Documentos de Académico
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Mathew Reddick
Outline
What is polylactic acid?
History
Uses and Applications
Making Polylactic Acid
The Big Picture (overview)
Questions
References
History
1932: Carothers (DuPont) created PLA
1954: DuPont patented Carothers process
Extremely high cost of production
1997: Cargill Dow Polymers LLC forms
2001: 300 million pounds produced at the Blair,
Nebraska plant
History of Production
Producer
2000
Million lb/yr*
2001
2002
Million lb/yr ** Million lb/yr**
16
300
300
Mitsui Chemicals
1.3
1.3
1.3
Cost US$ / lb
1.5/2.0
1.0
0.5
Blow molding
Bottles, etc.
Vacuum forming
Blister packages
Injection molding
Uses Continued
Compares well with currently used packaging
materials
Clear/glossy like polystyrene
Odor barrier/ gas permeability similar PET
(used for soft drinks and many other food products)
Production of PLA
Start with starch from renewable resource
Unrefined dextrose processed from starch
Dextrose fermented into lactic acid
Lactide produced through condensation
Purification through vacuum distillation
Solvent-free melt polymerization
Prepolymer
Acid
Unconverted
Polymer
Dextrose
PLA
Polymer
Corn
Lactide
Formation
Meso
Lactide
Polymerization
Coordination / Insertion
Propagation
Low D
Lactide
Distillation
Lactic
Distillation
By heating catalyst.
Fermentation
Degradation
CH3
O
O
HO
O
O
n
H
CH3
O
O
OH
CH3
CH3
O
n
CH3
CH3
OH OH CH3
CH3
O
n
OH
O
OH
O
O
CH3
HO
Opoly
Mw>100,000
CH3
Opoly
HO
O
Opoly
Criticisms
PLA releases carbon dioxide and methane
during the biological breakdown phase
Fossil fuels still needed to produce PLA
Some believe that PLA will degrade too
slowly to make a difference in waste
streams
Questions/Comments?
Referneces
Lunt, James and Shafer, Andrew. "Polylactic Acid Polymers from Corn:
Potential Applications in the Textiles Industry."
http://www.cdpoly.com/pdf/lunttech.pdf