Ecogrow 100
Market
Fully biobased support mat for the cultivation of flowers & perennials
Characteristics
100% biobased, 100% made of renewable resources. The raw material is the biopolymer PLA, 100% made out of plant material
Sufficient dimensional stability (due to mechanical and thermal production process)
Optimal pore size: roots can easily penetrate and anchor the mat
pH neutral + neutral to the growth of plants (nutrients, salt, minerals,...)
The mat functions minimum 2-3 seasons
Advantages
Easy roll-up and roll-off in the nursery
Compared to coir support mats: homogenous, light weight and easy to cut (no PE-nets and PE-yarn)
At the end of the lifetime the mat + substrate + plants can be composted
Light weight and easy to cut
Technical datasheet on request
What is PLA?
PLA or Poly Lactic Acid is made from plant material. Starch and plant sugars are used as renewable resource. Today, mainly side and waste streams of the corn industry are used as feedstock.
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How is PLA produced? Some chemistry It all starts with the sun! During the process of the photosynthesis, the leafs of green plants will absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. A molecule CO2 is combined with a molecule water to form sugar and oxygen. The molecule oxygen is released back in the atmosphere. The sugar is used as fuel for the plants. Any unused sugar is stored as starch and can be harvested. |
Industrially, dextrose (sugar) is created from the harvested plant starch through a process called hydrolysis. Next, microorganism will convert the sugar into lactic acid through fermentation. The PLA polymer is formed either by (1) direct condensation of lactic acid or (2) via the cyclic intermediate lactide through a ring opening process. PLA is formed! |
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