from the earth - into the earth PHB formulations as alternatives to PP and PE-HD Opportunities with a thermoplastic biopolyester Urs J. Hänggi, Biomer Pisa, 2005

Summary: (print this page for looking at the slides) Slides 2 to 6 at the presentations in Pisa showed nice natural settings like a peninsula and a city park, before and after human activities like firework or picnics. Clearly there are debris left. As people don't like messed environments, this offers business opportunities for plastics processors (slide 7, now slide 3). An example is a firework rocket (slide 8, now 4) made of PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate), a natural thermoplastic polymer (slide 9, now 5). PHB is a nice polymer, but without additives a lousy plastic. There is a need to compound it with nucleants, plasticizers, and other processing aids. This is the main duty of Biomer. Naturally, all additives Biomer chooses either are biodegradable or bio-inert (non-toxic minerals). Two examples of such formulations are shown in slide 10 (now 6). From the data is becomes clear that plastics processors may use the grades Biomer P226 or Biomer P240 instead of polypropylene or high density ethylene, whenever their product need to be “bio“ or of biodegradable in an aerobic or in an anaerobic environment (slide 11, now 7). The main role of PHB is to function inside the cells. Thus it has properties classic thermoplast don't have. This leads to interesting properties for PHB being a plastic (slide 12, now 8). Inside the cell PHB acts as an ion channel that asks for an absolutely stereoregular (isotactic) configuration. As a monorail in protein synthesis PHB must be absolutely linear. As energy storage material PHB needs to be liquid, i.e. free of any trace of nucleants (slide 13, now 9). The consequences for PHB as a thermoplast are: PHB is one of the highest crystalline thermoplasts, It has a very low melt viscosity, and it is free of any trace of metal catalysts (slide 14, now 10). For this PHB also can be used, besides being “bio“ or biodegradable, whenever properties like free of catalysts, free of thrombogenic or immunogenic reactions, better creep resistance, faster cycle times, thinner walls, or complex structures are asked for (slide 15, now 11). An example in which the outstanding surface properties of PHB are most important is shown in slide 16 (now 12). PHB thus has attractive properties. We invite anybody to join Biomer to work on applications (slide 17, now 13).

from the earth - into the earth Outdoor activities mess the environment people dislike messed environments is this an opportunity for plastics processors? Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate) a thermoplastic polyester produced by bacteria Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth Mechanical Properties of PHB tensile strength elongation at break modulus Biomer ® P Polypropylene Biomer ® P PE-HD Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth Opportunities: - need a material with mechanical properties like PP or PE-HD? and/or - of renewable resources? - totally biodegradable (anaerob/aerob)? -> use PHB as in the P226 formulation (or P240 for PE-HD) Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate) a thermoplastic polyester produced by bacteria but: bacteria don't produce PHB to be a plastic, but for biological functions this leads to very interesting properties as a plastic! Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth biological functions of PHB - ion channel -> absolutely isotactic (stereoregular) - monorail for mRNA in ribosomes -> absolutely linear - storage material -> liquid Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth thermoplastic properties of PHB - absolutely stereoregular and isotactic ->crystalline - absolutely linear -> highly fluid melt (LCP!) - no crystallization in cells -> free of catalysts/nucleants Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth Opportunities: - need a material with mechanical properties like PP or PE-HD? and/or - of renewable resources? - totally biodegradable (anaerob/aerob)? - free of catalysts? - neither thrombogenic nor immunogenic? - better creep resistance? - faster cycle times? - thinner walls, more complex structures? -> use PHB as in the P226 fromulation (or P240 for PE-HD)

Pisa, 2005

from the earth - into the earth Pisa, 2005 PHB is an attractive alternative to PP or PE-HD So we invite you to be among the firsts to use it with Biomer as a competent partner