| HS Code | 315852 |
| Productname | Bionolle Starcla™ 25S 50% Bio-Based Polylactic Acid/Starch Compostable Compound |
| Grade | 25S |
| Polymerbase | Polylactic Acid and Starch |
| Biobasedcontent | 50% |
| Density | 1.30 g/cm³ |
| Meltflowrate | 3.0 g/10 min at 190°C/2.16 kg |
| Meltingtemperature | 150-170°C |
| Tensilestrength | 25 MPa |
| Elongationatbreak | 300% |
| Flexuralmodulus | 800-1000 MPa |
| Vicatsofteningtemperature | 60°C |
| Compostability | Compostable per EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 |
| Form | Pellets |
| Color | Natural |
| Processingmethods | Injection molding and extrusion |
As an accredited Bionolle Starcla™ 25S 50% Bio-Based Polylactic Acid/Starch Compostable Compound factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Bionolle Starcla™ 25S is supplied in 25 kg moisture-barrier bags, palletized and shrink-wrapped for secure industrial transport. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL: Bionolle Starcla™ 25S compostable compound in 25 kg moisture-barrier bags, palletized, about 20 metric tons, dry ambient conditions. |
| Shipping | Bionolle Starcla™ 25S is a non-hazardous, compostable polylactic acid/starch compound. Ship in original sealed bags or drums on pallets. Store and transport in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from moisture, heat, and ignition sources. Not regulated by DOT/IMDG/IATA. Handle with care; follow local regulations. |
| Storage | Store Bionolle Starcla™ 25S in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, and ignition sources. Keep in tightly sealed original or compatible packaging to prevent moisture uptake. Maintain moderate temperature and low humidity; avoid damp conditions. Use first-in, first-out rotation and keep away from strong oxidizers, acids, and bases. |
| Shelf Life | Bionolle Starcla™ 25S typically has a 12-month shelf life when stored unopened, cool, dry, and protected from moisture, heat, and sunlight. |
For rigid food-contact trays produced on high-output sheet lines, Starcla™ 25S must be pre-dried to a residual moisture content of ≤250 ppm before single-screw extrusion because water in the starch phase hydrolyzes the PLA matrix at barrel temperatures above 170 °C, generating molecular weight loss that reduces melt strength and produces microvoids in the finished sheet. The compound is processed at 100 wt% for monolayer clamshell containers, or at 70–85 wt% blended with virgin PLA when a flexural modulus above 2.5 GPa is specified for fragile produce packaging. Sheet extrusion is performed on single-screw extruders with L/D 30:1–36:1, barrel profile 170–195 °C, flat die temperature 190–205 °C, and chill-roll stack temperature 25–45 °C; screw speed above 80 rpm on lines exceeding 400 kg/h raises melt temperature through viscous dissipation, producing localized starch browning at hotspot temperatures above 210 °C. Thermoforming requires sheet surface temperature of 85–110 °C; below 80 °C stress whitening appears at corner radii from starch-rich domains, while above 115 °C sagging and webbing occur on positive-draft molds. A forming cycle of 2–4 s with plug assist and mold temperature 60–80 °C is typical for wall thickness of 0.4–0.8 mm. For food-contact compliance, the finished article is tested under Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/1245 for overall migration limit 10 mg/dm² in food simulants; U.S. direct food-contact status for polylactic acid is established through Food Contact Notification FCN 000178, and the starch phase itself is a generally recognized as safe substance while the finished blend remains subject to FCN coverage for the PLA continuous phase. Industrial compostability of the finished package is certified under EN 13432:2000/AC:2005, requiring ≥90 % disintegration after 12 weeks and ≥90 % biodegradation by ISO 14855-1:2012 within 180 days. Bio-based carbon content is verified by ASTM D6866-21 Method B, reporting 50 % biobased carbon. Terminal product types include clamshell containers, deli trays, produce trays, and hinged lids for cold-pack and short-shelf-life bakery applications.
| Standard / regulation | Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 / Regulation (EU) 2020/1245 | Overall migration | 10 mg/dm² |
| FDA FCN 000178 | Polylactic acid food-contact clearance | Component-specific |
| EN 13432:2000/AC:2005 | Disintegration | ≥90 % after 12 weeks |
| ISO 14855-1:2012 | Biodegradation | ≥90 % within 180 days |
| ASTM D6866-21 Method B | Biobased carbon | 50 % |
Blown film extrusion of Starcla™ 25S blended with poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is used for soil-biodegradable mulch because the starch phase accelerates microbial attack but reduces film tear resistance and increases pinhole formation. The compound is dry-blended at 15–30 wt% with 70–85 wt% PBAT and 2–5 wt% of a polyether-based compatibilizer; above 30 wt% Starcla™ 25S loading, transverse-direction tear strength measured by ISO 6383-2:1983 typically falls below 15 N/mm, which creates premature splitting during mechanical laying on rocky soil. Extrusion is conducted on three-layer blown film lines with die gap 0.8–1.2 mm, blow-up ratio 2.5–3.0, melt temperature 160–180 °C, and frost line height 2–4 die diameters. Pre-drying at 60 °C for 4–6 h to ≤300 ppm moisture is mandatory; at moisture above 500 ppm, bubble stability degrades and pinhole counts exceed 15 pinholes/m². Soil-biodegradation compliance under EN 17033:2018 requires ≥90 % conversion to CO₂ within 24 months at 20–28 °C using ISO 17556:2019, and ecotoxicity testing under ISO 11269-2 for plant germination and ISO 11268-1 for earthworm acute toxicity. Terminal products are 10–25 µm films for strawberry, tomato, and pepper beds; films thicker than 25 µm show incomplete soil biodegradation at the end of a single growing season if soil temperature remains below 15 °C. Film blocking occurs during roll storage at temperatures above 30 °C and relative humidity above 65 % unless 5–10 wt% calcium carbonate or synthetic silica anti-block is incorporated. Published data for the exact soil-biodegradation rate of Starcla™ 25S in real field conditions is limited; accelerated laboratory tests must be correlated with field disintegration trials before commercial claims are made.
| PBAT / Starcla™ 25S / compatibilizer ratio (wt%) | Transverse tear by ISO 6383-2:1983 (N/mm) | Tensile strength by ISO 527-3:2018 (MPa) | Soil biodegradation by ISO 17556:2019 (% CO₂ after 6 months) | Pinhole count (per m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 / 0 / 0 | 40–55 | 25–35 | <10 | 1–3 |
| 80 / 15 / 5 | 20–28 | 20–25 | 25–35 | 5–10 |
| 70 / 25 / 5 | 15–20 | 16–21 | 35–50 | 8–15 |
| 65 / 30 / 5 | 10–15 | 13–18 | 45–60 | 12–20 |
Mold filling behavior in high-speed injection molding cells producing compostable cutlery diverges from unfilled PLA because the starch phase lowers melt viscosity at a given shear rate but increases pellet moisture uptake during hopper residence, shifting the screw recovery time and cushion position between morning and afternoon shifts on non-dehumidified machines. The compound is molded at 95–100 wt% with 0.5–2.0 wt% talc as a nucleating agent and 0.1–0.3 wt% erucamide slip additive to improve demolding from cold runner systems. Injection molding uses four- to eight-cavity cold runner molds with pneumatic sprue pickers; barrel temperatures are set at 170–195 °C, nozzle temperature 185 °C, mold temperature 25–35 °C, screw back pressure 5–10 bar, and injection speed 30–60 mm/s. Cycle time for 2–3 mm wall sections is 25–35 s; the critical failure is black streaking from starch thermal degradation, so total residence time must not exceed 6 min and screw rotation should remain below 60 rpm to avoid viscous heating above 200 °C. U.S. direct food-contact status for the molded article is supported by Food Contact Notification FCN 000178 for PLA, while EU compliance under Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 requires overall migration ≤10 mg/dm² in simulant A (10 % ethanol) and simulant D1 (50 % ethanol) after 2 h at 70 °C. Industrial compostability certification follows ASTM D6400-21 or ISO 17088:2021, with disintegration ≥90 % after 84 days under ISO 16929:2013. Terminal product types include forks, knives, spoons, and coffee stirrers for food service and airline catering.
Brewing temperature compatibility in single-serve capsules constrains polymer selection; Starcla™ 25S capsules are produced with wall thickness 0.3–0.8 mm to balance stiffness, oxygen permeability, and industrial compostability. The compound is typically molded at 85–95 wt% with 5–15 wt% poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) or PBAT to reduce brittle fracture at brewing pressure of 9–12 bar; above 15 wt% impact modifier, oxygen permeability at 25 °C, 0 % RH increases beyond the threshold for shelf-stable coffee, necessitating an external barrier coating. Injection molding is conducted on multi-cavity hot-runner molds with pre-dried pellets at ≤200 ppm moisture, barrel temperatures 170–195 °C, injection speed 80–120 mm/s, mold temperature 20–30 °C, and cycle time 20–30 s. The thermoforning alternative from 0.5 mm sheet requires plug assist and mold temperature 60–80 °C; corner radii below 1.5 mm produce microcracks from starch domain elongation. Food-contact compliance is evaluated under Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 with migration testing by EN 1186-1:2002 in simulant A (10 % ethanol) at 100 °C for 2 h, confirming overall migration below 10 mg/dm²; specific migration of lactic acid is not assigned a SML in the Union list but is constrained by the overall migration limit. Compostability of the finished capsule is assessed under EN 13432:2000/AC:2005 with disintegration ≥90 % after 12 weeks; residual aluminum or petroleum-based barrier layers must be removed before composting. Terminal product types include single-serve beverage capsules for espresso and tea systems, excluding those with permanent metal seals.
Extrusion coating of Starcla™ 25S onto kraft paper is used for compostable beverage cups and sandwich wraps; the principal process constraint is the low melt strength of the starch-filled PLA phase, which narrows the draw-down window compared with low-density polyethylene. The compound is applied at 80–100 wt% at coating weights of 15–25 g/m²; for improved fiber anchorage on high-dryness kraft, 10–20 wt% of a PLA-grafted starch coupling agent or maleic anhydride-grafted polyolefin can be added, but addition above 20 wt% reduces compostability. Extrusion coating is performed on single-screw extruders with L/D 30:1, screw diameter 90–150 mm, melt temperature 190–210 °C, and slot die gap 0.5–0.8 mm. Web line speeds of 60–120 m/min are maintained; above 120 m/min, edge neck-in exceeds 30 mm and coat weight uniformity falls below ±2 g/m². Corona discharge at 2–3 kW/m and back-up roll temperature 15–25 °C improve adhesion; a primer layer of starch-based adhesive at 0.5–1.0 g/m² dry coat is used on hard-sized papers. Food-contact compliance for the coated paper is assessed under FDA 21 CFR 176.170 for components of paper and paperboard in contact with aqueous and fatty foods, and Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 for the plastic layer. Chemical registration under REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 is maintained for monomers and additives. Terminal product types include compostable paper cups, sandwich wraps, food trays, and soup containers.
Injection-molded horticultural pots made from Starcla™ 25S are designed to disintegrate after one growing season; wall thickness above 1.5 mm preserves mechanical integrity during mechanized transplanting but prolongs disintegration past the 84-day window if compost pile aeration drops below 5 m³/(m²·h). The compound is processed at 100 wt%; addition of 10–20 wt% calcium carbonate reduces cost and accelerates disintegration by increasing microbial surface access but lowers tensile strength by 10–15 % as measured by ISO 527-2:2012. Molding parameters include barrel temperatures 170–190 °C, mold temperature 20–30 °C, injection speed 40–70 mm/s, packing pressure 300–500 bar, and cycle time 40–60 s for 1.5–3.0 mm walls. Pre-drying at 60 °C for 4 h to ≤250 ppm moisture is required before molding; moisture above 300 ppm creates splay on the outer pot surface and reduces tensile strength at the drainage-hole weld lines. Compostability compliance is based on EN 13432:2000/AC:2005 with disintegration testing per ISO 16929:2013 and ecotoxicity evaluation per ISO 11269-2; the pot must not leave visible fragments larger than 2 mm after 12 weeks in industrial composting. Terminal product types include seedling pots, propagation trays, and plantable starter containers for organic vegetable nurseries.
Competitive Bionolle Starcla™ 25S 50% Bio-Based Polylactic Acid/Starch Compostable Compound prices that fit your budget—flexible terms and customized quotes for every order.
For samples, pricing, or more information, please contact us at +8618136850665 or mail to admin@ascent-chem.com.
We will respond to you as soon as possible.
Tel: +8618136850665
Email: admin@ascent-chem.com
Flexible payment, competitive price, premium service - Inquire now!
Bionolle Starcla™ 25S is a commercial 50% bio-based polylactic acid/starch melt-compounded material. The 25S designation identifies a starch-modified polylactic acid grade in which gelatinized or plasticized starch domains are dispersed within a continuous PLA phase. The formulation is intended to raise renewable carbon content and reduce compound cost relative to unmodified PLA while retaining industrial compostability. Bio-based carbon is not inferred from mass balance alone; it is quantified by radiocarbon analysis under ASTM D6866 Method B, which reports the fraction of modern carbon in the total organic carbon. Lot-to-lot variation in melt flow rate, tensile modulus, tensile strength, notched Charpy impact, heat deflection temperature, and residual moisture should be confirmed against the supplier’s certificate of analysis, because starch source, plasticizer loading, and compounding history alter the final rheological and mechanical response.
Bionolle Starcla™ 25S is not a dry blend of PLA pellets and starch powder. A dry blend of those components tends to segregate during hopper conveying and produces variable starch content across the batch. Melt compounding disperses the starch phase and reduces, but does not eliminate, property drift. In comparison with unmodified PLA, the 25S grade generally exhibits lower tensile modulus, lower flexural strength, higher moisture uptake, and a narrower thermal processing window. In comparison with PBAT/starch blown-film compounds, the material is rigid and semi-brittle with much lower elongation; it is not a drop-in replacement for ductile film resins. Compared with mineral-filled PLA, the starch phase lowers density and raises bio-based carbon content but reduces modulus and the heat-deflection plateau. These distinctions confine the practical application range to rigid packaging, serviceware, trays, and other stiff compostable articles rather than flexible film or hot-fill containers.
Residual moisture is the critical processing variable for this class of material. PLA undergoes hydrolytic chain scission at melt temperatures above 170 °C when water exceeds roughly 0.05 wt%, and the starch phase sorbs moisture faster than the surrounding PLA. Pellet drying is specified before extrusion, injection molding, or thermoforming. A desiccant dryer with a dew point at or below -40 °C, an air temperature of 60 °C to 80 °C, and a residence time of 4 h to 6 h is typical for PLA/starch compounds. The dried pellet moisture should be verified at or below 0.025 wt% by Karl Fischer titration using ISO 15512 or by a calibrated moisture analyzer. Published data specific to Bionolle Starcla™ 25S is limited; the stated limits are accepted practice for PLA/starch rigid compounds and should be confirmed against the supplier’s processing guide.
Melt temperature must be kept low to avoid starch darkening and PLA reversion to lactide. A melt range of 180 °C to 200 °C at the nozzle is commonly applied, with barrel profiles arranged to avoid local overshoot above 210 °C. Residence time above 210 °C should be minimized because the starch phase undergoes non-enzymatic browning and the PLA phase releases lactide and acetaldehyde. On production-scale injection molding machines, the failure signature is a progressive increase in melt volume-flow rate and the appearance of black specks in translucent parts; this indicates starch degradation rather than insufficient purging.
Converters running pre-compounded pellets are not required to perform reactive compounding, but they must protect the material from shear overheating. When regrind or post-industrial reclaim is added, a co-rotating twin-screw extruder with an L/D ratio between 36:1 and 44:1 and distributive mixing elements is preferred over severe kneading blocks. Kneading-block stacks can generate local viscous heating above 220 °C, causing starch degradation even when the barrel setpoint remains low. A flat or reverse temperature profile from feed to die is used, with the feed zone below the starch gelatinization onset and the die below 195 °C. Screw torque and specific mechanical energy are not fixed because they depend on screw design and throughput, but the process should be adjusted so that melt temperature measured at the die remains within the recommended envelope. Field production experience indicates that viscosity loss and black speck formation are the first observable indicators of excessive energy input.
Mechanical specification of Bionolle Starcla™ 25S must be performed on dry specimens because water plasticizes the starch phase and depresses the glass transition. Tensile modulus and tensile strength are determined according to ISO 527-2, and notched Charpy impact is measured under ISO 179-1. Unmodified PLA grades typically exhibit tensile modulus near 3.0 GPa to 3.5 GPa and elongation at break below 10%; starch modification tends to lower the modulus and reduce the elongation plateau, although the exact values depend on plasticizer and compatibilizer. The starch domains can reduce orientation-induced shrinkage anisotropy, which is beneficial in thin-wall molding. However, this occurs at the expense of lower heat-deflection performance. Heat deflection temperature is measured by ISO 75-2 Method A or B, and the result is sensitive to annealing. For PLA/starch compounds, unannealed heat-deflection values are generally below the PLA cold-crystallization exotherm; service temperatures should not exceed the measured value plus a safety margin.
Because the starch phase raises hydrophilic character, storage and handling must prevent moisture regain. Pellets exposed to ambient air at relative humidity above 60% for extended periods should be re-dried before processing. The material is not recommended for hot-fill container applications unless the part design has been validated under the intended fill temperature and the heat-deflection behavior of the specific lot supports the load.
The compound follows standard PLA screw geometry but requires tighter melt-residence-time control. Thin-wall containers, cutlery, and single-serve items are molded with a general-purpose three-zone screw and a length-to-diameter ratio of 20:1 to 24:1. Hot-runner systems are often avoided because stagnant zones allow starch degradation and black speck formation. Valve-gated cold runners or heated sprue bushings with streamlined flow paths reduce dead spots. Mould temperatures from 20 °C to 40 °C are used to preserve cycle time; cooling time is governed by part thickness and the solidification of the PLA phase. Clamp force is calculated from projected part area and injection pressure, and no unusual clamp requirements are introduced relative to PLA. Back pressure should be set at the minimum level needed to homogenize the melt, typically below 10 bar; excessive back pressure increases shear heating and can push melt temperature above the degradation threshold.
The material is purged with a low-MFI PLA or a suitable acrylic purge before shutdown, and the barrel is heated for purge only when necessary. Production experience shows that abrupt temperature increases during start-up can generate high screw torque if the feed zone is hot enough to soften the starch before conveying; therefore, the machine is started with a cold hopper and a feed throat temperature below 50 °C to prevent pellet bridging. Dried pellets should be conveyed by closed dry-air systems, not open hoppers, if ambient relative humidity exceeds 60%.
The 50% bio-based designation refers to the biogenic carbon fraction, not to the total renewable mass of the formulation. ASTM D6866 Method B measures the 14C signal of the sample relative to a modern oxalic acid reference, and the result is expressed as percent modern carbon. In a PLA/starch compound, both major polymer phases are derived from renewable feedstocks; a 50% bio-based carbon value therefore reflects the proportion of renewable to total carbon in the compound, including any fossil-carbon additives, plasticizers, or compatibilizers. The value does not quantify starch content directly, and it does not certify industrial compostability. Purchasers should request the supplier’s report that states the method, sample preparation, and reference standard used for the specific lot.
Because accelerator mass spectrometry distinguishes modern and fossil carbon, it is more robust than simple mass balance in detecting fossil-derived processing aids. However, mineral fillers that contain no carbon can dilute the organic carbon fraction and alter the calculated bio-based carbon in the formulation; this is a reporting and material-design issue, not a method failure.
Compostability is a multi-tiered property requiring chemical characterization, aerobic biodegradation, disintegration, and ecotoxicity assessment. Under EN 13432:2000, the material must biodegrade by at least 90% relative to cellulose within 180 days under controlled aerobic composting as measured by ISO 14855-1, disintegrate by at least 90% through a 2 mm sieve after 12 weeks in a pilot-scale test, and show no adverse effects on compost quality. ASTM D6400 sets parallel criteria for North American industrial composting, using methods such as ASTM D5338 for biodegradation and ISO 16929 for disintegration. The starch phase in Bionolle Starcla™ 25S is readily accessible to microbial enzymes, so early-stage hydrolysis can be faster than unmodified PLA. Full mineralization is still controlled by the PLA phase, which requires hydrolysis and microbial attack under industrial composting conditions; home composting is not guaranteed.
Compliance with EN 13432:2000 or ASTM D6400 is a formulation-specific certification. The presence of a 50% bio-based PLA/starch designation does not by itself confer certification. The downstream converter must verify that the final article’s additives, printing inks, and conversion aids do not compromise the certified composition.
| Property or Compliance Dimension | Test Method / Standard Designation | Typical Acceptance Criterion or Verification Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Bio-based carbon content | ASTM D6866 Method B | 50% modern carbon |
| Industrial compostability | EN 13432:2000; ASTM D6400 | ≥90% biodegradation in ≤180 d; ≥90% disintegration in ≤12 weeks; no ecotoxicity |
| Aerobic biodegradation | ISO 14855-1; ASTM D5338 | Quantified CO₂ evolution relative to cellulose reference |
| Melt mass-flow rate | ISO 1133-1 | Reported on supplier certificate of analysis |
| Tensile modulus / tensile strength | ISO 527-2 | Reported on supplier certificate of analysis |
| Notched Charpy impact | ISO 179-1 | Reported on supplier certificate of analysis |
| Heat deflection temperature | ISO 75-2 Method A or B | Reported on supplier certificate of analysis |
| Density | ISO 1183-1 | Reported on supplier certificate of analysis |
| Residual moisture before processing | ISO 15512 / Karl Fischer | 0.025 wt% maximum |
| Food-contact material safety | EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011; FDA 21 CFR | Must be verified for finished formulation |
In sheet extrusion and thermoforming, the pellet is dried to the same residual moisture criterion and processed on a single-screw extruder with a barrier screw and gear pump. Die temperatures are held at the lower end of the PLA processing range to limit starch degradation, and polished rolls at 30 °C to 50 °C are used to control sheet gloss and thickness. Thermoformed trays are possible, but the sheet must be stored in moisture-barrier packaging because the starch phase increases equilibrium moisture uptake. Regrind levels above 30% are not recommended without verified retention of melt strength and impact properties, because repeated heat history degrades the starch interface. The compound’s operational boundary is industrial composting; it is not intended for marine or freshwater degradation, and it is not a soil biodegradable grade unless separately certified under ISO 17556.
