Bio-Based Polybutylene Succinate

This book provides an overview of the entire value chain of polybutylene succinate (PBS), from the biotechnological production of raw materials to polycondensation, processing, and recycling. It is intended to serve as a reference work for users, researchers, and educators, providing approaches for implementing PBS in a wide range of applications.

Bio-based and biodegradable plastics appear to be the ideal solution for many applications, from the packaging industry to the textile sector and agriculture. The production of these materials binds carbon dioxide, and in terms of their processing and usage properties, they can largely be compared to conventional petroleum-based plastics with the appropriate research and development effort. They can also be recycled like established thermoplastics.

Due to its properties and processing characteristics, which are comparable to those of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), the most commonly used petrochemical plastics, the bioplastic PBS is significantly better suited for a wide range of applications than the previously most established bioplastic, polylactic acid (PLA). This is particularly true of its significantly higher toughness compared to PLA, which makes it possible to manufacture thin-walled products, e.g., from flat films, which can also be used at lower temperatures. Although production capacities for PBS and the types available on the market are currently limited, demand and processing requirements are increasing.