Sustainable Biobased Materials Che… · • Plastic pieces can attract and hold hydrophobic...

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Sustainable Biobased Materials

BioPlastics:Facts, Realities and Challenges

ChEMS Research Forum 2012, Michigan State University

www.natur‐tec.com ©2012 NTIC ChEMS Research Forum 2012

• Introduction• Bioplastics

– Biobased Plastics– Biodegradable Plastics

• Standards and Different Technologies• Natur‐Tec® Products and Applications• Current Projects with MSU

Agenda


Northern Technologies International Corp.• Environmentally Beneficial Materials Science• Headquartered in Circle Pines, MN USA• Global distribution through 29 Joint‐Ventures• Global R&D & Manufacturing Facilities• NASDAQ Ticker: NTIC

Introduction

Global leader in industrial packaging solutions

Proprietary biobased and biodegradable polymers


Biodegradable and biobased polymer resin alternatives to conventional plastics for industrial and consumer applications

Proprietary Technology• Selection of biopolymer matrix• Proprietary knowhow on compounding, blending and dispersion

• Patented custom formulations

Competitive Advantages• Ease of processing ‐ end products manufactured with conventional equipment

• Competitive performance to traditional plastics

• Portfolio of resin compounds tailored to a wide variety of end‐use applications

Natur‐Tec® Manufacturing Process

Natur‐Tec® ‐ a Division of NTIC


“Bio‐Based” Feedstock

“Biodegradable” End of Life

Bio‐Plastics

Must Be Certifiable as Bio‐BasedAs per ASTM D6866

Must Be Defined and Certified Compostable As per ASTM D6400, EN13432

What are BioPlastics?


Strategic

‐Reduce dependence on foreign oil

Goal ‐ 1: Utilize SUSTAINABLE feedstock vs. non‐sustainable

feedstock (oil)

Economic

‐Taxation: Carbon or Waste‐Feedstock: Oil vs. Plants

Goal ‐ 1: Create viable product offerings

Goal ‐ 2: Cost imbalance between compost and landfill

Environmental

‐Lower Carbon Footprint‐Better “End of Life” Options

Goal ‐1: LOWER environmental footprint for plastics

Goal ‐ 2: Reduce GHG Emissions

Why BioPlastics? Why Now?


The Case for Biobased Plastics– Managing Carbon


ASTM D6866– Determines the amount (%) of new carbon (biomass carbon) compared

to old carbon (fossil carbon)– Based on total carbon content of the material and not total mass of

the material– Contemporary biomass has 100% radiocarbon and is absent (0%) in

fossil fuels. ASTM D6866 uses this difference to determine the amount of biomass carbon vs. fossil carbon.

Specification for Biobased Plastics


Fragmentation – first step in the biodegradation process, in which organic matter is broken down into microscopic fragments.

Biodegradability – completemicrobial assimilation of the fragmented product as a food source by the microorganisms in the disposal environment.

Compostability – complete microbial assimilation within 180 days in an industrial compost environment.

Fragmentation Biodegradation

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Water(H2O)

Biomass(Humus)

Degradation vs. Biodegradation


ASTM D6400 Specifies Three Criteria1. Mineralization

– Conversion to carbon dioxide, water & biomass via microbial assimilation

– Time: 180 days or less, the same rate as natural materials ‐ leaves, paper, grass, food scraps

2. Disintegration– Less than 10% of test material remains on 2mm

sieve3. Safety

– No impacts on plant growth, using OECD Guide 208

– Regulated (heavy) metals less than 50% of EPA prescribed threshold

Specification for Compostable Plastics


ASTM D6400 (USA)

GreenPLA(Japan)

EN13432 (Europe)

ISO 17088

Compostable Plastics – Global Standards


Starch Additive

Heavy Metal Additive

Plastic (PE) Resin

“Oxo” Degradable Bags

Oxo‐degradable Additive TechnologyWhat is it?


Oxo‐degradable Additive TechnologyGreenwashing Claims


Photo: Nuria Vario

Oxo‐degradable Additive TechnologyEnvironmental Impact


Carbon footprint reduction strategy using bio contentSerious consequences with incomplete and partial biodegradation

15

• Plastic pieces can attract and hold hydrophobic elements like PCB and DDT up to one million times background levels. As a result, floating plastic is like a poison pill

• Plastic residues function as a transport medium for toxic chemicals in the marine environment.

• PCBs, DDE, and nonylphenols (NP) were detected in high concentrations in degraded polypropylene (PP) resin pellets collected from four Japanese coasts.

• Takada et al Environ. Sci. Technol. 2001, 35, 318‐324

• Blight, L.K. & A.E. Burger. 1997. Occurrence of plastic particles in seabirds from the Eastern North Pacific. Mar. Poll. Bull. 34:323‐325

• From Algalita Marine Research Foundation –www.algalita.org/pelagic_plastic.html


The Need for Complete Biodegradability!

• Thompson, R.C. et al. 2004. Lost at sea: Where is all the plastic? Science 304, 838, 2004

• Plastic debris around the globe can erode (degrade) away and end up as microscopic granular or fiber‐like fragments, and that these fragments have been steadily accumulating in the oceans

• Fragments come from several sources, the researchers suggest. These include mechanical erosion of nondegradable plastic bottles and packaging, nondegradable parts of biodegradable plastics, and plastic pieces used as abrasives in cleaning agents.

FLOTSAM Lab experiments show that marine animals consume microscopic bits of plastic, as seen here in the digestive tract of an amphipod. © Science 2004


Oxo-DegradablePolyethylene FilmCompostable Film

Comparison in a Composting Environment


Compostable FilmOxo-Degradable

Polyethylene Film

Comparison in a Composting Environment


Key Benefits:• Organic waste in landfills decomposes anaerobically into Methane, which is 23

times more dangerous than CO2 as a Green House Gas (GHG)• Composting provides 70% volume reduction in waste and end product is

valuable soil amendment (fertilizer)

Compostable Plastics– Value Proposition

Organic Waste(35% by weight of MSW stream)

Diverted away from Landfills to Centralized Composting Facilities


Integrated Zero‐Waste Solutions

A growing trend is the implementation of “Zero Waste” or “Zero Landfill” solutions. Entities of all sorts and sizes, will look to adopt biodegradable foodservice ware in their

cafeterias to enable source segregation and diversion of food waste (organics), away from landfills, and to centralized composting facilities.


Process Natur-Tec® Bio Resins Application Examples

Blown Film BF703B Trash bags, Bin liners, Pet Waste bags, Agricultural film, Disposable film packaging

Injection Molded BF3002 Compostable cutlery, cups, hangers, durable

consumer goods, engineering plastics

Extrusion Coating BF3001J Coated paper cups, plates, pouches, bags

Broad portfolio of Biopolymer Resins:• Price‐Performance optimized for specific end‐user applications• Meet industry standards for biodegradability (EN 13432, ASTM D6400)• Sourced from renewable feedstock

Natur‐Tec® Resin Portfolio


• 100% Biodegradable ‐meets requirements of EN13432 , ASTM D6400 and AS4736

• Engineered for high performance – good tensile and elongation in both directions

• Easily processable on standard PE lines with a very stable bubble

• Provides excellent print surface with no corona treatment needed

• Patented technology provides lower film density of 1.15, versus up to 1.35 for competitive starch‐based compounds

BF703B – Blown Film Grade


Applications for Blown Film Grade


• Fully biodegradable• Meets requirements of ASTM D6400 and EN13432• Renewable resource‐based • Successfully processed on PS lines and PP lines

BF3002 – Injection Molding Grade


Natur‐Tec® Cutlery

Competitor’s Cutlery

VS.

• Renewable resource‐based (modified PLA)• Flexible, and not brittle unlike competitive

c‐PLA based products• High temperature resistance: up to 190°F• Certified Compostable

Compostable Cutlery Application


• Modified PLA‐based resin compound

• Fully Compostable as per EN13432 and ASTM D6400

• Provides excellent melt strength and reduced neck‐in compared to virgin PLA

• Easily processable on PE coating lines with high throughputs

BF3001J – Extrusion Coating Grade


Natur‐Tec® Resins vs. Competition


• Michigan State University (MSU), USA – One of the leading research institutes for

advanced biobased chemistries

• Natur‐Tec® collaborates closely with MSU in commercializing cutting edge bioplastics technologies including:

– National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored project on development of next‐generation PLA‐based materials

– US Dept. of Defense sponsored project on advanced plant‐oil based coatings

University – Industry Collaboration


Reactively Compatibilized PLA Compounds

• $150K in Phase I ‐ proof of concept

• $500K as Phase II ‐ to commercialize PLA based compounds in various applications

• Collaboration with Prof. Narayan’s group

• Current Students on Project

– Shawn Shi

+

National Science Foundation (NSF) Project


Technology & Applications

• The proposed reaction induces in situ formation of a diblock copolymer at the interface between the two phases in the phase‐separated system in presence of a catalyst.

• The copolymer can act as an interfacial modifier to strengthen the interfacial region between the blend components resulting in improved properties of the blend.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Project


Vegetable Oil Based Coatings for Marine Biodegradable Waste Bags

• $70K in Phase I ‐ proof of concept• $500K as Phase II ‐ to commercialize

coatings on paper substrates for water resistant waste bags for the U.S. Navy

• Patented chemistry• Collaboration with Prof. Narayan’s group• Current Students on Project

– Kyle Thompson

+

Department of Defense (DoD) Project


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Department of Defense (DoD) Project


Thank You!

Vineet DalalDirector, Global Market DevelopmentPhone: 763.225.6600Email: [email protected]

Sustainable Biobased Materials Che… · • Plastic pieces can attract and hold hydrophobic...

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