Frequently asked questions
General
Both GC pro and GC green compounds are available in variants suitable for injection molding. The materials are successfully processed by our customers in injection molding in standard PP molds.
Extrusion-integrated variants of both GC pro and GC green compounds are available.
The size of the sunflower seed fibers is variable depending on the application, especially with regard to fiber visibility and flowability. Generally, we use fibers of less than 1000 µm.
In standard formulations, we use up to 45% sunflower seed hulls. In special cases, we also use fiber contents of up to 75%.
Yes, because we have developed special formulations for the use of our materials in the food sector. Just talk to us.
The wall thickness always depends on the application, but is comparable to polyolefins in terms of processing.
GC pro
Our GC pro has process-optimizing advantages in addition to environmental benefits. By using the sunflower seed shell in the polypropylene we can replace a part of the crude oil. The fibers allow gentle processing at relatively low temperatures, so that a reduction in cycle time can then be achieved. Our materials should not be processed above 190 °C, so that even energy costs can be saved at this point!
Our GC pro materials are recyclable in their own cycle and can be turned into the same product 1 : 1 after re-granulation.
GC green
This means that the material is bioavailable and is broken down by microorganisms into tiny parts that do not remain in the environment as waste. These are available again as basic building blocks for new plants, for example.
Our GC green materials are all biodegradable. We can prove this with the OK-Biodegradable-Soil certificate for soil degradability and for the OK-Compost-Home certificate for home composting, among others. Here, the material must decompose in a certain time.
Materials are biobased if their raw materials are of natural origin and are not petroleum.
Currently, our GC green materials are not yet 100% biobased. However, this is mainly due to the very high prices for biobased raw materials and their weak commercial availability. Currently we are at about 70-80% biobased raw material content, but we are always working to reach the full 100%.
When selecting our raw materials, we pay special attention to the suitability for the respective application. The products, where a certificate fits the application, are certified according to TÜV Austria.
Coffee capsules and plant pots
In home composting, the material should degrade under natural conditions. This makes it much safer than material that can be composted industrially. In industrial composting, artificial conditions must be created to allow it to degrade at high temperatures of about 60 °C and additional oxygen supply. Such an industrially compostable product would therefore not degrade in nature, which is why we primarily strive for the OK Compost Home certificate for our compounds.
Industrial degradation: - Biodegradation max. 6 months at 58 +- 2 °C - Disintegration test 3 months 58 +- 2 °C - Testing is thickness dependent - Testing ecotoxicity - Free of heavy metals | Home compost: - Biodegradation max. 12 months at 20-30 °C - Disintegration test 6 months 20-30 °C - Testing is thickness dependent - Testing ecotoxicity - Free of heavy metals |
Due to the new bio-waste amendment, these products may not be disposed of in the brown garbage can. Nevertheless, you can safely throw the capsules on your garden compost and bury the plant pots in the soil.