Bio-on hopes its bioplastics will replace metal, too (Q&A)

February 6, 2014

CEO Marco Astorri thinks his startup's plastic, derived from sugar beets, is environmentally better than ordinary plastic. In one form, it can conduct electricity, too, and auto supplier Magna's interest is piqued.

The automotive industry is famously reliant on the oil industry for fuel. But a partnership between Italian startup Bio-on and automotive supply giant Magna could reduce that reliance just a little by introducing plastic components derived from plants, not petrochemicals.
On Thursday, Bio-on announced an exclusive partnership with Magna International, a 125,000-employee automotive supplier to BMW and many other companies. Through the partnership, Magna will investigate "how production of this natural polyester product can be elevated to an industrial, cost-effective scale," and integrated with manufacturing processes, the companies said.
It's a feather in the cap of Marco Astorri, the company's chief executive who co-founded the company in 2007. Astorri is pushing for his bioplastic's use not just where petrochemical-based plastic is used today, but also in different applications such as plastic that's electrically conductive, which means it could in principle replace metal, too.
Even if it's not conducting electricity, its characteristics means it could replace metal, according to a study by the research lab Ghepi. Making components from plastic can mean easier manufacturing and lower weight, the company argues. And its process is flexible enough to substitute for a wide variety of plastics -- polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene, among others.
Bio-on got its start in Bologna, Italy and has a test plant a few miles north near one of Italy's biggest sugar refinery. The two founders funded the company themselves, with no bank debt or venture-capital funding, and it's now got six labs in the US and Italy and 32 employees.
Astorri talked with CNET's Stephen Shankland about bio-on. Here's an edited transcript.
Stephen Shankland: What is the source of your plastic? 
Marco Astorri: Our bioplastic is made by processing residues of sugar production from both beet and cane, using a natural process without the use of organic chemical solvents. In brief, plastic powder is produced by patented bacteria nourished by beet juices.
Is the electrical conductivity just a theoretical possibility, or have you demonstrated that? 
It has been demonstrated by a team of researchers and internationally patented. The preliminary results of the study were presented in Rome in October at the International Conference on Biodegradable and Biobased Polymers and at Maker Fair Rome on October 3.
Have customers shown interest in the electrically conducting plastics? What customers, and for what purposes? 
Yes. We can't disclose the name of the companies we are discussing it with, but we can say they are in these industries: semiconductors, e-paper, phones, and sensors.
I've heard a lot about biodegradable plastics over the years. What's special about yours? 
Our bioplastic is 100 percent naturally biodegradable in water and soil, is made by processing agricultural residues, and has no impact on the food chain. We are able to replace all kind of traditional oil-based plastics in use today. We [haven't heard] about a material like this in the world.
What are some examples of actual products made with your plastics? 
If you talk about commercial products, we have none at the moment. The first semi-commercial product is a Flos Miss Sissi lamp, which has been produced in a limited number. We are now developing another design product that will be delivered in 2014, but this depends on the companies that use our bioplastic.
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57618228-76/bio-on-hopes-its-bioplastics-will-replace-metal-too-q-a/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title

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