Vinyl compounds that incorporate bio-based plasticizers to make them flexible are equal or better in performance to their traditional counterparts based on petrochemicals, but may be more cost-effective. Custom plastics compounder Teknor Apex introduced the new materials at the NPE2012 show in Orlando, Fla.
The BioVinyl flexible vinyl compounds incorporate DOW ECOLIBRIUM bio-based plasticizers, which are phthalate-free. The vinyl compounds have a smaller carbon footprint than alternative plastics like polyolefins or polyurethanes, and may also be more cost-efficient than plant-based polymers.
A new family of vinyl compounds that incorporate bio-based plasticizers will be used in a variety of consumer and industrial products, including shoe soles, bicycle grips, corrugated tubing for appliances, weatherstripping, and other construction applications. (Source: Teknor Apex)
In tests conducted by Teknor Apex researchers on several application-tailored BioVinyl flexible vinyl compounds, the bio-based plasticizers showed 10 percent and 16 percent greater efficiency than standard DEHP and DINP plasticizers, respectively, Louis Cappucci, VP of Teknor Apex's vinyl division, told us. "This makes it possible to use less plasticizer per pound of compound, lowering costs. There are five or six other options for replacing phthalates, and many of them are expensive."
Typically, 30 percent of the compound by weight consists of plasticizers, 50 percent is PVC resin, and the other 20 percent consists of various custom ingredients, said Cappucci. Teknor Apex's BioVinyl compounds contain 35 percent or less petrochemical content. "Vinyl compounds that incorporate DOW ECOLIBRIUM bio-based plasticizers actually contain about 60 percent renewable resources, since half of the PVC polymer is derived from seawater."
Substituting the new plasticizers for conventional phthalates makes the carbon footprint of BioVinyl compounds much smaller than that of many plastics. Comparative data compiled by Teknor Apex indicates that CO2 emission equivalents of BioVinyl compounds is half that of polyolefin resins and even lower than that of bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA).
Rob, waste regulations don't directly govern what gets manufactured, not yet anyway. The issues seem to be centered not so much on the regulation end but on the total infrastructure and interconnections among materials manufacturers, product manufacturers, waste management companies, sorters/recyclers (do they know how to handle different mixes? what recycling processes do they use?), materials manufacturers again (do they use their own recycled materials?) and industrial (if not consumer!) end-users.
That makes sense, Ann. I know the waste regulations we have now are centered on disposing the waste properly rather than creating waste that is eco-friendly. I guess it's one step at a time.
Most of the effort to date has been on the front end, trying to make plastics out of bio-based, and now non-food bio-based, materials, and how to make ones that cost the same or less and have the same or better performance.
EOL issues are definitely a pressing matter and are certainly being considered: the new term is cradle-to-cradle. The thing is, making plastics recyclable--whether they're bio-based or not--involves a different set of technical challenges and also involve a lot of infrastructure issues, as I discovered doing the reporting for my upcoming May feature on making alternative fuels from recycled plastic.
I was guessing that might be the answer. We may be a ways away from the time that end-of-life environmental issues begin to become part of the equation. But it's bound to become important eventually, perhaps as an eventual add-on to waste management regulations.
Dave, the idea seemed to be that since we're trying to get rid of phthalates, why not go even further and do it with bio-based materials? I also found it interesting that the company spokesman said their customers are very interested in sustainable solutions with low carbon footprints, so these customers can meet their own sustainability goals.
BTW, I also mentioned Arkema's castor-oil based nylon 11 in my recent bioplastics article:
Rob, the presence of plant matter alone does not make a plastic biodegradable or compostable. That's an unfortunate, and common, misunderstanding, because it makes it seem like we're a lot closer than we are to such goals. The vast majority of bio-plastics right now have been designed to be drop-in replacements for petro-based ones, and are usually blended with them, as is this one. The result is not biodegradable or compostable unless it's designed to be so. (This one, also, is not a vinyl compound, but an elasticizer that mixes with vinyl to form that compound.) As Dave points out, the PVCs have not changed, only the additive that makes them flexible. The big deal here is getting rid of phthalates. EOL issues are an entirely different set of problems to solve.
In a related story, a tragic explosion last month which killed two people in a chemical plant in Germany may be opening the door to bio-based nylons. The explosion has tightened the supply of nylon-12, which is widely used in automotive fuel line applications.
Evonik, the company which had the explosion in Germany, has been suggesting its bio-based Vestamid Terra nylon grades as an alternative to the nylon-12 grades which have become temporarily unavailable. These new nylon grades are derived from castor oil.
Another supplier, Arkema, makes a nylon-11 which is also derived from castor oil, and may make an acceptable substitute for nylon-12. It was mentioned in a Design News article last year.
While the exposion in Germany was tragic, it will be interesting to see whether it leads to greater use of sustainable materials.
@Dave: Yes, the article does say that they are more thermally stable but, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. We've heard this claim before in many different materials.
We'll see once it hits major production. I'm hopeful.
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