Chloe Zhang
Petroleum-based polymers have been produced and used on a large scale for many years due to their attractive properties, such as lightweight, cheap, and easy to process, or having high strength and stiffness. Synthetic polymers like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), nylon, polyester (PS), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are derived from petroleum hydrocarbons. The majority of plastic in use today is derived from the extraction of raw materials, largely crude oil and natural gas, which are then refined and transformed into useful chemicals, including monomers, the basic building blocks of polymers. Petroleum is decomposed into various petroleum products, including naphtha, which is the crucial compound to make a large amount of plastic. However, bioplastics, or plastics made with biological-based ingredients, are being developed as sustainable replacements for single-use plastics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is petroleum an ingredient in plastics? | Yes, petroleum is an ingredient in plastics. |
| Why is petroleum used in plastics? | Petroleum-based polymers are lightweight, cheap, easy to process, and have high strength and stiffness. |
| How is petroleum used in plastics? | Petroleum is decomposed into petroleum gas, gasoline, paraffin (kerosene), naphtha, light oil, and heavy oil. Naphtha is a crucial compound in making plastics and is further decomposed to form ethylene and propylene, which are raw materials for plastics. |
| Are there alternatives to using petroleum in plastics? | Yes, bioplastics are being developed as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Bioplastics are made from biological materials that can degrade quickly, do not rely on fossil fuels, and have a smaller carbon footprint. |
| What are the environmental impacts of using petroleum in plastics? | Petroleum-based plastics have three significant impacts on the environment: they use fossil fuels, have a large carbon footprint, and stay in the environment for hundreds of years as they are not biodegradable. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic's environmental impact
Plastics are derived from petroleum hydrocarbons. The environmental impact of plastics is a growing concern for many nations. Plastic pollution has become ubiquitous in natural and built environments, and its impact on human health and nature is an area of active research. Plastic pollution is persistent and may take between 100 to 1,000 years or more to decompose, depending on environmental conditions.
Plastics can fragment into smaller pieces, known as microplastics, which are found in every ecosystem on the planet, from the Antarctic tundra to tropical coral reefs. These microplastics can further break down into nanoplastics, which are plastic particles smaller than one micrometer. The presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in ecosystems poses a threat to marine species, which are at higher risk of ingesting plastic, suffocating, or becoming entangled. Research indicates that more than 1,500 species in marine and terrestrial environments are known to ingest plastics.
The environmental impact of plastics extends beyond pollution. Plastic production contributes to climate change, with annual emissions related to plastic production in the EU amounting to around 13.4 million tonnes of CO2, or about 20% of the chemicals industry's emissions. The durability of plastics means that discarded items remain in the environment for generations, leading to littering, leaching of toxic components, and the contamination of ecosystems and the food chain. Land-based sources account for 80% of marine litter, and approximately 85% of this is plastic.
The social, economic, and health risks associated with plastic pollution are also significant. Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate change and directly affecting millions of people's livelihoods, food production capabilities, and social well-being. The transition to a circular economy and the development of bio-based polymers are potential solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of plastics. Bio-based polymers have the advantage of being made from renewable and readily available materials, potentially producing more biodegradable materials, and having low toxicity.
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The creation of bioplastics
In 1862, Parkesine, the first man-made plastic made from cellulose, was created by Alexander Parkes in the UK. This was followed by the invention of Galalith, a biodegradable plastic made from casein (milk), by German chemists in 1897. However, these early bioplastics had limited commercial success due to issues with moulding and the scarcity of milk.
The first bioplastics company, Marlborough Biopolymers, was created in 1979 by Imperial Chemical Industries (UK) and a local venture capital firm (Marlborough Teeside Management). Their product, Biopol, was made by bacteria and could be processed into various forms, including strips, filaments, and powders.
Bioplastics are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as straw, woodchips, sawdust, food waste, and starch. They offer advantages over petroleum-based plastics, including reduced use of fossil fuels, a lower carbon footprint, faster decomposition, and reduced toxicity. However, not all bioplastics are environmentally friendly, and some processes can result in a higher carbon footprint than fossil-based plastics.
While bioplastics have the potential to address plastic pollution, they currently represent only a small portion of the global plastics output. As of 2018, bioplastics accounted for approximately 2% of global plastics output. However, with continued research, investment, and scrutiny of fossil-based plastics, bioplastics are gaining more prominence in certain markets.
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The use of petroleum feedstocks
Petroleum is a significant source of naphtha, a key compound in plastic production. Through thermal decomposition, naphtha is further separated into ethylene and propylene, which are essential raw materials for plastics. This process involves utilizing differences in boiling points to create the desired compounds. However, these gases and liquids often require additional processing before they can be used in plastic manufacturing.
The refining process plays a critical role in converting crude oil into useful petroleum products. During this process, crude oil is heated and sent to a distillation unit, where it separates into lighter fractions, including naphtha. This step is vital for obtaining the monomers, which are the fundamental building blocks of polymers.
The polymers derived from petroleum, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), nylon, polyester (PS), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), exhibit highly desirable properties. They are known for their strength, flexibility, resistivity, and chemical inertness. These attributes make them versatile and suitable for a wide range of applications. However, the non-biodegradability of conventional polymers poses a serious environmental concern, contributing to pollution and climate change.
To address these issues, there is a growing focus on developing bio-based polymers derived from renewable and inexpensive materials. These bio-based alternatives offer advantages such as biodegradability, reduced environmental impact, and the potential to obtain properties not currently available in commercial petroleum-based products. The transition towards bio-based polymers is particularly advantageous given the uncertainty of the oil market and the need for renewable starting materials.
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The refining process
To begin, the thick, black crude oil is extracted from underground reserves using drills and pumps. The extracted oil is then transported through pipelines to refineries, where it undergoes heating in a furnace at temperatures ranging from 600 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit. This heating process is a critical aspect of the refining stage, as it prepares the crude oil for the subsequent distillation step.
During distillation, the heated oil separates into lighter components known as fractions. These fractions differ in weight and state, ranging from gases and intermediate weight liquids to heavier liquids and solids. Each fraction contains hydrocarbons, with smaller molecules towards the top and longer molecules towards the bottom of the distillation tower. Among these fractions, naphtha stands out as a crucial compound for plastic manufacturing.
Following distillation, the long-chain hydrocarbons obtained are further converted into simpler hydrocarbons through a process called ""cracking." This process employs high temperatures and pressures to break down the complex hydrocarbon chains. There are two primary methods of cracking: steam cracking and catalytic cracking. Steam cracking relies solely on high temperatures and pressures, while catalytic cracking introduces a catalyst to facilitate the process at lower temperatures and pressures.
The final stage in the refining process is polymerisation, where simple molecules like ethylene and propylene are chemically bonded to form long molecular chains called polymers. These polymers are the foundation of plastic products. By blending different materials with these polymers, manufacturers can create a diverse range of plastics with varying properties.
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Plastic's chemical composition
Plastic is a synthetic or semisynthetic material composed primarily of polymers. Plastics are usually classified by the chemical structure of the polymer's backbone and side chains. They can also be classified by the chemical processes used in their synthesis, such as condensation, polyaddition, and cross-linking. The properties of plastics depend on the chemical composition of the subunits, the arrangement of these subunits, and the processing method.
Plastics are defined by their characteristic property of plasticity, which allows them to be moulded, extruded, or pressed into a range of solid forms. This adaptability, combined with a wide range of other desirable properties, has led to their widespread use around the world. These properties include low weight, durability, flexibility, chemical resistance, low toxicity, and low-cost production.
Most plastics are produced from natural gas and petroleum, but a growing minority are produced from renewable resources like polylactic acid. Petroleum is decomposed into petroleum gas, gasoline, paraffin (kerosene), naphtha, light oil, and heavy oil. The long-chain hydrocarbons obtained from this process are then converted into simpler hydrocarbons, which can be used to prepare a wide range of products, including plastics.
The monomers used to create plastics are mostly derived from fossil hydrocarbons, which has accelerated climate change. The development of novel bio-based polymers from renewable materials has the potential to positively impact the economy, environment, and energy matrix. Bio-based polymers have the advantage of being more readily available, biodegradable, and having properties not currently available in commercial petroleum-based products.
Plastics can be divided into two categories based on their chemical composition: those made up of polymers with only aliphatic (linear) carbon atoms in their backbone chains, and those made up of heterochain polymers, which contain atoms such as oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur in addition to carbon. Examples of plastics in the first category include polypropylene, while polycarbonate is an example of a heterochain polymer.
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Frequently asked questions
No, not all plastics are made from petroleum. While most plastics are derived from petroleum, bioplastics are made from biological materials and do not rely on fossil fuels.
Bioplastics are made from biological materials such as bacteria, soybeans, and agricultural waste.
Bioplastics are more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based plastics because they are biodegradable, have a smaller carbon footprint, and do not rely on fossil fuels. Petroleum-based plastics can take hundreds of years to degrade, contributing to pollution and climate change.
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