Optimisation of alginate films for sustainable food packaging applications

Plastic waste has a hugely detrimental impact on the environment and there is mounting pressure on industry to replace traditional polluting petrochemical polymers with sustainably-sourced polymers. Plastic film food packaging, while single-use, plays an important role in extending the shelf life of food and reducing food waste that is a significant contributor to greenhouse gases. However, plastic film food packaging is not easily recycled and it is desirable to replace this film with compostable, sustainably-sourced alternatives.
Alginate, sourced from seaweed, is a promising sustainable and compostable polymer. Oceanium is developing innovative and sustainable seaweed-based products, such as alginate-based plastics, and have demonstrated experimental proof-of-concept for the conversion of seaweed-based biopackaging materials into home-compostable film and board. However, the applications are limited due to performance characteristics.
The aim of the project is to improve the performance of alginate films for food packaging made with Oceanium Ltd feedstock (seaweed), developing a manufacturing route that is directly translatable to industrial processes. In order to accelerate the optimisation we will use simulation to gain insight into how the molecular interactions between alginate, plasticisers and filler particles affect the film's molecular structure. In order to achieve the aims of optimized properties and facile manufacturing, we will use experiment to investigate how 1) the processing conditions, 2) addition of plasticisers, and 3) addition of fillers affect alginate film properties and performance. From these we will design the optimal manufacturing formulation for Oceanium feedstock.