DuPont has 50% biopolymer target

DuPont believes it can replace over 50% of its current plastics portfolio with biobased alternatives within the next 15 years.

Speaking to European Bioplastics, Lewis E. Manring, vice-president of technology for DuPont Performance Polymers said that a major campaign is underway at the company to achieve this, not all of which has been publicised.

DuPont already has a lead in this field, having launched a number of resins with biobased, renewable content, including Sorona PTT polyester, Zytel RS nylons 610 and 1010,and Hytrel RS copolyester TPE.

The company’s goal is to be able to offer renewable-content resins that are drop-in replacements for existing products, allowing customers to save the time and expense of requalification for automotive, electronics and other applications – problems facing the introduction of entirely new biobased polymers, and which have been one factor that has slowed acceptance of Sorona PTT.

“Renewable polymers have to be less expensive than equivalent petro-based resins to interest OEMs,” he added. “They certainly will not pay more for renewables, at least not in the near future, and this economic imperative has restrained appetite of some companies for developing biobased resins, but DuPont fully intends to satisfy that requirement.”