BioMatNet Item: AIR3-CT94-2285 - Development of Innovative Biodegradable Polylactic Acid Polymers, Based on Agricultural Raw Materials, for New Industrial Applications

AIR3-CT94-2285
Development of Innovative Biodegradable Polylactic Acid Polymers, Based on Agricultural Raw Materials, for New Industrial Applications

Contacts
Further Information

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AIR Cluster VI - Bioplastics : Agriculture : Biopolymers/Gums : Protein/Amino Acid : Sugar

	Contract No	AIR3-CT94-2285
	Total Cost	1 695 075
	EC Contribution	1 099 037
	Start Date	01/01/1995
	Duration	36 months

SUMMARY

A combination of increased environmental concern, legislation such as the recent EU Packaging Directive and the desire to find natural alternatives to petrochemical based products, has created a potential large market for lactic acid. This would be used as an intermediate for the production of biodegradable polymers, as is already occurring in the United States. This represents a unique opportunity for large scale industrial transformation of massive amounts of glucidic substrates from agro food by products (whey in particular) by fermentation. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the technology available and develop the complete chain from fermentation to final product.

OBJECTIVE

The expected rapidly expanding market for lactic acid as an intermediate for the production of biodegradable polymers represents a unique opportunity for a large scale industrial transformation of massive amounts of glucidic substrates from agro-food by-products (whey in particular). In this context, this project intends :

To develop an integrated process for the production of lactic acid by fermentation of glucidic substrate coupled to a continuous separation technique (goals to reach : cheap and abundant substrate, low cost of neutralizing agent, continuous mode, minimum conversion yield : 95% residual sugar : less than 1g/l).
To improve the lactic acid purification by continuous esterification and distillation (goals to reach : no solvent use, no polluting wastes, continuous mode, minimum yield : 95% high quality product : more than the Heat-Stable specifications).
To characterize a new way to synthetize lactide from lactic esters (goals to reach : no solvent use, continuous mode, minimum yield including recirculation : 90% products quality sufficient to polymerize, low cost and non-toxic catalyst).
To study deeply the polymerization of PLA-polymers, their physico-chemical properties and their processing behaviours (goals to reach : no solvent use, semi-continuous mode : extruding type, control of molecular weights and of polydispersity, low cost and non-toxic catalyst).
To approach completely the problem of filling, blending and alloying of new developed PLA-polymers (goals to reach : blending of PLA with other aliphatic polyesters and filling with starch in order to get different physio-chemical properties, no toxicity of the products, use of existing equipment).

Since 1973, a considerable amount of research has been devoted to the development of PLA polymers for biomedical applications. The technology for some biodegradable polymers for industrial/consumer applications capable of effectively complete (in performance and price) with mineral oil based polymers does not exist. The proposed research will enable to produce polymers for industrial applications made from renewable raw materials.

Contacts

Coordinator

Frederic VAN GANSBERGHE / Brussels Biotech (2B) sa BELGIUM

EC Scientific Officer

Ciarán MANGAN / European Commission - DG Research Quality of Life Programme - Unit B1.2 / BELGIUM

Participant