A plant-based halogen-free and flame-retardant polymer developed by Floreon Technologies has earned the UK company the 2024 Innovation in Bioplastics Award from the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS).
Floreon’s Therma-Tech is the first halogen-free polylactic acid compound to earn a UL 94 V-0 fire-resistance rating. The rating means that in testing the material exhibited:
- Burning combustion for 10 seconds or less after applying a controlled flame;
- Total flaming combustion time of 50 seconds or less for five samples;
- No burning of samples up to the mounting clamp by either flaming or glowing combustion.
Reduced carbon footprint
Meeting these conditions, the material performs like a styrenic polymer (ABS), but with a seven-times-smaller carbon footprint, the company said. It also requires less energy to process, driving down production temperatures by up to 40°C and reducing manufacturers’ Scope 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions.
“Floreon Therma-Tech offers companies that want to use bio-based materials in durable applications, like building and construction, with sustainable attributes from beginning to end of life,” said Patrick Krieger, PLASTICS’ vice president of sustainability. The material can find use in applications ranging from transportation and electronics to sports and safety equipment.
Partnership with University of Sheffield
Through knowledge sharing with the University of Sheffield, Floreon has scaled up three products this year: Therma-Tech, Dura-Tech, and Bio-Tech.
“Being recognized by our peers in the bioplastics space highlights that the industry shares our excitement for the technology’s far-reaching potential,” said Floreon CEO Sandrine Garnier. “Winning this award is testament to the relentless innovation and commitment of the entire Floreon team and the significance of the breakthrough we’ve made.”
The award was announced during PLASTICS’ Bioplastics Week from Oct. 7 to 11.
Floreon, which launched in 2011 to seek a sustainable alternative to oil-based plastic for water cooler bottles, is also a finalist in the UK’s Plastics Industry Awards being held in November.
