Vestamid Terra - Hightech Plastics From The Field

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VESTAMID® TERRA

High-Tech Plastics from th
DR. HARALD HÄGER, DR. JÖRG LIMPER

24 elements28 EVONIK SCIENCE NEWSLETTER


DESIGNING WITH POLYMERS

m the Field
High-performance plastics are classical
petrochemistry products. But with oil
in ever shorter supply, an alternative is
urgently needed. The experts from the
Performance Polymers Business Unit of
Evonik Industries have now developed
polyamides from biogenic raw materials.
The new polymers fulfill demanding
technical requirements and are an answer
to the rising demand for resource-efficient
products.

B
efore humans discovered oil, coal and natural
gas, they primarily used plants to meet their
needs. Wood for heating and construction,
wool, fibrous and dye plants for textiles,
medicinal plants for all kinds of diseases—these were
everyday products obtained from the fields and
forests. Because fossil raw materials are finite,
renewable raw materials once again represent a
genuine alternative—with the key difference that we
now have modern processes that allow many new
products and applications to be converted far more
efficiently.
Renewable raw materials help slow down climate
change because they bind the greenhouse gas carbon
dioxide as they grow, and actually conserve carbon
dioxide when they are used. They also help ensure
security of supply—biomasses are continuously
renewable and can be cultivated and used in many
regions of the earth.

Wanted: high-quality bio-alternatives

Bio-based raw materials are gaining increasing
importance even in technically demanding fields of
applications. Their big advantage is their smaller
CO2 footprint: When plant ingredients, for example,
are converted into chemical raw materials and >>>

elements28 EVONIK SCIENCE NEWSLETTER 25


then processed, energy is used and carbon dioxide is Comprehensive expertise in polyamides
generated, but it tends to be far less than using fossil- as a basis for development
based raw materials.
Even though high-performance plastics are Some years ago, Evonik started several projects to
classical petrochemistry products, polymer chains determine the potential of renewable raw materials
can also be completely or partially synthesized from for the production of high-performance plastics.
bio-based components. This is why the experts of One focus of these projects is the development of
Evonik’s Performance Polymers Business Unit are bio-based polyamides. For obvious reasons: Under
addressing the question of where renewable raw the trademark VESTAMID®, Evonik has been produ-
materials can be used in the high-performance cing polyamides for about 40 years and has compre-
plastics portfolio. hensive expertise not only in the manufacture but in
One of the driving forces for the development of the use of polyamides. The portfolio includes mold-
bio-based polymers at Evonik is the company’s own ing compounds made from polyamide 12, polyamide
demand for more resource efficiency and greater 612, polyamide 12 elastomers (PEBA), and most
sustainability for the raw materials used. However, recently, polyphthalamide (PPA). The established
the market is another driver. More and more cus- materials have been used by renowned manufactu-
tomers are no longer only interested in the technical rers for decades and already cover a broad spectrum
profile of a plastic but also in its environmental of applications.
aspects—in the lifecycle assessment of products and In general, long-chained, semi-crystalline poly-
the type and origin of the raw materials. amides absorb little water, are resistant to polar and
non-polar solvents, have a low creep tendency and
high impact strength, and can be used in a wide
VESTAMID® Terra
currently comprises the H H range of temperatures, from –50 to +120 °C. No
three variants PA 610, other polymer material in this price class supplies
PA 1010 and PA 1012 N N
this property profile.
This is why VESTAMID® has proven itself for
6 8
O O many years for a wide variety of uses, and the dif-
n
ferent variants are mainly used for long-lived and
VESTAMID® Terra HS technically demanding applications. Examples in-
PA 610
Based up to 62% on bio-renewables clude fuel and brake lines in cars, oil delivery lines
and gas pressure pipes, filaments such as bristles for
H H toothbrushes, shoe soles for high-quality sports
shoes, cable housings, housings for anti-electrostatic
N N devices, and catheters.

10 8
O O Castor oil as raw material
n
VESTAMID® Terra DS A look at history reveals that biogenic raw materials
PA 1010 are nothing new in the field of polyamide chemistry.
Based up to 100% on bio-renewables
Polyamide 66 was originally produced from compo-
nents of oat husks. Today, castor oil plays the biggest
H H
role in the production of polyamides. Castor oil is
N N
known primarily as an effective laxative, but because
of its good lubrication properties, it is also used as a
10 10 motor oil additive (Castrol®). For polymer chemists,
O O
n on the other hand, it is an attractive raw material
VESTAMID® Terra DD
especially suited to chemical syntheses because of its
PA 1012 unusual homogeneous composition. It consists of the
Based up to 45% on bio-renewables triglyceride of ricinoleic acid, in addition to other
glycerides of various C18 fatty acids. >>>

26 elements28 E V O N I K SCIENCE NEWSLETTER



Proven material for demanding jobs:
VESTAMID®, the high-performance
polyamide from Evonik, which is used
in gas pressure lines for pressures
between 10 and 20 bar (top), in
offshore oil pipelines (below left), and
in the air conditioning systems of cars
(below right)



Here, Evonik’s objective was to bring bio-based
Correlation between the melting temperature Tm and the carbonamide group
concentration (ratio CO-NH2 to CH2). The bio-based PA 610 has the
polyamides to market maturity. To this end, the com-
highest melting point of the polyamides offered by Evonik, while the bio-based pany focused its first efforts not on replacing tried
variants PA 1010 and PA 1012 occupy an intermediate position between the and tested fossil-based products but on selectively
long-chain and short-chain polyamides
expanding the range of products and, therefore,
Tm in °C CO-NH2/CH2-ratio
applications. The result is VESTAMID® Terra—a
250 0.16
group of new polyamides whose monomers are
0.14 based partly or completely on renewable raw materi-
200
0.12 als. VESTAMID® Terra comprises several variants—
150 0.10 PA 610, PA 1010 and PA 1012—that differ in their
0.08 property profile and close gaps in the currently
100 0.06 accessible property profile of polyamides.
0.04
50
0.02 New properties tapped
0 0
PA PA PA PA PA PA The bio-based PA 610 is the polycondensation prod-
610 612 1010 1012 1212 12 uct of 1,6-hexamethylene diamine and 1,10-decane-
å å å dioic acid (sebacic acid). Technically, this variant
occupies a position between high-performance
polyamide 612 and the standard polyamides PA 6
Correlation between carbonamide group concentration (ratio CO-NH2 to CH2)
and water absorbtion. The bio-based variants PA 1010 and PA 1012 occupy and PA 66. Because sebacic acid is obtained from
an intermediate position here, too, between the long-chain and short-chain castor oil, PA 610 is based up to 62 percent on natural
polyamides, while PA 610 displays the highest water-absorbing capacity after resources.
14 days
PA 1010 is synthesized from 1,10-decamethy-
Water-absorbing capacity after 14 days CO-NH2/CH2-ratio
lenediamine and sebacic acid. With its property
3.5 0.16 profile, it closes the gap between long-chained high-
3.0 0.14 performance polyamides like PA 12 and PA 1212
2.5
0.12 and the shorter-chained standard polyamides PA 6
0.10 and PA 66. Because both monomers are obtained
2.0
0.08 from castor oil, PA 1010 is a material based up to
1.5 100 percent on biological resources. Finally,
0.06
1.0 PA 1012 is created from the bio-based C10-diamine
0.04
0.5 and fossil dodecanedioic acid and, therefore, consists
0.02
of up to 45 percent renewable raw materials.
0 0
PA PA PA PA PA PA
å610 612 1010
å å 1012 1212 12 Short transport routes for more ecology

Castor oil is obtained from the seed of the African
castor oil plant, which belongs to the Spurge family.
Even with the tensile modulus, polyamides PA 1010 and PA 1012,
offered under the trade name VESTAMID® Terra, close the gap Castor oil plants grow primarily in India, Brazil and
between long-chain and short-chain polyamides China. Each year, about 550,000 metric tons of the
Tensile modulus in N/mm2 oil is sold commercially, with Germany importing
2,500
over 30,000 metric tons annually. The example
shows that trade with biogenic raw materials is a
2,000 global industry, in which Europe and the United
States, as a rule, have to import large quantities to
1,500 meet their demand. This raises the question of how
environmentally sound trade with renewable raw
1,000
materials is when biomasses have to be transported
500 long distances from the point of cultivation to the
processing location, and from the processing location
0 to the customer.
PA PA PA PA PA PA Evonik’s strategy takes this question into
610 612 1010 1012 1212 12
å å å account: Since the end of last year, the company has
produced bio-based polyamides, in addition to the
established products, in a plant south of Shanghai.
The monomers used for production are sebacic acid




(C10 diacid), as well as the C10 diamine produced
from sebacic acid. Sebacic acid is obtained from the
castor oil methyl ester, while C10 diamine is ob-
tained from sebacic acid and additional chemical
reactions.
In the plant near Shanghai, the monomers are
then polymerized and processed to molding com-
pounds. Transporting the monomers to Germany—
for further processing, for example—is unnecessary.
In this way, Evonik is not only optimizing the flow of
materials but also producing as closely as possible to
the customer: Asia, in particular, where numerous
renewable raw materials are cultivated and harves-
ted for chemical products, is a region which Evonik
has targeted for future growth.

Also suited to extreme challenges

There is no shortage of suitable applications for
VESTAMID® Terra. PA 610 is highly temperature-
resistant and is thus well suited for parts that must
withstand hot conditions, such as the engine covers
of cars. PA 1010 is also extremely rigid and, as a
fiber-reinforced variant, especially well suited to
high-stress housings and similar applications. In con-
trast, PA 1012 is transparent and stands out for its
high impact resistance. As an additive in the soles of Test passed with flying colors: Close-
premium athletic footwear, it improves absorption to-the-engine installation of a charge
air duct made of VESTAMID® HTplus,
and enhances elasticity. All three representatives of
a polyphthalamide from Evonik,
the VESTAMID® Terra family are semicrystalline in a Lotus Exige race car. Evonik will
and, therefore, display high mechanical and chemi- also offer a bio-based version of the
material beginning in summer 2009
cal stability.
Bio-based polyamides can be used even for
extreme applications. One polymer capable of parti-
cularly high performance is VESTAMID® HTplus—a
polyphthalamide (PPA) from Evonik that permanently
resists external temperatures over 180 °C. It is used, input, if damaging or toxic emissions are released
for example, as a charge air duct in turbochargers, and during the lifecycle of the plastic, or if the required
will also be offered in a bio-based version beginning transport distances are long. Even when the cultiva-
in the summer of 2009. In the Lotus Exige sportscar tion of biomasses directly competes with food pro-
from Great Britain, for example, VESTAMID® HT plus duction, technical use can be questionable. In this
reduced the weight of the charge air duct by half case the castor oil plant receives a high score:
compared to the metal duct, and also improved the Because of its drought resistance, it is primarily culti-
flow properties—saving fuel and minimizing CO2 vated in sites that are unsuitable for other useful
emissions. plants.
Because so many factors come into play, a direct
Cultivation under extreme comparison of bio-based and fossil raw materials for
conditions is also possible chemical production is a complex matter. Previous
studies with VESTAMID® Terra prove that the biova-
As the development of the VESTAMID® Terra family riants have an edge on other products when it comes
proves, raw materials from the field are not only to greenhouse gas potential and primary energy
good for energy generation or short-lived products consumption. PA 610, for example, requires signifi-
but also for high-stress high-tech plastics. However, cantly lower primary energy consumption than the
being “bio-based” does not necessarily make some- chemically similar fossil-based PA 6 or PA 66. For the
thing sustainable and eco-friendly. For example, a 100 percent biological PA 1010, experts anticipate
bio-based product is not practical if the use of renew- an even lower greenhouse gas potential. Studies are
able raw materials requires a particularly high energy currently still underway. >>>



In general, however, a well-balanced coexistance
of fossil-based and biological raw materials appears Global Warming Potential* (GWP) of VESTAMID® Terra. Recent studies show that
polyamides based on bio-renewables outperform purely fossil-based types.
to be the most workable solution, because even new If the process conditions are optimized, the values can be lowered even further.
streams of biomasses have to be professionally *Tentative data. Source: Evonik, PE International
managed. Also, new products—whether partially or
completely bio-based—are only really sustainable Current process conditions Optimized process conditions
when they meet environmental, economic and social Polyamide GWP in kg CO2
criteria to the same degree: when they show low equivalent/kg material

CO2 emissions and resource consumption, open up VESTAMID® Terra HS (PA 610, 62% based on bio-renewables) 4.1 2.6

sustainable markets, and not least, guarantee the VESTAMID Terra DS (PA 1010, 100% based on bio-renewables)
®
2.8 1.1
customer high quality. VESTAMID® Terra meets all VESTAMID® Terra DD (PA 1012, 100% based on bio-renewables) 3.0 1.5
of these criteria.

Evonik produces
VESTAMID® Terra
at a plant located
south of Shanghai

DR. HARALD HÄGER DR. JÖRG LIMPER
Born in 1968 Born in 1960
Harald Häger is the Vice President of Process and Jörg Limper is responsible for the Lifestyle Market
Product Development in the Evonik High Performance Segment in Evonik’s High Performance Polymers
Polymers Business Line; his work focuses on C12 Business Line. After studying agricultural sciences and
chemistry, long-chain aliphatic polyamides, PPA, PEEK, earning his Ph.D. at Justus Liebig University Gießen
bio-renewable materials, and lifecycle assessments. (Germany), he started his career in 1989 at Boehringer
He holds a degree in chemistry from Philips University Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH. Limper held a number of
in Marburg (Germany). After earning his Ph.D. in 1996, positions there—his last position being head of R&D
Häger worked for almost two years as a PostDoc at the coordination with responsibility for planning and con-
university of Dublin (Ireland) and then joined the High trolling research projects—before moving to the Feed
Performance Polymers Business Line in 1998 as an Additives Business Unit of the former Degussa in 1995.
R&D employee. In 2003, he transferred to the newly established Functional Films Beginning in 1996 he headed Animal Nutrition at Applied Technology. In 1999 he
Project House, where he was responsible for the development of high-performance took charge of marketing for the feed additive amino acid DL-methionine, and in
nano-composites and the corresponding processing technologies. Häger accepted his 2004 he also assumed marketing responsibility for the amino acid L-lysine. Limper
current position in 2006 after the successful completion of the project house. has worked in his current position since 2006.
+49 2365 49-2351, harald.haeger@evonik.com +49 2365 49-9689, joerg.limper@evonik.com


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