Challenges
PVC plastisols are used in a wide range of applications, for example as coating material in various sectors, such as the automotive and textile industries. However, these PVC plastisols are neither bio-based nor biodegradable. In terms of the bioeconomy, it is therefore necessary to replace this important product group with more sustainable solutions.
Objectives and project plan
The project Bioplastisols is developing sustainable plastisols based on bio-based polymers, plasticizers, and additives. A matrix approach is being pursued that allows for modular further development and adaptation of the material for various fields of application.
The advantages of the novel material are then demonstrated using biodegradable fishing lures. Such fishing baits are lost on a large scale when used. The products currently on the market are not biodegradable. If they enter the environment, they can accumulate there, be ingested by fish and other aquatic organisms, and ultimately return to humans via the food chain. The use of bio-based and biodegradable plastisols as fishing baits is intended to reduce the entry of plastics into the environment and thus have a positive effect on human and animal health.
Impact
In the short to medium term, the project will achieve a more sustainable approach to angling through the use of bio-based and biodegradable fishing baits. In the medium to long term, fossil-based PVC plastisols are to be replaced by bio-based, sustainable products in a wide range of applications, such as coatings in the textile, automotive, and construction sectors.
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB
