Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is increasingly utilized as an alternative to petroleum-based polymers in order toreduce their impact on the environment. The monomer of PLA is mainly produced from corn, which, inaddition to its food utilization, can be also used for the production of bioethanol or biofuels. In this work thedepolymerization (chemical recycling) of PLA pellets in a batch reactor at temperatures near the meltingtemperature of solid PLA has been investigated to produce lactic acid. New experimental data are presentedand a kinetic model is provided for a first analysis. With a residence time less than 120 min, a yield of lacticacid greater than 95 % has been obtained at temperatures of 160 and 180 °C for pressure equal to water vapourpressure and a water/PLA ratio by weight equal ~10.
Lactic acid production by hydrolysis of poly(l-lactic acid) in the solid state in aqueous solutions: an experimental and kinetic study
Piemonte V;
2012-01-01
Abstract
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is increasingly utilized as an alternative to petroleum-based polymers in order toreduce their impact on the environment. The monomer of PLA is mainly produced from corn, which, inaddition to its food utilization, can be also used for the production of bioethanol or biofuels. In this work thedepolymerization (chemical recycling) of PLA pellets in a batch reactor at temperatures near the meltingtemperature of solid PLA has been investigated to produce lactic acid. New experimental data are presentedand a kinetic model is provided for a first analysis. With a residence time less than 120 min, a yield of lacticacid greater than 95 % has been obtained at temperatures of 160 and 180 °C for pressure equal to water vapourpressure and a water/PLA ratio by weight equal ~10.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
