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Biopolymers
Introduction:
Biopolymers are polymers that are produced by living organisms. Cellulose, starch and chitin, proteins and peptides, and DNA and RNA are all examples of biopolymers. The most-used biopolymers are natural rubber (used since the mid-1700s), cellulosics (invented in the late-1800s), and nylon 11 and 6–10 (mid-1900s). Newer biopolymers include polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from corn, bio-based thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), and epoxy from the biodiesel byproduct glycerol.
Global producers:
Western Europe, USA and China is the largest producer of biopolymer in the world.
Companies:
- Procter & Gamble and Kaneka have announced a joint development agreement for the completion of R&D leading to the commercialization of NODAX H, chemically known as PHBH or poly (3-hydroyxbutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate).
- Shimadzu Corp. (Japan), Mitsui Chemicals (Japan), P.T. Toyota Bio Indonesia is also producing PLA (Toyota Eco Plastic) which is used for automotive applications.
Yield: (from microbes)
The best production of 2.5 g/l was obtained when the cells were grown on medium containing 70 mM sucrose and 0.2% (w/v) Casamino Acids. In Kings B enriched medium a maximum biopolymer production of up to 3.4 g/laws was obtained
Source:
Kambiz Akbari Noghabi, Hossein Shahbani Zahiriand Sung Chul Yoon, 2007. The production of a cold-induced extracellular biopolymer by Pseudomonas fluorescens BM07 under various growth conditions and its role in heavy metals absorption. Process biochemistry, 42 (847- 855).
Market size:
The total global biopolymers market by volumes is set to grow at a CAGR of 27.18% from 2008 to 2015
Benefits:
- Biopolymers are recyclable
- They are environment friendly
- Biodegradable packaging can be composted.
Disadvantages:
- There is not enough technology to improve faster and efficient productions of PHBs.
- Current methods of biopolymer production are very costly.
- The quality of the product may be inconsistent and the variable patterns of supply will mean price fluctuation and the material itself is rather brittle.
- Large-scale composting facilities will be needed and these might cost money.
Classification of the biodegradable polymers:
Research and development:
- The ability to design products with structural features on a nanometric scale is a major technology driver in materials research. Future applications include ultra-precise drug-delivery, transparent nanofoams, nanoelectronics, coatings and ultraselective molecular sieves. The preparation of biopolymer-based nanostructured materials only recently gained attention.
- New ways are being developed, improving the properties of soft biopolymeric materials, such as the development of starch colloids, biopolymer interpenetrating networks and organic-inorganic hybrids.
- The control over comonomer sequences is barely studied in macromolecular science nowadays. Synthetic polymers with controlled monomer sequences have an enormous role to play in the materials science of the next centuries.
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