BIOBASED CHEMICALS
The potential of lignin to replace BPA is being explored in a project with Michigan State University , which is seeking to develop 100 % biobased resins . Initial results were published in January 2021.1
A fully biobased epoxy system was formulated using lignin , biobased ECH and a biobased hardener , which showed comparable thermomechanical performances to a BPA-based resin . This is an important step forward in creating a fully biobased epoxy resin which can be developed at commercial scale . The study concluded that “ it is of great interest to identify alternative , renewable , and sustainable raw materials that can substitute BPA in the epoxy resin formulation .”
What sustainability means
ABT believes that being biobased does not automatically mean a product is more sustainable . ‘ Biobased ’ is about the origin of the feedstock . It does not include the process or how the product will be used . It is important to take a broader view including doing a life cycle assessment ( LCA ) to understand the impact of the product .
A comparative LCA benchmarked ABT ’ s whole process against a stateof-the-art petro-based process from cradle to gate . The LCA found that Epinity ’ s global warming potential ( GWP ) - including biogenic carbon and direct land use change - is up to 67 % lower than that of petro-based ECH ( Figure 1 ).
Epinity is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and by the USDA ’ s BioPreferred label for 100 % biobased carbon content , verified by a third-party lab using C 14 analysis . ABT itself is also certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials ( RSB ) which demonstrates that we operate a sustainable production process minimising negative impacts on the environment while contributing a positive impact to society , In fact , ABT was the first biochemical operator in Asia to be certified by RSB in 2015 .
Chemically speaking , Epinity is the same as petro-based ECH so it can be used in existing applications , without needing to reformulate . And yet , the product ’ s origins and production process show that a considerable environmental impact can be made on the end product by using biobased ECH instead of petro-based alternatives . ●
* - EPINITY is a registered trade mark of ABT
Reference : 1 : S . Nikafshar , J . Wang , P . Dunne & P . Sangthonganotai , ChemSusChem , January 2021 , 14 ( 4 ): DOI : 10.1002 / cssc . 202002729
Prakit Sangthonganotai
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
ADVANCED BIOCHEMICAL ( THAILAND ) CO ., LTD .
k + 66 3892 5000 J prakit . sang @ agc . com j https :// epinitychem . com /
Plant of ABT ’ s parent , Vinythai
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