Taking the lead in bio-based polymers

Bio-based polymers are now being favoured for their flexibility and the added value of being part of the cause to conserve energy and lower the total carbon footprint of manufacturing operations.

Evonik Industries AG has always been in the forefront of research and development to come up with products that meet the call for environment protection and sustainable resources. The company has developed and commercialised its line of bio-based polyamides under the existing family trade name VESTAMID?. There are currently three main product lines within this new group of polyamides available that are partially or entirely based on renewable feedstocks. These are: VESTAMID? Terra DS (=PA1010) 100% renewable; VESTAMID? Terra HS (=PA610) 62% renewable and VESTAMID? Terra DD (=PA1012) 100% renewable.

“Evonik started the development of the VESTAMID? Terra line years ago. In fact, Evonik started the development of the bio-based products even before the market raised its interest on the products. Such efforts form part of our key corporate value of environment protection, ” according to Siamak Djafarian, General Manager Asia Pacific of High Performance Polymers Business Line, Evonik. During those times, the market was not prepared for such products as these were both not pricecompetitive and the end-users were not ready to pursue “green labels”.

“Actually, bio-plastics were commercialised before than petrolbased plastics. Along with the development of environment protection requirements, bio-plastic has been becoming focus and trends for industries. Evonik predicted and developed bio-based polyamide with its professional experience of long-chain polyamide.” said by Eric Lu, Business Development Manager of Bio-Base Polymer Asia Pacific of High Performance Polymers Business Line, Evonik.

For years, Evonik has been working on products that meet some production criteria that would become part of current market trends. “Light weight has been an important aspect given that plastics now replace metal parts in many transportation applications. Evonik also work hard to increase the life cycle of products (reducing wastes) and to decrease both energy consumption and emission with special membrane filtrations as part of its efforts to protect the environment. Thus, the use of renewable materials for our bio-based products has become part of our overall corporate core value and objective,” Mr. Djafarian explained.

Shortage creates opportunities

“More and more new applications ask for high performances from long-chain polyamide, such as PA12 and PA11 which were short recently. VESTAMID? Terra series has comparable performance to fulfill the technical requirements. People start to seriously consider it as long-chain polyamide rather than a polymer only bring bNike Air Max 97