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BIOPLASTIC
The
New Beginning
Types of Bioplastic
The composition of Bioplastic
Used In
- Bags​
-Cups
-Plant pots
-Yogurt tubs
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Comes From
- ​Potato
-Corn
-Rice
-Wheat
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Starch-Based
Starch is the most common type of bioplastic used. Starch is a carbohydrate that is formed through long chains of polymers that are composed of smaller glucose molecules. Once the starch is exposed to high temperatures, the intermolecular bonds break and water(H2O) binds to the regions of amylopectin, one of the main components of starch. The starch then becomes soft and gelatin like. To make the bioplastic glycerin is often added as it will disperse through the the starch polymers and create a stronger and more flexible product.
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PLA
Used In
- ​3D printing filament
-Medical srews
- Cups
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Comes From
- ​Sugar cane
-Corn
-Cassava roots
-Tapioca
-Sugar beet pulp
PLA is also known as polylactic acid. It is a biodegradable thermoplastic polyester that is very versatile and can degrade naturally when exposed to the environment. It can be melted with heat to form objects or can sustain heat to hold items such as hot coffee. In order to make PLA, natural material is fermented by adding bacteria to produce lactic acid which is then converted to lactide. It is then polymerized in order to make a chain of polylactic acid. PLA is the second largest manufactured bioplastic. It is very easy to degrade. For medical uses, PLA can degrade from 6-12 months.
Cellulose-Based
Used In
- ​Bags
-Food packaging
-Film
-Paper
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Comes From
- ​Cotton
-Hemp
-Flax
-Wood pulp
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Cellulose is a very common in everyday live. It is in the plants we see and in the clothes we wear.Cellulose is complex carbohydrate, made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. Since cellulose reacts to strong acids acids bases, chemical reaction take place to make the film.To make bioplastic. cellulose had been isolated and purified with sodium hydroxide and hypochlorite. Then glycerol would be added to create the plastic film.
Used In
- ​Hinges
-Electric cable
-Gas pipes
-Sports Shoes
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Comes From
- ​Castor Oil
-Raw vegetable oil
PA 11
PA 11, also known as Nylon 11, is a thin bioplastic polyamide. This bioplastic is not biodegradable. The main source used is castor oil. This Bioplastic has a very good thermal and chemical resistance. As well as being stable under UV light and harsh weather conditions.It is made of polymerized 11-aminoundecanoic acid, comes from castor beans. The oil from the bean undergoes certain steps in order to produce this acid . First methyl is released, then undecylenic acid is gathered. Hydrogen bromide is added then a nucleophilic substitution is added with amonia to make the 11-amino-undecanoic acid monomer. These monomers then form polymers that the bioplastic is composed of.
Used In
-Food packaging
-Bags
-Paper coatings
-Medical applications
-agricultural foils and films
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Comes From
- ​Sugar
-Corn
-Bacteria
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PHA
PHA is made by microorganisms and is a polyester made from fermented sugars or lipids. The microorganisms are placed in a controlled environment in order for fermentation to occur. PHA is produced and purified from the bacteria. This polyester is a type of polymer that has ester in it. The Bioplastic is very useful as it is biodergradable and made from material waste that can be discarded.
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