NEC Corp developed a biomass plastic whose mass ratio of plant-derived materials (plant ratio) is as high as 70%.
The properties of the new biomass plastic, such as ductility, impact resistance and heat resistance, will be equivalent to those of polylactic acid (PLA), NEC said. The company plans to continue the development of the plastic as a material for electronic devices, aiming to commercialize it in fiscal 2013.
The main raw materials of the new biomass plastic are cellulose, which is abundantly contained in plant stalks, and cardanol, which can be extracted from cashew nut shells. The plastic is made by reaction of (1) cellulose whose reactivity was enhanced by acetic acid (acetylcellulose) and (2) cardanol whose reactivity was enhanced by property modification in an organic solvent. As a result, plastic that can be melted by heating can be obtained.
In the reaction process, a substance is added to increase the density. Though NEC did not disclose the details of the substance, the company said that it is a benzene ring attached with a highly-responsive functional group. NEC considers that it is possible to stably supply cellulose and cardanol because of their high production volumes.
Acetylcellulose in itself is a commercialized biomass plastic. It is used for films for pictures and movies as well as polarizing films for displays. However, a large amount of oil-derived plasticizer has to be added to ensure enough plasticity in addition to additives for enhancing durability and heat resistance. As a result, the plant ratio of acetylcellulose is about 40%.
Moreover, because of its low water resistance (high water absorbability), acetylcellulose is not suited for the chassis of electronic devices but only for films.
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