BIO-POLYMERS

MATRIX MATERIAL

Submitted by: Amitkumar Apsarraj A D Arjun H A Ashik Y S Avinash N Chakrapani R

WHAT ARE BIOPOLYMERS

It is a polymer that is developed from living beings. It is a biodegradable chemical compound that is regarded as the most organic compound in the ecosphere. The name Biopolymer indicates that it is a bio-degradable polymer.

EXAMPLES OF BIOPOLYMER
Proteins Carbohydrates DNA RNA Lipids Nucleic acids Peptides Polysaccharides

BIOPOLYMER CLASSIFICATION

Sugar based Biopolymers Starch based Biopolymers Biopolymers based on Synthetic materials Cellulose based Biopolymers

BIOPOLYMER STRUCTURE

Unlike synthetic polymers, Biopolymers have a well-marked structure. These polymers have a uniformly distributed set of molecular mass and appear as a long chain of worms or a curled up string ball under a microscope. This type of polymer is differentiated based on their chemical structure.

BIOPOLYMER USES

Starch based biopolymers can be used for creating conventional plastic by extruding and injection molding. Biopolymers based on synthetic are used to manufacture substrate mats. Cellulose based Biopolymers, such as cellophane, are used as a packaging material.

DIFFERENT TYPE OF BIO-POLYMERS SELECTED FOR THE CASE STUDY :

Starch
Cellulose Natural

Rubber

STARCH

COMPOSITION

Starch is produced as granules in most plants cells and is referred to as native when in this particular granular state. All granules consist of two major molecular components, amylose (20-30%) and amylopectin (70-80%).

STRUCTURE

Fig (a): Structure of the amylo pectin molecule (a highly branced polymer of glucose units).

Fig(b): Structure of the amylose molecule (a straight chain of glucose units).

Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined by glycoside bonds This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water or alcohol. Starch is processed to produce many of the sugars in processed foods.

PROPERTIES OF STARCH
Thickener Rheology enhancer Film former Sticking-adhesive/cohesive Water binding capacity Water retention Flocculent Shear stability

SOURCE

Starch is a natural polymer which occurs as granules in plant tissue, from which it can easily be recovered in large quantities. It is obtained from rice, potatoes, maize, wheat and tapioca and similar sources.

ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS
Papermaking Adhesives/Glues Clothing starch Food processing Printing Industry Textile Chemicals Used as an excipient, a binder, in tablets in pharmaceuticals industries

POSSIBILITY OF STARCH AS MATRIX MATERIAL : STARCH BASED THERMOPLASTICS

Starch based Thermoplastics reinforced with noncontinuous fiberglass are used to manufacture a wide range of consumer, commercial and light industrial products.

Characteristics

include:

Better toughness Damage resistance High compressive strength Cost effective

NATURAL RUBBER

STRUCTURE

Natural rubber, also called India rubber , as initially produced, consists of suitable polymers of the organic compound isoprene . Forms of polyisoprene that are useful as natural rubbers are classified as elastomers. Natural rubber is harvested mainly in the form of the latex from certain trees. The latex is a sticky, milky colloid drawn off by making incisions into the bark and collecting the fluid in vessels. This process is called "tapping". The latex then is refined into rubber ready for commercial processing. Natural rubber is used extensively in many applications and products, either alone or in combination with other materials. In most of its useful forms it has a large stretch ratio, high resilience, and is extremely waterproof.

PROPERTIES

Natural rubbers are high molecular weight compounds consisting of long chains of one or more types of molecules, such as monomers. Vulcanization (or curing) produces chemical links between the loosely coiled polymeric chains; elasticity occurs because the chains can be stretched and the cross links cause them to spring back when the stress is released. Rubber is water repellent and resistant to alkalies and weak acids. Rubber's elasticity, toughness, impermeability, adhesiveness, and electrical resistance make it useful as an adhesive, a coating composition, a fiber, a molding compound, and an electrical insulator. The advantages of natural rubber are less buildup of heat from flexing and greater resistance to tearing when hot.

USES

Rubber is made into articles as diverse as raincoats and sponges, bowling balls and pillows, electrical insulation and erasers. People ride on rubber tires and walk on rubber heels. Rubber is also used in toys, balls, rafts, elastic bandages, adhesives, paints, hoses, and a multitude of other products. The single most important use of rubber is for tires. Most tires contain several kinds of rubber, both natural and synthetic. Radial automobile tires contain a greater percentage of natural rubber than other types of automobile tires because radial tires have flexible sidewalls that tend to produce a buildup of heat, to which natural rubber has a superior resistance.

POSSIBILITY OF NATURAL RUBBBER AS MATRIX MATERIAL :

Natural Rubber can be reinforced with coir fibres. Natural Rubber can be reinforced with bamboo fibres.

CELLULOSE

About 33% of all plant matter is cellulose (the cellulose content of cotton fiber is 90%, that of wood is 4050% and that of dried hemp is approximately 75%). Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula (C6H10O5)n, a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand (14) linked D-glucose units. Cellulose is the structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants, many forms of algae and the oomycetes.

STRUCTURE

PROPERTIES
Cellulose has no taste, is odorless, is hydrophilic with the contact angle of 2030, is insoluble in water and most organic solvents and is biodegradable. Many properties of cellulose depend on its chain length or degree of polymerization, the number of glucose units that make up one polymer molecule. Cellulose from wood pulp has typical chain lengths between 300 and 1700 units; cotton and other plant fibers as well as bacterial cellulose have chain lengths ranging from 800 to 10,000 units

SOURCE
Cellulose

is mainly obtained from:

Wood Pulp

Cotton

APPLICATIONS
Pulp and Paper industry Bio ethanol Textile Wine and brewery Olive oil extraction Detergent industry

REFERENCES

Mohanty, A.K., et al., Natural Fibers, Biopolymers, and Biocomposites (CRC Press, 2005) Brown, W. H.; Poon, T. (2005). Introduction to organic chemistry (3rd ed.). Wiley. David R. Lineback, "Starch", in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill. Crawford, R. L. (1981). Cellulose Lignin biodegradation and transformation. New York: John Wiley and Sons Momany, Frank A.; Sessa, David J.; Lawton, John C.; Selling, Gordon W.; Hamaker, Sharon A. H.; and Willett, Julious L. "Structural Characterization of A-Zein" December 27, 2005, American Chemical Society.