Bioplastics. Peter Sommer-Larsen, Danish Technological Institute, Plastics Technology,

Bioplastics Peter Sommer-Larsen, Danish Technological Institute, Plastics Technology, psl@dti.dk

Plastics Polymer and plastics A polymer is long chained molecule repeating a mer -unit Plastics are processed polymer materials Thermoplastics Thermo sets

Circular economy Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Biopolymers Biobased polymers Bio degradable polymers Synthetic polymers Natural polymers and natural fiber composits

Biobased / biodegradable / Plastics? Standards / Technical Specifications CEN/TR 16208:2011 Biobased products - Overview of standards (2011-05-04) CEN/TR 15932: 2010 Plastics - Recommendation for terminology and characterisation of biopolymers and bioplastics (2010-03-24) CEN/TS 16137:2011 Plastics - Determination of bio-based carbon content (2011-04-27) CEN/TR 16227 Liquid petroleum products Biolubricants Recommendation for terminology and characterisation of bio-lubricants and bio-based lubricants (2011-08-10) CEN/TS 16295 Plastics Determination of bio-based carbon content (2012-02-15) CEN/TS 16398 Plastics - Template for reporting and communication of bio-based carbon content and recovery options of biopolymers and bioplastics - Data sheet (2012-10-31) EN 13432:2000 Packaging - Requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation - Test scheme and evaluation criteria for the final acceptance of packaging EN 14995:2006 Plastics. Evaluation of compostability. Test scheme and specifications

Biobased / biodegradable / Plastics? Biobased: From a bio ressource, e.g. starch or cellulose Biodegradable: Compostable (EN 14995:2006 Plastics. Evaluation of compostability. Test scheme and specifications), Both biobased (PLA) and synthetic (PCL) Resorbable (sutures, dental, orthopedic fixation, tissue/bone scaffolds, stents, soft tissue anchors (glues) PLA and PGA Plastics or natural polymers? Biocomposites

Biobased / biodegradable / Plastics? Biobased: From a bio ressource, e.g. starch or cellulose Biodegradable: Compostable (EN 14995:2006 Plastics. Evaluation PLA: Polylactic of compostability. acid for film, Test bags, scheme and specifications), cups, packaging, FDM 3D printing Both biobased (PLA) and synthetic (PCL) PLA is produced through microbial Resorbable (sutures, dental, orthopedic fixation, metabolism tissue/bone of e.g. corn scaffolds, starch by stents, soft tissue anchors (glues) lactide acide bacteria PLA and PGA Plastics or natural polymers? Biocomposites

Biobased / biodegradable / Plastics? Biobased: From a bio ressource, e.g. starch or cellulose Biodegradable: Compostable (EN 14995:2006 Plastics. Evaluation of compostability. Test scheme and specifications), Both biobased (PLA) and synthetic (PCL) Resorbable (sutures, dental, orthopedic fixation, tissue/bone scaffolds, stents, soft tissue anchors (adhesives) PLA, PCL and PGA Plastics or natural polymers? Biocomposites PCL coated poly glucolic acid (PGA) Teleflex Medical OEM

Natural polymers not plastics A transition to paper based packaging? EcoXpac.dk

Biobased / biodegradable / plastics? Biobased: From a bio ressource, e.g. starch or cellulose Biodegradable: Compostable (EN 14995:2006 Plastics. Evaluation of compostability. Test scheme and specifications), Both biobased (PLA) and synthetic (PCL) Resorbable (sutures, dental, orthopedic fixation, tissue/bone scaffolds, stents, soft tissue anchors (glues) PLA and PGA Plastics or natural polymers? Biocomposites Furolite / glasfibre composite Transfuran Chemicals BVBA

Examples - products Bio degradable mulch film programmed lifetime Lasse Lind, Rönström / TI https://www.teknologisk.dk/ydelser/case-bionedbrydelig-plastfolie-ukrudtbekaempes-uden-kemi/37705

FKuR Kunststoff: Terralene (Braskem: 'Green PE') Type: Production: Polyethylene biopolymer (Green PE) From sugar canes fermentation to ethanol, dehydration to ethylene and polymerisation Properties like conventional PE. Price: 2,8-3,3 /kg Links: Braskem, FKuR Terralene Shredding Fermentation Destilation Dehydration Polymerisation Sugar cane Sucrose Ethanol Ethylene Biobased HDPE Biobased LDPE Biobased LLDPE

Source: Nova Institute GmbH 2015

Pricing Green premium prices? Source: http://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

Fig. 2. Global warming potential for cradle to granule (gate) of PLA and TPS compared to five common petroleum-based plastics. Data taken from ecoinvent v2.2 and TRACI v2.00. PLA = polylactic acid, TPS = thermoplastic starch, HDPE = high density polyethylene,... Troy A. Hottle, Melissa M. Bilec, Amy E. Landis Sustainability assessments of bio-based polymers Polymer Degradation and Stability, Volume 98, Issue 9, 2013, 1898 1907 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2013.06.016

Fig. 5. Estimation of total energy (A) and net CO2 emissions (B): petrochemical polymers (from the cradle-to-the pellets) and biobased PHA polymers (from the cradle-to-granules). LDPE: low density polyethylene, HDPE: high density polyethylene, PP: isotactic p... Minoru Akiyama, Takeharu Tsuge, Yoshiharu Doi Environmental life cycle comparison of polyhydroxyalkanoates produced from renewable carbon resources by bacterial fermentation Polymer Degradation and Stability, Volume 80, Issue 1, 2003, 183 194 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0141-3910(02)00400-7

Conclusions Many routes to bioplastics often combines biological and chemical treatments, e.g. fermentation of renewable resources yielding building-blocks (intermediate substances), that can be further converted to polymers The number of biobased building-blocks for production of polymers is constantly growing Properties of polymers do not depend on the origin of used raw materials - content of a natural isotope of carbon 14 С in the polymer is used to determine biobased carbon content Biodegadability is defined by polymer structure and not by the raw material used to produce them A bio ressource will by the end-of-the-day yield a polymer with a lower carbon footprint

Suppliers Some suppliers and Danish agents for bioplastics Type Grade Supplier DK Repr. PLA / polyester Bio-Flex FKuR FKuR SE / PolymerFront SE PE LLDPE / HDPE Braskem Braskem Europe GmbH / PolymerFront SE TPU PearlThane ECO Lubrizol Bjørn Thorsen A/S PA 6.10 GrilAmide EMS-GRIVORY Erteco Rubber & Plastics AB PA 4.10 Ecopaxx DSM RESINEX Denmark A/S DSM Scandinavia PA 6.10 / 10.10 Zytel Dupont Distrupol Nordic PA 11 Rilsan Arkema RESINEX Denmark A/S PA 6.10 Ultramid Balance BASF BASF Denmark PA 6.10 / 10.10 / 10.12 /12(?) Vestamid Evonik Brenntag

Outline and motivation Bioplastics and the bioeconomy Biobased polymers Biodegradable polymers Natural polymers and other biomaterials Biocomposite Bioresorbable polymers Common types of biopolymers Carbon footprint of biopolymers Products and examples Availabilty and pricing Conclusions