Bio-Based Foam Replaces Petroleum Based Materials

Foam Bio-Based Foam Replaces Petroleum Based Materials

2026-04-21 Source: Frauenhofer Umsicht | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

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A team from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE has developed a bio-based foam made from polybutylene succinate in the PBS extrusion foam project (xPBS for short). This gives industrial companies direct access to sustainable material solutions—without having to invest in new equipment.

(Image: Fraunhofer ICT)

Thanks to its property profile, the bio-based foam made from polybutylene succinate can replace conventional polyethylene (PE) foams in important areas of application—for example in packaging, protection and transportation solutions as well as in construction applications. The xPBS solution works as a drop-in solution, i.e. the foam can be processed on existing extrusion lines without the need for major investment in conversion work. This gives companies the opportunity to make their products more sustainable in the short term without having to fundamentally change existing processes.

Performance And Sustainability in Balance

The PBS foams developed achieve densities on a par with established LDPE materials and are stable to process. This makes them suitable for numerous applications in which fossil foams are still being used. At the same time, the material offers decisive ecological advantages: PBS is bio-based, biodegradable and can be recycled due to its thermoplastic nature. For companies, this means that they can achieve their sustainability goals without having to compromise on technical performance.

Food-Compliant, Foamed Mono-Material Packaging Solution

Once the technology has reached maturity, the transition from development to industrial application is significantly shortened. Companies benefit from a low introduction risk and a clear perspective for scaling. At the same time, future regulatory requirements—for example in the areas of sustainability and recyclability—can be met at an early stage. The follow-up project xPBS-food, which was launched in January 2026, will transfer the technology specifically to the sensitive area of food packaging. The aim of the joint project of the Fraunhofer CCPE Institutes ICT; IAP, LBF and IVV is to develop a food-compliant, foamed mono-material packaging solution based on PBS that meets functional and sensory requirements and is also recyclable or biodegradable.

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