Recent Advances In BioPolymers And Its Applications

RECENT ADVANCES IN BIOPOLYMERS AND

APPLICATIONS

FATHIMA P.E.

Ist M.Sc Biopolymer ScienceCBPST, Kochi

What is Biopolymers?

Biopolymers are referred to as the material that are either biodegradable, derived from both the renewable and non-renewable resources or materials that are non biodegradable and derived from renewable resources.

Why we go for Biopolymers?

Current trends in Biopolymers

Biopolymers have found wide acceptance in various industries, on account of its distinguished environment friendly properties.

On the basis of application areas, the market of biopolymers can be broadly segmented into packaging, bottles, fibers, agriculture, automotive, and others.

Packaging and bottles are the major biopolymers applications and serve an array of industries due to their various properties and performance advantages.

Among major biopolymers, PHA is an emerging market and its demand is growing at good pace.

Current trends in Biopolymers

This study on biopolymers market estimates the global demand for biopolymers and market value for 2012 and projects the expected demand and market value of the same by 2018.

As a part of quantitative analysis, the study segments the global market by type, application and geography with current market estimation and forecast till 2018.

The segmentation by type includes bio-PET, bio-PE, PLA, PHA, bio-PBS, starch blends, and regenerated cellulose; while on the basis of its application the segmentation includes packaging, bottles, fibers, agriculture, automotive, injection molding and others.

Bio-based polymers still hold a tiny fraction of the total global plastic market. Currently, biopolymers share less than 1% of the total market. At the current growth rate, it is expected that biopolymers will account for just over 1% of polymers by 2015

Commercially available Biopolymers

PLA belongs to the family of aliphatic polyesters with the basic constitutional unit lactic acid.

The monomer lactic acid is the hydroxyl carboxylic acid which can be obtained via bacterial fermentation from corn (starch) or sugars obtained from renewable resources.

PLA is a thermoplastic polymer which has the potential to replace traditional polymers such as PET, PS, and PC for packaging to electronic and automotive applications.

PLA has similar mechanical properties to traditional polymers, the thermal properties are not attractive due to low Tg of 60°C.

Polylactic acid (PLA):

Bionanocomposites Bio-nanocomposites form a unique class of a research

area that integrates biology, chemistry, materials science, engineering and nanotechnology to present an interdisciplinary approach for solving of problems.

In today’s world, bio-nanocomposites are becoming increasingly prevalent due to the extraordinary properties that they possess.

In order to produce bionanocomposite; select suitable matrices (e.g. aliphatic polyesters, polypeptides and proteins, polysaccharides, and polynucleic acids) and fillers (e.g. nanotubes, nanofibers, clay nanoparticles, hydroxyapetite and metal nanoparticles) and alter their chemistry and structure to suit the target field.

This problem can be overcome by changing the stereochemistry of the polymer and blending with other polymers and processing aids to improve the mechanical properties, e.g., varying the ratio of l and d isomer ratio strongly influences the crystallinity of the final polymer.

PLA is widely used in many day-to-day applications. It has been mainly used in food packing (including food trays, tableware such as plates and cutlery, water bottles, candy wraps, cups, etc.)

The ease of melt processing has led to the production of PLA fibers, which are used in textile industry.

various PLA blends are used in implants for growing living cells

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a family of polyesters produced by bacterial fermentation with the potential to replace conventional hydrocarbon-based polymers.

PHAs occur naturally in a variety of organisms, but microorganisms can be employed to tailor their production in cells.

PHA can also be produced by using several renewable waste feedstock.

The feedstock include cellulosic, vegetable oils, organic waste, municipal solid waste, and fatty acids depending on the specific PHA required.

PHA and its copolymers are widely used as biomedical implant materials.

These include sutures, suture fasteners, meniscus repair devices, rivets, bone plates, surgical mesh, repair patches, cardiovascular patches, tissue repair patches, and stem cell growth.

PHAs can also be used in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility and controlled degradability.

Recent advances in biopolymers and biopolymer-based

nanocomposites for food packaging materials. Plastic packaging for food and non-food applications is

non-biodegradable, and also uses up valuable and scarce non-renewable resources like petroleum.

The current focus on exploring alternatives to petroleum and emphasis on reduced environmental impact, research is increasingly being directed at development of biodegradable food packaging from biopolymer-based materials.

Recent developments in biopolymer-based food packaging materials including natural biopolymers (such as starches and proteins), synthetic biopolymers (such as poly lactic acid), biopolymer blends, and nanocomposites based on natural and synthetic biopolymers

Biomedical Application The biomaterial have shown potential in

biomedical application, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, wound dressing , bond substitution and sutures.

For eg; chitosan based nanocomposite as a novel group of biomaterials with the potential to support and facilitate cell growth for controlled drug delivery and as biosensors to detect glucose in the body.

Automotive Applicatons Renewable resources based “Green” nanocomposite

are the next generation of material which provide a combination of performance and environmental compatibility

It help to replace existing petroleum derived polypropylene pp/tpo based nanocomposite with environmentally friendly nanocomposite produced from bacterial based bioplastic (PHA) reinforced with compatibilised nanoclay for automotive application.

The nanocomposite are sustainable materials since they are recyclable; are stable in use but can be triggered to biodegradable under composting conditions

Why bionanocomposites?

Improve the following biopolymer properties:Mechanical.Thermal stability.Toughness. Barrier.Biodegradability.