"Amorphous" PHA, also called amorphous PHA, is softer and more elastic (low glass transition temperature (Tg)) than traditional PHA materials, and provides a radically different performance opportunities.
The material will be used as a modifier for other polymers and biopolymers to improve functional properties and biodegradability, enabling "cradle-to-grave" solutions for a wide range of markets that generate plastic waste.
Taking PLA as an example, the addition of “amorphous” PHA can greatly enhance its mechanical properties (such as strength, hardness and ductility, etc.) without reducing the biological content of PLA and possibly improve its biodegradability.
CJ BIO's PHA Products
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are linear polyesters produced in nature by bacterial fermentation of sugars or lipids. They are naturally present in living cells at a rate of 5-10%, which gives PHA excellent biodegradability.
CJ BIO can increase the PHA content to 85% through strains and proprietary fermentation technology. The company employs advanced downstream technologies to extract PHA components and manufacture specific products. CJ BIO's broad technology platform covers a broad patent portfolio that can target specific monomer ratios and can produce crystalline, semi-crystalline and amorphous polymer structures. The new Pasuruan plant will focus exclusively on amorphous PHAs, one of the most important applications of which is supplementing the biocontent and biodegradability of polymers while improving functionality and processability.
It represents a solid opportunity to improve the properties of the biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) by significantly improving the mechanical properties of this material, including increased toughness, better strength and ductility. In addition, amorphous PHA maintained the biocontent of PLA and improved its biodegradability.
According to Seungjin Lee, head of CJ BIO's biomaterials business, one of the goals of the company's new business is to build a world-class biomaterials platform based on PHA technology to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis. Plastic is one of the essential materials in human life, however, this material has an unsustainable impact on our environment. While improvements in the biobased content and biodegradability of plastics have been improved, the issue of complete biodegradation – especially in marine and domestic environments – has not been addressed. We believe that the large-scale production and application of PHA will allow us to solve this problem on a global scale. With world-class fermentation capabilities and a broad and flexible portfolio of PHA technologies, CJ BIO can help develop better solutions, from plastic manufacturers to consumer goods companies.
