PLASTIC VS POLYMER

Polymer monomer
Oil or Natural or
petroleum synthetic
Large,solid resin
1898 Alfred Einhorn but was not commercialized

Dr. Hermann Schnell of Bayer as linear PC

1953 Daniel Fox of GE independently synthesis a
branched PC

1955 Bayer won the patent and commercially produced

it as Merlon
While GE named it Lexan
 Carbonate group as its main precursor
Amorphous/semi-amorphous
Copolymer
Can both be thermoplastic or thermoset
No unique resin identification code
 Commonly produced by the rxn of Bisphenol
A & phosgene
a. Rxn of BPA w/ NaOH to get sodium salt of
BPA
b. Then reacted w/ phosgene
c. Polymerized with the removal of water
 Another type is one that is reacted with 2
allyl radical that will produce a crosslinked
PC. This type are now usually used as the
lenses for eyeglasses.
 PC AS PLASTIC
Manufactured via:

A. Extrusion
B. Injection Moulding
Formula C15H16O2

Melting Temp C 288 316

Molding Temp C 82 121

Heat Deflection C 140 @ 0.46 Mpa

Tensile Strength 59 Mpa

Flexural Strength 93 Mpa

Specific Gravity 1.19

Shrink Rate 0.6 0.9 %

 High durability
Shatter resistant
Transparency
Lightweight
Thermostability
 Automotives
Packaging
Electrical/Electronics
RECYCLABILITY

No traditional way,yet
Environmentally hazardous
Persistent compound
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
 Highly versatile thermoplastic material

Made from 100% renewable resources

Lactic acid is derived from various sources

Corn
Sugar Beets
Wheat
USES AND APPLICATIONS
Extrusion Sheet, profile

Blow molding Bottles, etc.

Vacuum forming Blister packages

Injection molding
 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)

Nonvolatile and odorless, classified as

GRAS by FDA.
GRAS: Generally Recognized As Safe
Safe for all food and packaging applications
Current Products from PLA
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
Non-Solvent Process to Prepare Polylactic
Acid.
By heating catalyst.
Fermentation

Lactic Lactide
Prepolymer
Formation
Acid

Unconverted Meso
Dextrose
Polymer
Lactide
PLA
Polymerization
Polymer
Coordination / Insertion
Propagation Low D
Corn Lactide
Cargill Dow LLC Process. Gruber, et. al. 2000.
 .Unmaking Polylactic Acid

Fully combustible in composting facilities

Can be converted back to monomer

Can be completely broken down to H20,

CO2, and organics

Degradation time: weeks to months

 Degradation
Hydrolysis and cleavage of the
CH3
O CH ester linkage CH3
3 O
O O O
HO O
O Opoly
O CH3 n O CH3 OH
H OH
O
High Molecular Weight
Prepolymer
H
Mw>100,000 CH3 O
O
O Opoly
n OH OH CH3
CH3
O CH3 CH3
O OH + Opoly
HO HO
O
O CH3 n O
O
Low Molecular Weight Prepolymer
Mw=2,000 10,000
 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
The end