In a step toward sustainable packaging, Peak Nano, an Ohio-based producer of polymer nanoscale metamaterials, has announced a development program to create biodegradable nanolayered polymer films for food, beverage, and medical packaging.

Supported by research and development funding from the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub, the initiative leverages Peak Nano's patented NanoPlex metamaterials technology to design high-performance, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional multilayer barrier films.

"Peak Nano's films show how we can align world-class materials science with our region's deep expertise in polymer science and advanced manufacturing to address global environmental challenges and create new economic opportunities here at home," said Hans Dorfi, executive director and chief innovation officer of the Polymer Industry Cluster.

Traditional multilayer packaging films, often composed of tightly bonded polymers and additives, are notoriously difficult to recycle and contribute to long-term microplastic pollution. Peak Nano's biodegradable films aim to solve this issue by offering the same high-performance barrier properties while breaking down over time.

"With NanoPlex, we can create nano layers that let us dial in characteristics like barrier performance, mechanical strength, and even degradability," said Michael Ponting, PhD, chief scientific officer at Peak Nano. "This lets us tackle one of the toughest problems in packaging. We can now design biodegradable nanolayer structures that give converters the barrier and mechanical properties they need, with a much better end-of-life story."

Developed at Case Western Reserve University by leading polymer scientists Eric Baer and Lei Zhu, NanoPlex technology enables the creation of films with thousands of precisely controlled polymer layers. This innovation allows for unprecedented control over properties such as molecular permeability, biodegradability, and mechanical strength, making it possible to combine multiple polymer characteristics in a single material.

The nanolayer coextrusion and biaxial orientation processes further enhance oxygen and water vapor resistance, ensuring the films can withstand real-world packaging operations without contributing to microplastic waste.

For plastics processors producing film for packaging, Zahidul Wahab, research fellow in Polymer R&D and Innovation at Peak Nano, emphasized that this represents an opportunity — not a disruption.

“Converters and film manufacturers are under increasing pressure from brands and regulators to reduce microplastic waste while maintaining strict barrier performance standards,” he told PlasticsToday. “NanoPlex technology is designed to integrate with existing coextrusion and converting infrastructure, meaning producers can adopt next-generation biodegradable barrier films without rebuilding their operations from scratch.”

For plastics companies, Wahab noted that this creates a pathway to enter the fast-growing sustainable packaging segment, meet emerging environmental requirements, and differentiate with high-performance biodegradable barrier products. As sustainability expectations rise globally, companies that adapt early will be best positioned for growth.

Wahab also highlighted that conventional food and barrier packaging films are largely non-biodegradable and often unrecyclable due to their multilayer constructions of incompatible polymers designed to meet stringent barrier requirements. While these barriers are essential for preserving the stability and shelf life of food and medical products, such materials typically accumulate in landfills, where they fragment into secondary microplastics, contributing to long-term environmental persistence.

“The nanolayered packaging material under development is engineered to deliver the requisite barrier performance while remaining fully biodegradable, thereby minimizing its environmental footprint,” he said.

NanoPlex films provide processors with an opportunity to match or exceed state-of-the-art oxygen and water-vapor barrier performance. They also improve toughness, reduce brittleness for real-world converting, and engineer biodegradability into the material design.

“What that means is brands no longer have to choose between high-performance protection and a responsible end-of-life outcome,” Wahab said.

Wahab further explained that biodegradability represents a natural and environmentally aligned alternative to conventional recycling for reducing the ecological footprint of plastic materials.

“As biodegradable polymers break down into benign byproducts that reintegrate into the environment, their overall environmental impact is substantially lower than that associated with traditional recycling processes,” he said.

Peak Nano's project is one of eight initiatives selected by the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub, which is deploying $42M in funding over four years to advance sustainable polymer solutions. The Hub's efforts include establishing a polymer pilot facility and supporting startups and scaleups in the region.

"The Polymer Industry Cluster was created to tackle shared problems that no single company can solve," Dorfi explained.

In the current phase of the project, Peak Nano and its partners will produce prototype biodegradable nanolayer film systems and test them on commercial equipment used for food and medical packaging. Future phases will include biodegradability testing, cost modeling, and scaling up production to supply brand owners and converters.

"This collaboration is about turning leadership in advanced materials into commercial reality with regional economic impact," said Jean-Claude Kihn, former CTO of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and co-chairman of the Hub's Innovation and Commercialization Committee. "By backing Peak Nano's technology and scale-up in Ohio, we're helping translate the state's century-long polymer heritage into next-generation sustainable materials and high-value jobs."

Peak Nano's innovative approach to sustainable packaging not only addresses pressing environmental challenges but also positions Ohio as a leader in advanced materials and polymer science. With the support of the Innovation Hub and regional partners, the company is poised to bring its biodegradable nanolayer films to market, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

In November 2025, Peak Nano secured two US patents that position American manufacturers to advance high-performance capacitor film technology. The breakthrough addresses supply chain vulnerabilities while delivering performance improvements for power grid, defense, and emerging fusion energy applications.

The company announced the patents as it prepares to launch the nation's first domestic facility for polymer capacitor film production in early 2026. Peak Nano said this move will establish it as America's sole source for domestically manufactured biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films — materials currently available only from overseas suppliers.

"Through rigorous third-party validation, these patents demonstrate a significant leap forward in capacitor film design," Ponting explained. "With innovative polymer architecture at the nanoscale, our technologies eliminate the key shortcomings of legacy materials, resulting in films that provide enhanced energy storage, operational longevity, and durability."

Established in 2016 to bring patented nanotechnology from the laboratory to commercial applications, Peak Nano is tackling challenges across the power grid, fusion, electric vehicles, aerospace, and defense. With AI-powered design and advanced nanolayered technology, Peak Nano's drop-in-ready, industry-disrupting solutions dramatically boost systems' performance.

The company's NanoPlex technology for films and optics — protected by more than 20 global patents — is fully designed, engineered, and manufactured in the United States with a secure supply chain from allied nations, reducing dependence on foreign supply chains. These purpose-built nanolayered solutions enable breakthroughs across critical industries — strengthening American energy independence, leadership, and national security.

The Polymer Industry Cluster (PIC) is an industry driven consortium powered by the Greater Akron Chamber that addresses shared polymer challenges requiring collaborative action and open innovation. With more than 50 member organizations across the polymer value chain, the PIC is working to drive collective problem-solving along with talent attraction, job creation, and economic growth in Northeast Ohio.

The Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub, supported by a $31.3M award from the State of Ohio and $10.4M in local matching funds, invests in polymer pilot facility, industry driven R&D, startup support, and workforce development, with a focus on ensuring circularity of chemicals, plastics, and elastomers. It aims to position the region as a national leader powering strong, sustainable growth, supply chain resilience, and world-class innovation in sustainable polymers and advanced materials.

By David Hutton

February 13, 2026