1. Mechanical properties of biodegradable mulch films: from standards to field application
Dr. Glauco Battagliarin
BASF Biopolymer research
Olivier de Beaurepaire
BASF Market development biopolymers in agriculture
XXI CIPA CONGRESS
Arcachon, France – May 30th, 2018
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

2. pptx
Mechanical properties of biodegradable mulch films: from standards to field application 1.
EN 17033: „Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture – requirements and test methods“ 2.
Materials, mechanical properties and service life 3.
Field factors affecting mechanical properties
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research
STRENG VERTRAULICH

3. pptx
Mechanical properties of biodegradable mulch films: from standards to field application 1.
EN 17033: „Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture – requirements and test methods“ 2.
Materials, mechanical properties and service life 3.
Field factors affecting mechanical properties
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research
STRENG VERTRAULICH

4. EN 17033: „Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture – requirements and test methods“
Control of constituents
Biodegradability
Dimensional, mechanical and optical properties
Ecotoxicity
EN 17033
Transfer into
certification
schemes
New working item proposal to ISO
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

5. EN17033: Dimensional, mechanical and optical properties of the films
Table content extracted from EN 17033
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

6. pptx
Mechanical properties of biodegradable mulch films: from standards to field application 1.
EN 17033: „Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture – requirements and test methods“ 2.
Materials, mechanical properties and service life 3.
Field factors affecting mechanical properties
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research
STRENG VERTRAULICH

7. ecovio® M2351 biodegradable mulch films
ecovio® M2351 is the trade name for BASF’s compounds based on ecoflex® + polylactic acid (PLA)
ecoflex® F
(PBAT)
terephthalic acid
1,4-butandiol
adipic acid
1,4-butandiol
Polymer molecular weights determine mechanical properties and service lifetime
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

8. Biodegradable mulch films: the challenge to combine service life and biodegradability
Factors influencing polymer molecular weights distribution and mechanical properties:
Material and production
Conversion and distribution
Application and agricultural practices
Environmental factors and microbiology
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

9. Mechanical properties of ecovio® mulch films
Transparent ecovio® mulch film
(12 um)
Relative elongation at break (%)
Cross
Direction (CD)
Machine
Direction (MD)
Black ecovio® mulch film
(3,5% carbon black loading, 12 um)
Relative elongation at break (%)
Cross
Direction (CD)
Machine
Direction (MD)
Weathering acooriding to EN ISO :2013 [15], Method A, Cycle 1
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

10. Film production issues: uneven distribution of material and carbon black loading and consequences during field application
Film with inhomogenous distribution on lighting board
Detail
Premature phtotodegradation of film shown on the left
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

11. Impact of storage on loss of mechanical properties
Film stored in orginal packaging:
material partially disintegrated and retaining mechanical properties
after 2 weeks accelerated disintegration test
12 µm ecovio® mulch films
Film stored for 2 months without original packaging:
material strongly disintegrated and extremely brittle after 2 weeks accelerated disintegration test
Unproper storage may not affect initial mechanical properties of the film, but will impact service life on field
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

12. pptx
Mechanical properties of biodegradable mulch films: from standards to field application 1.
EN 17033: „Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture and horticulture – requirements and test methods“ 2.
Materials, mechanical properties and service life 3.
Field factors affecting mechanical properties
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research
STRENG VERTRAULICH

13. Field factors affecting mechanical properties Soil preparation
Soil should be well prepared with a slightly rounded seed bed. Buried edges in rounded gutter shape should be avoided
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

14. Field factors affecting mechanical properties Crop residues and stones
Soil shall be finely prepared and any crop residue or stones shall first be dug by using appropriate mulch film laying machines, in order to avoid a premature damage while the film is laid
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

15. Field factors affecting mechanical properties Irrigation pipes
Drip irrigation pipe should be slightly buried ( -1/-2cm) to avoid risks of premature degradation like splitting at film contact
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

16. Field factors affecting mechanical properties Irrigation
Fields should be irrigated according to official recommendations; any excess of water may degrade films prematurely
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

17. Field factors affecting mechanical properties Soil activity
Organic fertilizers accelerate biodegradation and must be incorporated into the soil about a month before laying out
Fumigation will slow down biodegradation instead
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

18. Field factors affecting mechanical properties UV exposition
Always lay out and then plant as soon as possible (about 2-3 days in between).
Prefer transplanting than sowing.
Sowing instead of transplanting increases light exposure of 2-3 weeks
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

19. Field factors affecting mechanical properties Laying out
A for the thinner films (between 8-12 µm), start laying out smoothly, then increase to normal speed adapted to soil conditions (3-5 km/h). Brakes should be taken out, if present.
Rolls shaping seed beds must not be applied on mulch, but before mulching
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

20. General recommendation
Always test at small scale first (below 1ha) with all new applications
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

21. 10 basic recommendations for ecovio mulch films applications
Storage: all rolls should be kept under shield ; they can be kept for the following season; ensure any remaining rolls are left in their original packaging
Soil preparation: prepare soil well with slightly rounded seed bed and ensure any organic residues are sufficiently buried
Irrigation pipes: slightly bury drip irigation pipe ( -1/-2 cm) to avoid risks of premature degradation like splitting at film contact
Irrigation: irrigate according to official recommendations as a maximum ; any excess of water may degrade films prematurily
Fertilization: Organic fertilizers must be incorporated into the soil about one month before laying out
Fumigation: keep in mind fumigation will slow down biodegradation
Planting: always lay out and then plant as soon as possible ( about 2-3 days in between) and prefer transplanting than sowing; sowing instead of transplanting increases light exposure of 2-3 weeks
Laying out: for the thinner films (between 8-12µ), start laying out smoothly, then increase to normal speed adapted to soil conditions (3-5 km/h), but make sure to take out the brake of the roll, if any
New applications: always test at small scale first (below 1ha) with all new applications
Biodegradation: bury plastic residues at crop-end as soon as possible to initiate biodegradation process
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research

22. Thank you!
Glauco Battagliarin - BASF Biopolymer research