BioLaine

Market

Fully biobased support mat for the cultivation of flowers & perennials

 

Characteristics

100% biobased: the raw material is wool and a bio-binder (100% made out of plant material)

Holds a good amount of water

Good dimensional stability (due to mechanical and thermal production process)

Optimal pore size: roots can easily penetrate and anchor the mat

Nutrition-rich, the mat will stimulate to the growth of plants

During our production a thermal treatment neutralises possible seeds in the mat

The mat functions minimum 1-2 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 will fully biodegrade and compost

100% biobased, the mat will enhance the growth of the plants

 

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.

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!