Bioplastics from waste materials and low-value byproducts

Helan Xu, Yiqi Yang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Various bioplastics produced from waste materials and byproducts from agricultural, agro-food and biofuel industries are introduced in this chapter. As renewable and low carbon-emission substitutes for conventional petroleum-based plastics, bioplastics suffer from high cost since current feedstocks are relatively expensive agricultural raw materials. Using inexpensive wastes and byproducts as feedstocks would be a promising alternative to reduce the cost of production of bioplastics. Two types of bioplastics, thermoplastics from natural macromolecules via chemical modifications or graft polymerizations and bioplastics produced by fermentation of lignocellulose, molasses, whey, oils and other wastes and low-value byproducts from agricultural, agro-food and biofuel industries, are discussed in details. The advantages and drawbacks of using low-value waste materials and byproducts for bioplastics will be summarized based on cost efficiency of production and performance properties of final thermoplastics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationDegradable Polymers and Materials
Subtitle of host publicationPrinciples and Practice (2nd Edition)
PublisherAmerican Chemical Society
Pages113-140
Number of pages28
ISBN (Print)9780841228221
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 14 2012

Publication series

NameACS Symposium Series
Volume1114
ISSN (Print)0097-6156
ISSN (Electronic)1947-5918

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Chemical Engineering

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