Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers
Salen Metal Complexes as Catalysts for the Synthesis of Polycarbonates from Cyclic Ethers and Carbon Dioxide, by Donald J. Darensbourg Material Properties of Poly(Propylene Carbonates), by Gerrit. A. Luinstra and Endres Borchardt Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) f
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Ecoflex® and Ecovio®: Biodegradable, Performance-Enabling Plastics K.O. Siegenthaler, A. K€ unkel, G. Skupin, and M. Yamamoto
Abstract Biodegradable polymers are sustainable alternatives to standard plastics in applications where the functional property of biodegradability is an advantage. Ecoflex® is the brand name of completely biodegradable aliphatic–aromatic polyesters produced by BASF. By the use of renewable raw materials either in the production of Ecoflex® itself and/or by blending with bio-based polymers like starch or poly(lactic acid) (PLA), biodegradable plastics with new and interesting properties profiles are obtained. Compounds of Ecoflex® and PLA are commercialized by BASF under the brand name Ecovio®. Ecoflex® and Ecovio® combine very good mechanical properties with complete biodegradability and are, in certain applications, drop-in substitutes for standard plastics like polyethylene or polystyrene. The application range is very broad: from film applications like organic waste bags, shopping bags or agricultural mulch films to knitted nets, shrink films, coated paper board and stiff foamed packaging. Keywords Biodegradable Biopolymer Compostable Compound Sustainability
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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Biodegradability and Toxicology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 2.1 Mechanism of the Biodegradation of Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 2.2 Biodegradation of Ecoflex® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 2.3 Standards for Biodegradable Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 2.4 Toxicological Assessment of Biodegradable Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Value of Biodegradability: Life Cycle Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 3.1 Disposal with the Organic Waste Fraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 3.2 Direct Release in Agricultural Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
unkel, G. Skupin, M. Yamamoto K.O. Siegenthaler (*), A. K€ BASF SE, GKT/W – B001, 67056 Ludwigshafen a. Rhein, Germany e-mail: [email protected]
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K.O. Siegenthaler et al.
Ecoflex®: A Completely Biodegradable Aliphatic–Aromatic Polyester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1 Raw Materials, Chemical Structure and Property Profile of Ecoflex® . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 Ecoflex®: Performance Enabler for Biopolymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 Patent Situation for Ecoflex® and Ecovio® . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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