Most of the polypropylene feedstock in the market is fossil energy, which is a potential health hazard during production and use, and the volatile price of crude oil in the market, so the demand for bio-based polypropylene is gradually increasing.
Bio-based PP is made from bio-based propylene derived from the use of corn, biomass and vegetable oils. Bio-based polypropylene can be biaxially stretched into PP films by stretching and other means for use as a sustainable packaging material in food and other industries.
LG Chem today signed a joint research and development (JDA) agreement with Gevo, a US-based environmental fuel company, to commercialize biopropene, a bio-based plastic, by 2026. Through this partnership, LG will provide the technology to produce propylene from bioethanol and begin commercialization through joint research and development and plant construction.
LG will be the first company in the world to commercialize the technology for producing propylene from bioethanol, a product of bioethanol materials fermented from corn and sugar cane.
LG Chem explained that if bio-based propylene is developed, it will be able to provide customers with 100% bio-based products that reduce carbon emissions by more than 90% compared to existing products.
