History
NatureWorks began in 1989 as a Cargill research project looking for innovative uses of carbohydrates from plants as feedstock for more sustainable plastics.
NatureWorks is now a world-leading biopolymers supplier and innovator with its Ingeo portfolio of naturally advanced materials made from renewable, abundant feedstocks with performance and economics that compete with oil-based intermediates, plastics, and fibers. These materials also provide brand owners new cradle-to-cradle options after the use of their products.
NatureWorks is jointly owned by Thailand’s largest chemical producer, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill, which provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world.
Ingeo
Natureworks converts greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into polymers and PLA.
- Collect greenhouse gases through corn, sugar cane. In the future this proces may be done through microorganisms.
- Starch / gludocs is extracted from the plants. Enzymes are added to converts glucose to dextrose. Microorganisms will ferment dextrose into lactic acid.
- Lactic acide is then converted into lactide
- Lactide is polymerized into PLA.
Ingeo Products
- Extrusion & Thermoforming
- Injection Molding
- Films & Cards
- Fibers & Nonwovens
- Blow molding
- Foam
- 3D printing
INTERNAL LINKS
EXTERNAL LINKS