Terminology –Bioplastics

By Miriam Wilcox-Barsalou,on October 1st,2010%

Bioplastics are often used to describe plastics that are biodegradable,but there are other requirements. The book Green Plastics by E.S. Stevens defines bioplastics as follows:

“Bioplastics is a concise –and suitable –name for biodegradable plastics whose components are derived entirely or almost entirely from renewable raw materials. A bioplastic contains one or more biopolymeric substances as an essential substance.

-E.S. Stevens 2002

Bioplastics may include a combination of biopolymer(s),plastizer(s) and other additive(s). Since this book was written 8 years has elapsed and the definition of bioplastic has evolved and shifted slightly.

. . . →Read More:Terminology –Bioplastics

Share
4 comments   Biodegradable plastics,Materials,Renewable Feedstock Plastics,Uncategorized   ,,,,  

Terminology –Biomaterials

By Miriam Wilcox-Barsalou,on September 24th,2010%

When I first started learning about medical and sustainable plastics I found some of the terminology a little confusing. And I often find that people get mixed up when they use plastic terminology as well. Words that are confusing because they are relatively new to the general public are bioplastics,biomaterials,biodegradable plastics,oxo-degradable plastic,bio-feedstock plastics,resorbable and so on. My blog posts are often full of red spell check underlines because my computer is unsure if I am making up words.

I hope to clear up a bit of the terminology used in this blog as well . . . →Read More:Terminology –Biomaterials

Share
Leave a comment   Materials,Medical Plastics   ,,,  

Plastics from Renewable Feedstocks

By Miriam Wilcox-Barsalou,on August 22nd,2010%
Etylene monomer

Recently the bioplastics that is most often seen in the press is Poly(lactic) acid,or PLA. It is best known for being made of non-petroleum materials,biodegradable and causing issues with existing waste disposal infrastructure. It is also being used in several bioresorbable medical implants.

In fact a lot of people seem to associate bioplastics with a material that degrades in a reasonable period of time either through biodegradation,oxy-degradation or composting.

However a bioplastic recently being noticed does not degrade. They are essentially traditional plastics made of renewable feedstock. These plastics are 100% recyclable in mainstream recycling their . . . →Read More:Plastics from Renewable Feedstocks

Share
Leave a comment   Materials,Renewable Feedstock Plastics   ,,,,,,,  

Recycling Symbol #4 –LDPE

By Miriam Wilcox-Barsalou,on August 17th,2010%

This is the third post in a series to explain the plastics represented by recycling symbols. The first was for #1 – PET. Last week we covered #2 –HDPE. This post focuses on the other commonly recycled polyethylene,LDPE.

Recycling Symbol #4 – LDPE

source:4 –by mag3737

Full Name:Low Density Polyethylene

Type:Semi-crystalline branched thermoplastic

History:Polyethylene accidentally synthesized in 1898,first industrially prepared in 1933

Family:Polyethylene

The biggest difference between HDPE and LDPE is that LDPE is generally more flexible and transparent than LDPE. Despite newly released plastics LDPE . . . →Read More:Recycling Symbol #4 –LDPE

Share
Leave a comment   Materials,Recycling Basics   ,,,,,  

Recycling Symbol #2 – HDPE

By Miriam Wilcox-Barsalou,on August 10th,2010%

This is the second post in a series to explain the plastics represented by recycling symbols. The first was for #1 –PET. This post focuses on the other very common container plastic,HDPE.

Recycling Symbol #2 – HDPE

Full Name:High Density Polyethylene

Other abbreviations:PEHD (polyethylene high density)

Type:Semi-crystalline branched thermoplastic

History:Polyethylene accidentally synthesized in 1898,first industrially prepared in 1933

Family:Polyethylene

The polyethylene family has many important members and is used in many useful and important applications. The two best known are common packaging products in HDPE and LDPE. But . . . →Read More:Recycling Symbol #2 – HDPE

Share
2 comments   Materials,Recycling Basics   ,,,,,  

Recycling Symbol #1 –PET

By Miriam Wilcox-Barsalou,on July 27th,2010%

This is the first of a series to introduce some of the household plastics with recycling symbols on them. We start with a plastic that has been featured a lot recently both in the Plastiki article and in issues relating to plastic water bottles.

Recycling Symbol #1 –PET

-Water bottlefaungg

Full Name:Polyethylene Terephthalate

Other abbreviations:PETE,PETP (obsolete)

Type:Amorphous or Semicrystalline Thermopolymer  (depending on processing)

Patented:1941

Family:Polyester (linear)

Plastics have common abbreviations. Can you imagine asking “can this polyethylene terephthalate container go in the recycling bin?”. Never mind . . . →Read More:Recycling Symbol #1 –PET

Share
2 comments   Materials,Recycling Basics   ,,,,  
I love you Googleescortescortescortescortescortescortescortescortescort