Presentation on Bioplastics :: Environment polypropylene renewable resources

Presentation on Bioplastics Bioplastics, What are they? * Compostable Plastics -or- * Any plastics-made from organisms (or Organism by-products). * Currently, there is much confusion over the definition of bioplastics Mixture of Acids that could be made into bioplastics Making Bioplastics, Etc. Goal of Bioplastic Production * To Save Resources by either reducing the production of standard Polypropylene plastics by replacing it with a less resource-intensive plastic. * Or Save the Environment by making plastics biodegradable * Or, both! Bioplastic degradation speed What are Scientists Doing Now? Several Different Exciting Methods are being tried right now! * Using Soy-based bioplastics * Using Bacteria to make bioplastics * Starch-based Bioplastics * Polylactide Bioplastics * Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate Current Cost of Bioplastic Comparison Soy-based Bioplastics One of the hottest sections in bioplastics research today. Pure Soy Bioplastic has many undesirable traits. Mixtures of Soy with other substances are currently being attempted. The Soy shown Soy Protein Bacteria-based Bioplastics Steven Pratt of New Zealand (Major New Discovery) Mixture of bacteria can create acids when fermented. The ratio of different acids is based on pH. The bacteria are fed glucose solution and fermented. The acids can be used to make bioplastics Starch-Based * Make up about 50% of the current bioplastic market * Are used in pills that you take * Can be specificially tailored by adding different amounts of plasticizers * This is called â€Å"thermo-plastical starch† Polylactide Bioplastics * Lactic acid is turned into Polylactide by adding a catalyst and heat. * Polylactide bioplastics can be made on existing petroleum plastic equipment * Resembles plastic in properties Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate * A polyester * Easily biodegradable * Easily processed * Currently very expensive * Current interest is very high * Methylobacterium sp V49 is one bacteria that produces Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate Challenges Facing Bioplastics * Economically Unfeasible * Biodegradability is a useful and a not-so-useful property