Ethan Clarke
Most plastics are derived from natural gas, crude oil, and coal, which are fossil fuels. The process of creating plastic involves a series of transformations, including kneading, heating, melting, and cooling. This process results in objects with various shapes, sizes, and colours, with precise properties according to the processing tubes. Synthetic plastics are derived from these fossil fuels, while bioplastics or biobased plastics are made from renewable resources, such as carbohydrates, plant crops, fats, and oils.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main sources | Crude oil, natural gas, coal |
| Other sources | Silicon atom, carbon, cellulose, salt |
| Synthetic plastics sources | Crude oil, natural gas, coal |
| Bio-based plastics sources | Carbohydrates, fats, oils |
| Bioplastics sources | Renewable plant materials |
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Crude oil and natural gas
Most plastics are derived from crude oil and natural gas, which are fossil fuels. Crude oil, or petroleum, is a major source of raw material (feedstock) for making plastics. However, the specific amounts or origins of the feedstocks used in plastics manufacturing are often unknown. In the United States, for example, the majority of hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs) produced are byproducts of natural gas processing, with the rest coming from crude oil/petroleum refineries.
Natural gas is composed primarily of methane, which is separated from ethane before the latter is heated to around 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. This high temperature causes the bonds holding ethane's atoms together to weaken, resulting in "cracking" or breaking apart of the molecular bonds. The atoms then rearrange themselves, with ethane's two carbon atoms forming a double bond with each other, creating a new molecule called ethylene. This double bond makes ethylene highly reactive with other chemicals, allowing it to be strung together into long molecular chains. When multiple ethylene molecules are combined, they form polyethylene, a common plastic found in items like milk containers and medical devices.
Crude oil is also used to create petrochemical feedstocks like naphtha and other oils, which are used as feedstocks for petrochemical crackers that produce the basic building blocks for making plastics. Additionally, plastics can be converted into fuel products such as hydrogen, crude oil, diesel, and sulphur.
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Coal
Plastics are derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of thousands of compounds and needs to be processed before it can be used to make plastics. The production of plastics begins with the distillation of crude oil in an oil refinery, which separates the heavy crude oil into lighter components, called fractions. Each fraction is a mixture of hydrocarbon chains, which are chemical compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen. One of these fractions, naphtha, is a crucial compound for the production of plastics.
The combustion of coal for plastics production, including resin production and manufacturing, has been a major driver of the increasing carbon footprint of plastics. Since 1995, the carbon footprint of plastics has doubled, accounting for 4.5% of global GHG emissions in 2015. Coal-based economies have contributed significantly to the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of plastics production.
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Renewable resources
Most plastics are produced from petrochemicals, which are derived from fossil fuels such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal. However, there is a growing trend of producing plastics from renewable resources. These renewable plastics, also known as bioplastics, are made from biomass, carbohydrates, fats, oils, and renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch. An example of a bioplastic is polylactic acid (PLA), which is a biodegradable material that can degrade in certain environmental conditions.
Bioplastics have gained attention due to the finite nature of fossil fuel reserves and the rising levels of greenhouse gases caused by burning these fuels. The development of bioplastics is a growing field, with a global production capacity of 327,000 tonnes per year. However, it is important to note that bioplastics are not automatically a more sustainable alternative. They differ in the ways they break down, and they also require resources in their production.
Plastics are also being produced from waste, CO2, and other renewable raw materials. Initiatives such as the Circular Plastics Alliance in Europe aim to promote a circular economy for plastics, ensuring that manufactured plastics are processed, used, collected, and recycled, with minimal waste. Additionally, modern plastics contribute to sustainability by reducing weight in transportation, providing insulation in houses, and being used in renewable energy generation through solar panels and windmill blades.
The shift towards using renewable resources for plastic production is driven by increasing consumer demand for products derived from sustainable materials. This demand is a response to the growing awareness of the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuels and plastic pollution. The plastic industry is evolving to meet these concerns, with bioplastics and renewable sources gaining traction in the market.
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Ancient sources
The development of plastics started with natural materials that exhibited plastic properties. The word "plastic" comes from the Ancient Greek πλαστικός (plastikos), meaning "capable of being shaped or moulded", which itself comes from πλαστός (plastos), meaning "moulded" or "formed".
Early plastics were made from natural materials with intrinsic plastic properties, such as shellac and chewing gum. The next step in the evolution of plastics involved the chemical modification of natural materials such as rubber, nitrocellulose, collagen, and galalite. For instance, horn and tortoiseshell were predominant early natural plastics.
The first semi-synthetic resin was vulcanised rubber, discovered by Charles Goodyear. Casein plastics, derived from milk, were also developed during this early period. The first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, who coined the term "plastics".
Synthetic plastics are derived from crude oil, natural gas, or coal. Bioplastics, on the other hand, are made from renewable plant materials.
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Synthetic plastics
Two main processes are used to produce plastics: polymerisation and polycondensation. Both require specific catalysts. In the polymerisation of ethylene into polyethylene (PE), for example, initiators are added to start the chain reaction. Only after the formation of PE is it sent for processing by adding some chemicals (antioxidants and stabilisers). An extruder then converts the PE into strings, and grinders convert it into PE pellets. Factories melt these pellets into the final products.
The main ingredient in most plastic materials is a derivative from crude oil and natural gas. However, a growing minority of plastics are produced from renewable resources like polylactic acid. Bioplastics are made from plant crops instead of fossil fuels, creating substances that are more environmentally friendly than conventional plastics. Some researchers have genetically engineered bacteria to synthesize completely biodegradable plastics, such as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB).
The world's first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented in New York in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, who coined the term "plastics". Dozens of different types of plastics are produced today, such as polyethylene, widely used in product packaging, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), used in construction and pipes due to its strength and durability.
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Frequently asked questions
Most plastics are derived from natural gas, petroleum, and crude oil.
Plastics are made from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil through a polymerisation or polycondensation process.
Synthetic plastics are derived from crude oil, natural gas, or coal.
