Environmentally friendly resin

Analysis of environmentally friendly resin technology

I. Material definition and classification

Chemical composition:

Environmentally friendly resins are based on renewable raw materials (such as plant extracts) or low-pollution monomers (such as low-VOC coumarone resins), and are prepared through green polymerization processes, covering bio-based resins, water-based resins and degradable resins.

Typical representatives include ‌bio-based polylactic acid (PLA), ‌water-based polyurethane‌ and ‌hydrogenated modified coumarone resins‌, and some models have passed environmental certifications such as RoHS and REACH.

Classification characteristics:

Biodegradable type: It can be decomposed into CO₂ and water in the natural environment, and the degradation cycle is ≤180 days (composting conditions).

Low VOC type: Benzene residues <100 ppm, in line with environmentally friendly coating standards such as GB 24409-2020.

II. Core environmental characteristics

Green performance:

Using plant-based raw materials (such as corn starch) instead of petroleum-derived monomers, the carbon footprint is reduced by more than 30%.

There is no heavy metal catalyst (such as tin) in the production process, and the COD value of wastewater is ≤50 mg/L, achieving clean production.

Functional compatibility:

The color number of hydrogenated modified coumarone resin is ≤5#, which is suitable for light-colored products and resistant to yellowing (ΔE＜2.0@UV aging 500h), taking into account both environmental protection and aesthetic needs.

The VOC content of water-based polyurethane resin is <50 g/L, while maintaining excellent adhesion (cross-cut test up to level 1) and wear resistance (increased by 30%).

III. Main application areas

Environmentally friendly coatings and inks:

Water-based coumarone resin is used for architectural coatings, with a drying time shortened by 30%, water immersion resistance ≥48 hours, replacing traditional solvent-based products.

UV-curable resin achieves zero solvent emissions in printing inks, and the photoinitiator efficiency is ＞95%, which is suitable for sensitive scenarios such as food packaging.

Rubber and plastic modification:

Bio-based resin is blended with natural rubber, the tensile strength of vulcanized rubber is ≥18 MPa, and the biocarbon content is ＞30%.

Degradable resins (such as PLA) are used for disposable tableware, and the heat deformation temperature is increased to 120℃, meeting the needs of high-temperature use.

High-end environmentally friendly packaging:

The oxygen permeability of nanocellulose-enhanced resin film is less than 5 cm³/(m²·day), which extends the shelf life of food and can be completely composted.

IV. Technological development trends

Preparation process innovation:

Enzyme-catalyzed polymerization: The reaction temperature is reduced to 60℃ and energy consumption is reduced by 40% by using lipase to catalyze the synthesis of polyester resin.

Supercritical CO₂ foaming: Produce microporous foaming materials with a density reduction of 50% and a closed cell rate of >90%, which is used for lightweighting of automobiles.

Recycling technology:

Chemical depolymerization and recycling of coumarone resin, with a monomer recovery rate of ≥85%, to achieve closed-loop production.

Environmentally friendly resins are driving the chemical industry to transform towards a low-carbon and sustainable direction through raw material substitution, process optimization and functional upgrading.