In the name of God

Polymer: Poly + Meros

Polymers can be separated into 3 general categories: 1.Thermoplastic polymers

2.Thermosetting polymers 3.Elastomers

Thermoplastic polymersThermoplastics (T-P)

Solid materials at room temperature but viscous liquids when heated to temperatures of only a few hundred degrees. This characteristic allows them to be easily and economically shaped into products They can be subjected to heating and cooling cycles repeatedly without significant degradation

Thermosetting polymersThermosets (T-S)

Cannot tolerate repeated heating cycles as thermoplastics can When initially heated, they soften and flow for molding But elevated temperatures also produce a chemical reaction that harden the materials into an infusible solid If reheated, thermosets degrade and char rather than soften

Elastomers

Polymers that exhibit extreme elastic extensibility when subjected to relatively low mechanical stress Also known as rubbers Some Elastomers can be stretched by factor of 10 and yet completely recover to their original shape Although their properties are quite different from thermosets, the share a similar molecular structure that is different from the thermoplastics

Biopolymers-Bio degradable polymers

Biopolymers and bioplastics go by many different names. They are often referred to as bio-based plastics and polymers, or as biodegradable plastics or polymers. Biopolymers are polymers which are present in, or created by, living organisms. These include polymers from renewable resources that can be polymerized to create bioplastics. Bioplastics are plastics manufactured using biopolymers, and are biodegradable.

Biopolymers-History

Biopolymers and bioplastics are not new products. Henry Ford developed a method of manufacturing plastic car parts from soybeans in the mid-1900s. However, World War II sidetracked the production of bioplastic cars. Today, bioplastics are gaining popularity once again as new manufacturing techniques developed through biotechnology are being applied to their production.

Types of Biopolymers

There are two main types of biopolymers:

Biopolymers
Those come from living organisms
Those which need to be polymerized but come from renewable resources

Both types are used in the production of bioplastics .

Biopolymers From Living Organisms

These biopolymers are present in, or created by, living organisms. These include carbohydrates and proteins. These can be used in the production of plastic for commercial purposes. Examples are listed in the table below

Biopolymers From Living Organisms

Biopolymers Cellulose Natural sources Wood, cotton, corn, wheat, and others What is it? This polymer is made up of glucose. It is the main component of plant cell walls. Protein which naturally occurs in the soy plant.

Soy protein

Soybeans

Biopolymers From Living Organisms

Biopolymers Natural source Starch Corn, potatoes, wheat, tapioca, and others What is it? This polymer is one way carbohydrates are stored in plant tissue. It is a polymer made up of glucose. It is not found in animal tissues. These polyesters are created through naturally occurring chemical reactions that are carried out by certain types of bacteria.

Polyesters Bacteria

Polymerizable Molecules

These molecules come from renewable natural resources, and can be polymerized to be used in the manufacture of biodegradable plastics. Examples of these polymers listed in below table:

Polymerizable Molecules
Biopolymers Lactic Acid Natural sources Beets, corn, potatoes, and others What is it? Produced through fermentation of sugar feed stocks, such as beets, and by converting starch in corn, potatoes, or other starch sources. It is polymerized to produce polylactic acid -- a polymer that is used to produce plastic.

Polymerizable Molecules
Biopolymers Triglycerides Natural source What is it? Vegetable oils These form a large part of the storage lipids found in plant and animal cells. Vegetable oils are one possible source of triglycerides that can be polymerized into plastics.

How are Biopolymers and Bioplastics Made?

There are two methods being researched and used to produce plastics from plants:
Ways to produce Biopolymers

Fermentation

Using the plants As a plastic factory

Bacterial polyester fermentation

Lactic acid fermentation

Fermentation

Fermentation, used for hundreds of years by humans, is even more powerful when coupled with new biotechnology techniques. Fermentation is the use of microorganisms to break down organic substances in the absence of oxygen.There are two ways fermentation can be used to create biopolymers and bioplastics: 1. Bacterial Polyester Fermentation 2. Lactic Acid Fermentation

Bacterial Polyester Fermentation

Bacteria are one group of microorganisms that can be used in the fermentation process. Fermentation, in fact, is the process by which bacteria can be used to create polyesters. Bacteria called Ralstonia eutropha are used to do this. The bacteria use the sugar of harvested plants, such as corn, to fuel their cellular processes. The by-product of these cellular processes is the polymer. The polymers are then separated from the bacterial cells.

Fermentation By Ralstonia eutropha

The main production

Polymer

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Lactic acid is fermented from sugar, much like the process used to directly manufacture polymers by bacteria. However, in this fermentation process, the final product of fermentation is lactic acid, rather than a polymer. After the lactic acid is produced, it is converted to polylactic acid using traditional polymerization processes.

Growing Plastics in Plants

Transferring the genes into The plant

Plastic production process

Distillation of resultant Liquid ,separation of plastics And solvent

Harvesting the plant, Extracting the plastic by A solvent