6.6. Renewable Plasticizers

Often, plasticizers account for several percent of plastics parts, which makes attractive to the replacement of fossil plasticizers by renewable ones. In specific cases such as plastisols, high levels of renewable plasticizers allow obtaining a significant renewable content. According to the SPI Bioplastics Council, plasticizers have an estimated worldwide market of 6 million tonnes.

Table 6.51

Examples of Furan Renewable Composites (According to Biocomp EU Project)

Density g/cm3Flex Modulus GPaFlex Strength MPaFiber Content %
Prepreg
GF (glass fiber)910557
NF (natural fiber)9–1012050
CF (carbon fiber)2636542
RTM (resin transfer molding)
GF920040
BMC (bulk molding compound)
GF1.7–29–1250–7010
NF1045–5510
SMC (sheet molding compound) ...

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