Polymers based on renewable resources

Historically, the first polymers were produced from renewable resources  

While some of these products stayed competitive (rubbers, viscose fibres), others - especially in the field of thermoplastic material applications - did not, mainly for economic reasons or insufficient properties but sometimes also due to high enviromnental costs. 

Newer attempts to develop wood-based plastics ( synthetic wood ) remained limited to niche applications (laminates for flooring, boats, musical instruments). 

Com derived products (e g. polylactic acid) and blend systems of starch and petrochemically produced polymers present new opportunities to use renewable resources as raw materials for plastics. 

Generally, renewable raw materials can be used to produce either long-term living products like constmction materials for automobiles, ships and for the building and constmction sector, or short-term living products like compostable packaging or biodegradable mulch films. 

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While, synthetic biodegradable polymers are more costly than either starch-based or PLA polymers, they often have better physical and mechanical properties than types of biodegradable polymers based on renewable resource. These include higher strength, better clarity, better barrier properties and a greater ease of processing. 

Gandini, A. (2009) Epoxy polymers based on renewable resources, in Epoxy Polymers New Materials and Innovation (eds J.P. Pascault and R.J.J. Williamd), Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Germany, Ch 4 Liu, Z., Doll, K.M., and Holser, R.A. (2009) Green Chem., 11, 1774. 

W.G. Kim, H.G. Yoon, J.Y. Lee, Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources. V. Synthesis and biodegradation behavior of polyfester amide)s composed of l,4 3,6-dianhydro-D-gludtol, a-amino acid, and aliphatic dicarboxylic add units, J. Appl. Polym. 

Okada, M., Tsunoda, K., Tachikawa, K. and Aoi, K. (2000) Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources. IV. Enzymatic degradation of polyesters composed of 1,4 3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol and aliphatic dicarboxylic acid moieties. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, T1 (2), 338-346. 

Sustained efforts have been extensively devoted to prepare new polymers based on renewable resources and with higher degradability. Of the different natural sources, carbohydrates stand out as highly convenient raw materials because they are inexpensive, readily available, and provide great stereochemical diversity. This chapter describes the potential of sugar-based monomers as precursors to a wide variety of macromolecular materials, with particular emphasis on both the mechanisms of polymerization and the properties of the ensuing products. 

Okada M., Okada Y, Tao A., Aoi K., Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources Polysters composed of l,4 3,6-dianhydrohexitol and aliphatic dicarboxylic units, J. App. Polym. Sci., 62, 1996, 2257-2265. 

Yokoe M., Aoi K., Okada M., Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources. Vll. Novel random and alternating copolycarbonates from l,4 3,6-dianhydrohexitols and aliphatic diols, J. Polym. ScL Part A Polym. Chem., 41,2003,2312-2321. Yokoe M., Aoi K., Okada M., Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources. Vlll. Environmental and enzymatic degradabihty of copolycarbonates containing l,4 3,6-dianhydrohexitols, J. App. Polym. ScL, 98, 2005,1679-1687. 

The session Polymer from Biomass included 8 oral presentations. These presentations were devoted to the problems of production (synthesis) polymers from biomass particularly sustainability assessment of polymers based on renewable resources novel cellulose based materials and processing routes biomass-based polyesters and polycarbonates for coating and engineering plastic applications plant oils as renewable resources in polymer science. 

Polymers based on renewable resources from the agriculture feedstock include among the others polysaccharides, such as cellulose, starch, lignin and vegetable proteins, natural rubbers, and microbial polyesters, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). 

Okada M, Tachikawa K, Aoi K (1999) Biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources. IIL copolyesters composed of 1,4 3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol, l,l-bis(5-carboxy-2-furyl)ethaneand aliphatic dicarboxylic acid units. J Appl Polym Sci 74(14) 3342-3350 Okuda N, Soneura M, Ninomiya K, Katakura Y, Shioya S (2008) Biological detoxification of waste house wood hydrolysate using Ureibacillus thermosphaericus for bioethanol production. J Biosci Bioeng 106(2) 128-133... 

The search for biodegradable polymers based on renewable resources, which began in the 1980s, has been compared to the search for the holy grail [27]. It has been embraced with enthusiasm by the green movement [28] and has in turn influenced the scientific community and subsequently the even the sceptical polymer manufacturing industry itself. The following are the stated objectives of this search [27] ... 

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