Biobased Materials

Polymer Innovation Day, November 6th 2013

Karin Molenveld (karin.molenveld@wur.nl)

Biobased Materials

In 2030 25% of the fossil feedstock needed for the production of plastics should be replaced by biobased materials Technical feasibility; what can we produce Economical feasibility; how cost competitive

● Biomass use ● Efficiency of the conversions ● Production scale ● Performance

Outline: 5 cases

Natural oils; castoroil

Castoroil is non edible Has many industrial uses Rich in ricinoleic acid (~90%) Production volume ~ 550 kton in 2000 Used for the production of Rilsan 11

Rilsan 11 (Nylon 11)

Developed in the 1950’s together with Nylon 12 High performance material and 100% biobased Biobased more economical

Has become an inspiration

Castoroil derived nylons

All rely on relatively small biomass source

Company Brand name Nylon Grades Arkema Rilsan 11 BASF Ultramid Balance 6,10 DuPont Zytel RS 6,10 and 10,10 DSM EcopaXX 4,10 Evonic Vestamid Terra 6,10 EMS Grilamid a.o. 6,10 10,10

Sugar cane (as bioethanol source)

Used for production of bioethanol since 1930’s Commercial production of bio-PE started Sept 2010 Currently 200kton bio-PE facility of Braskem LDPE production is close to 20mln tonnes

From sugar(cane) to PE

Sugar is fermented to ethanol C6H12O6 → 2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2

Ethanol is dehydrated to ethene 2 CH3CH2OH → 2 CH2=CH2 + 2H2O

Ethene is polymerized into PE

Mass efficiency 31%

Related products

Biobased PP; can be produced from bioethanol ● Butene from ethene ● Propene via methatesis of butene and ethene

Bio-PET is based on bioethanol

● Ethene is partially oxidised into ethylene oxide ● Addition of water gives ethylene glycol

2 largest bioplastics (PE and bioPET) rely on bioethanol

Corn (biomass source of PLA)

Corn can be used for starch and starch plastics Main producer of PLA (Natureworks) uses corn as biomass Current production of Natureworks ~140 kton Commercial production of lactic acid via fermentation

since 1881 Corbion (Purac) is the largest producer of lactic acid

Production of lactic acid and PLA

Corn starch is hydrolysed into sugars Sugar is fermented to lactic acid C6H12O6 → 2 C3H6O3

Lactic acid is dimerized into lactides 2 C3H6O3 → C6H8O4 + 2 H2O

Lactides are polymerized into PLA

Mass efficiency 80%

Developments based on PLA

Initially for (food) packaging Developments in the field of durable applications

● Sc-PLA based technologies (Corbion) ● PLA based hybrids (with PC, ABS, PMMA) ● New Ingeo grades announced

Wood (Lignocellulosic feedstock)

Lignocellulosic feedstocks increasingly important Most abundant biobased feedstock Main components cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin Many companies study conversions to;

● Ethanol ● Lactic acid ● Phenol ● BTX ● Furfural

Wood (lignocellulosic feedstock)

Currently main uses for cellulose ● Paper ● Cellulose derivatives ● Ethanol, studied for fuel

Furfural from C5 sugars used for foundry resins Lignin mainly used for energy

Use of all components vital for cost efficiency

Lignin valorization

Russian Dandelion (dual purpose crop)

Russian Dandelion produces natural rubber In WOII emergency crop Tires produced in Russia in WOII

Renewed interest for

● Natural rubber ● Inulin (fructose)

Russian Dandelion rubber

Yield 5-15% based on dry root wt. Tested in tyres by Apollo Vredestein Highly comparable to Hevea

● Molecular Mass ● Curing behaviour ● Rolling resistance ● Wet grip

Russian Dandelion inulin

Yield 40-50% based on dry root wt. Source for high fructose syrup Non-food fructose crop Fructose for 2,5-FDCA (PEF) PEF alternative for PET

100% Biobased PET versus 100% Biobased PEF

5 cases

Technically solutions for most petrochemical products ● Including high performance plastics ● Including bulk plastics

Main challenges

● Biomass use/biorefinary ● BioAromatics ● Efficiency of scale

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?