Bioplastics Poised to Grow

Bioplastics derived from plant oils will grab a bigger share of the plastics market because of concerns about the environment and dependence on foreign oil. Analysts project about 50 billion pounds of demand in about two to five years.

Bioplastics already are found in products including plastic gift cards, food containers, cell phones, and computer casings. The basic ingredient of corn-based products is polylactide, referred to as PLA.

Most PLA has to go a commercial composting operation to be composted, according to Betty McLaughlin, executive director of the nonprofit Container Recycling Institute.

Other bioplastics come from plant sources such as hemp and soy bean oil. They became popular about 15 years ago as a solution to solid waste problems.

Amid growing concern about global warming and higher oil prices, bioplastics offer alternatives because they produce much lower amounts of carbon dioxide when they decompose compared to oil-based polymers.

Benefits Abound

Brand new versions of plastics are hybrids of oil- and plant-based feedstocks to preserve the property benefits of existing polymers like nylon. In some cases, there are improvements in some of the specifications, like surface gloss and impact resistance.

Some bioplastics are made directly from starch and are used for applications such as drug capsules. Another, polylactic acid, comes from polymerized lactic acid produced by fermenting starch contained in sweet corn and other plants.

PLA is already used in packaging and medical implants. A third bioplastic called poly 3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) has properties comparable to polypropylene. A booming demand is triggering expanded capacity of both feedstocks and polymer.

For instance, sugar producers in South America, primary suppliers of ethanol, announced large capacity increases.

WMB agrees with analysts who forecast PHB could drop below 60 cents per pound, opening up new opportunities for bioplastics.

Greening of Japan

One of the most exciting developments is in Japan, where three new laws are fueling development. These include the Law on Promoting Green Purchasing, the Law for the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources, and the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Law.

One of the leading players is Fujitsu which uses a PLA hybrid developed by Toray Industries to make the housing for its notebook PC series. The Toray material is called Ecodear and is aimed at fibers, textiles, molded parts, and films.
Toray recently invested in a $9 million plant in South Korea, with a packaging converter Saehan, a 10 percent investor. Their goal is to increase recycling and to avoid landfills.

Fujitsu also is working with a French chemical producer, Arkema, to produce a bioplastic based on castor oil with increased flexibility compared with corn-based plastic.

Arkema’s new Rislan PA 11 is now approved in fuel lines that carry biofuels in Europe and Brazil. This material cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 42 percent, according to Thomas Grimaud, Arkema’s business manager.

NEC Corp. is using PLA-based plastic reinforced with kenaf fibers to mold the entire case of a mobile phone for DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile phone company. The kenaf fiber provides significant strength to the bioplastic material. Sony also is involved in bioplastics.

Hiroyuki Mori, a senior eco-material engineer, says Sony is using several small components based on PLA. Sony’s research indicates PLA-based polymers can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent and nonrenewable resource by 55 percent.

Closer To Home

DuPont is currently taking the lead in developing biopolymers in the United States. Target markets are automobiles, appliances, and connectors.

In another development, Proctor & Gamble and Kaneka are working on a joint-venture to commercialize a polymer called Nodax H.

Metabolix of Cambridge, MA, is partnering with Archer Daniels Midland to build a plant in Clinton, Iowa, to produce 110 million pounds of plastic based on PHA. The Metabolix plastics are produced from genetically engineered microbes. Most of the technology is owned by MIT.

Novomer of Ithaca, N.Y., is working with Kodak to develop commercial plastics based on technology from Cornell. Target markets are medical implants, and construction of flexible screens for electronic applications.

As bioplastics evolve and applications increase, it should be interesting to see what breakthroughs take shape. Global research and development is the key for this industry, which offers unlimited potential.

TechMan

Editor's Note: Because of a software glitch, an early unedited version of this post may have appeared briefly over last weekend. We apologize for the inconvenience.