New PHA compound leverages CJ’s unique amorphous PHA formulation and expands their portfolio of product grades suitable for straw manufacturing that began with their industrially compostable grade: PHACT CA1270P.
CJ Biomaterials
CJ Biomaterials, Inc., a division of South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang and a primary producer of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers, recently completed a series of successful trials producing straws from the new PHACT PHA compound: CB0400A.
By using their unique grades of amorphous (aPHA) and semi-crystalline PHA (scPHA), CJ developed a compound tailored for straw manufacturing. All PHACT grades used in the compound are certified as OK Biodegradable Marine by TÜV Austria, and marine degradability certification of the final compound is currently underway.
“The market is increasingly looking for safe, biodegradable and compostable solutions for food serviceware applications, like 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.”
The new CB0400A compound leverages CJ’s amorphous grade of PHA, PHACT A1000P to lower straws' brittleness and increase their durability. In CB0400A, aPHA is used with S1000P, a new semi-crystalline grade of PHA launched earlier this year. This also expands the portfolio of PHACT grades available for straw manufacturing that began with CA1270P, which is well suited for transparent, industrially compostable straws.
PHACT PHA is made from renewable resources, carries US FDA food contact approval, and is certified as biobased by the USDA’s BioPreferred program.