| HS Code | 507403 |
| Material Composition | Polylactic acid (PLA)-based biodegradable compostable polymer |
| Density | Approximately 1.25 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate | Approximately 4–8 g/10 min at 190°C and 2.16 kg |
| Melting Temperature | Approximately 150–155°C |
| Tensile Strength | Approximately 30–40 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | Approximately 200–400% |
| Tensile Modulus | Approximately 1000–1500 MPa |
| Film Thickness Range | Approximately 15–60 µm |
| Processing Temperature | Approximately 160–190°C |
| Sealing Temperature | Approximately 90–120°C |
| Biodegradability | Biodegradable under industrial composting conditions |
| Compostability | Compostable according to EN 13432 |
| Food Contact | Suitable for food contact applications |
| Optical Haze | Typically below 15% |
As an accredited INZEA FH16 Blown Film Biodegradable Compostable Polylactic Acid factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in 25 kg moisture-barrier paper sacks, palletized, labeled INZEA FH16 Blown Film Biodegradable Compostable Polylactic Acid. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Container loading: 20′ FCL loaded with INZEA FH16 Blown Film Biodegradable Compostable Polylactic Acid resin, palletized and shrink-wrapped for transport. |
| Shipping | INZEA FH16 Blown Film Biodegradable Compostable Polylactic Acid is typically shipped as a non-hazardous solid resin in moisture-barrier bags or boxes, palletized. Keep dry, cool, and away from direct sunlight/heat. Use sealed packaging to prevent moisture uptake. Standard freight; not regulated as dangerous goods. |
| Storage | Store INZEA FH16 in its original sealed packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Protect from direct sunlight, heat, moisture, and contamination. Keep away from strong acids, bases, and oxidizing agents. Maintain low humidity and temperatures below 30°C. Reseal opened packages promptly. Use first-in, first-out rotation, and avoid prolonged storage under hot or humid conditions. Keep containers closed when not in use. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life typically 12 months in original unopened packaging, stored cool, dry, away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. |
For short shelf-life fresh-cut produce and salad leaf presentation films, INZEA FH16 is processed as a monolayer in 20–30 µm thickness. Pre-drying in a desiccant hopper dryer is set to 80°C for 4 h with a dew point no higher than −40°C; residual moisture is held below 250 ppm. If ambient relative humidity exceeds 60%, the drying hopper must be sealed and nitrogen purge considered because PLA ester bonds are hydrolytically unstable at barrel temperatures. A single-screw extruder with 30:1 L/D, compression ratio 2.8:1, Maddock mixing section, and 80-mesh screen pack is used. Barrel temperatures range from 170°C in the feed zone to 185°C at the die, with melt temperature kept at 185–195°C. Die gap is set at 0.8–1.0 mm; blow-up ratio is maintained at 2.2:1–2.8:1. A dual-lip air ring with chilled air at 12–18°C stabilises the bubble at a frost line height of 5–7 die diameters. Additive loading includes 2–4 wt% PLA-based antiblock masterbatch and 0.5–1.0 phr erucamide slip. Optical haze is measured per ASTM D1003; tensile elongation is tested per ASTM D882. The terminal products are rigid produce overwrap, bunching bags for herbs, and heat-sealable lidding films on PLA or fibre trays. Food contact compliance must be verified under Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, with total migration limit 10 mg/dm²; lactic acid oligomer migration is matrix-dependent and must be set by extraction testing. Hot-fill or pasteurisation above 60°C falls outside the operating envelope.
INZEA FH16 is rarely used as a neat PLA resin at film thicknesses below 20 µm because low melt strength can create circumferential gauge bands in thin webs. Blending with 15–25 wt% polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) is standard on three-layer blown film lines to shift elongation at break and dart impact response. The outer layers run FH16-rich formulations; the core layer carries PBAT, calcium carbonate at 5–10 wt%, and a compatibilising masterbatch. A 3.0:1 blow-up ratio, die gap 0.6–0.8 mm, and frost line height of 6–8 die diameters are used. Melt temperature is 180–190°C. Collapse-frame nip pressure is held below 3 bar to avoid blocking. Conversion proceeds by impulse sealing at 140–160°C with 2–3 mm seal width. Terminal articles are 10–30 L kitchen caddy liners, catering waste bags, and municipal organic collection sacks. Compliance is assessed under EN 13432:2000 or ASTM D6400; the EN standard requires no more than 10% dry mass residue above 2 mm after 12 weeks in industrial composting, and at least 90% ultimate aerobic biodegradation within 180 days by ISO 14855-1. Ecotoxicity testing follows OECD 208. Amine-based lubricants are avoided because they accelerate ester hydrolysis at processing temperatures.
| Application | Primary Standard | Threshold / Method |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh-cut produce film | Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 | Total migration 10 mg/dm² |
| Organic waste caddy liner | EN 13432:2000 | Residue > 2 mm ≤ 10% after 12 weeks; mineralization ≥ 90% in 180 days per ISO 14855-1 |
| Agricultural mulch film | EN 17033:2018 | Soil mineralization ≥ 90% within 2 years; ecotoxicity per OECD 208 |
| Retail carrier bag | EN 13432:2000 | Heavy metals per Annex A; seal strength per ASTM F88/F88M |
Agricultural mulch film produced from FH16 is a soil-contact application that must carry a stricter verification pathway than industrial composting claims. EN 17033:2018 requires soil mineralization of at least 90% within 2 years, terrestrial ecotoxicity testing, and absence of negative effects on agronomic quality. PLA-based FH16 alone does not hydrolyse rapidly in low-temperature, low-moisture field soil; residues may remain visible across a 12–24 month rotation window if the film is not incorporated into an active composting environment. For short-cycle annual vegetable mulch, the film is extruded in 12–25 µm thickness with 5–7 wt% carbon black masterbatch and a UV stabiliser package specifically checked for compatibility with PLA ester hydrolysis. Blow-up ratio is 2.0:1–2.5:1; die gap is 0.8–1.2 mm. The terminal product is field-layable mulch over tomato, pepper, and strawberry rows, but crop turnover and plough-down timing must be specified from site-specific soil temperature data. The absence of an EN 17033 certificate for FH16 means the film cannot be represented as soil-biodegradable in EU markets. Published data for FH16-specific soil degradation under EN 17033 conditions is limited.
Retail carrier bag lines running FH16 at 25–50 µm thickness require a larger die gap of 1.0–1.2 mm and a blow-up ratio of 2.5:1–3.2:1 to preserve hoop strength after gusseting. Five-layer lines allow core loading of calcium carbonate at 5–10 wt% to reduce material consumption; skin layers carry print adhesion masterbatch at 2–3 wt%. The melt temperature is 185–200°C, and collapse-frame nip pressure is set to 3–4 bar. Welded bottom seals are produced with a hot wire or impulse bar at 160–180°C; seal strength is measured per ASTM F88/F88M. Dart impact is assessed per ASTM D1709, and tear resistance per ASTM D1922. Terminal products are grocery checkout bags, boutique bags, and retail produce rolls. EU market access for lightweight plastic carrier bags is conditioned on Directive (EU) 2015/720; compostable bags meeting EN 13432:2000 may be eligible for exemption only where national legislation explicitly provides. Inks and coatings must be designed for compostability; heavy metal limits in the final pack must comply with EN 13432 Annex A. Published data for FH16-specific dart impact after printing is limited, and converters must generate line-specific values.
| Parameter | Fresh-Cut Produce Film | Organic Waste Caddy Liner | Retail Carrier Bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 20–30 µm | 12–20 µm | 25–50 µm |
| PBAT addition | 0–10 wt% | 15–25 wt% | 10–30 wt% |
| Die gap | 0.8–1.0 mm | 0.6–0.8 mm | 1.0–1.2 mm |
| Blow-up ratio | 2.2:1–2.8:1 | 3.0:1 | 2.5:1–3.2:1 |
| Melt temperature | 185–195°C | 180–190°C | 185–200°C |
Window patches for bakery cartons, coffee bean bags, and cosmetic paper boxes are manufactured from FH16 at 20–30 µm thickness with a coextruded or corona-treated sealing layer. Corona treatment must reach a surface energy of 42–46 dyn/cm before lamination or window welding. Adhesives used in the final structure must themselves meet EN 13432; solvent-based polyurethane adhesives of the type used in conventional packaging are generally not compostable and must be replaced by certified water-based or biodegradable hot-melt systems. Lamination speed on sheet-fed window patching equipment is 60–120 m/min. Optical transparency is checked per ASTM D1003; haze values depend on the antiblock loading and can rise above 8% if the film is stored under high humidity without poly-lined packaging. The film is also thermoformable into shallow tray windows with plug assist at 70–90°C mould temperature. Terminal products are compostable postal envelopes with cellulose film windows, compostable bread bags, and packaging where a transparent inspection window must not compromise organic recyclability. Food contact status must follow Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 if the paper structure contacts dry food.
Vertical form-fill-seal applications for short-grain rice, pasta, and dry snacks using FH16 require a seal initiation temperature below the film's heat distortion threshold to avoid wrinkle at the cross-seal jaw. The film is processed at 25–35 µm thickness with a 2.2:1–2.8:1 blow-up ratio and a melt temperature of 185–195°C. Slip and anti-fog masterbatches are added at 1–2 wt% to maintain slide-over mandrels and clarity on chilled product. Seal jaw temperature is 130–150°C, with dwell time 0.3–0.6 s and jaw pressure 4–6 bar on rotary or intermittent motion FFS machines. Leak testing is conducted per ASTM F1929 dye penetration method. Terminal products are pillow pouches and gusseted dry snack packs. The operational boundary is dry or low-moisture product only; high-moisture products above 0.6 water activity and high-fat products may reduce PLA molecular weight at seal temperatures and compromise seal integrity. Published data for FH16-specific hot-tack strength at 0.3 s dwell per ASTM F1921 is limited.
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INZEA FH16 is a polylactic acid-based compound specifically formulated for blown film extrusion in the biodegradable and industrially compostable packaging segment. The grade is supplied in pellet form and is intended for conversion on conventional monolayer or multilayer blown film lines, provided that screw geometry, die gap, and air-ring cooling are adjusted for a shear-thinning melt with limited melt strength. Because the manufacturer’s published data for this exact configuration are limited, lot-specific melt flow rate, density, and additive loading must be taken from the current certificate of analysis. The following characterization therefore combines established PLA blown-film processing practice with recognized test methods and identifies all values that are not FH16 lot-specific.
The material belongs to the aliphatic polyester class. In film form, PLA-based materials typically exhibit high modulus, low elongation at break, and a glass transition near 55–60 °C. Compostability applies to industrial aerobic composting; it does not imply home-compost, soil, or marine degradation. Because the resin is hygroscopic, moisture uptake above 0.025 wt% can hydrolyze molecular weight during extrusion and produce viscosity loss, bubble pinholes, and reduced mechanical strength. Storage in moisture-barrier packaging below 50% RH is the standard preconditioning practice.
The critical variable is residual moisture. Pellets should be dried in a desiccant dryer at 60–80 °C for 4–6 h to a dew point of −40 °C or lower, with sufficient airflow to achieve the 0.025 wt% moisture threshold. A single-screw extruder with an L/D ratio of 25:1 to 30:1 and a barrier or Maddock mixing section is preferred. Barrel temperatures are generally set in the 150–170 °C range, with die temperature from 150 °C to 170 °C. The melt temperature at the die entrance should not exceed 190 °C; above 200 °C thermal decomposition and lactide regeneration can produce volatile acetaldehyde and reduce melt strength. A die gap of 0.8–1.2 mm is commonly used. The bubble should be supported by a dual-lip air ring with chilled air at 5–15 °C, and the frost line height is typically held at 1–3 die diameters. A blow-up ratio of 2:1 to 3:1 is a practical starting range for PLA-based films. Because melt strength is lower than LDPE, abrupt haul-off speed changes or high air turbulence can introduce thickness bands exceeding ±5%. Ultrasonic or optical gauge monitoring is required to detect gauge deviation before it becomes a converting problem.
The rheological response of PLA-based film grades is shear-thinning, with published representative values for consistency index and power-law index in the ranges of 1000–5000 Pa·s^n and 0.6–0.8 at 180 °C for formulated film grades. These values are not FH16 lot-specific and are included to illustrate the difference from LDPE. Low-shear viscosity of PLA is sensitive to moisture and thermal history; repeated extrusion shifts the molecular weight distribution and reduces zero-shear viscosity. Melt pressure at the screen pack should be logged during each shift. A pressure increase exceeding 20% of baseline without a feed change suggests gel accumulation, screen blockage, or insufficient drying. If the melt temperature is lowered below 150 °C to increase melt strength, incomplete melting can leave gel particles that appear as fisheyes in the film. If the temperature is raised to improve flow, the bubble may sag and pinch. The practical processing window is therefore narrower than for LDPE; line-specific mapping is required.
Under tensile testing according to ASTM D882-18, representative PLA blown films of this class typically show tensile modulus from 2.5 GPa to 3.5 GPa, tensile strength from 40 MPa to 60 MPa, and elongation at break from 5% to 20%. These values are drawn from general PLA film literature and are not FH16 lot-specific; published data for this exact grade are limited. The high modulus gives stiffness and deadfold but lowers dart impact measured under ASTM D1709-16; PLA-based films are usually lower than LDPE by an order of magnitude. Tear resistance by ASTM D1922-15 is also lower, particularly in the machine direction, and slit edges must be conditioned to prevent web breaks. Oxygen barrier is higher than LDPE but below EVOH; water vapor transmission measured under ASTM E96/E96M-21 is higher than LDPE and polypropylene. The crystallinity of the film can be shifted by frost line height and post-extrusion annealing. A low frost line tends to freeze the film in an amorphous state, giving higher clarity but lower thermal stability; a higher frost line or annealing at 80–100 °C for 10–30 min can increase crystallinity, reducing clarity but improving dimensional stability. This trade-off must be set before converting.
| Film family | Tensile modulus | Elongation at break | Oxygen barrier | Moisture vapor transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA-based blown film (FH16 class) | 2.5–3.5 GPa | 5–20% | moderate | higher than LDPE |
| PBAT/PLA blend film | 0.06–0.3 GPa | 200–600% | low | higher than PLA |
| LDPE blown film | 0.1–0.3 GPa | 300–600% | low | low |
This stiffness profile positions the material for rigid packages, clear sleeves, and wrap structures rather than stretch film or heavy-duty liners. If the converter requires elongation above 200%, a PBAT/PLA blend or a copolyester-based biodegradable film is normally selected. That difference is the most frequent reason for grade substitution in industrial packaging.
Compostability claims for a PLA-based blown film are not established by composition alone. They require demonstration under controlled aerobic composting conditions using recognized standards. The thresholds in the following matrix are standards-defined, not grade-specific results.
| Assessment | Standard / method | Threshold or endpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic biodegradation | ISO 14855-1:2012, EN 13432:2000 Annex A | ≥ 90% carbon conversion to CO₂ within 180 days |
| Disintegration | ISO 16929:2013, EN 13432:2000 Annex B | ≥ 90% remaining residue < 2 mm within 12 weeks |
| Ecotoxicity | OECD 208, OECD 207 | No significant effect relative to control |
| Heavy metals | EN 13432:2000 Annex C / ASTM D6400-21 | Pb ≤ 50 mg/kg; Cd ≤ 0.5 mg/kg; Hg ≤ 0.5 mg/kg; Zn ≤ 150 mg/kg |
| Compostability certification | ISO 17088:2021 | Verifies conformance to regional standards |
Disintegration and biodegradation must be evaluated separately. Disintegration is measured after 12 weeks at 58 ± 2 °C in a pilot-scale test; this condition is not equivalent to home composting. INZEA FH16 is positioned for industrial composting. Certification marks from a recognized certification body should accompany the commercial lot, and the converter should verify that the finished film thickness, printing inks, and adhesives do not alter compostability.
The most common failure mode on converting lines is bubble instability caused by low melt strength and a narrow thermal window. Unmodified LDPE lines with narrow die gaps below 0.6 mm can generate excessive melt pressure and melt fracture; die gaps should be increased. A melt temperature excursion greater than 5 °C can produce bubble sag, while temperatures below 150 °C can leave unmelted gel particles. Unlike LDPE, PLA-based film retains low elongation and cannot be repeatedly stretched at high drawdown ratios without fibrillation. In multi-ply structures, adhesion to polyethylene requires tie resins or surface treatment. Film from PLA-based compounds has a higher density than LDPE, approximately 1.24 g/cm³ versus 0.92 g/cm³, so square-meter yield per kilogram is lower and gauge control must account for this density difference. Scrap rework is possible in controlled amounts, but each heat history hydrolyzes the polymer; regrind addition above 20–30% can reduce tear resistance and increase pinhole frequency. If the target application requires high dart impact or high elongation, the grade should not be selected without multi-layer construction or blend modification.
Compared with starch-based blown film, the PLA-based material exhibits lower moisture uptake and higher modulus, but lower elongation and lower edge tear resistance. Compared with PBAT/PLA blends, it provides higher stiffness and clarity but lower puncture resistance. Compared with unmodified PLA film grades, FH16 is expected to show improved bubble stability and melt processability, but the magnitude of this difference is available only from line trials.
Heat-seal performance and hot-tack requirements frequently determine whether FH16-type PLA film is acceptable. Published representative values for PLA-based blown films place heat-seal initiation in the range of 90–110 °C, while PBAT/PLA blends may seal below 90 °C and generally exhibit higher hot-tack strength due to their lower glass transition. These values are not FH16 lot-specific. For high-speed flow-wrap lines, hot-tack force, dwell time, and seal bar temperature must be mapped on the target film structure. PLA-based films can also exhibit narrower sealing windows than LDPE; a seal bar temperature above 130 °C can cause film shrinkage or puckering, particularly in oriented or annealed films. If the converter’s sealing equipment cannot hold temperature within ±5 °C, film waste and leaker rates may be unacceptable.
Applications for a PLA-based blown film grade are constrained by the mechanical and thermal profile. The grade is suited to clear produce bags, bread bags, flow-wrap sleeves for dry goods, lamination facestocks, and light-load retail carrier bags where stiffness, deadfold, clarity, and industrial compostability are valued over impact strength and elongation. It is not recommended for direct packaging of high-moisture foods without barrier layers because the polymer can hydrolyze under moist conditions, and food-contact compliance must be verified on the final structure under EU Regulation 10/2011 or FDA 21 CFR 175.300, with migration testing specific to the final thickness and food simulant.
Storage and pre-drying are operational boundaries. The resin should be stored below 30 °C and 50% RH. If sacks are opened longer than 30 min in a humid environment, re-drying is required before extrusion. Avoid high-pH fillers, amines, and strong alkaline additives because they can accelerate hydrolytic degradation of PLA. Corona treatment to 46–50 mN/m is typical before printing; water-based inks with pH above 9 may attack the surface and should be evaluated. Regrind content should be controlled; repeated extrusion reduces molecular weight and bubble strength. Published data for the exact FH16 configuration in multi-layer food-contact applications is limited, and validation on the target line is required.
