Omya is a producer of industrial minerals, mainly fillers and pigments derived from calcium carbonate and dolomite, and a worldwide distributor of specialty chemicals. The company’s major markets are forest products, polymers, building materials as well as life sciences

BIO-POLYMERS SOLUTIONS

In recent years the greater awareness on waste management and the adverse effects of fossil based solutions has led to an increased interest in bio-polymers in applications such as packaging and agriculture. Bio-polymers are considered as a new generation of polymers, which are completely or at least partly made from renewable raw materials. Bio-polymers are also typically associated in having a positive impact upon sustainability metrics such as a lower carbon footprint compared to fossil based materials.

Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or compounds containing one of the two materials are the material of choice for applications such as fruit and vegetable bags, chip bags, BOPLA packaging films and agricultural films. The use of Calcium Carbonate in these hydrolysis-sensitive polymers requires a special surface modification on the calcium carbonate to prevent polymer degradation during extrusion. Answering the market demand to use more calcium carbonate in biopolymers, Omya has developed Omya Smartfill, which also enables higher filler loads and improved film properties.

Omya Smartfill® 55-OM

Omya Smartfill® 55-OM by Omya is a functionalized calcium carbonate renewable material. It demonstrates almost no hydrolysis when processed at filler loads of up to 40%. It offers improved product stiffness, impact resistance, elongation, opacity, reduced formulation cost & heat transfer. It is suitable for films, sheets and injection molded items. It is recommended for use in biopolymers and in particular polylactic acid (PLA). It contributes to an overall reduction in formulation cost. Omya Smartfill® 55-OM needs to be pre-dispersed in a compound before being used on conventional single screw extrusion 

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