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A novel fully biobased material composite for cosmetic packaging applications
Fátima Santos1,2, Pedro Rodrigues3, Patrício Vargas4
1PTScience, Alcobaça, 2460-060, Portugal. fatima.santos@ptscience.pt.
Scientific Reports
|July 24, 2025
Summary
A new biobased composite material was developed for cosmetic packaging. This sustainable alternative uses poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), polylactic acid (PLA), and chitosan (CS), offering properties similar to traditional plastics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- The widespread use of fossil-based plastics poses significant environmental challenges.
- There is a growing demand for sustainable alternatives, particularly biobased and biodegradable materials.
- Circular economy principles drive the development of eco-friendly materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a novel, fully biobased, and biodegradable composite material.
- To create a sustainable alternative for cosmetic packaging, mimicking properties of conventional plastics.
- To investigate the potential of combining poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), polylactic acid (PLA), chitosan (CS), acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), essential oils, and phycocyanin.
Main Methods:
- Development of a biobased composite using PHBV, PLA, CS, ATBC, plant essential oils, and phycocyanin.
- Processing of the composite material using various techniques to assess processability.
- Characterization of mechanical and thermal properties of the developed material.
Main Results:
- The developed biobased composite demonstrated processability and versatility.
- Mechanical properties showed a reduction with the addition of ATBC, essential oil, and phycocyanin, but remained comparable to polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE).
- Thermal properties were found to be within the working temperature range of PP and PE.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully developed a novel green material composite for cosmetic packaging.
- The material offers a promising sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics.
- This work represents the first known green composite incorporating PHBV, PLA, CS, essential oil, ATBC, and phycocyanin for cosmetic applications.
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