INNOREX

"Continuous, highly precise, metal-free polymerisation of PLA using alternative energies for reactive extrusion"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The demand for biobased polymers is growing fast. According to the current state of the art, metal-containing catalysts are needed to improve the polymerisation rate of lactones, posing a hazard to health and the environment. InnoREX will develop a novel reactor concept using alternative energies for the continuous, highly precise, metal-free polymerisation of PLA. In InnoREX, metal-containing catalysts will be replaced by organic catalysts. These have been shown to efficiently control the polymerisation of lactide, but their activity must still be improved to meet industrial standards. This will be achieved by the low-intensity but highly-targeted application of alternative energies (microwaves, ultrasound, laser light). These energies increase catalyst activity and enable precise control of the reaction by exciting only small parts of the reaction mixture without response time. To ensure short market entry times commercially well-established co-rotating twin screw extruders will be used as reaction vessels. The reason commercial polymerisations are not yet carried out in twin screw extruders is the short residence time and the static energy input of the extruder, which allows no dynamic control of the reaction. Again, these obstacles will be overcome in InnoREX. The project will utilise the rapid response time of microwaves, ultrasound and laser light to achieve a precisely-controlled and efficient continuous polymerisation of high molecular weight PLA in a twin screw extruder. Additionally, significant energy savings will be achieved by combining polymerisation, compounding and shaping in one production step. For a deepened scientific and engineering understanding of the reaction, the effect of the alternative energies on the reaction kinetics and the potential applications for alternative energies in reactive extrusion, offline chemical and polymer analytics and online characterisation and simulation of the process within the reactor will be carried out.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

The demand for biopolymers is increasing tremendously. Scientists are developing process technology to facilitate the use of organic catalysts to speed reaction and yield as an alternative to hazardous metal-containing ones with higher activity.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Polymers, often referred to as plastics, have become ubiquitous. They have improved the properties or costs associated with products from consumer electronics to aircraft to energy devices. Organic catalysts, while controlling polymerisation of biopolymers, do not have the activity required for industrial production.

Scientists working on the EU-funded project http://www.innorex.eu/ (INNOREX) are enhancing activity with the innovative use of alternative energies in efficient reactive extrusion. In addition, the team is developing the necessary quality control system to determine in real time whether or not a reaction has occurred.

Reactive extrusion is a continuous method in which raw materials are fed into a twin-screw extruder-reactor in the appropriate ratios for the synthesis reaction. The reaction takes place as the screw turns. Reactive extrusion promises better efficiency in terms of use of raw materials, reagents and energy. Low volumes with short residency times in the extruder can enable faster production of higher yields.

The low reactivity of organic catalysts for polylactic acid (PLA) synthesis has prohibited the use of reactive extrusion. Scientists are employing low-intensity, highly targeted alternative energies (microwave and ultrasound) to increase reactivity and reaction rate during the limited residence time of reactants in the twin-screw extruder.

An innovative microwave approach concentrating energy into the reactants with minimal energy in the metal parts is making it possible to use microwave energy with a steel-built extruder. Scientists have now developed the first suitable modules for the commercial simulation software Ludovic (specifically for twin-screw extrusion) that incorporate microwave input during extrusion.

Ultrasound as an additional energy source was shown to increase conversion rates even further. Finally, changes in high-quality near-infrared (NIR) spectra have been correlated with the chemical formation of PLA in a manner that enables decisions within seconds about the success or failure of PLA formation.

The updated simulation tool will facilitate more rapid up-scaling and transfer of the processes with reduced effort. NIR technology will provide data for the simulation software while enabling a tailored production strategy to meet market needs. Overall, INNOREX innovation will speed the use of organic catalysts to produce eco-friendly biopolymers using previously inaccessible reactive extrusion.