Some new alloys of polylactic acid (PLA) from Teknor Apex provide up to 40 percent bio-based content, yet they have strength and stiffness performance specs that rival standard engineering thermoplastic grades.
As we've previously reported, engineering-grade polymers made from renewable resources are being used more frequently in applications such as aircraft, transportation, industrial machinery, and offshore oil drilling platforms. Their costs are approaching parity with conventional materials with the same performance specs.
The Terraloy family of thermoplastic starch compounds from Teknor Apex's Bioplastics Division uses technology licensed from Cerestech. The technology involves preparing the compounds from starch and combining them with bioplastics, such as PLA, biodegradable copolyester, or polyhydroxyalkanoates, or with traditional petrochemical-based polymers.
The Terraloy family of engineering-grade PLA alloys incorporate up to 40 percent bio-based content for housings and covers of electronics products, such as bar code scanners. (Source: Teknor Apex)
The first two compounds in the new 70000 family, Terraloy BP 70010 and BP 70011, are PLA alloys that incorporate 40 percent and 36 percent levels of bio-based content, respectively. Their strength and stiffness are comparable to or higher than several standard polycarbonate (PC), ABS, and PC/ABS blends for electronic housings and covers.
The alloys let manufacturers of housings and other components using engineering-grade plastics to incorporate bio-based content while retaining the mechanical and thermal properties needed in engineering thermoplastics. Teknor Apex also formulates customized Terraloy 70000 Series alloys that provide similar benefits and meet specific customer requirements.
Both BP 70010 and BP 70011 have better mechanical and thermal properties than ABS, and they demonstrate substantially higher levels of stiffness than either PC or PC/ABS blends, Edwin Tam, manager of new strategic initiatives at Teknor Apex, said in a press release. For example, the tensile strength of standard ABS is 6,500psi, compared with the 8,200psi typical for BP 70010 and 9,100psi for BP 70011. The two Terraloy alloys typically have a flexural modulus of 794,726psi and 491,048psi, respectively, versus 362,000psi for PC.
The new compounds may be used in electronic device, medical equipment, and consumer product components, such as injection molded housings, handles, and covers. Companies making things like bar code scanners and medical equipment housings may need to meet certain sustainability goals. The Terraloy compounds' bio-based content percentages are higher than the 25 percent minimum specified in the US Department of Agriculture's BioPreferred program.
Greg, I saw a preliminary data sheet, but I don't believe it contained that info, and it's not up on the company's website yet. If you contact them to find out more, please let us know the result.
Good to see these types of polymers being developed. Any idea of the thicknesses needed for a V0 or 5V UL flammability rating? (which many electronic housings need).
@Ann: Many of the comments from your recent article about soy-based polyurethane foam would apply to this material. In fact, corn-based PLA is significantly more objectionable in terms of its impacts on the environment and the global food crisis.
Furthermore, if the goal is to increase the strength, stiffness, and heat deflection temperature of injection molded plastics, it's already possible to do so using traditional mineral fillers such as talc and calcium carbonate.
The mechanical properties of these new PLA blends look roughly equivalent to what could be expected from a talc-filled PC/ABS. The main selling point appears to be the ability to put a USDA "bio-based" label on them.
Of course, the role of the USDA is to expand markets for U.S. agricultural products, which the use of bio-based plastics certainly does.
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