News & Media
eSUN and PhaBuilder have reached a deep strategic cooperation
2024-01-31
On January 30, 2024, Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co., Ltd. (brand "eSUN") officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Beijing PhaBuilder Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "PhaBuilder") in Shenzhen. The two parties will collaborate in applying Poly polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) materials. The goal is to drive innovation in materials and technology, promoting sustainable development in industries such as 3D printing, fiber textiles, packaging, and healthcare.
Signing ceremony
eSUN 's Board Secretary, Luo Wei (second from the left), and PhaBuilder's Vice President, Lan Yuxuan (second from the right), signed the agreement. Professor Chen Guoqiang, Director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University (third from the left), witnessed the signing ceremony along with Kevin Yang, Chairman of eSUN (first from the left), and Xu Xuanming, Chairman of PhaBuilder (first from the right). This strategic collaboration between eSUN and PhaBuilder will focus on the joint development of PLA and PHA materials.
PLA is produced from renewable plant resources through biotechnological processes. Products from this material can degrade into water and carbon dioxide under composting conditions after disposal, making polylactic acid (PLA) internationally recognized as a green and low-carbon material. PLA exhibits excellent thermal stability, with a processing temperature range of 170 to 230°C, and it has good solvent resistance, allowing for processing in various ways. Products made from PLA possess biodegradability and exhibit good biocompatibility, glossiness, transparency, tactile qualities, and heat resistance. Additionally, they have specific antibacterial, flame-retardant, and UV-resistant properties. Therefore, PLA finds wide-ranging applications in various fields, such as packaging, fiber textiles, biomedical applications, agriculture, and 3D printing.
PHA is a naturally occurring high-molecular-weight material synthesized by microorganisms, and it is the only material that can rapidly degrade in both marine and soil environments. PHA possesses characteristics such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, optical activity, piezoelectricity, and gas barrier properties. Furthermore, among biodegradable materials, PHA has the highest heat deformation temperature. This is particularly valuable for biodegradable materials that require controlling the degree of polymerization to achieve a higher heat deformation temperature. These advantages make PHA materials highly promising in various applications, including textile fibers, packaging materials, disposable products, etc. Due to its excellent thermoplastic processing, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, PHA also holds considerable potential in the high-value medical field.
The combined application of PLA and PHA materials holds tremendous potential.
The advantages of 3D printing filaments made from PHA material are pretty evident:
- In terms of environmental properties, PHA can degrade in natural environments without the need for composting, thus avoiding plastic pollution.
- PHA 3D printing filaments exhibit strong adhesion between layers during printing, maintaining stability even in environments exceeding 120℃. They are also less prone to moisture absorption (eliminating the need for drying before processing and printing). Different types of PHA have varied properties, and by adjusting the combination of PHA monomers, PHA raw materials can be directly processed into filaments without needing modification.
- Blending different PHA materials with PLA or modifying them into composite materials can complement the advantages of PLA, resulting in 3D printing filaments with enhanced performance.
The 3D-printed mascot on display on site
The 3D printing filaments jointly launched by PhaBuilder and eSUN
In the field of textile fibers, blending PLA with PHA can significantly enhance the heat resistance, antibacterial, and mite-resistant properties of the fibers. This results in a soft touch and unique gloss, suitable for producing products such as antibacterial baby fabrics, antibacterial denim fabrics, and antibacterial non-woven fabrics.
Additionally, PHA can be used to manufacture biodegradable packaging materials. For example, low-permeability PHA materials can be utilized in film packaging for items such as coffee or tea. Moreover, due to its excellent compatibility, PHA can be compounded with other materials.
PhaBuilder is a pioneer in PHA materials and has continuously developed a series of low-carbon, green, and excellent-performance biobased material solutions. eSUN has rich experience in the industrialization and application exploration of polylactic acid materials. This time, the two companies that have been deeply cultivating biobased materials have joined forces, which is of great significance for further promoting the popularization and application of biobased materials.
About PhaBuilder
PhaBuilder is an innovative technology company focused on the frontier of synthetic biology. With the core mission of " From Microbes to a Green Future," PhaBuilder engages in the transformation and engineering application of halophilic microorganisms, pursuing dual-matrix development through "platform + product." Leveraging nearly 40 years of research in Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by the founding team, PhaBuilder explores over 10 billion combinations of PHA, develops modified applications to meet market demands, collaborates with industry partners to provide comprehensive PHA industrial solutions, and ultimately strives to realize the vision of making "PHA Life" a lifestyle for countless households. Grounded in the innovative path of synthetic biology, known as "PHAmily-PHAbrary-PHAdustry-PHA Life," PhaBuilder continuously positions itself as the leading enterprise in global synthetic biology and bio-manufacturing. It aims to provide sustainable solutions based on green bio-based materials for customers worldwide.
About eSUN
Established in 2002, eSUN has dedicated over 20 years to the synthesis, modification, application, and recycling of PLA materials. eSUN has made significant strides in four major application areas: 3D printing, ecological fibers, biomedical materials, and biodegradable products. In 3D printing materials, eSUN has globally acclaimed offerings, including extrusion-grade polylactic acid filaments and polylactic acid-based photopolymer resins. In ecological fibers, eSUN completed the controlling acquisition of the original HI-TECH CHANGJIANG PLA CO., LTD. (now renamed as " EsunFiber (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. ") in December 2023, and established a green closed-loop industrial chain for the production of biodegradable fiber products, making PLA chemical recycling and melt direct spinning fiber a reality. In biomedical materials, esunmed, a subsidiary of eSUN, is mainly engaged in developing and applying biomedical polymer materials. In the direction of biodegradable products, eSUN biodegradable coating application, blow molding application, injection molding application, sheet application, etc., have broad development prospects.
Guided by the principles of "Differentiated Positioning, Open Innovation. " eSUN is committed to the industrial application of environmentally friendly materials. In line with this commitment, eSUN engages in collaborative research and development with research institutions worldwide, fostering cross-disciplinary innovation. Simultaneously, eSUN collaborates with other brands and enterprises, actively driving bio-based materials' application and industrial development. Through horizontal expansion and vertical extension, eSUN has established its own technological, production, and marketing network layout in the green closed-loop industry chain of polylactic acid. eSUN has applied for over 100 patents throughout the industry chain, with over 60 granted (primarily invention patents).
