applications.
The CB0400A compound combines CJ Biomaterials’ grades of amorphous and semi-crystalline PHA. The amorphous PHA grade reduces brittleness in straws and increases durability compared with existing compostable polymers.
The PHACT grades used in the compound are certified as OK Biodegradable Marine by TÜV Austria. Marine degradability certification of the final compound is currently underway, CJ Biomaterials said in a statement.
“The market is increasingly looking for safe, biodegradable and compostable solutions for food service ware applications, such as straws,” said Max Senechal, Chief Commercial Officer of CJ Biomaterials. “PHACT CB0400A is an example of how we can rapidly develop and trial unique PHACT PHA compounds that meet market demands for specific performance attributes, such as softer, more durable straws that can also achieve marine degradability certification.”
CJ Biomaterials’ PHACT, a contraction of ‘PHA’ and ‘Act’, was launched in 2022 and was then the only amorphous PHA on the market. It is a softer, more rubbery version of PHA that offers different performance characteristics than the crystalline or semi-crystalline forms that currently dominate the PHA market.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters produced in living cells in nature through bacterial fermentation of sugars or lipids. The raw materials for PHACT are sugars sourced from plants like sugar cane, tapioca, corn and cellulosic biomass. CJ BIO can increase PHA content in microorganisms from about 5% default accumulation up to 85% through fermentation via engineered microbial strains. The company employs advanced downstream technology for the extraction of PHA components and for the manufacture of specific products.
PHACT is certified biodegradable under industrial compost, soil (ambient), and marine environments. It is also considered ‘home compostable,’ meaning that it does not require specialised equipment or elevated temperatures to fully degrade.
The PHACT portfolio already includes grades for straw manufacturing, CA1270P, which is suited for transparent, industrially compostable straws.