Properties of Bio-Based Polymers

Graduate School of Life Science and sterns Engineering, 

Handbook of Sustainable Polymers Structure and Chemistry Edited by Vijay Kumar Thakur and Manju Kumari Thakur Copyright 2016 Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. 

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Pan, P, Zhu, B., Kai, W. et al. (2007) Crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of bio-based green composites based on poly(L-lactide) and kenaf fiber. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 105, 1511-1520. 

The production of durable functional products without using petroleum-based raw materials is a focus of much academic research today but it is also prioritized by many industries. Many questions still remain concerning the use, production and properties of bio-based and/or degradable polymers and whether or not they are more environmentally friendly than oil-based products. Polylactide is a bio-based compostable thermoplastic that is considered as one of the most promising materials for replacement of traditional volume plastics. The properties of polylactide can be tuned to resemble polystyrene, polyfethylene terephthalate) or polyolefins by controlling the stereochemistry by copolymerization or blending. This chapter reviews the life-cycle of polylactide based materials as well as the properties and applications. The recent trends in the area are also discussed. 

Takada, Y., Shinbo, K., Someya, Y., Shibata, M., 2009. Preparation and properties of bio-based epoxy montomoriUonite nanocomposites derived from polyglycerol polyglycidyl ether and e-polylysine. Journal of Apphed Polymer Science 113, 479—484. 

Cadaverine is a monomer of polymers, such as polyurethane and polyamide, in particular polyamide 54, which is a bio-based alternative to conventional petroleum-based polyamides. Cadaverine finds ifs applications as a component of chelating agents and other additives. Cadaverine is a substrate for aminopropylation and acetylation in some species. Polyamides derived from cadaverine have high melting points and low water absorption properties. The bio-based polymers produced from cadaverine are polyamides PA 5.4 and PA 5.10. The innovative and vast applications of cadaverine in the polymer industry open up new opportunities for bio-based polymers with advanced material properties. 

Other some bio-based polymers have been synthesized with good mechanical properties that are in no way inferior and may ultimately surpass those of commodify plastics. If this trend continues, as appears likely, then, in the near future, the circulative use of bio-based polymers will become standard practice in the field of plastic products. 

Several review articles are available on the synthesis, physico-chemical properties, and bio degradability of natural-based polymers, and their composites [6-9]. The same aspects have been the subjects of recent books [10-12]. In the following account, we concentrate on organic esters of cellulose. 

Blends of polymers from renewable resources with Ecoflex (see Fig. 4), however, show very beneficial properties with respect to processability and mechanical characteristics. Thus, Ecoflex is used as a performance enabler for biopolymers, making it possible to apply bio-based polymers to a certain extent in applications for which the pure renewable materials are not suitable. 

Polymerization of Bionolle 3001 (polybutylene succinate/adipate) using bio-based and petro-based succinic acid was examined. As for polymerization conditions and processability, there was no significant difference between these two types of resin. Mechanical properties of blown films processed from both resins were almost the same. The quality of bio-based succinic acid turned out to be good enough as a polymer grade. 

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