| HS Code | 181753 |
| Product Name | Bio-Flex N 31310 Mulching Film Toughened Polylactic Acid |
| Manufacturer | FKuR Kunststoff GmbH |
| Material Type | Toughened polylactic acid (PLA) compound |
| Base Polymer | Polylactic acid (PLA) |
| Density | 1.25 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate | 3.5 g/10 min (190°C/2.16 kg) |
| Tensile Strength | 30 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 300% |
| Flexural Modulus | 1000 MPa |
| Vicat Softening Temperature | 55°C |
| Melting Temperature | 150-155°C |
| Biobased Carbon Content | >80% |
| Biodegradability | Compostable according to EN 13432 |
| Processing Method | Blown film extrusion |
| Application | Agricultural mulching film |
| Form | Pellets |
| Color | Natural |
As an accredited Bio-Flex N 31310 Mulching Film Toughened Polylactic Acid factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | 25 kg moisture-proof bags, palletized and stretch-wrapped; Bio-Flex N 31310 toughened polylactic acid mulching film packaging ensures dry storage. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Bio-Flex N 31310 Mulching Film Toughened Polylactic Acid in 20′ FCL: palletized, shrink-wrapped, evenly distributed, braced, and protected for sea transport. |
| Shipping | Bio-Flex N 31310 Mulching Film Toughened Polylactic Acid is a non-hazardous, solid polymer compound. It is not regulated for transport by DOT, IMDG, IATA, or ADR/RID; no UN number, class, or packing group applies. Ship in sealed bags or cartons, keep dry, and avoid excessive heat. |
| Storage | Store Bio-Flex N 31310 Mulching Film Toughened Polylactic Acid in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, preferably below 30°C, away from direct sunlight, heat, and ignition sources. Keep original containers tightly closed to prevent moisture absorption and contamination. Avoid prolonged UV exposure and contact with incompatible chemicals. Rotate stock and use within the manufacturer’s recommended shelf life. Protect from physical damage. |
| Shelf Life | Stable under recommended storage; typical shelf life 12 months in original sealed packaging, kept dry, cool, and away from UV. |
On machine-laid tomato and pepper beds under drip irrigation, replacement of 15 µm LLDPE film with Bio-Flex N 31310 compounds is specified against EN 17033:2018, which requires soil biodegradation measured by ISO 17556:2019 or ASTM D5988-18 and eco-toxicity assessed by OECD 208. For the target film gauge of 15 µm, the dry-blend formulation entering the extruder hopper is 82–90 wt% Bio-Flex N 31310, 8–14 wt% PBAT with melt flow rate 3–5 g/10 min at 190 °C/2.16 kg, and 2–4 wt% carbon black masterbatch. The production route is a three-layer blown-film line with grooved-barrel extruders of 30:1 L/D, barrier screws with Maddock mixing sections, 60/80/60 mesh screen packs, a 250 mm die with 1.4 mm die gap, melt temperature 160–168 °C, blow-up ratio 2.6:1, and frost-line height 380–450 mm. On-line thickness control is set to ±1.5 µm, and winder tension is limited to 8–10 N/100 mm width to avoid blocking of the biodegradable surface. At production scale, feed throat temperatures above 45 °C cause PLA pellet bridging in grooved feed sections; barrel zone 1 is therefore held at ≤40 °C. If moisture content exceeds 250 ppm, hydrolysis reduces intrinsic viscosity and causes bubble instability, so pre-drying at 60 °C for 4 h is applied when relative humidity exceeds 60 %. Terminal finished product is black biodegradable mulch film rolls of 0.015 mm × 1.2 m × 600 m, perforated at 300 mm intervals for mechanical laying in solanaceous field production.
Under-vine weed suppression in established vineyards and orchards requires film that survives mechanical laying over wood chips and soil clods, so the target gauge is 25 µm with a 0.8 m roll width. The applicable compliance framework remains EN 17033:2018, with the degradation timing aligned to the intended 12–18 month service life through carbon black addition rather than through lower PBAT content alone; the formulation is 75–82 wt% Bio-Flex N 31310, 12–18 wt% PBAT, 3–6 wt% carbon black masterbatch, and 0.5–1.0 wt% erucamide slip/anti-block masterbatch. Downstream processing uses a single-layer blown-film extruder with 25:1 L/D barrier screw, 1.8 mm die gap, 2.0:1 blow-up ratio, and melt temperature 158–165 °C. Field data from converter trials show that as PBAT content approaches 18 wt%, bubble stability improves but dart impact cracks at the perforation line, measured per ASTM D1709-16a, become more frequent when the film is laid on compacted vineyard soil; therefore the lower end of the range is selected for machine-lay lines with high-tension metal rollers. The processing window is constrained by PLA thermal degradation above 168 °C; sustained melt temperatures in the 170–175 °C range produce lactide at the die lip, changing film haze and weakening weld seams. The specified head pressure is 220–260 bar; if pressure exceeds 280 bar, residence time rises above 6 min and MFR shifts upward by more than 2 g/10 min. Published data for this specific under-vine configuration is limited, but line operators document batch-to-batch PBAT melt-flow variation of ±0.5 g/10 min as the primary cause of frost-line oscillation. Terminal finished type is black under-row biodegradable mulch film rolls 0.025 mm × 0.8 m × 400 m, compatible with under-vine mechanical applicators.
White-on-black mulch in high-tunnel basil and spinach systems is typically a two-layer or three-layer film; the white cap lowers surface soil temperature by 2–4 °C, and the black core reduces photosynthetically active radiation transmission to <1 % measured with a quantum sensor at 400–700 nm. Compliance is assessed through EN 17033:2018, but the white pigment layer must not reduce soil contact clarity below the threshold for degradation initiation because TiO₂ blocks UV and slows surface erosion. The used formulation for a 20 µm A/B/A coextrusion is 80–85 wt% Bio-Flex N 31310 in the black core, 8–12 wt% PBAT in the same core, 3–5 wt% TiO₂ white masterbatch in the outer layers, and 2–3 wt% carbon black masterbatch in the core. The process runs on a three-layer blown-film line with 30:1 L/D extruders, 1.2 mm die gap, 2.4:1 BUR, and melt temperatures of 155–162 °C for the white skins and 160–165 °C for the black core. The core layer uses a 80/100/80 mesh pack to disperse the carbon black; the skin layers use 60/80/60 mesh packs to avoid pressure rise from TiO₂ agglomeration. Terminal finished product is white-on-black biodegradable mulch film rolls 0.020 mm × 1.1 m × 300 m for high-tunnel vegetable and herb beds. Published data for cast-film versions of this whitened structure is limited; blown-film remains the technically documented route.
| Compliance item | Test method | Typical acceptance threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Soil biodegradation of mulch film | ISO 17556:2019 / ASTM D5988-18 | ≥90 % relative to reference within 24 months |
| Eco-toxicity in soil | OECD 208 | Seedling emergence and biomass ≥90 % of control |
| Industrial compostability of warehouse waste | EN 13432:2000 / ISO 14855-1:2012 | Disintegration ≤12 weeks; biodegradation ≥90 % in 6 months |
| North American compostability claim | ASTM D6400 | Conformity to heavy metal and eco-toxicity limits |
In strawberry hill systems, the film must withstand the puncture from soil clods and occasional machine foot traffic during harvest, then retain enough hydrolytic susceptibility to fragment after tillage. The governing standard is EN 17033:2018, with soil biodegradation according to ISO 17556:2019; additional purchaser specifications commonly require ASTM D1709-16a dart impact of at least 150 g on a 20 µm film. The film compound is 85–90 wt% Bio-Flex N 31310, 5–10 wt% PBAT, and 3–5 wt% carbon black masterbatch; this narrow PBAT window is chosen because higher PBAT content delays initial soil adhesion but reduces dimensional stability during hot afternoons. Production involves an air-cooled blown-film tower with 30:1 L/D screw, 1.6 mm die gap, 2.8:1 BUR, 45° oscillating haul-off, melt temperature 162–167 °C, and gauge tolerance controlled to ±1.2 µm by an automated segmented air ring. Terminal type is black biodegradable mulch film rolls 0.020 mm × 1.0 m × 500 m for strawberry hill bedding machines. In production, a common failure mode is bubble flutter at the second cooling ring when ambient temperature exceeds 32 °C, so line speed is reduced by 8–12 % rather than raising melt temperature. That keeps the post-harvest incorporation window in line with the standard’s soil degradation requirement.
For asparagus and rhubarb establishment rows, the applicable standard is EN 17033:2018, and the slower fragmentation rate must still meet the 24-month soil biodegradation threshold under ISO 17556:2019. Black film is used for the first 12–18 months before being tilled into the row. If carbon black loading is pushed beyond 3 wt% in the compound, radiant heat absorption at the die lip can increase melt surface temperature by 3–5 °C, narrowing the safe processing window below the 170 °C PLA degradation threshold. The formulation is therefore adjusted to 72–78 wt% Bio-Flex N 31310, 16–20 wt% PBAT, 4–6 wt% carbon black masterbatch, and 1–2 wt% processing stabilizer masterbatch; this raises low-temperature flexibility but also requires barrel zones 2–4 setpoints to be reduced by 5–8 °C relative to black-free formulations. Downstream compounding uses a co-rotating twin-screw extruder with 25:1 L/D, side-feeder for the carbon black masterbatch at zone 5, 200 rpm screw speed, and melt temperature 160–175 °C with vacuum venting at −0.08 MPa to strip moisture and oligomers. Film blowing then uses a single-layer 30:1 L/D extruder, 1.8 mm die gap, 2.2:1 BUR, and 80/100/80 mesh pack. Terminal finished product is black biodegradable mulch film rolls 0.025 mm × 1.0 m × 350 m for perennial crop row establishment. Below 3 wt% carbon black, black coverage is uneven on machine direction bands; above 6 wt%, film tear propagation resistance declines and die lip deposits increase. Published data for this specific grade at 6 wt% carbon black is limited, so pilot-scale pre-compounding is required before film production.
Young orchard rows in apple and stone fruit production use in-row black film for weed control during the first two growing seasons; the film is subsequently ploughed into the topsoil rather than removed. Compliance follows EN 17033:2018, with aerobic soil biodegradation determined by ISO 17556:2019 and, where buyers require industrial compostability for storage remnants, EN 13432:2000 and ASTM D6400 as secondary documentation. The recommended film compound contains 78–84 wt% Bio-Flex N 31310, 10–16 wt% PBAT, 3–5 wt% carbon black masterbatch, and 1–2 wt% lubricant masterbatch. In orchard film production, a single-layer 30:1 L/D blown-film line with a 300 mm die, 2.0:1 BUR, and 160–165 °C melt temperature is used; gauge is 22 µm to balance machine-lay survival with tillage fragmentation. The bubble path uses a low-speed collapsing frame to avoid blocking at the frost line, and the winder is run at 6–8 N/100 mm tension to prevent cold stretching of the biodegradable surface. Terminal finished type is black biodegradable orchard row film rolls 0.022 mm × 1.0 m × 500 m. The annual application rate in orchard rows is typically 1.5–2.0 rolls/ha, and removal costs are eliminated only when soil moisture after incorporation is maintained above 40 % water-holding capacity; otherwise fragmentation stalls. Published data for this exact orchard film configuration is limited, and current practice is verified by soil-burial coupon tests under ASTM D5988-18 rather than by accelerated aging alone.
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Bio-Flex N 31310 is a compounded polylactic acid grade in which a biodegradable toughening modifier is dispersed to reduce the inherent brittleness of unmodified PLA. The material is intended for thin-gauge agricultural mulch film produced by blown-film extrusion on conventional polyolefin lines. Typical target thickness for the monolayer structure is 12 µm to 25 µm; below 12 µm blown-film bubble stability becomes the primary constraint, while above 25 µm the soil-biodegradation lag time can extend beyond a single growing season. The product is normally supplied as moisture-barrier-packaged pellets because PLA-based compounds undergo hydrolytic molecular weight reduction if atmospheric moisture is allowed to accumulate. The designation Bio-Flex N 31310 separates the grade from rigid PLA and from starch-rich film compounds; the N series is aimed at flexible film applications rather than injection moulding or thermoforming.
Lot-release documentation for Bio-Flex N 31310 is typically organized around ISO 1133-1:2022 melt flow rate at 190 °C and 2.16 kg. Melt flow rate is not a single universal value; it is a lot-specific release parameter that influences extruder motor load, melt pressure, and film gauge control. In published film-conversion practice for toughened PLA mulch grades, melt flow rates below 4 g/10 min correlate with excessive melt pressure on L/D 30:1 single-screw extruders, while values above 8 g/10 min reduce bubble stability and promote draw resonance. Density, bulk density, and pellet size are controlled to ensure consistent feeding; PLA compounds typically show density near 1.24–1.28 g/cm³. The crystalline melting point of the PLA matrix is measured by differential scanning calorimetry under ISO 11357-3; this value informs the setting of the extruder profile and the frost line position but does not by itself define the full processing window. The supplier’s certificate of analysis should be read as a lot-specific document, not as a general property sheet, because minor formulation changes in the toughening phase can shift melt rheology while keeping the product designation unchanged.
| Standard designation | Scope | Relevance to Bio-Flex N 31310 mulch film |
|---|---|---|
| EN 17033:2018 | Biodegradable mulch films for agriculture and horticulture | Primary compliance reference for in-soil biodegradation, ecotoxicity, and film performance; applies to claims of soil biodegradability. |
| EN 13432:2000 | Packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation | Useful for industrial compostability but does not alone demonstrate in-soil behaviour. |
| ISO 17556:2019 | Ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in soil | Laboratory method for soil-biodegradation evidence; results must be read with temperature and soil pH. |
| ISO 14855-2:2018 | Composting biodegradation under controlled conditions | Compost biodegradation value used for packaging compostability. |
| ASTM D6400-23 | Specification for compostable plastics | US counterpart to EN 13432 for municipal or industrial composting. |
| ISO 527-3:2018 | Tensile properties of plastic films | Tensile strength and elongation at break during mechanical laying. |
| ASTM D1922-23 | Elmendorf tear resistance of plastic film | Tear propagation resistance in field and during conversion. |
Compliance with EN 13432 does not automatically satisfy EN 17033. A mulch film may be industrially compostable yet fail in-soil disintegration thresholds because soil temperatures in early spring are often below 20 °C and microbial activity is limited. Converters should therefore request the supplier’s soil-biodegradation test report according to ISO 17556:2019, including the test temperature and the soil pH used. If no report is available for the specific batch, the film should not be labelled as soil-biodegradable under EN 17033 without additional third-party testing. In addition, packaging film certification under EN 13432 is based on industrial composting conditions that may not represent field soil; the two standards use different disintegration and ecotoxicity protocols.
The dominant processing conflict is thermal stability. Polyolefins tolerate melt temperatures from 180 °C to 260 °C without severe molecular weight loss, whereas PLA undergoes random chain scission and lactide reformation when heated above its degradation threshold. For Bio-Flex N 31310, the die-lip melt temperature should be held between 165 °C and 185 °C; temperatures above 190 °C produce a measurable drop in melt viscosity and increase the concentration of low-molecular-weight species that form die-lip deposits. The extruder profile is typically ramped from 155–165 °C in the feed zone to 170–180 °C in the metering zone, with the adapter and die set no higher than 185 °C. On a single-screw extruder with L/D 30:1 and a barrier screw, melt pressure is maintained between 150 bar and 250 bar via a 60/80/100 mesh screen pack. Higher pressure increases frictional heating and pushes the melt into the degradation range; lower pressure indicates insufficient shear recovery or excessive back-pressure loss. Residence time above 170 °C should remain below 5 min; start-up and shutdown procedures must include purging with a biodegradable purge compound to avoid long hold-up.
Bubble stability is the second constraint. Toughened PLA has lower melt elasticity than low-density polyethylene, so the bubble is sensitive to air-ring velocity and frost line height. A die gap of 0.8–1.2 mm and a blow-up ratio of 2.0–2.8 are recommended start-up values; frost line height is normally maintained at 3–5 die diameters. If the frost line is too low, the film retains residual heat and blocks on the collapsing frame; if it is too high, the molecular orientation raises tensile modulus in the machine direction and reduces tear propagation resistance. Internal bubble cooling is often required for film below 15 µm; without it, gauge variation may exceed ±2 µm and cause local thinning that tears during mechanical laying. Production-scale converters report that ambient humidity above 60% RH during pellet handling increases scrap due to surface moisture; the hopper should be purged with dry air and loading time kept below 30 min. Published data for water vapour transmission rate of this specific film grade is limited; converters targeting moisture-sensitive crops should test film-level WVTR under ASTM F1249-20 instead of relying on polyethylene benchmarks.
Melt viscosity curves are generated by capillary rheometry under ISO 11443:2021; for PLA-based blown-film compounds, a power-law index in the shear-thinning region of 0.35–0.55 is typical. This shear-thinning behaviour is less pronounced than LLDPE, which limits gauge uniformity when high shear is encountered in narrow die gaps. Therefore die gap selection is a compromise: too narrow a gap increases shear heating, while too wide a gap reduces molecular orientation and weakens bubble stability. Apparent shear rates for blown film typically range from 100 s⁻¹ to 500 s⁻¹ at the die lip; the compound’s viscosity in this region determines the motor load on a 30:1 L/D screw. If the melt flow rate is near the lower limit and the extruder lacks a grooved feed section, the specific energy input can exceed 0.25 kWh/kg, which is a production-scale indicator of process inefficiency.
Die design influences the practical window. A spiral mandrel die with a land length of 10–15 mm provides sufficient back pressure without creating dead spots; highly polished die lips reduce PLA plate-out. The air ring should be a dual-lip design capable of maintaining an air temperature of 15–25 °C and velocity of 3–7 m/s. High-velocity air rings suitable for PE often destabilize the PLA bubble because the lower melt strength cannot absorb the same cooling drag. Collapsing frames should be covered with felt or wooden slats; untreated steel surfaces contribute to scratching and static charge. The winding section operates best with a gap-winding or centre-surface winding mode at 40–80 N web tension for a 1,000 mm web width; excessive tension induces core blocking and machine-direction tear.
| Process parameter | Indicative start-up range | Failure mode outside range |
|---|---|---|
| Feed zone temperature | 155–165 °C | Premature melting and feed bridging |
| Metering zone temperature | 170–180 °C | Molecular weight loss and gel formation |
| Die-lip melt temperature | 165–185 °C | Lactide fuming and die-lip plate-out |
| Melt pressure at screen changer | 150–250 bar | Excessive shear heating or poor melt mixing |
| Die gap | 0.8–1.2 mm | Shear heating or poor gauge control |
| Blow-up ratio | 2.0–2.8 | Bubble sagging or transverse-direction tear reduction |
| Frost line height | 3–5 die diameters | Blocking or orientation-induced splitting |
| Residual moisture before extrusion | ≤250 mg/kg | Hydrolysis and melt viscosity drop |
These ranges are process guidance derived from PLA blown-film conversion practice; they are not a replacement for the supplier’s lot-specific datasheet or for tool-specific optimization on a given production line.
Storage conditions affect processability. Pellets kept in unopened moisture-barrier bags at 20–25 °C can be stored for 12 months; once the bag is opened, residual moisture increases with ambient RH. At 60% RH, surface moisture adsorption can exceed 250 mg/kg within 2 h if pellets are not blanketed with dry air. Drying in a desiccant dryer at 80 °C for 4 h with a dew point of −40 °C is the standard corrective step; higher drying temperatures above 90 °C may cause pellet bridging or surface sticking. The dryer hopper should be sized for the extrusion throughput so that residence time in the drying hopper is at least 4 h; if the line consumes 50 kg/h, the dryer capacity should be at least 200 kg to maintain the required residence. These values align with desiccant dryer specifications and PLA processing practice, but actual moisture uptake is a function of pellet geometry and ambient airflow.
The lot number and certification code should be recorded for each skid because agricultural film converters are required under EN 17033 to maintain traceability of the formulation and any added masterbatch. A change in the toughening modifier supplier or masterbatch carrier resin can affect soil ecotoxicity results even if the base polymer remains Bio-Flex N 31310. Therefore, final film certification is a film-level responsibility, not a pellet-level property. Regulatory review under REACH and RoHS is generally limited to monomer residues and additives present above the specified threshold; the polymer itself is exempt from REACH registration, but this exemption does not cover intentionally added substances with hazardous classifications.
Unmodified PLA film under ISO 527-3 often shows elongation at break below 10%, which is inadequate for mechanical laying on stony or uneven soil. The toughening modification in Bio-Flex N 31310 alters the deformation mechanism from brittle fracture to shear yielding, increasing elongation at break into the flexible-film range of 150–300% while tensile strength is generally controlled between 20 MPa and 35 MPa. These values are indicative literature ranges for toughened biodegradable mulch film, not guaranteed lot-specific specifications; the supplier’s quality certificate should be consulted for the exact batch. Elmendorf tear resistance tested under ASTM D1922-23 is a better predictor of field puncture survival than tensile strength alone; 15 µm films with values below 5 g/µm are generally considered unsuitable for rocky soils. Distinction from conventional polyethylene mulch is based on disposal pathway and soil residue: polyethylene film does not biodegrade under ISO 17556 and must be removed, while Bio-Flex N 31310 is formulated for incorporation after the crop cycle. However, field fragmentation rate is not a fixed product constant; it depends on soil temperature, moisture, pH, and microbial biomass. In cool, dry soils the film may remain mechanically intact after one season, so the agronomic protocol should include soil incorporation to maximize surface area and contact with soil microorganisms.
Field-trial reports for biodegradable mulch films produced from PLA-based compounds indicate that the highest variability in disintegration rate occurs between rows where soil moisture differs due to irrigation drip lines. In drip-irrigated beds, the film under the emitter can fragment several weeks earlier than the film on the dry bed shoulder. This variability is not a product defect but a function of microbial activity; it requires agronomic management rather than reformulation. Mechanical laying speed is typically limited to 4–6 km/h for thin biodegradable films, compared with 8–10 km/h for LLDPE mulch, because the lower stiffness of the biodegradable film increases the risk of longitudinal tearing at the row guides.
Compared with starch-rich biodegradable mulch films, Bio-Flex N 31310 tends to exhibit lower water uptake and better wet-strength retention, but the trade-off is a longer biodegradation lag phase in low-temperature soil. Starch-rich films often require coextrusion or lamination to control rapid water sensitivity, whereas the toughened PLA grade can be extruded as a monolayer, reducing die complexity. The main operational difference from unmodified PLA is the wider elongation and tear window, which is achieved at the expense of tensile modulus and heat deflection temperature. For weed suppression, the grade must be pigmented; an added carbon black masterbatch at 2–5 wt% blocks light but can reduce tear resistance and may require re-qualification of ASTM D1922-23 values. The product should not be combined with non-biodegradable slip agents or amine-based additives if biodegradability certification is to be maintained; any additive must be reviewed against EN 17033 constituent limits. Oxo-degradable films are not equivalent: they fail soil-biodegradation criteria and produce microplastic fragments that do not meet the same standard designation.
