Perstorp is now introducing Akestra to the European market. It is a unique material that offers a sparkling, glass-like appearance but with much better heat resistance and transparency than polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The material has a high glass transition temperature up to 110°C and a deflection temperature under load which is up to 30°C higher compared to PET.
Akestra is an amorphous alternative for hot-fill packaging where transparency is important and can be used in many applications where high heat resistance is vital, according to the company. It can be combined with up to 80% of recycled PET (rPET) to increase the performance of PET. In some hot-fill food containers, it may also replace glass itself.
“Akestra is a unique family of plastics that will open up a whole new range of applications for polyesters,” said Perstorp Product Manager David Engberg. “It is an excellent choice for demanding applications like hot-fill and hot food serving. We expect it to be used primarily in disposable packaging.”
The key monomer in Akestra received the positive opinion of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in October 2014 and is now also added to the latest update of the European Commission regulation regarding “plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food” (EU) No 10/2011.
This means Akestra can now be used for all type of food contact applications, hot as well as cold. It was already compliant for food-contact use in the US (FDA) and Japan (JHOSPA).
Akestra is launched in cooperation with Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) and brought to Europe by Perstorp
News Source : China Plastic & Rubber Journal
