12. Biobased Polymers & Processing Flashcards
What polymer is well suited for recycling?
PET.
Why is PET well suited for recycling?
One of the reasons is that it doesn’t contain many additives.
Biodegradable polymers?
Biodegradable is according to specific standards.
Are bio-based polymers much better for the environment?
They are not necessarily biodegradable or recyclable. Also the material used to produce them might be used for other purposes, i.e. feed.
What is a bio-based polymer (definition)?
A bio-based polymer only consists of a non-petrochemical parts.
It depends only on the source of the raw material used for the polymer
In principle done in some cases like the cola plant bottle. But strictly speaking, this is only partially bio-based.
Why are microbial polyesters only of limited commercial relevance?
They are expensive to purify.
Bio-based polymers are much better for the environment…
They will reduce the consumption of oil as a raw material for plastic production. Definitely, they have a much lower impact on the environment.
