Publication

Designing novel biobased products within planetary boundaries

2024

Abstract

Biomass is a promising feedstock to source the renewable carbon needed by the chemical industry. However, current processes retrofitting biobased molecules to petrochemicals result in low biomass utilisation efficiencies (BUE) as oxygen is released in the form of CO2. Aldehyde-Assisted Fractionation (AAF) of biomass yields functionalised molecules retaining as much biogenic atoms as possible. To guide the formulation of new products based on those molecules, we assess the prospective environmental impacts of a PET-replacement bioplastic and provide design targets to minimise the transgression of the planetary boundaries (PB).

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/65fe04a9-7fdc-439b-9016-4d49adf37ca2

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2024

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/65fe04a9-7fdc-439b-9016-4d49adf37ca2

About this result

Related concepts (32)

Plastic

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptability, plus a wide range of other properties, such as being lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce, has led to its widespread use. Plastics typically are made through human industrial systems.

Microplastics

Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic less than in length, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Chemicals Agency. They cause pollution by entering natural ecosystems from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, clothing, food packaging, and industrial processes. The term macroplastics is used to differentiate microplastics from larger plastic waste, such as plastic bottles or bigger pieces of plastics. Two classifications of microplastics are currently recognized.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including bottles, etc.). , over 100 million tonnes of polyethylene resins are being produced annually, accounting for 34% of the total plastics market. Many kinds of polyethylene are known, with most having the chemical formula (C2H4)n. PE is usually a mixture of similar polymers of ethylene, with various values of n.

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Designing novel biobased products within planetary boundaries

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