Green Polymer Chemistry 2014

Professionals and expert scientists will be attending the Green Polymer Chemistry 2014, an international conference set for 18 -20 March 2014 at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany.  Organised by the Applied Market Information Ltd (AMI), the three-day meet will tackle issues on the renewable supply structure of plastics and polymers.

For major brand owners worldwide, sustainable sourcing is mandatory. They have set up the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative, and suppliers comply with its standards including those on bio-sourced polymers plus the additional remit not to affect food security.

How can the green credentials be certified?  The ISCC has set up a system for bio and non-bio feedstock.  Polymer companies involved with green chemistry understand that the life cycle analysis gives valuable insight and Solvay has looked at bio-based PVC for potential development in Brazil using the University of Ghent to carry out the LCA research.

Chemical engineers have been working to develop economically viable routes to specific monomers and polymers and there is a wide range of research and innovation from the major petrochemical companies looking to get a foothold in the developing bio-chemical industry including BP and Neste Oil.

Forestry and agricultural companies with existing chemical and fermentation systems are looking to supply new markets, like Croda with building blocks for elastomers and high performance plastics, SP Processum in Sweden (wood-sourced) and Roquette in France, which has the biggest bio-refinery in Europe. New companies are moving forwards with specific innovations. Rennovia is producing bio-based intermediates for polyamide 6,6 and polyurethane polyols, while Vencorex in France has the world’s first bio-sourced isocyanates for polyurethane.

Universities and research institutes are taking the lead in testing new synthesis pathways: Osaka University has investigated routes to monomers from plant oils and the University of Bologna has found phenols from natural sources (one of which could replace bisphenol A in epoxy coatings).  In Singapore, the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences has routes to green polyamides with adipic acid from biomass.  From Germany, BASF has a new company producing succinic acid:  Succinity GmbH has reviewed the outlook for this bio-based chemical.  Similarly, Corbion Purac already has production technology for organic acid monomers.

Meanwhile the end users and manufacturers of plastics and elastomers, particularly the brand owners and companies listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, are watching the market developments to find drop-in substitute materials that have genuine “green” credentials.  There are many already o2019 Air Vapormax Flair