11.08.2015   Innovative Biofibers from Renewable Resources

Introduction to Biothermoplastics from Renewable Resources

Biothermoplastics from Renewable Resources

Keywords

Biothermoplastics • Polypropylene • Renewable resource • Polytrimethylene terephthalate • Polylactic acid

Biothermoplastics are considered to be those developed using polymers that are derived from renewable resources. Figure 63.1 lists some of the biopolymers obtained from bioresources, their structure and routes used to synthesize the biopolymers. In some cases such as poly(lactic acid), the entire polymer is derived from renewable resource whereas in the case of poly(trimethylene terephthalate), only one of the monomer is from an renewable resource [12Che]. As seen in Fig. 63.1, traditional synthetic polymers such as polypropylene (PP) have also been derived using biopolymers but have not been commercialized due to high cost and limitations in processing and properties. Properties of a few selected biopolymers are listed in Tables 63.1 and 63.2.

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

N. Reddy, Y. Yang, Innovative Biofibers from Renewable Resources, DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-45136-6_63

image170

Fig. 63.1 Schematic representation of the biopolymers derived using renewable resources and their routes of production [12Che]. Reproduced with permission from American Chemical Society

Biopolymer

Monomer

Polymerization method

Mw [xlO4]

Poly-dispersity

Tm (°С)

Tg (°С)

PHA

Hy droxy alkonate s

Biological

10-1,000

1.2-6.0

60-177

-50 to 4

PLA

D, L-lactic acids

Chemical

5-50

1.8-2.6

175

60

PBS

Succinic acid 1,4-butanediol

Chemical

3-20

2.0-6.3

112-116

—33 to —36.6

PPC

Carbon dioxide

Chemical

5-36

1.72-2.79

125-140

35-36

PTT

1,3-Propanediol

Chemical

3.8

2

227.55

42.6

PE (HDPE)

Bioethylene

Chemical

10-800

1.07-10

125-135

-133 to -113

PP

Biopropylene

Chemical

10-60

5-12

161-165

-13 to -2

PET

Bioethylene glycol

Chemical

2-3

2-5

265

-115

Table 63.1 Type, source and selected properties of some biopolymers [12Che]

Подпись: 63 Introduction to Biothermoplastics from Renewable... 351PHA polyhydroxyalkonates, PLA polylactic acid, PBS poly(butylenes succinate), PPC poly(propylene carbonate), PTT poly(trimethylene terephthalate), PE polyethylene, PP polypropylene, PET polyethylene terephthalate

Table 63.2 Tensile properties of biopolymers [12Che]

Biopolymer

Modulus (GPa)

Elongation (%)

Strength (MPa)

PHA

—

2—1,000

17—104

PLA

2-3

5.2—2.4

61.6—49.6

PBS

0.3

175.2

24.8

PPC

1.0-6.9

3—5

33.2

PTT

0.7

159

49

PE (HDPE)

0.4-1.0

12—700

17.9—33

PP

1.0—1.7

500—900

29—39

PET

2.0-2.7

180

50

PHA poly(hydroxyalkonates), PLA poly(lactic acid), PBS poly(butylenes succinate), PPC poly (propylene carbonate), PTT poly(trimethylene terephthalate), PE poly(ethylene), PP polypropyl­ene), PET poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Reference

[12Che] Chen, G., Patel, M. K.: Chem. Rev. 112, 2082 (2012)