The United States developed a new type of thermoplastic plastics ABL

America developed a new type of thermoplastic ABL developed a new type of thermoplastic ABL

with heating softening, cooling hardening properties of plastics, collectively known as thermoplastic. Most of the plastic we use in everyday life belongs to this category. Heating softened and flow, cooling and hardening, the process is reversible and can be repeated.

recently, the department of energy's oak ridge national laboratory researchers of lignin from plants to replace the styrene in abs plastic, have developed a new better thermoplastic - — ABL ( 丙烯腈- - - - - - 丁二烯- Lignin acronym) 。

they invented a solvent-free manufacturing process, make the dispersion in the synthetic rubber matrix nanoscale lignin connected to each other, the fusible, tenacity material can be molded, tough than abs at least ten times. ABL can also recycle, still well after melting three times. The findings were published in the Advanced Functional Materials, magazines, may provide different manufacturers of cleaner, cheaper raw material.

'this new thermoplastic performance is better than such commercial ABS plastic,' the author of the article Amit Naskar said that he and the first author Chau, D. Tran has applied for a patent for the new material. 'We can call it the green environmental protection product, is renewable because 50% of its parts, which made its commercialization process can reduce the demand for oil and chemicals. '

in order to develop this kind of material, oak ridge national laboratory team needs to solve several problems: whether can overcome the diversity of lignin materials, plastic products to get superior performance? Lignin can be smoothly integrated into the soft polymer matrix? How to better understand the chemical and physical properties of lignin derived polymer, in order to better control their performance? Produce the lignin derived polymer method can transform?

'lignin is a very fragile natural polymer, toughening, so needs to be' Naskar explains. The team of a major goal is to produce industrial polymer is strong enough, so that it will not burst in deformation process.

all sorts of lignin on the thermal stability also each are not equal. The researchers assessed from wheat straw, cork Such as pine) And hardwoods, As the oaks) Lignin, they found that the source of hardwood lignin best thermal stability and lignin of certain types of cork can also remain stable under the molten state.

next, the researchers need combines lignin and soft polymer matrix. Normally, the chemist by polymer in the presence of solvent synthesis process to achieve this. But because lignin and contain the synthesis of acrylonitrile and butadiene rubber ( Called the nitrile rubber) Have electronic uneven distribution of chemical groups, the possible interactions, thus Naskar and Chau, Tran try under solvent-free conditions of molten fusion the two substances.

at the same time, the researchers also in optimizing the ABL plastic components and production process, they found that 41% of acrylonitrile synthetic rubber matrix can make the ABL achieve a best balance of toughness and rigidity, the mixture of various components at between 140 and 160 degrees Celsius temperature effect optimal.

plastic is probably the most chemists have created one of the most widely used material, ABS plastic, for example, the thermoplastic polymer composed of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene, lightweight and strong, widely used in automobile bumpers, ventilation pipes, helmet, kitchen appliances, lego blocks, and so on many products. But in the production of this kind of plastic raw materials need to be gained from chemicals derived from oil, it has to do with the emphasis on sustainable development is not right.

the researchers found that the final materials including 5 - lignin formation 100 nm chip and high modulus rubber interface, final yield stress of material up to 15-45 MPa. The team's future research will explore the different raw materials, especially the biomass industrial waste for the possibility of ABL. Conversion table packaging printing knowledge