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Glossary

Turning Soy into Soy Polymers

The advent of soy polymers is nothing new. In fact, the precedent for using soy polymers was set some 60 years ago by Henry Ford who pioneered soy-based components such as plastics and fibers in his automobiles.

Soy Polymers are designed and engineered around the protein component of soybeans.
An initial separating operation breaks the soybean down into smaller component parts — the oil and hull. The remaining raw material undergoes an extraction process that isolates the soy protein in its native or globular form; and soluble, low molecular weight sugars. By controlling the pH and temperature of the protein in solution, the globular native protein uncoils into smaller units, resulting in a more uniform polymer.

The isolated protein molecule is highly reactive. It is then chemically subjected to various reactive processes to modify the protein chain and impart a variety of functional properties. These chemical processes are used to modify the functionality and optimize the properties of the soy polymer for end-use properties.