Biorenewable Plastics : Proteins and derived
Esters
Name: Gowrishankar Srinivasn
Title: Graduate Research Assistant
Rank: PhD Student
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Presentation Outline
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•
•
•
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Objectives
Experimental (Material
Findings and applications
Conclusions
Impacts
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Objectives
• Reduce the environmental impact of conventional
polymeric waste.
• Develop consumer friendly and economically
viable renewable plastic materials that have
minimal carbon footprint.
• Redesign and improve plastics recycling process.
• Collaborate and innovate manufacturing process
to improve process efficiency.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Objectives
5
5) http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/biomass/english/index.html
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Experiment
• Materials
Zein (Protein fraction of corn kernel).
Soy flour, Soy concentrate, Soy protein Isolate.
PLA (Polymerized Lactic acid made form corn starch)
Commercial plastics PVC, PP, LDPE
• Procedure
Single, Twin screw extrusion, Injection and Compression molding.
Blow film extrusion, Vacuum thermoforming, Rotational molding.
Ultrasonic treatment
Tensile testing, DSC, TGA, MFI
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Material: Zein
•Zein is the major storage
protein in corn composed of
four subtypes of molecules
which differ interims of
solubility
a
•Commercially zein is a
produced from gluten via
solvent extraction from wet
milling.
•Recent developments in extraction methods have enabled zein
production from Dry Distillers Grains and Soluble (DDGs) from Dry
milling process an attractive proposition.
a) http://reyntek.com/MOR/SC/fractionation.php
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Process and Results : Zein
Zein Powder
Plasticizers
+Additive
a: www.tarad.com
b: http://www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=273&articleTypeId=1
Extrusion temp 75-110 C
a
b
ASTM 638 Sample
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Injection molding at 100-125 C
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Process and Results : Zein
18
16
12
Strength MPa
Strength (MPa)
14
10
8
6
16
Compression molded
14
injection molded
12
10
8
6
4
4
2
2
0
0
Control 1 (D.A.M)
Control 2 (Aged)
CP
Figure 1: Strength of control formulation with aging
and cross-linking agents.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
CF25
CF50
Figure 6: Strength of Coconut fiber formulations a as
a function of fiber content and molding technique
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Applications: Zein
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Applications: Zein
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Conclusions
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Zein based polymers are water stable
Strengths as high as 12 MPa are possible
Composites strengths as high 20 MPa are possible
Zein are easily compostable
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory
Impacts
• What are the impacts such as
Reduced green house gas generation
Better adoption of bioplastics
Less dependence on foreign oil
Etc.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
Biomass Processing Laboratory