Terralene®

Terralene® is a family of tailored compounds based on Bio-PE. All Terralene® grades are based on sugarcane, a renewable raw material, and can thus make a valuable contribution to conserving fossil resources. The use of bioplastics also reduces the amount of conventional plastic placed on the market, a welcome reduction, particularly among end customers. In addition, the use of renewable raw materials can help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions: as it grows, the sugarcane plant absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and stores it. If the plant is then used to produce plastics, the absorbed CO2 remains bound in the plastic and the finished product throughout the entire product life cycle.

Nevertheless, Terralene® has the same properties as its fossil-based counterparts (PE or PP) and can be processed on existing production equipment without modifications. In addition to grades for films, tubes and blow moulding, the portfolio includes a wide variety of injection-mouldable Bio-PE and PP compounds.

All Terralene® granules are bio-based but not biodegradable. The durability of the compound makes it possible to produce products with a long service life.

Granules with high barrier properties for packaging solutions

The main applications for Terralene® are food and non-food packaging. Compared with biodegradable plastics such as PLA (Poly-Latid-Acid/polylactic acid), Terralene® offers an outstanding barrier to oxygen and water vapour. This allows moisture- and oxygen-sensitive products to be packaged in bioplastics and stored for longer. The packaging retains its full range of functions.

Even demanding vertical form fill and seal (VFFS) applications are possible thanks to the high toughness and seal strength of Terralene® film grades.

Terralene® is resistant to oils, fats and chemicals

In addition to its high barrier properties, Terralene® is distinguished by outstanding chemical resistance. These Bio-PE compounds are therefore particularly well suited to producing tubes and bottles for cosmetics, personal care, and household care and cleaning products. The shelf life of the bio-based packaging is equivalent to that of packaging made from conventional fossil-based polyethylene.

Dishwasher-safe, suitable for freezing and durable – Terralene® injection-moulding grades for household goods and catering items

Injection-mouldable Terralene® compounds are particularly well suited to producing all kinds of household goods, catering items and reusable alternatives such as recyclable to-go drinks cups. In these applications, the materials are exposed to considerable stresses from cleaning in a dishwasher and possible temperature differences caused by a microwave or freezer. Repeated opening and closing also places high mechanical demands on the material and products made from it. A precise fit is essential, particularly for storage containers or drinks cups: the container and lid must fit together exactly. While lids require greater flexibility, containers and cups should be as rigid and dimensionally stable as possible.

Our modified Terralene® Bio-PE compounds meet these different requirements.

Terralene® PP granules are a genuine alternative to bio-based PP (Bio-PP)

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widely used plastics in the world. It can be used for almost any purpose, is equally suitable for injection moulding, thermoforming and extrusion, and can be recycled without difficulty. Customers can access this range of applications with Terralene® PP, a PP compound based on renewable raw materials. The partially bio-based granules in the Terralene® PP product line match fossil-based PP in stiffness and impact strength and can replace it without difficulty. Processors can also continue using their existing tools, as Terralene® PP has similar performance and processing properties to established fossil-based PP grades.

After use, the products can be recycled by conventional methods. Interseroh has certified Terralene® PP compounds as having very good recyclability.

Benefits of Terralene® PP at a glance:

• Use of virgin PP and recycled PP possible
• Bio-based content of up to 35% (BCC)
• Material can be processed using existing PP tooling
• Mechanical properties comparable to PP
• Suitable for food contact

PP granules based on renewable raw materials (Bio-PP) have only recently become available on the market. However, these Bio-PP grades follow a mass-balance approach, which is why they are usually described as bio-attributed rather than bio-based.

Natural-fibre-reinforced Bio-PE compounds

Terralene® WF compounds combine renewable raw materials with natural fibres. They meet the highest standards of design and feel while making sustainability visible and tangible. Wood is a natural product, so every batch of our natural-fibre compounds is unique and has its own colour characteristics. Depending on the lignin content of the wood fibre, colours can range from light to dark. This gives your products made from Fibrolon® and Terralene® WF an individual, natural look!

Renewable raw materials combined with recyclates: Terralene rPP combines the benefits of bio-based plastics with those of recycled plastics

We turn plastic waste into resources by incorporating recycled polymers into our bio-based PP compounds: Terralene® rPP compounds are hybrids that combine recyclates and bio-based raw materials while remaining fully recyclable. These compounds offer the advantage of allowing technical properties to be adjusted more consistently and processability to be optimised. Terralene® rPP thus makes a substantial contribution to a functioning circular economy. The use of plastics based on renewable raw materials conserves fossil resources and sustainably reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Read more about Terralene® rPP Compounds!