Biopolymers: What lets us use biopolymers now?

Our process does not require corn; we only need a sugar source. In the future this will
include cellulosic raw materials, agricultural wastes and non-food plants.
(natureworks)

Background, how long has industry been around for:

Beginnings of biopolymer development in the 19 th century. The plastics were
developed from casein protein and cellulose. Issues with these biopolymers
was biodegradability with longer lasting plastics being sought.
Specific Biopolymers, how the biopolymers compared to conventional
methods:
Conventional polymers are produced from the polymerization of monomers
obtained from crude oil distillation such as ethylene and propylene.
PLA: Polylactic acid produced from the fermentation of corns sugar into lactic
acid, which is then polymerized into polylactic acid.
PHA, PHB: PHB and PHA are produced through microorganisms processing
carbohydrates. They have similar properties to polyethylene and
polypropylene giving them applications in a wide range of plastic materials.
Applications of biopolymers:
Conventional polymer replacement: Biopolymers such as PLA, PHA, PHB
have similar mechanical properties to petrochemical based plastics of
polyethylene and polypropylene. These mechanical properties allow them to
be used in a wide range of plastic materials, which are used in everyday life.
Medical applications in orthopedics are possible with a strong biocompatibility
shown by PHA, PHB along with biodegradability removing the need for follow
up surgery to remove the implant. Sustained and controlled drug delivery
systems can be developed with biopolymers which have the advantage of
degrading after the treatment process has occurred, removing need for follow
up removal of the implant. With controlled drug delivery the biopolymer type
can specifically accommodate to conditions in the body such as low pH for
stomach applications.
Other biopolymers such as chitin, due to its flexibility and strength, has
applications as a surgical thread.
Critical Analysis:

The ability of biopolymers to degrade in the human body opens up a whole

area of medical devices which, as a result of biopolymers flexibility and
strength, can prove to be much better options in surgery applications than
older alternatives, seen through chitin as an alternative to the conventional
non-absorbable material such as silk as well a conventional polymer material
like polypropylene. Further, as technology advancements continue to occur,
these biopolymers will be biodegradable materials that have appropriate
characteristics to fit many other medical applications. This is seen in Diacetyl
chitin, which is a chitin derivative that has been found to promote faster skin
regeneration in surgical sutures.
Biopolymers have applications in the agricultural industry.
Biodegradability removes the reliance on landfills, and reduces pollutant
issues.
The difference in these is the biodegradability removing need for landfills and
reducing the amount of plastic pollutants.
Increasing interest and investment (companies invested in, new
technologies):

Scale of the industry in comparison to conventional:

1.5 percent of global production (of plastics) in 2011 to 3 percent in
2020 (Plasticnews, 2015)

(corbion, 2013)
Sustainability prospects (environment, people, economy):
Environment: Carbon neutral (no greenhouse pollution), biodegradability (no
pollution, landfills), renewable feedstock.
Natureworks manufacture ingeo (PLA) 2012 London Olympics 120 million
pieces of plastic (PLA) packaging provided, 8,500 tons of solid waste all
diverted from landfills through use of PLA then composting (composted in 9
weeks) to fertilizer.
People: Continuous demand for plastics for everyday products, medical
applications, agricultural applications.
Economy: Sustainable industry in producing biopolymers, offering long-term
jobs and growth for economy.

Production of biopolymers can be seen to be carbon neutral as the CO2

released after the plastic has degraded is seen to be consumed by the plants,
in the cycle, which is the feedstock for the biopolymers production.
The production of biopolymers can be seen to be sustainable with respect to
the environment as the feedstock for the process is renewable plant sources.
Further, biopolymers can be seen to be sustainable with respect to the quality
of the environment with little contribution to pollution from biopolymers. This is
the case as biopolymers can be seen to be carbon neutral as the CO2

released when biopolymers degrade can be seen to be consumed by the

plants which act as a feedstock to the process. Also, biopolymers do not
contribute to landfill issues and pollution as a result of their biodegradable
properties and can therefore be seen as sustainable.
Technology research (older biopolymers, new biopolymers), investment
to make economically viable:
Current research in biopolymers has been focusing on additives to the
polymer structure to improve thermal and physical properties. Nano-parts are
being researched such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanoclays, which can
be used as additives to the structure of biopolymers, such as PLA. These
additives improve the physical properties of the biopolymers, including
elasticity and tensile strength. This can create a market where biopolymers
are biodegradable and biocompatible, are sourced from renewable sources
that are physically superior to their non-renewable competitors. Further
research is being undertaken into minerals, such as mica, being added to PLA
to improve its thermal properties, giving it wider applications.

Natureworks. Research 2015, heat stabled technology platform, produced an

altered structured PLA to act as an alternative to ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene) polymer products. The new product has superior qualities to ABS in
resistance to household chemicals, oils acetone.
Tissue engineering technology has brought new applications of biopolymers
such as PLA, PGA, PCL into the medical industry with their characteristic
biocompatibility and biodegradability being crucial properties to their use in
this area. The biopolymers along with this biocompatibility and
biodegradability have the ability to be tailored to specific mechanical
properties so that they can fit the system in the body they are replacing. These
biopolymers can be used to replace important components of the human body
etc. bone, cartilage, muscle, sknin

Different ideas on biopolymers from conventional polymer (hydrocarbon

based) industry as opposed to a sustainability company (e.g environmental
agency etc.).
Focus on why biopolymers are a feasible option that are sustainable
and positive for the government, environment, people, economy,
Sustainability:
Environment- Can be renewably produced with the feedstock to the
process being carbohydrates (coming from corn, sugar plant
sources), are biodegradable allowing continuous manufacture
without concern of accumulation occurring in landfills etc.

Economy: Provides a larger manufacturing industry in the production

of the different types of plastics that can be formed with PLA.
People: Provides plastics that can be used in daily life, medical
benefits in providing support structure.
PLA, PHB, PHL?,
Made through different methods, PLA through fermentation of
carbohydrates into lactic acid, which is then through polymerization
converted into polylactic acid. PHB through the.,
PLAs production relies on plant materials to act as the feedstock to
create polylactic acid. The technology for this method has been
around since.. however making this into a plastic on a large
economically viable scale has been the focus of new companies
who, with an appropriate amount of investment, are researching
into more and more cheaper methods of production.
The widespread applications of PLA as a range of different everyday
plastic products such as cups, containers, etc. make it an extremely
useful plastic. It has the added benefit of biodegradability removing
the need for landfill allocation of wastage, along with recycling
potential to even reduce the required amount of biomass, as
recycling is possible straight back into lactic acid which can then be
re-converted to polylactic acid with no loss of integrity?.
Biodegradability has created medical applications of PHB that are
much more effective and convinent for individuals, as the need for
follow up surgery to remove plastic implants is removed as the
plastic 6months- 2 yrs will decompose to the harmless lactic acid.
PLA and PHB are biocompatible polymers that are also
biodegradable. There physical properties are very similar to
PLA is produced by fermentation of carbohydrates into lactic acid,
PHB produced by microorganisms processing carbohydrates.

Corn based biopolymers:

PLA polylactic acid used as an alternative to polyethylene etc. in
packaging. Produced from the fermentation of corn into lactic acid,
which is then polymerized into polylactic acid.
The polylactic acid has many uses such as alternative sources for
common plastic items etc, cups, bags with the addition of being
biodegradable, hence not contributing to landfill issues. Can be seen
to be almost carbon neutral as the biodecomposition process
releases CO2 however in its production the plant use removes CO2.
Can be used in medical industry as a support structure which will
decompose to lactic acid in a 6 months-2 year timeframe which is
ideal in transferring load back to area that required support.

Biopolymers are currently predicted to share 3% of the polymer

market by 2020. This increase from where the levels are at currently
is the result of large investment into biopolymer companies. These
companies have worked to reduce costs in the manufacture of
biopolymers to compete with conventional production methods.

References:
http://www.formatex.org/microbio/pdf/Pages295-307.pdf
http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20130307/NEWS/130309938/as
ia-south-america-to-get-lions-share-of-biopolymer-investment
http://www.natureworksllc.com/News-and-Events/PressReleases/2015/04-28-15-New-Ingeo-Formulations-for-Durables
http://www.corbion.com/media/203221/eubp_factsfigures_bioplastics
_2013.pdf&sa=U&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwi16eqk8P_GAhXhKKYKHcj
JD8Q&usg=AFQjCNG7zisuwtlln47wY621dBRAzd9pig
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25677094
http://www.natureworksllc.com/The-Ingeo-Journey/End-of-LifeOptions/Case-Studies/LondonBioPackaging-Olympics-Use-IngeoFoodserviceware
http://www.absplastic.eu/pla-vs-abs-plastic-pros-cons/
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0921344913001407/1-s2.0S0921344913001407-main.pdf?_tid=5e9de8ac-3755-11e5-b77900000aacb362&acdnat=1438327730_87c47ac1a7d72e0610e5636f
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