Detailed Project Report on Biodegradable/Compostable Plastics

BIODEGRADABLE/COMPOSTABLE PLASTICS

[EIRI/EDPR/ 1407] J.C. 183

INTRODUCTION

For the last few decades, the usage of plastic increased because of its specific properties such as low cost, light weight, high strength, non-biodegradability, durability, non corrosive nature, process ability and high energy effectiveness. Hence these plastics can be used for various application which includes household articles to aeronautic sector. Now a day it’s difficult to imagine a life without plastic which are mostly derived from crude oils and natural gas. Among the various polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene are used greatly for food packaging, biomedical field and in agriculture. According to statistics, from 1950 onwards, 9% of growth can be seen globally, in the production and consumption of plastics. In 1950 the overall production of plastic was 1.5 million tones while it reached 245 million tones in 2008.

In these polyethylene is one of the most dominant packaging material, creating the real problems in the disposal of one-trip packaging. These polymers will take millions of years to degrade under natural weathering conditions. Hence careless dumping of these plastics after its usage creates severe problems to the environment. Also during combustion it produces toxic materials which eventually pollute the atmosphere. The land filling results in the contamination of water, thereby adversely affecting the soil’s biological balance. ‘Recycling’ is another solution for reducing the amount of waste polyolefin materials. But recycling has its own limitation in regard to compatibility of different polyolefins which adversely affects the processability and final properties. Subsequently the problems created by plastic wastages to the environment triggered the interest in the development of biodegradable disposable plastics. So that the onetime use items can be disposed off with the hope that they will not remain for centuries in a landfill, or as litter, which is one of the tenets driving the recent interest in “green” technologies. The current biodegradable plastics, such as PLA, PHBV, Mater-Bi etc are very costly and the processing and mechanical properties of these materials are not good enough for the production of consumer products. Hence several studies were conducted to modify the current commodity plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene into biodegradable type. One method to achieve this goal was blending of plastics with biodegradable agricultural feed stocks to meet the requirements of responsible and ecologically sound utilization of resources. This will reduce our dependence on depleting petrochemical resources.

Biodegradation or biotic degradation is a specific property of certain plastic materials - that is, of the polymers these materials are made of. It is a process by which a polymer material decomposes under the influence of biotic components (living organisms). Microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) recognize polymers as a source of organic compounds (e.g. simple monosaccharides, amino acids, etc.) and energy that sustain them. In other words, biodegradable polymers are their food. Under the influence of intracellular and extracellular enzymes (endo- and exoenzymes) the polymer undergoes chemical reactions and the polymer degrades by the process of scission of the polymer chain, oxidation, etc. The result of this process that can be affected by a great number of different enzymes are increasingly smaller molecules, which enter into cellular metabolic processes (such as the Krebs cycle), generating energy and turning into water, carbon dioxide, biomass and other basic products of biotic decomposition. These products are non-toxic and occur normally in nature and in living organisms. This process turns artificial materials, such as plastics, into natural components. A process, in which an organic substance, such as a polymer, is converted to an inorganic substance, such as carbon dioxide, is called mineralization.

COST ESTIMATION

Plant Capacity            5 MT/Day  

Land & Building (1500 sq.mt.)    Rs. 1.52 Cr    

Plant & Machinery                    Rs. 1.43 Cr 

Working Capital for 3 Months    Rs. 6.54 Cr 

Total Capital Investment          Rs. 9.85 Cr 

Rate of Return                          67%

Break Even Point                      29%

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

BIODEGRADATION

MATERIALS

A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALL BIODEGRADABLE

POLYMERS ARE MADE FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES

EFFECT OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS

NATURAL POLYMERS

FIGURE 3 STRUCTURE OF BACTERIAL POLYESTER (R = – (CH 2 ) X – CH 3, X = 0 – 8 OR MORE)

POLYMERS WITH HYDROLYZABLE BACKBONES

FIGURE 4 STRUCTURE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID (PGA)

POLYMERS WITH CARBON BACKBONES

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS

MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

SURGICAL SUTURES

BONE - FIXATION DEVICES

VASCULAR GRAFTS

ADHESION PREVENTION

ARTIFI CIAL SKIN

DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS

AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS

AGRICULTURAL MULCHES

CONTROLLED RELEASE OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS

PACKAGING

STARCH - BASED PACKAGING MATERIALS

FIGURE 1 INGEO TM COMPOSTABLE BOTTLES (WITH PERMISSION OF BELU WATER)

PLA - BASED PACKAGING MATERIALS

CELLULOSE - BASED PACKAGING MATERIALS

PULLULAN - BASED PACKAGING MATERIALS

PVA BIODEGRADATION

POLYESTERS

POLY (Ε-CAPROLACTONE)

POLY (L-LACTIDE)

ALIPHATIC POLYALKYLENE DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS

POLYETHYLENE (PE)

NYLON

BIODEGRADATION OF POLYMER BLENDS

STARCH/POLYETHYLENE BLENDS

STARCH/POLYESTER BLENDS

STARCH/PVA BLENDS

BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS

MIXTURES OF SYNTHETIC POLYMERS AND SUBSTANCES THAT

ARE EASY DIGESTIBLE BY MICROORGANISMS

CHEMICALLY MODIFIED STARCH

STARCH-POLYMER COMPOSITES

THERMOPLASTIC STARCH

BIODEGRADABLE PACKING MATERIALS

THE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS WITH GROUPS SUSCEPTIBLETO HYDROLYTIC MICROBIAL ATTACK

POLYCAPROLACTONE

THE BIOPOLYESTERS

POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES

POLY-Β-HYDROXYALKANOATES

POLY (HYDROXYALKANOATE)

BLENDS OF POLY (D,L) LACTIDE FAMILY

STARCH BASED POLYMERS

STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF STARCH

PREPARATION OF STARCH-BASEDBIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS

FIGURE 1 MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF STARCH

PHYSICAL BLENDS

BLEND WITH SYNTHETIC DEGRADABLE POLYMERS

BLEND WITH BIOPOLYMERS

CHEMICAL DERIVATIVES

APPLICATIONS OF STARCH-BASED BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS

IN FOOD INDUSTRY

IN AGRICULTURE

IN MEDICAL FIELD

FIGURE 2 SEM PHOTOGRAPH OF STRACH-G-PVA/HA HYDROGEL (SCALE BAR 3 ΜM)

BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MATERIALS BASED ON POLY-(LACTIC ACID)

FIGURE 1 THE SYNTHESIS SCHEME OF THE PLA PREPOLYMER AND

THE PLA CHAIN EXTENDED WITH MDI

EXPERIMENTAL

MATERIALS

SYNTHESIS OF POLYMER

CHARACTERIZATIONS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

POLYMERIZATION

THERMAL PROPERTY

CRYSTALLINITY

CONCLUSION

BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS PRODUCED BY INJECTION MOLDING

CHARACTERISTICS OF MATERIAL

FIG. 1 MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF POLYLACTIDE

FIG. 2 (A) POLYMERIZATION ROUTE TO POLYLACTIDE (B) SCHEMATIC

OF PLA PRODUCED VIA PREPOLYMER AND LACTIDE

METHODS

PROCESSING OF PLA

INJECTION MOLDING

FIG. 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF AN INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE

SHOWING THE EXTRUDER (RECIPROCAL SCREW) AND CLAMP UNITS

RESULTS

MARKET POSITION

MANUFACTURE OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS

FLOW DIAGRAM

MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC

OTHER RELATED INFORMATIONS

STARCH-BASED THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES

EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2

EXAMPLE 3

ALIPHATIC-AROMATIC POLYESTER

THE PRESENT METHOD PROVIDES AN ALIPHATIC AROMATIC

POLYESTER COMPRISING:

EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2

EXAMPLE 3

EXAMPLE 4

EXAMPLE 5

THE POLYESTERS OF THE PRESENT METHOD HAVE NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES:

TABLE 2

CELLULOSE ACETATE AND STARCH BASED BIODEGRADABLE

INJECTION MOLDED PLASTICS COMPOSITIONS

CELLULOSE ACETATES

FLOUR & STARCH ACETATES

NATURAL FIBER ACETATES

PAPER ACETATES

STARCH:

GLYCERIN:

GLYCEROL ACETATES:

ETHYLENE/PROPYLENE GLYCOL:

GELATIN & GELLING AGENTS:

SHELLAC

BORIC ACID:

FILLERS:

CRAB & LOBSTER SHELL:

NUT SHELL:

SHRIMP SHELL:

EXAMPLES

1. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH & TRIACETIN:

2. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH & MONOACETIN:

3. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH, SHRIMP SHELL FILLER:

4. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH. PROPYLENE GLYCOL

5. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, SHELLAC

6. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, BORIC ACID

7. CELLULOSE ACETATE, STARCH, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, BORIC ACID,

GELATIN

8. CELLULOSE ACETATE, PAPER ACETATE, TRIACETIN:

9. CELLULOSE ACETATE, FLOUR ACETATE, MONOACETIN:

10. CELLULOSE ACETATE, FIBER ACETATE, TRIACETIN:

LIGNIN BASED MATERIALS

ABBREVIATIONS

ASTM: THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING & MATERIALS.

EXAMPLES

MATERIALS

EXPERIMENTAL

CHARACTERIZATION

EXAMPLE 1

1. DYNAMIC MECHANICAL ANALYSIS (STORAGE MODULUS

OF COMPOSITES)

2. HEAT DEFLECTION TEMPERATURE (HDT) OF COMPOSITES

3. TENSILE STRENGTH OF COMPOSITES

4. YOUNG'S (TENSILE) MODULUS OF COMPOSITE

5. FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF COMPOSITES

6. FLEXURAL MODULUS OF COMPOSITES

7. IMPACT STRENGTH OF COMPOSITES

EXAMPLE 2

PART II-EFFECTS OF RAW LIGNIN, BIOFIBERS AND ADDITIVES IN

LIGNIN/PBS BLENDS

2.1. HEAT DEFLECTION TEMPERATURE (HDT) OF COMPOSITES

2.2. TENSILE STRENGTH OF COMPOSITES

2.3. YOUNG'S MODULUS OF COMPOSITE

2.4. FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF COMPOSITES

2.5 FLEXURAL MODULUS OF COMPOSITES

2.6. IMPACT STRENGTH OF COMPOSITES

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS

FORMULATIONS

B. FORMULATIONS FROM PART 11:

I. BEST FORMULATION:

II. FORMULATIONS WITH OVERALL GOOD PROPERTIES COMBINATION:

III. FORMULATIONS FOR APPLICATIONS WITH AVERAGE PROPERTIES

REQUIREMENT:

VI. FORMULATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT REQUIREMENTS:

EXAMPLE 3

RECYCLABILITY OF FORMULATED COMPOSITE MATERIALS

PLASTICIZED POLYLACTIDE

EXAMPLES

MATERIALS:

PREPARATION OF OTHER PLASTICIZERS:

TEST METHODS

DSC (DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY)

TEAR STRENGTH

TENSILE STRENGTH AND MODULUS

EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2

EXAMPLE 3

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE C1

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE C2

CONTROL FILM

EXAMPLES 4-9 COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES C3-05

MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF PLANT & MACHINERY

REACTION KETTLES

RAPID MIXER GRANULATOR

ELEVATORS, ESCALATORS, ROPEWAYS

STEAM BOILERS

DIESEL GENERATOR

MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS

STARCH POWDER

CALCIUM CARBONATE

TALCUM POWDER

POLYPROPYLENE RESIN

ALUMINATE ESTER COUPLING AGENT

POLYETHYLENE WAX

ITACONIC ACID

EPOXIDIZED SOYBEAN OIL

APPENDIX – A:

01. PLANT ECONOMICS

02. LAND & BUILDING

03. PLANT AND MACHINERY

04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS

05. FIXED CAPITAL

06. RAW MATERIAL

07. SALARY AND WAGES

08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS

09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL

10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT

11. COST OF PRODUCTION

12. TURN OVER/ANNUM

13. BREAK EVEN POINT

14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE

15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS

16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS

17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS

18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)