Photo by Mila Zinkova. Although many resinous plants are not native to North America, some have established themselves here and are even considered weeds. Colophony is a solid resin prepared by distilling off the volatile oil from the oleoresin obtained from various species of Pinus (Family Pinaceae). Turpentine was also used for astringents, stimulants, diuretics and laxatives, as well as a flea repellant. EcoPoxy (Providence, R.I.) joined the composites market in 2009 and makes a line of epoxies, hardeners, topcoats and adhesives with a soy-based feedstock. Oven-cured, vacuum-bagged prepregs show promise in production primary structures. As the bow is used, the rosin heats up and develops some stickiness, providing better notes. Prices of all volume commodity resins heading into April were expected to be mainly flat and in some cases lower. Amber is fossilized plant resin. Both the Maya and the Aztec used resin from the copal tree as incense. Tar water, resin steeped in water, used to be recommended by doctors for illnesses such as smallpox, ulcers and syphilis. The most well known and highly used amber comes from conifers, mostly pines; however, these same trees are not in existence today. In 2011, farmers planted 92.3 million acres of corn and 75 million acres of soybeans. High hurdles remain, but the push for sustainable sources of resin monomers is gaining momentum. Photo by Teresa Prendusi. It is commonly used for wood finishing and other crafts to provide protection and a glossy finish. For now. The resins are designed for sheet molding compound (SMC), bulk molding compound (BMC), pultrusion and cast-polymer applications. Before chicle was harvested for chewing gum, spruce resin was used for chewing. Native Americans used resin from red cedar and juniper to treat colds and rheumatism. Photo courtesy Smithsonian Institution. Amber is used for scientific research but it is used more widely for jewelry and art. Resin was also used to make turpentine and rosin. The best known amber deposit is from the Baltic Sea in north-central and Eastern Europe. Many cultures valued amber as religiously significant, due to its warm tones and ability to preserve life such as insects and plant parts. As sources of resin disappeared along the east coast, manufacturers looked elsewhere in America for resin sources. At one point, the southern United States was the world’s supplier of resin. of resins from various plant sources and beeswax. Like the mideastern resins, frankincense and myrrh, elephant tree resin was also used for incense by native Americans and early settlers. Specific components are alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, delta-3 carene, and sabinene, the monocyclic terpenes limonene and terpinolene, and smaller amounts of the tricyclic sesquiterpenes, longifolene, caryophyllene, and delta-cadinene. Location also affects the wastewater treatment requirements and other regulations. Carnivorous plants such as the spoon-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia) use mucilage to trap insects. Today, lacquer is a mixture of resin and quick-drying solvents; although in the United States, the name is used for a synthetic product. Once it hardened on the tree, it was ready to chew. Since the pine forests of the Southern United States were exhausted, and resin collection by tapping trees was getting too expensive, manufacturers started using mechanical means of refining wood by-products to collect resin. Tabonuco (Dacroydes excelsa). RESINS 2. Rosin was used for abscesses, boils, and cancer. The British Empire used resin for its navy, originally buying it from the Baltic region. So promising is the process that ADM opened a new facility in April of this year in Decatur, Ill., to produce 100,000 metric tonnes (more than 22 million lb) of PG each year. Further, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently listed styrene as a possible human carcinogen, a decision that, if not rescinded, is likely to force suppliers to seek a short-term alternative. Many higher plants produce economically important organic compounds such as oils, resins, tannins, natural rubber, gums, waxes, dyes, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. Varnish is plant resin combined with a solvent and drying oil (also derived from plants) to make it easier to apply to surfaces. The location of the plant and the raw water source will determine the raw water quality and its variability. The trick so far has been to cost-effectively convert corn and soybean products into the monomers required to build a resin. With an aim to locally produce epoxy resins and expand its production capacity in the region, Sika has commissioned a new manufacturing plant in Dubai. Most plant resins are composed of terpenes. Incense was used in Egypt, Greece, Italy, China, India, and other places. Although ADM earns kudos for its PG manufacturing process, it must be noted that the recipe for UPR also calls for several acids and anhydrides, as well as the much-debated styrene, all of which are still produced from petrochemical feedstocks. Specifically, ADM developed a process that converts soybeans into glycerol and corn into sorbitol/dextrose. INTRODUCTION Definition: Solid or semisolid, amorphous products derived from living natural sources and most are plants products, with the exception of shellac, an insect secretion. Out-of-autoclave prepregs: Hype or revolution? But McAlvin also believes that cost is the only factor that prevents wider use. Bob Moffitt, senior product manager at Ashland, says that each product in the Envirez line has been developed as a drop-in replacement for an all-petrochemical UPR and offers comparable mechanical properties in the finished part. Corn (above) and soybeans (see next photo) are the most common crops in the U.S. and provide feedstocks for some monomers used to manufacture unsaturated polyester, replacing monomers traditionally derived from petrochemicals. The endangered Puerto Rican parrot feeds on tabonuco seeds and the tree is rarely cut today. All of this is important because PG, which historically has been derived only from petrochemical sources, is a major ingredient of unsaturated polyester resin (UPR). Many sources of resin According to the USDA Forest Ser­vice, a wide variety of plants produce resin. However, most species of higher plants have never been described, much less surveyed for chemical or biologically active constituents, and new sources of commercially valuable materials … This is the point, however, where the technological hurdle comes in. A variety of CIPP products are enabling the rehabilitation, rather than excavation and replacement, of underground pipe for wastewater and drinking water. Incense was a valuable commodity. Humans have used resins and amber for thousands of years. Resin formation occurs as a result of injury to the bark from wind, fire, lightning, or other cause. The smooth pale bark of tabonuco exudes a white resin that was used medicinally by early settlers and for making candles and incense. Vincent Corsi, president, says the company is “trying to make folks aware of our product and its capabilities.” He says the UV-stable, odorless, no-VOC formula can be filament wound, is suitable for tooling use and has mechanical properties “in range with commonly used epoxies.” The company, Corsi says, is working on a high-temperature version and already has placed some product in marine applications. Asafoetida is the dried aromatic gum-resin exuded from the living rhizome, rootstock or taproot of varied plant species of genus Ferula. Praesto AC is an example of a purpose-designed resin, specified and evaluated … “The general public, or the end-user, desires to have a green product, or what they perceive as a green product,” he says, “but, it’s rare that they are actually willing to pay for it.” Nonetheless, McAlvin reports that AOC has sold more than 20 million lb (9,070 metric tonnes) of EcoTek resin. Some resins also contain a high proportion of resin acids. Ion Exchange resins are well suited for removal of these impurities for the following reasons: 1. Resins 1. “There are no high-performance, plant-based monomers that can take the place of petrochemical-based styrene,” notes McAlvin. Resins can occur as part of these other compounds, such as latex. In the thermoset bio-resins market today, two drivers push expansion, but two hurdles restrain faster growth. Table 1: Ethylene glycol and 1,3-propanediol from bio-sources are now available in production amounts, but other chemicals for UPR manufacture, from bio-sources, are still in development. Traditionally, incense was derived from plant resins, commonly from frankincense and myrrh trees. Since then, the line has expanded to cover almost all manufacturing processes and end-markets, including construction, energy, automotive and solid surface. Collection of pine resin for distallation to turpentine ("cup and gutter system"). Derived from phenolic acids found in plant sources, biorenewable epoxy resins, [patent pending] are naturally non-toxic. Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service. Not all these sappy liquids are resins however. Most natural resins are exuded from trees, especially pines and firs. As you can imagine, it tasted like resin, which is said to be pleasing. Tree resin is the hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, generally of coniferous trees like cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, pines, hemlocks etc. Polyester resinsare formed from the reaction of dibasic organic acids and polyhydric alcohols. Henderson also cites the LEED program as a significant driver in this market, but he also points to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred program, which promotes increased use of bio-based products. Resin in hops (Humulus lupulus var. Scientists can extract the DNA of organisms preserved in amber and recreate parts of their DNA strands. Campion Boats was among the first manufacturers to commit to use of bio-resins when it decided to use Ashland Performance Materials’ (Columbus, Ohio) Envirez unsaturated polyester in all new-boat construction. The sources of some amber deposits have been clearly identified (Table 1). Because of the demand and use of pines for resin, the first conservation legislation in America was passed in Massachusetts, requiring permits to cut or de-bark pines. Tabonuco (Dacroydes excelsa) is a regal rainforest tree found in El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. Latex can contain resin, making the plant a resinous plant. The resin produced by most plants is a viscous liquid, composed mainly of terpenes, with lesser components of dissolved non-volatile solids, which make resin thick and sticky. They can grow to 100 feet tall with a diameter exceeding 40 inches. The goal, of course, is to develop bio-based sources for all the chemicals in the resin at production volumes and at prices that are competitive with petrochemical-based sources. Frankincense, also known as Olibanum, is an old-known oleogum resin obtained from the bark of trees belonging to the genera Boswellia. Unsaturated polyester in this solid-surface sink is from AOC’s EcoTek line of bio-resins. CLASSIFICATION Based on occurrence, it is classified into five types. 1400 Independence Ave., SW Plants produce many compounds that can be confused with resins. Rosin was discarded as a waste product until after the Civil War. Resins for the Hot Zone, Part I: Polyimides. Balsam, cedar, and fir needle incense. These magnificent native giants are the dominant large tree species that formerly covered all the lower and middle slopes of the mountains of Puerto Rico. Corn and soybeans are appealing primarily because they are available in abundance. Photo by Sarah Malaby. The most problematic monomer, however, appears to be the common diluent styrene, a key component in thermoset crosslinking. The bio-based content in the Envirez line ranges from 8 to 22 percent, depending on the application and intended manufacturing process. Different amber sources have been dated from 40,000 years ago to 310 million years ago. Amber was worn to ward off evil, including disease, since prehistoric times. Resins are most stable and can be readily regenerated. He admits, however, that, in general, the company’s bio-based monomers make Envirez resins more expensive than their all-petrochemical cousins. Local names: Hing, Asafetida, Ingo, Inguva Plant Sources: Ferula asafoetida and allied species (Ferula foetida and Ferula narthex). Like Ashland’s Envirez, EcoTek is designed as a drop-in replacement for traditional UPRs and offers comparable mechanicals. AOC’s McAlvin agrees that the LEED program, via the construction market, is a major driver for the use of bio-resins. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). “Looking ahead, more acid streams based on bio-sources will be developed soon,” contends Ashland’s Moffitt. One is the need for technology to produce plant-based bio-chemicals for the remaining resin monomers; the other is the hardest to overcome: cost. They are used for construction, laminate, auto-repair of fillers, skis, fishing rods, plane and ship components, coatings, decorative accessories, and bottles. AOC uses renewable PG but also has experimented with other bio-based monomers, including ethanol and 1,3-propanediol. Rosins on the other hand are less volatile and consist, inter alia, of diterpenes. Resin is used for skateboards to prevent cracking, chipping, and breakage. The individual components of resin can be separated by fractional distillation. It is logically ordered, highly technical, comprehensive in is coverage and well illustrated. Resins are stable over a wide range of temperatures. 1 Conifer trees are famous for it, including various species of cedar, fir, juniper, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, and yew. The procedures described below first describe how to collect resins from plants and individual bees, and then 3. Although most bio-resin activity focuses on UPR, there is one manufacturer that has developed a bio-based epoxy. Color, smell and texture vary according to propolis types and plant sources. Many Sources of Resin According to the USDA Forest Service, a wide variety of plants produce resin. Source: AOC LLC. Indeed, resin feedstock derived from plants, just a novelty a few years ago when CT last explored this market, is now a full-fledged product line, and one that is apparently here to stay. These compounds include: Resins can occur as part of these other compounds, such as latex. In these cases the source plants are preserved either in the amber, or as plant remains containing amber, and chemical analyses of the fossil resins often reinforce the relationships. Buy Dictionary of Indian Plant Gums, Resins, Dyes and Related Products (9788190135221): Chemistry, Botany and Utilization: NHBS - MIH Farooqi, Sidrah Publishers. A thorough study of the evolution of resin-producing plants forms the solid botanical foundation of this work. Technology. What do you see? Trees of the Dipterocarpaceae produce a resin called dammar in commerce. Ship builders have used the liquid form of resin for thousands of years. AOC’s UPRs range from 10 to 30 percent bio-content and are formulated for casting, cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), closed molding and open mold laminating. This means that a UPR with bio-based PG still relies on oil for its other ingredients and, thus, is only green-ish. 4. The move is expected to increase flexibility in production, shorten delivery times, optimise cost structures, and reduce inventories. Amber has been known to preserve insects and other small organisms that were imbedded in the resin before it hardened. 4. Turpentine was traditionally used in paints, but is now used in the chemical industry as a base to produce solvents, cleaners, fragrances, dry cleaning, and insecticides. The importance of commercial resins are obtained from Pinaceae (rosin, amber), Leguminosae (copal) and Dipterocarpaceae (dammar) families. Trade routes began from the southern coast of Arabia to the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia regions, beginning c. 1000 BCE and ending shortly before 500 CE. Other cultures used it to bargain for metal and necessities. Further, they have a more favorable lifecycle profile than petrochemical-based materials. It is often considered a gemstone although it is not a mineral. Resins are produced in special resin cells in plants, and are also produced when an injury occurs to the plant. Propolis is a product from honey bee hives, containing chiefly beeswax and a resin obtained from diverse plant sources, such as apical buds, young leaves and exudates. resins like Protein A, the cost/cycle or cost/g product looks prohibitive when the resin is used for only a few cycles in clinicals production, instead of the 100s of cycles it is designed for. Amber can be many colors, including green, gold, brown, red, black, and even bluish. Bees from our apiary discriminately foraged for resin from eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), and balsam poplar (P. balsamifera) among many available, even closely related, resinous plants. Propolis is a product from honey bee hives, containing chiefly beeswax and a resin obtained from diverse plant sources, such as apical buds, young leaves and exudates. “Nothing performs as well as PG,” McAlvin notes, “so we don’t have much motivation to use other bio-derived diols.