U.S. and Japan Develop Plant Plastics

Most plastics are made from petroleum and other chemical raw materials. In contrast, plastics made from plant materials have become popular as packaging materials. However, the cost of plastics made from plant materials is higher than that of plastics made of chemical materials, and the heat resistance is also poor. To really popularize the use, some technical problems need to be solved.

Among the plastics made from plant raw materials, polylactic acid made of corn as the raw material attracts most attention. It can be decomposed into water and carbon dioxide by microorganisms in nature. Even if it is burned, it will not increase carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but it can be degraded after being discarded. Natural substances. In the chemical industry, Cargill, Dow Polymers USA has the world's largest polylactic acid brand. In cooperation with it, Mitsui Chemicals Japan began to launch "RACEA" brand polylactic acid in April 2002. An artificial sprouts distribution company in Zhongchuanchuan, Qixian County has used “RACEA” polylactic acid as a packaging material for new products.

In addition, Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Plastics Co., Ltd. replaced all of the best-selling alkaline dry battery packaging materials with polylactic acid. The Japanese government introduced guidelines such as the Outline of Bioengineering Strategies, and proposed to use biological raw materials instead of chemical raw materials to produce products to prevent global warming. The increase in consumer awareness of environmental protection has also encouraged companies to use plastic materials made from plant materials as their packaging materials.

Polylactic acid is used in a wide range of applications. Although it has high transparency and easy molding, it is not resistant to impact and high temperatures. In addition, its price is three times higher than that of traditional plastics. In the future, it needs to reduce costs and improve performance. (Lan Rong)