bioplastics24.com

A few years back, when a barrel of oil cost less than $50 (USD), the use of soybean oil and corn ethanol in resins for composites manufacturing was intriguing, interesting and environmentally responsible, but not an economic or resource imperative. That is rapidly changing. The cost of a barrel of oil recently raced past $100 ($110 as of this writing) and as a result, interest in development of sustainable resources is growing.

Consumer and OEM calls for reduced weight, increased efficiency and a smaller carbon footprint in products that are made from or burn oil are loud and expected to get louder. The good news is that advances in biotechnology and genetic engineering are helping materials suppliers create soy- and corn-based derivatives that are increasingly capable replacements for petrochemicals in unsaturated polyester, polyurethane and even epoxy resin formulations. Bio-composites are here to stay, and understanding their potential role in future applications will be critical to any composites fabricator.

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