Evaluation of using bioplastics for lab consumables

Sammanfattning: The use of plastic has increased markedly in recent years which has led to more fossil fuels being used and more plastic in nature. This is a literature study that researches on how bio- based plastics can be used instead of plastics made from fossil fuels. The report is written in collaboration with Biotage, which is a global impact tech company that wants to use plastic parts that are made of more sustainable plastic for their products. Relevant and contemporary literature is reviewed, and several alternatives are addressed. The mechanical and physical properties of the different plastics are compared. Laboratory tests are performed on bio-based polyethylene, poly (lactic acid), bio-based polypropylene, polypropylene that contains wood fibre, recycled polypropylene and fossil-based polypropylene that is currently used by Biotage. The properties and way of manufacturing the plastics is discussed according to environmental aspects, as well as cost and recycling. This leads to the result that different plastics can be used for the different parts but plastics produced from bioethanol or biomass would be a more sustainable choice than plastic from fossil fuel.