VESTAMID® Terra - Hightech plastics from the field

DESIGNING WITH POLYMERSProven material for demanding jobs:VESTAMID ® , the high-performancepolyamide from Evonik, which is usedin gas pressure lines for pressuresbetween 10 and 20 bar (top), inoffshore oil pipelines (below left), andin the air conditioning systems of cars(below right)elements28 EVONIK SCIENCE NEWSLETTER27

Correlation between the melting temperature Tm and the carbonamide groupconcentration (ratio CO-NH 2 to CH 2 ). The bio-based PA 610 has thehighest melting point of the polyamides offered by Evonik, while the bio-basedvariants PA 1010 and PA 1012 occupy an intermediate position between thelong-chain and short-chain polyamidesTm in °CCO-NH 2 /CH 2 -ratio250200150100500PA610åPA612PA1010åPA1012åPA1212Correlation between carbonamide group concentration (ratio CO-NH 2 to CH 2 )and water absorbtion. The bio-based variants PA 1010 and PA 1012 occupyan intermediate position here, too, between the long-chain and short-chainpolyamides, while PA 610 displays the highest water-absorbing capacity after14 daysWater-absorbing capacity after 14 daysCO-NH 2 /CH 2 -ratio3.53.02.52.01.51.00.50PA610åPA612PA1010åPA1012åPA1212Even with the tensile modulus, polyamides PA 1010 and PA 1012,offered under the trade name VESTAMID ® Terra, close the gapbetween long-chain and short-chain polyamidesTensile modulus in N/mm 22,5002,0001,5001,0005000PA610åPA612PA1010åPA1012åPA12120.160.140.120.100.080.060.040.020PA120.160.140.120.100.080.060.040.020PA12PA12Here, Evonik’s objective was to bring bio-basedpolyamides to market maturity. To this end, the companyfocused its first efforts not on replacing triedand tested fossil-based products but on selectivelyexpanding the range of products and, therefore,ap plications. The result is VESTAMID ® Terra—agroup of new polyamides whose monomers arebased partly or completely on renewable raw materials.VESTAMID ® Terra comprises several variants—PA 610, PA 1010 and PA 1012—that differ in theirproperty profile and close gaps in the currentlyaccessible property profile of polyamides.New properties tappedThe bio-based PA 610 is the polycondensation prod -uct of 1,6-hexamethylene diamine and 1,10-decanedioicacid (sebacic acid). Technically, this variantoccupies a position between high-performancepolyamide 612 and the standard poly amides PA 6and PA 66. Because sebacic acid is ob tained fromcastor oil, PA 610 is based up to 62 percent on naturalresources.PA 1010 is synthesized from 1,10-decamethy -l enediamine and sebacic acid. With its propertyprofile, it closes the gap between long-chained highperformancepolyamides like PA 12 and PA 1212and the shorter-chained standard polyamides PA 6and PA 66. Because both monomers are obtainedfrom castor oil, PA 1010 is a material based up to100 percent on biological resources. Finally,PA 1012 is created from the bio-based C10-diamineand fossil dodecanedioic acid and, therefore, consistsof up to 45 percent renewable raw materials.Short transport routes for more ecologyCastor oil is obtained from the seed of the Africancastor oil plant, which belongs to the Spurge family.Castor oil plants grow primarily in India, Brazil andChina. Each year, about 550,000 metric tons of theoil is sold commercially, with Germany importingover 30,000 metric tons annually. The exampleshows that trade with biogenic raw materials is aglobal industry, in which Europe and the UnitedStates, as a rule, have to import large quantities tomeet their demand. This raises the question of howenvironmentally sound trade with renewable rawmaterials is when biomasses have to be transportedlong distances from the point of cultivation to theprocessing location, and from the processing locationto the customer.Evonik’s strategy takes this question intoaccount: Since the end of last year, the company hasproduced bio-based polyamides, in addition to theestablished products, in a plant south of Shanghai.The monomers used for production are sebacic acid28 elements28 EVONIK SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

DESIGNING WITH POLYMERS(C10 diacid), as well as the C10 diamine producedfrom sebacic acid. Sebacic acid is obtained from thecastor oil methyl ester, while C10 diamine is ob -tained from sebacic acid and additional chemicalreactions.In the plant near Shanghai, the monomers arethen polymerized and processed to molding compounds.Transporting the monomers to Germany—for further processing, for example—is unnecessary.In this way, Evonik is not only optimizing the flow ofmaterials but also producing as closely as possible tothe customer: Asia, in particular, where numerousrenewable raw materials are cultivated and harves -ted for chemical products, is a region which Evonikhas targeted for future growth.Also suited to extreme challengesThere is no shortage of suitable applications forVESTAMID ® Terra. PA 610 is highly temperatureresistantand is thus well suited for parts that mustwithstand hot conditions, such as the engine coversof cars. PA 1010 is also extremely rigid and, as afiber-reinforced variant, especially well suited tohigh-stress housings and similar applications. In contrast,PA 1012 is transparent and stands out for itshigh impact resistance. As an additive in the soles ofpremium athletic footwear, it improves absorptionand enhances elasticity. All three re presentatives ofthe VESTAMID ® Terra family are semicrystallineand, therefore, display high mechanical and chemicalstability.Bio-based polyamides can be used even forextreme applications. One polymer capable of particularlyhigh performance is VESTAMID ® HTplus—apolyphthalamide (PPA) from Evonik that permanentlyresists external temperatures over 180 °C. It is used,for example, as a charge air duct in turbochargers, andwill also be offered in a bio-based version beginningin the summer of 2009. In the Lotus Exige sports carfrom Great Britain, for example, VESTAMID ® HT plusreduced the weight of the charge air duct by halfcompared to the metal duct, and also improved theflow properties—saving fuel and minimizing CO 2emissions.Cultivation under extremeconditions is also possibleAs the development of the VESTAMID ® Terra familyproves, raw materials from the field are not onlygood for energy generation or short-lived productsbut also for high-stress high-tech plastics. However,being “bio-based” does not necessarily make somethingsustainable and eco-friendly. For example, abio-based product is not practical if the use of renew -able raw materials requires a particularly high energyTest passed with flying colors: Closeto-the-engineinstallation of a chargeair duct made of VESTAMID ® HTplus,a polyphthalamide from Evonik,in a Lotus Exige race car. Evonik willalso offer a bio-based version of thematerial beginning in summer 2009input, if damaging or toxic emissions are releasedduring the lifecycle of the plastic, or if the requiredtransport distances are long. Even when the cultivationof biomasses directly competes with food production,technical use can be questionable. In thiscase the castor oil plant receives a high score:Because of its drought resistance, it is primarily cultivatedin sites that are unsuitable for other usefulplants.Because so many factors come into play, a directcomparison of bio-based and fossil raw materials forchemical production is a complex matter. Previousstudies with VESTAMID ® Terra prove that the biovariantshave an edge on other products when it comesto greenhouse gas potential and primary energyconsumption. PA 610, for example, requires significantlylower primary energy consumption than thechemically similar fossil-based PA 6 or PA 66. For the100 percent biological PA 1010, experts anticipatean even lower greenhouse gas potential. Studies arecurrently still underway.>>>elements28 EVONIK SCIENCE NEWSLETTER 29

In general, however, a well-balanced coexistanceof fossil-based and biological raw materials appearsto be the most workable solution, because even newstreams of biomasses have to be professionallymanaged. Also, new products—whether partially orcompletely bio-based—are only really sustainablewhen they meet environmental, economic and socialcriteria to the same degree: when they show lowCO 2 emissions and resource consumption, open upsustainable markets, and not least, guarantee thecustomer high quality. VESTAMID ® Terra meets allof these criteria.Global Warming Potential* (GWP) of VESTAMID ® Terra. Recent studies show thatpolyamides based on bio-renewables outperform purely fossil-based types.If the process conditions are optimized, the values can be lowered even further.*Tentative data. Source: Evonik, PE InternationalCurrent process conditions Optimized process conditionsPolyamideVESTAMID ® Terra HS (PA 610, 62% based on bio-renewables)VESTAMID ® Terra DS (PA 1010, 100% based on bio-renewables)VESTAMID ® Terra DD (PA 1012, 100% based on bio-renewables)GWP in kg CO 2equivalent/kg material4.1 2.62.8 1.13.0 1.5Evonik producesVESTAMID ® Terraat a plant locatedsouth of ShanghaiDR. HARALD HÄGERBorn in 1968Harald Häger is the Vice President of Process andProduct Development in the Evonik High PerformancePolymers Business Line; his work focuses on C12chemistry, long-chain aliphatic polyamides, PPA, PEEK,bio-renewable materials, and lifecycle assessments.He holds a degree in chemistry from Philips Universityin Marburg (Germany). After earning his Ph.D. in 1996,Häger worked for almost two years as a PostDoc at theuniversity of Dublin (Ireland) and then joined the HighPer formance Polymers Business Line in 1998 as anR&D employee. In 2003, he transferred to the newly established Functional FilmsProject House, where he was responsible for the development of high-performancenano-composites and the corresponding processing technologies. Häger accepted hiscurrent position in 2006 after the successful completion of the project house.+49 2365 49-2351, harald.haeger@evonik.comDR. JÖRG LIMPERBorn in 1960Jörg Limper is responsible for the Lifestyle MarketSegment in Evonik’s High Performance PolymersBusiness Line. After studying agricultural sciences andearning his Ph.D. at Justus Liebig University Gießen(Germany), he started his career in 1989 at BoehringerIngelheim Vetmedica GmbH. Limper held a number ofpositions there—his last position being head of R&Dcoordination with responsibility for planning and controllingresearch projects—before moving to the FeedAdditives Business Unit of the former Degussa in 1995.Beginning in 1996 he headed Animal Nutrition at Applied Technology. In 1999 hetook charge of marketing for the feed additive amino acid DL-methionine, and in2004 he also assumed marketing responsibility for the amino acid L-lysine. Limperhas worked in his current position since 2006.+49 2365 49-9689, joerg.limper@evonik.com30 elements28 EVONIK SCIENCE NEWSLETTER