Biodegradable Products
LG Chem is leading the development of plant-based bio materials that decompose in soil within months. In addition to reducing carbon emissions as required in the global market, we are developing bio-based and biodegradable products that have versatile applications, such as plastic bags and disposable cups, in response to tougher regulations on disposable products and increasing demand for biodegradable materials.
Manufacturing Process
PLA
PLA is produced from lactic acid, obtained by fermenting glucose extracted from corn starch or sugarcane. After converting lactic acid to lactide, its cyclic form, PLA is manufactured through a polymerization process. Depending on the mixture of raw materials and the polymerization process, PLA can be produced in various grades. It can diverse applications through compounding with other materials that can compensate for its weaknesses in physical properties.
PLH
PLH is a biodegradable material independently developed by LG Chem, produced by 100% bio-based materials. 3-HP (3-Hydroxypropionic acid), one of the monomers used to polymerize PLH, is derived from microbial fermentation using biomass. Because it is difficult to achieve high-purity and high-yield production of 3-HP and it is extremely complex to refine, the material had not been previously mass-produced. But after long-term research, LG Chem successfully developed the production and refining technology for 3-HP. This enabled the development of new biodegradable material with improved flexibility that still maintains transparency.
PBAT
PBAT is made from three organic compounds: BDO (butanediol), AdA (adipic acid), and TPA (terephthalic acid). To these, polylactic acid (PLA), which is a biodegradable plastic, starch, and/or cellulose are compounded to regulate their physical properties. In addition to the biodegradation effect, the carbon emissions produced in the product manufacturing process can be minimized by using bio-based materials in the raw material stage.
PBAT
Packaging material, Film, 3D Printer
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PLA
Disposable Plastic Bags, Disposable Gloves
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PLH
Farming film, packaging materials
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