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Bio-Polymers & New Materials:Polymers from
Renewable Resources
April 2008
What are Bio-Polymers?
• Bio-Based or Bio-Sourced means that the product has been made from a biological (living) or renewable source, such as corn or sugar cane.
• Bio-Degradable means the product may be broken down by other living organisms, such as bacteria, that exist in nature.
• Being bio-based does not mean a material is bio-degradable. Being bio-degradable does not mean a material is bio-based.
Today & the Near Future
• Today– New Resins
• PLA & PHA
– Combination Technologies• Starch or Fiber + Polymers
– Modifications of Existing Materials• PDO
• Future– Basic Materials from Renewable Feedstocks
• Ethylene (and polyethylene), Polyurethane precursors, and Polyamide
Feedstock↓
Monomer ↓
Polymer ↓
Package
Production of Polymers
5
Historical Production of Polymers
• Petrochemical based polymers have been made from monomers derived from oil or natural gas for the last 80 years.
• Large, integrated chemical complexes manufacture ethylene (C2), propylene (C3), and other basic building blocks.
• These basic hydrocarbon building blocks along with chlorine are used to make most of today’s polymers.
6
Drivers of Change
• The cost of oil and gas have risen significantly over the last few years.
• Sustainability is increasingly driving both corporate and personal decision making.
• Alternatives to using oil or natural gas exist or are being developed today.
Sources of Carbon (Feedstock)
Renewable Carbon
Non-renewableCarbon
Oil andNatural Gas
Coal
new supplies of oil,
gas-to-liquid(GTL)
processes
coal-to-gas(CTG)and
coal-to-liquids(CTL)
processes
ChemicalConversion
ThermochemicalConversion
chemical conversion of
biomass
BiochemicalConversion
fermentation of biomass
biomass-to-gas(BTG)and
biomass-to-liquids(BTL)
Biomass
Feedstock (Carbon Source)(such as Natural Gas, Oil, Corn, Soybeans, Sugar Cane)
↓Monomer
(such as Ethylene, Propylene, Lactic Acid)
↓Polymer
(such as Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polylactic acid)
↓Package
(such as Bottle or Pouch)
Production of Polymers
Bio-Based Sustainability
• Potential to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions– But could also increase either or both– Benefits must be confirmed via application-specific life cycle analysis
• Can not ignore impacts of farming– Water use, eutrophication, habitat loss, deforestation
• Social impact– Food supply & food prices
• Need for thorough Life Cycle Assessment including all impact categories
End of Life
• Potential contaminant in recycling• Composting
– Potential new recovery method– Most need industrial composting
• Systems need further development. Few facilities and almost no collection exist today
– Need curbside collection• Collection impacts greenhouse gas emissions
“Truth-in-Marketing” for Bio-based materials
• Utilize resources to ensure “truth-in-marketing”of bio-based materials – Measuring bio-based content– Terminology of bio-based product and content– Life Cycle Analysis standards
• ASTM D6852-02 Standard Guide for Determination of BiobasedContent, Resources Consumption, and Environmental Profile of Materials and Products
• ASTM D6866-06a Standard Test Methods for Determining the BiobasedContent (Natural Range Materials Using Radiocarbon and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Analysis)
• ASTM D883-08 Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics • ISO14040 standards for life-cycle-analysis• ASTM D6400 –Standard for Compostability• ASTM D6868 –Standard for compostable plastic coated paper
products
Polylactic Acid (PLA)
• Made from renewable resources (corn)• Can be composted under industrial
compositing conditions
Conversion
sugar(dextrose)
Plants
Carbon dioxideand water
manufacturing
PLA
PLA
• Performance– Fit for use in numerous applications – Clarity and optics– Form and stiffness provide opportunity to downgauge– UV Stable– Printability– Limited heat stability (105 F)
• Emotional: Appeal to Consumer– Makes them feel good about purchase decision– Plant origins
• Environmental– Made from plants– Purchased renewable energy credits– New disposal/recovery options
Flexible, Films& CoatingsServiceware Rigid Containers
Consumer Goods
Bottles
Nonwovens Home & Office Textile Apparel
Potential Applications for PLA
• Rigid Packaging– Clear, opaque or colored food trays, clamshells and bowls– Salad Bowls– Bakery trays and clamshells– Cold drink cups– Lids
• Bottles and Containers– Short shelf life dairy or juice– Dry articles
• Flexible Packaging – Shrink sleeves– Labels– Flow wrap – Produce bags – Lidding film – Tamper bands
• Extrusion coated food service-ware• Apparel & Textiles• Home & Garden
Current Uses of PLA
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)
• Made from renewable resources (corn)• Also bio-degradable under appropriate
conditions
PHA
Given proper conditions, PHA will biodegrade back to nature at the end of its useful life.
PHA can be used for everyday items.
• Bio-based– Made from renewable resources (corn sugar)
• Biodegradable to Compostable • Properties & Processability
– Easy processing with range of properties– Range of modulus possible– Heat and moisture resistance – Dimensional stability – Resistance to grease and oils
PHA
Potential Applications for PHA
• Agricultural and Horticultural• Compost Bags• Packaging
– Caps & Closures– Detergent Sachets– Foam– Bags
• Electronics• Consumer Goods• Marine and Water
Propanediol (PDO)
• Made from renewable resources (corn)• A monomer used as one of the
building blocks to make PTT -poly(trimethylene terephthalate)– The use of renewably sourced PDO
results in a final polymer with 30-37% renewable content
The Future
• New technologies will bring new products to market and more existing polymers will be made from new raw materials
• Data-driven Lifecycle Analysis will extend the understanding of the benefits of bio-polymers
Polyethylene from Sugar Cane
Polyethylene (PE)
• Can be made from renewable resources (sugar cane)
• Not bio-degradable• Same properties, processing, &
performance as polyethylene made from natural gas or oil feedstocks –because the polyethylene molecules are the same
Summary
• Polymers made from both traditional and rewewable feedstocks will play an important role in creating the packaging systems of tomorrow
• Polymer selection should be based on careful assessment of ALL performance criteria, including sustainability metrics determined using life cycle impacts
Contact Information
• For information on PLA, please contact Grant Braasch, Business Development Manager, NatureWorks LLC, 952.742.0581, [email protected]
• For information on PHA, please contact: Dan Gilliland, Business Development Director, [email protected]
• For information on PDO, please contact Shanna Moore, duPont, [email protected]
• For information on PE from sugar cane, please contact Jeff Wooster, Dow, [email protected], 713.978.3239.
• For information on degradable and compostable products please contact Steve Mojo, Biodegradable Products Institute, Executive Director, [email protected]
• For additional information on standards, please contact Charlene Wall, BASF, 973-245-6438, [email protected]
• Please visit the ACC website at www.americanchemistry.com