Making the Most of Renewably Sourced Polymers

DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers Technical Paper, Display Stimulate New Ideas

WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 26, 2011 – The many ways bio-based materials can enhance performance and meet consumer demand for environmentally responsible products are explored in a talk by Carol Casarino, Ph.D., global technology manager, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, at the inaugural Bioplastics "Reshaping of an Industry" Conference, Feb. 1-3 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nev. 

Dr. Carol Casarino, DuPont Global Technology Manager 

“As consumers demand more renewably sourced durable and disposable products, the number of materials available to manufacturers is growing rapidly – it’s hard to keep up,” said Casarino.  “With the market poised for double-digit growth over the next few years, opportunities to network and share information are important to developing new products that meet consumer demand.”

Casarino will present “Perspectives on Partially Bio-Based Materials,” which focuses on bio-content sources, coupling agents and compatabilizers, on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 2:30 p.m.

DuPont led the industry with the first families of high-performance renewably sourced materials to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  These materials include: DuPont™ Biomax® resins and modifiers for the packaging industry; DuPont™ Sorona® polymer for fabrics and fibers; and DuPont™ Hytrel® RS thermoplastics polyester elastomer, Zytel® RS nylon and Sorona® EP thermoplastic polymer for automotive and other consumer industries.

Giving Shape to Smarter Ideas

This broad portfolio is used in many products across multiple industries.  At the conference, DuPont 

Denso/Toyota radiator end tank with DuPont Zytel® RS
Photo Caption:  Renewably sourced DuPont™ Zytel® RS nylon is used in the Toyota Camry radiator end tank, honored with the Most Innovative Use of Plastics award in the Environment Category from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Division.

will show a Calvin Klein Golf jacket made with 100 percent Sorona® "shape memory" fabric, Toyota PRIUS floor mats made with Sorona® polymer, the award-winning Denso/Toyota radiator end-tank and Fisher wall plugs using Zytel® RS nylon.


Concepts include: 

Auto air bag door covers with DuPont Hytrel® RS
Photo Caption:  Joint development work between Takata Petri of Aschaffenburg, Germany, and DuPont has resulted in the launch of a new grade of DuPont™ Hytrel® RS, the industry’s first renewably sourced thermoplastic elastomer for use in airbag systems.

 
“The opportunity to touch, feel, explore and talk about these new materials stimulates new ideas for durable and disposable products that not only reduce environmental impact, but improve the product’s performance,” said Casarino. “Performance improvement is an important distinction for renewable materials.”

DuPont – one of the first companies to publicly establish environmental goals 20 years ago – has broadened its sustainability commitments beyond internal footprint reduction to include market-driven targets for both revenue and research and development investment. The goals are tied directly to business growth, specifically to the development of safer and environmentally improved new products for key global markets.

DuPont (www.dupont.com) is a science-based products and services company.  Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere.  Operating in more than 90 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

Also visit automotive.dupont.com and plastics.dupont.com.

Media Contact:
Carole Davies
248.583.8112
carole.a.davies@usa.dupont.com