PLASTIC PRODUCTS - Plastics and Environmental Sustainability - page 166

A fully bio-based polyester beverage bottle was subsequently developed (lab
scale) by PepsiCo. Coca-Cola is also pursuing a 100% bio-based bottle. TPA
can also be derived from bio-derived intermediates 21 such as bio-xylene
or from bio-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural or furandicarboxylic acid
[FDCA] from fructose via alkoxymethyl fufural. Efforts to synthesize
bio-TPA via the muconic acid route without going via p -xylene are also
under development. 22
Another 100% bio-based alternative polyester well suited for beverage
bottles and likely to be economical compared to PET is poly(ethylene
furanoate) (PEF) (Byun and Kim, 2014). Biomass-derived saccharides (such
as sucrose) can be converted into alkoxymethyl furfural, which is oxidized
into FDCA. The FDCA can be condensed with EG to yield PEF polymer with
a higher Tg (86°C), a lower Tm (235°C), and a higher modulus compared
to PET. Its barrier properties are also reported to be superior to those of
PET. 23
4.6.2.3 PLA
The popular bio-derived plastic PLA is made from lactic acid obtained by
fermenting starch into glucose and then into lactic acid (Bordes et al., 2009;
Jem et al., 2010; Okada, 2002) (see Fig. 4.14 ) . The lactic acid as with
most bioproducts is in the l form and can be condensed into a l-lactic
acid polymer. However, if a mix of d- and l-form monomers are used, the
properties of the plastic depend strongly on the ratio of the stereoisomers