CHED 33 |
| Polylactic acid is a biodegradable polymer produced from biorenewable resources by NatureWorks LLC, a company owned by Cargill. Current markets for PLA include NatureWorks® PLA packaging and Ingeo™ fibers. A key requirement for the commercialization of polymers in new application areas is performance. Many performance attributes of PLA can be tuned during production through polymerization conditions, lactide monomer composition and initiator level. Other performance properties require the use of additives to effectively modify the polymer. A case study example in modifying PLA application performance will illustrate the challenges faced when utilizing traditional formulation technologies with fundamentally sustainable polymers. Results describe formulation requirements and considerations that must be made when developing sustainable products with commercial performance requirements. |
|
Sustainability and Chemical Education: Industry's Perspective
8:30 AM-11:40 AM, Sunday, March 25, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N229, Level 2, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |