NatureWorks will be the first company in the world to offer polymer-grade and high-purity Ingeo M700 lactide in commercial quantities.
This initiative is a part of the company’s major investment in Ingeo lactide and biopolymer production facility in Blair, Nebraska.
The Ingeo M700 material can be utilized as an effective chemical intermediate for solvents, thermosets, surfactants, elastomers, coatings, adhesives, resin additives or modifiers, grafted substrates, amorphous oligomers and polymers and copolymers. It is ideal for several industrial applications.
The polymer-grade meso-lactide is a better substitute to expensive racemic lactide and L- and D-lactides, as it is cheaper and easier to process. The melting point of the Ingeo M700 meso-lactide is below 60°C, which is less compared to L- and D- lactide’s and racemic lactide’s melting point of 97°C and 130°C, respectively. The material is an anhydrous form of lactic acid, which prevents the need for water in processors.
NatureWorks’ Ingeo M700 eliminates handling of costly solid particles and the material can be processed at temperature less than 70°C. Meso-lactide is about two times more liable to ring-opening reactions, when compared to racemic lactides and L- and D- lactides. This leads to lower reaction temperatures and less catalyst usage.
NatureWorks will deliver several tons of Ingeo M700 polymer-grade lactide by early 2013. In 2012, meso-lactide samples will be offered to improve market development.