The document summarizes Dr. Jim Lunt's presentation on the evolving bioplastics landscape for fibers and films. It defines biobased and biodegradable plastics, outlines the major classifications of bioplastics including biobased polymers and biodegradable polymers. It discusses the major bioplastics producers and their production capacities. It analyzes the markets for bioplastic films and fibers and highlights the challenges bioplastics currently face in competing with conventional plastics. Finally, it outlines new biobased monomers and polymers that may expand the use of bioplastics in the future.

1. The Evolving Bioplastics Landscape
For Fibers & Films
ANTEC 2009
Dr. Jim Lunt
Jim Lunt & Associates LLC

2. Presentation Outline
•Basic Definitions for Bioplastics
• The Evolving Biobased “Landscape”
Renewable and Non Renewable Polymers
Renewable Resource Derived Monomers
•Fiber and Film Forming Bioplastics Status
•Recent Activity in Biobased Monomers/ Polymers
•Conclusions

3. What are Biopolymers or Bioplastics?
Two Classifications:
• Biobased Plastics
– Major focus is on the “origin of carbon
building blocks.”
• Biodegradable Plastics
– Focus is on “end of life or disposal.”
These two classes are, however, not mutually
exclusive.

4. What are Biobased Plastics?
To be classified as biobased, the material must
be organic and contain some percentage of
recently fixed (new) carbon found in biological
resources or crops. This definition is the basis
of ASTM D6866

5. What are Biodegradable Plastics?
Biodegradable or Compostable Plastics are
those which meet all scientifically recognized
norms for biodegradability and compostability
of plastics and plastic products independent
of their carbon origin.
In Europe The Composting standard is EN
13432 and in the USA ASTM D6400.

6. Projected Biomaterials Trend
European Bioplastics estimates that annual global
production of bioplastics will increase six-fold to 1.5
million tonnes by 2011, up from 262,000 tonnes in
2007.
This will still only be 0.7% of the approximate
230 million tonnes of plastics in use today .
There will be a significant increase in bio-based
non-biodegradable plastics – production of durable
products is expected to account for almost 40% of
the global total, compared with 12% in 2008.

7. The Evolving Biobased Plastics Landscape
Feedstocks Polymers
Agricultural
Direct Fermentation Bio-technological Petroleum/
building blocks
Origin Natural based
Polyhydroxy alkanoates
Polysaccharides PHA’s PLA Starch blends
Fats/proteins
Starch/Sugar Nylon 11 Nylon 6,10
Animals Polyethylene Nylon 6,12
s
Lignocellulosics - Oils
PHB PHBV Polypropylene PTT
-wood - Casein Aliphatic
PHBH PBS
-straws, stover etc. - Whey Polycarbonate Polyurethanes
Others - Gelatin
- Pectins Vegetable
- Chitosan -oils
- Gums - Zein
- Gluten
Suitable for films

8. Biobased Polymer Capacities for Major Players
Product Company Location Capacity/mt Price/#
PLA Natureworks USA 70,000 0.85-1.20
PLA Hisun China 5,000 1.25
PHA’s Metabolix USA 300/50,000 2.50-2.75
(2009)
PHAH Meredian/Kaneka USA 150,000? n/a
PHBV Tianan China 2,000 2.40-2.50
Materbi Novamont Eu 75,000 2.0-3.0
Cereplast Cereplast USA 25,000 1.50-2.50
HDPE/LDPE/PP. Brazchem SA 200,000 0.80-1.00
(2009)

9. Major Bioplastics
Four Applications have significant growth opportunities in the
immediate future:
1) Compostable single use bags/films
2) Fibers, degradable and non-degradable
3) Plastic foam cushioning blocks
4) Bioplastic molded products, degradable and
non degradable
Material selection for film and fibers will be determined by the
requirements of compostability /single use or multi use/ durability

10. Plastic films Market Size
• US plastic bag market Estimated by Omni Tech* to be 68 million
metric tons in 2007.
•Growth rate of 15% per year through 2011 to 119 million metric tons
•Major issues facing the introduction of bio-based films in place of
petrochemical based films are:
• their current cost.
•lack of curb-side collection and municipal compositing
*http://soynewuses.org/downloads/reports/DisposalblePlasticsMOS.PDF

11. Major Markets for Biobased Films
• Clear wrapping films (blown and cast) for food and non food wrap
• Clear Biaxially orientated film for tamper proof seals and shrink wrap
• Translucent cast and blown film for :
•trash bags,
•Yard & Garden
• Industrial Refuse
• Kitchen and other
•Newspaper and magazine wrap
•Diaper back sheets
•Agricultural mulch films
Almost all biobased film applications today are single use disposables
where compostability is a perceived benefit along with biobased content.

12. Bioplastic Manufacturers for Film Applications
Transparent rigid films:
PLA,( NatureWorks LLC.) Cellulose acetate(Innovia)
Translucent flexible films:
Starch/PLA, and/ or Ecoflex synthetic polyester :
•Materbi,( Novamont),
•Bioplast, (Stanelco /Biotec)
•Ecovio, PLA/ Ecoflex ( BASF)
•Ecobras, Starch/ Ecoflex ( BASF)
•Cereplast Compostables, (Cereplast )
Hydroxy propylated starch, (Plantic Technologies)
PBS(polybutylene succinate), Mitsubishi

13. Major Concerns With Bioplastic Films
•Cost/lb. and density v polyethylene/polypropylene
•lack of curb-side collection and municipal composting
infrastructure.
•Poor tear propagation
•Moisture sensitivity for starch based products
•Controlled degradation times for mulch films
•Barrier (Moisture transmission) for starch and PLA
formulations
•Low Temperature resistance of PLA unless orientated
•

14. Comparative Gas Transmission Properties of
PLA
Resin OTR WVTR CO2
PLA 38-42 18-22 201
PET (OPET) 3-6.1 1-2.8 15-25
HDPE 130-185 0.3-0.4 400-700
PP 150-800 0.5-0.7 150-650
Nylon 6 2-2.6 16-22 10-12
EVOH 0.01-0.16 1.4-6.5
PVC 4-30 0.9-5.1 4-50

15. Film Products in the Marketplace

16. Biaxially Orientated PLA

17. Cellulose Acetate

18. Compounded Blends

19. Fiber Market Size
•World production of manufactured textile fiber is projected to rise
5.7 percent per annum through 2012 to over 62 million metric tons.
• PET polyester will continue to dominate manufactured fiber output.
•High-end synthetic fibers to grow the most rapidly.
http://www.reportlinker.com/p096689/World-Textile-Fibers- Market.html

20. Biobased Fiber versus Film Markets
•Fiber market is much more diverse in materials and
requirements
• Manufacturing/supply chain and disposal much more complex
•Applications span single use to multiple use applications
•Biodegradability or compostability often not a valued asset
•Melt spinnable biobased fiber choices are very limited
•Performance of Biobased fibers often deficient in key
properties

21. Biobased Melt Spinnable Fiber Forming Polymers
PLA (Natureworks LLC)
PBS (Misubishi)
Nylon 11- made from Castor oil (Arkema)
Nylon 6,10 . 60% sebacic acid from castor oil (BASF)
Nylon 6:12, 10:10, PTT(Du Pont)
Biodegradable

22. Options For New Biobased Fibers
•Return to natural non melt spinnable fibers –Not a viable “stand
alone” option
•Blends of existing biobased polymers with petroleum based
(PLA/Ecoflex)
•Copolymers with biobased and oil based monomers (PTT)
•Produce all monomers for existing petroleum based fibers from
renewable resources

23. Next Generation of Bioplastic “Building Blocks”
Monomers from sugar/ Cellulosic Biomass
Succinic acid -(DSM) Bioamber,Roquette,Mitsubishi Chemical)
3-hydroxy propionic acid - (Cargill,Codexis)
Acrylic acid - (Ceres, Rohm & Haas,)
Aspartic acid- (China)
Levulinic acid- ( China)
Sorbitol - (Cargill,ADM,Roquette)
Ethanol/ethylene glycol - (Brazchem, India Glycols )
Propylene/propane 1,3 diol - (Brazchem, DuPont/Tate & Lyle)
Butylene/butane diol - (Genomatica),
Lysine/ caprolactam - (Draths)
Terephthalic acid - ( Gevo)
Adipic acid
Isoprene - (Goodyear, Genenco)

24. Next Generation of Bioplastic Building Blocks
Monomers/Intermediates from Vegetable Oils
! " # $
% &

25. Other Chemicals and Polymers from Plant Sugars
Polyurethanes Polycarbonate/PBT Blends
Nylon 6 & 6,6
Polycarbonates
PBT
TPE’s Adipic Acid Hexanediamine
Aliphatic
Polyesters
N-Methyl Pyrolidone
1,4-Butanediol THF
Solvents
New monomers Crop
Growth
Succinic Acid
Promoters
Salt
Plant Sugars Replacements
'

26. Fiber Products in the Market Today

27. Single Use disposables

28. PLA Semi Durable/Durable Applications

29. New Bio Derived Monomers On the Horizon
for Film and Fibers

30. Biobased Monomers Under Development
Isobutanol Isobutylene
PET
other polymers
Xylenes and terephthalic acid
Isooctene
other aromatics
Courtesy GEVO

31. Terephthalic Acid from Isobutanol
• Optimized in lab to prepare for production from Gevo isobutanol
• p-xylene from isooctene: >95% selectivity,
highest single pass conversion in literature
• terepthalic acid from p-xylene: high yield and clean product
FID1 A, Front Signal (S:P-XYLENE.D)
FID1 A, Front Signal (S:RUN 66 CUT BOTTOM.D)
¡
¢
£
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6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
5 10 15 20 25
¥
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Courtesy GEVO

32. Biobased Monomers Under Development
HO
O
OH
HO
O
OH HO
O O
OH
L-Ketals
O NH2
succinic acid 3-hydroxypropionic acid glutamic acid
O
O
HO OH HO O
HO
OH OH O O OR
O NH2
O
aspartic acid glycerol 4-hydroxybutyrolactone
HO
O O O
O
OH OH O
HO HO OH
O O
itaconic acid levulinic acid 2,5-furandicacboxylic acid
OH OH OH OH OH O OH OH
OH
*R=H, alkyl
HO
OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH O
xylitol sorbitol glucaric acid

33. Products and Markets
Plasticizers Polyols
L-Ketals
Adhesives Solvents
Thermoplastics

34. Bioplastics Trends Summary
• Today' bioplastics films are primarily aimed at single-
s
use disposable or limited-use markets and are likely to
remain so. Price and disposal routes are key issues
• Fibers ,are more complex spanning single use to multiple
use markets. Key issues for fibers are price and
performance
•Next generation renewable-resource monomers for
durable polymers are already beginning to appear on the
radar screen.
• Innovation abounds , driving impressive growth

35. Thank You