New bio-based polymer developed from castor oil

Tokyo-based communications solutions provider Fujitsu Limited and its research subsidiary Fujitsu Laboratories Limited have developed a new polymer with a high bio-content that uses castor oil extracted from the seeds of the castor bean.
The new bio-based polymer, which has polyamide-11 (PA-11) as its principal component, can withstand repeated bending without causing the whitening that often occurs when such materials are strained, the company said.
To date, Fujitsu claims to have successfully developed a prototype of notebook PC-cover components, using the new polymer, that has a bio-content of 60 to 80 per cent.
The company also announced that it plans to continue research of bio-based polymers derived from castor oil and to consider using such polymers in small components for notebook PCs and mobile phones by 2008.
“The urgent call for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in recent years has raised interest in the use of bio-based polymers, which place a lower burden on the environment, as an alternative to conventional plastics made from petroleum, a limited natural resource,” the company said in a statement.