A BIOPOLYMER BOOSTFOROSR
A BIOPOLYMER BOOSTFOROSR
By Amanda Dunn
NICHE markets are being developed for biopolymers made from rapeseed, following the successful development of new chemistry at Warwick University.
"A recently completed HGCA project has successfully shown that oils such as rapeseed may now be used as chemical feedstocks to make polyurethanes," says senior lecturer Dr Andrew Clark.
In order to be useful as polyurethane feedstocks certain chemical changes have to be made. But those can be achieved using low-cost chemical manipulation.
"By the end of last year we had successfully developed this chemistry and could clearly demonstrate the viable production of biodegradable polyurethanes, polyesters and epoxy resins from rapeseed, linseed and soyabean oil," says Dr Clark.
Based on those results two years of MAFF funding has been granted to try to develop appropriate biopolymer markets.
In collaboration with ADAS, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Warwick Business Ventures and a number of chemical companies, a range of production processes are being assessed.
"The chemistry is sorted, we now need to consider establishing industry uses," says Dr Clark.
"Polyurethanes are very widely used," says Dr Nick Tucker of Warwick Manufacturing Group. "The most common place you might come across them is in shoe soles or foam in chairs."
Used globally on a scale of around 7Mt/year, rising at a rate of 1Mt/year, there could be a wide uptake of the osr biopolymer, provided it is price competitive, Dr Tucker believes.
"Although we are at a very early stage in the work, we are looking at costs intensively. If we, as researchers, come up with green materials, the fact that they have less environmental impact may be admirable but if we cannot compete on price in a particular market sector no-one will be interested in them," says Dr Tucker.
"At the moment we are actively looking for companies to approach us with their requirements," says Dr Clark. "We want to produce an appropriate material for them, let them take that away and ascertain the suitability of it, then determine the viability of using this commercially."
Feedstocks in critical civil applications such as binders to stabilise ballast on rail track and environmental coatings in marine applications are currently undergoing evaluation.
"An estimated feedstock of 6000t/annum would be required for these two niche applications, with many similar markets available," says Dr Clark.
Provided cost can be kept under control, it is hoped that by the end of the MAFF project, commercial production will be in sight.
OSRFORBIOPOLYMERS
• 1t rapeseed = ~1t polymer
• Binders to stabilise ballast on rail track and environmental coatings in marine applications being developed.
• 6000t niche requirement.
• Other poss uses: roller-skate wheels, grain buckets, hydraulic seals, grain chute linings, gears, boat fenders, shock absorber pads.
New market opportunities for oilseed rape beckon, following the development of a novel process for producing polyurethanes.