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Biomaterials are acknowledged as a critical component of long-term sustainability. They provide a better balance of environmental advantages and polymers’ environmental harm. Among these is PEF – Polyethylene Furanoate, a bio-based polymers that has grown in significantly in recent years.
This next-generation polymer has the potential to completely replace oil-based polymers. It is indeed a sustainable, non-toxic, biodegradable alternative with comparable qualities.
However, various factors must be considered in order to produce PEF on a mass production in an effective manner. PEF offers a unique combination of characteristics that are equivalent to industrial reference aromatic thermoplastics like PET or PBT.
Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF) is a bio-based polymer that is 100 percent recyclable and made from renewable raw materials (sugars) sourced from plants. PEF will be the next biopolymer that has the potential to replace polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a long-lasting polymer made from conventional inorganic materials.
At the very same moment, because PEF made from FDCA is 100 percent biobased whenever biobased nonethylene glycol (MEG) is utilised, it increases package resilience.
When furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is polymerized in the context of ethylene glycol, PEF is formed. The synthesis method is identical to that of PET, with the terephthalic acids becoming replaced with 2,5 furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA).
Particularly contrasted to Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), PEF has superior qualities such as good gas as well as water resistance, greater glass transition, low thermal conductivity, tensile strengths, compact size, as well as good thermal stability.
Increasing growing need for bio-based recyclable solutions in the packaging sector, together with rising consumer understanding, is likely to drive the expansion of the polyethylene Furanoate (PEF) market during the forecast years.
Concerns about the toxicity of petrochemicals, as well as the depletion of crude oil sources, have fuelled the development of bio-based polymers. Government laws limiting the use of Petro-based plastics in some areas, such as packaged foods and diagnostic supplies, are projected to boost PEF manufacturing even further.
Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on consumer purchasing behaviour. Customers are becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental effect, recycled content, and garbage disintegration duration of items.
Customers are more likely to choose bio-based and biodegradable polymers than conventional materials as a result of this. Growing consumer awareness of eco – friendly packaging, along with increased waste restrictions across the world, particularly in the European area, is driving manufacturers to employ bio-based and recyclable polymers for packaging.
Furthermore, the prohibition on single-use plastics in numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, and many states in the United States, including Hawaii, New York, and California, is considerably pushing demand for PEF.
The Global PEF Packaging Market can be segmented into following categories for further analysis.
When compared to PET, PEF has various benefits, including better mechanical strength, which allows for light weighting, 10-fold enhanced barrier characteristics (for oxygen; 4x improved for CO2), and the ability to use 100 percent organic waste as feedstock.
PEF has the same recycling capabilities as PET and is available as a clear polymer with a comparable look. PEF is a non-biodegradable substance. It has excellent barrier and thermal qualities, making it an appropriate material for a variety of applications.
PEF is used in the packaging of alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, milk, soft drinks, fresh tea, and water. According to one life-cycle evaluation, substituting PTA in the manufacturing of PET with bio-based FDCA in the production of PEF has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG).
PEF also has a better inherent gas barrier for oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour than PET, making it an appealing choice for packaging applications such as bottles, films, and food trays.
This is especially relevant in multilayer PET bottles, where PEF may be utilised as a barrier material, resulting in better sustainability and recyclability when compared to multilayer bottles with alternative barrier materials like nylon.
More crucially, PEF products may be recycled completely on their own in a closed-loop system. Furthermore, if PEF finds up in nature, whether purposefully or inadvertently, it degrades significantly faster than PET.
PEF is synthesised by the polymerization of furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) in the medium of ethylene glycol. FDCA is synthesised from basic components such as starch, sugar, and cellulose. These materials are abundantly manufactured on Earth.
The utilisation of biomass resources could help conserve fossil fuels from depletion. PEF has excellent barriers and thermodynamic properties. As a result, it is an excellent material for a broad array of applications. PEF is primarily utilised in the packaging of distilled spirits, fruit juices, milk, soft drinks, water, and other liquids.
Avantium Inc. is growing towards better and optimised development of the packaging requirements in the global market. The YXY Technology catalyses the conversion of plant-based sugar (fructose) produce FDCA, a critical building component for a variety of plant-based chemistries including polymers such as polyethylene furanoate (PEF). PEF is a plant-based, recyclable, and biodegradable plastic with higher performance attributes as compared to today’s commonly used hydrocarbon product packaging.
To contracts signed with specialised pharmaceutical company Toyobo (Japan), specialty polyamide film producer Terphane (US), soft drink bottlers corporation Refresco (Netherlands), worldwide packaging industry provider Resilux (Belgium), and an unrevealed significant international foodservice owner, it has established a powerful eco – system of partner organizations throughout PEF production chain for the Premier Factory.
Corbion Inc. is growing and developing towards better optimisable and moving market of packaging with new patented technologies being integrated for better operability. The Corbion Purac recently devised a patented technique for producing 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) with a low environmental impact from renewable energy sources.
In a number of applicants, FDCA has the ability to replace pure terephthalic acid (PTA). FDCA, which is made from sugars by bio-fermentation, does have the alternative to transform oil-based terephthalic acids in PET as well as a range of other plastics.
By replacing terephthalic acid with FDCA, we may create PEF, a biodegradable biopolymers with such a chemical properties comparable to PET. Unlike PET, PEF may be made entirely from biomaterials, enhancing its green credentials in sensitive areas like that as packing.
