Ingeo is

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...

ed brand name for a range of polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers owned by NatureWorks. The process to create Ingeo uses the

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon mak ...

stored in plants by

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

in the form of dextrose sugar. The carbon and other elements in these sugars are then used to make a biopolymer through a process of fermentation and separation. The resulting resin can then be

injection molded Injection moulding (U.S. spelling: injection molding) is a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting molten material into a mould, or mold. Injection moulding can be performed with a host of materials mainly including metals (for ...

into plastics goods, extruded for film applications, thermoformed into packaging, or extruded for use in textiles applications. PLA is more resistant to

ultraviolet light Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nanometer, nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 Hertz, PHz) to 400 nm (750 Hertz, THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than ...

than most other synthetics such as low density polyethylene (LDPE). It has relatively low flammability and smoke generation. Because it is more

hydrophobic In chemistry, hydrophobicity is the physical property of a molecule that is seemingly repelled from a mass of water (known as a hydrophobe). In contrast, hydrophiles are attracted to water. Hydrophobic molecules tend to be nonpolar and, t ...

than common polyester fibers, when blended with

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

and

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. ...

, the biopolymer results in lighter garments that repel moisture. The biopolymer is also used in packaging manufacturing, including bottles for mineral water, that can be found already on the market (e.g. in Italy). Applications can be clear, opaque, flexible, or rigid. The biopolymer is similar to polystyrene, and exhibits

tensile strength Ultimate tensile strength (UTS), often shortened to tensile strength (TS), ultimate strength, or F_\text within equations, is the maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking. In brittle materials t ...

and modulus comparable to hydrocarbon-based

thermoplastic A thermoplastic, or thermosoft plastic, is any plastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidifies upon cooling. Most thermoplastics have a high molecular weight. The polymer chains associate ...

s. Much like polyester, it resists grease and oil, and offers flavor and odor barrier. Ingeo provides heat sealability at temperatures equivalent to polyolefin sealant resins. Resinex Group distributes Ingeo in Europe.NatureWorks LLC partners with the RESINEX group to guarantee a new integrated logistics and distribution system for Ingeo resin in Europe
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References

{{Fibers Synthetic fibers

See also

References