Patricia Forcen
SABIC Innovative Plastics, Spain
Title: Review of Sustainable Polymers in the last Decades and their promising Future
Biography
Biography: Patricia Forcen
Abstract
The research of the scientific community in the last decades has increased the activity related to new green alternatives to manufacture polymers. The two main areas to study are: - New natural monomers sources (renewable compounds) - Environmentally friendly processes With the advancements in synthesis technologies and the finding of new renewable functional monomers in the last 20 years, the reality of bringing bio-based polymers to commercial scales has shown feasible, but the reduction on costs and more research into intensified processes are highlighted as key factors for bio-based polymers road-maps in the coming years. Besides bio-based polymers, the strength of helping the environment by more friendly processes either in current production or the new ones in the chemical market has slowly increased and it will be vital in the outlook of the polymer production industry: Reduction of CO2 emission and selection of more kindly solvents, there are two real examples of the current approaches. The forecast for bio-based polymers will be promising with an expected total polymer production nearly 12 million tons by 2020 over 400 million tons of total polymer production, that means 3% of overall production from the current 1.5% (3.5 million Tons), meaning that will grow faster. This growth will be very determined for the social economy and the good development of bio-based road maps from the medium-large companiesfrom now to ahead.