Biobased polyethylene terephthalate

Toray (2011) Toray Succeeds in Production of the World s First FuUy Renewable, Biobased Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Fiber, http //www.toray.coni/news/ fiber/nrl 11115.html (last accessed July 2013). 

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic can also be made from plant sources. PET is typically produced from terephthalic acid and monoethylene glycol (MEG) that are made from petroleum products. MEG can also be fermented from sugarcane, corn, soy, or other organic ingredient. Biobased PET, then, can be produced with approximately 30% from organic sources and 70% from petroleum sources. Coca-Cola, Eord Motor, Heinz, Nike, and Proctor Gamble combined forces in a consortium to develop a 100% plant-based PET product. The plant-based PET consortium will collaborate on PET research projects... 

Figure 3.8 Comparison of GHG emissions and fossil energy requirements of representative petroleum and biobased polymers based on 1 kg of resin produced. Symbols polystyrene (PS), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polylactide (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates based on glucose (PHA-G), PHA based on oil (PHA-0), and PHA based on black syrup (PHA-BS).

Many of these new plastics are in the polyester family. One that is getting attention is PEF, polyethylene furanoate. Avantium opened a PEE pilot plant in the Netherlands in 2011. PEF reportedly is similar to PET in performance, but is 100% biobased [10]. Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is available as a partially biobased plastic, from biobased 1,4-butanediol and petro-based terephthalic acid. Polybutylene succinate (PBS) is similarly made from biobased succinic acid and petro-based terephthalic acid. Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) can be made from biobased 1,3-propanediol with, again, petro-based terephthalic acid. 

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