Rethinking Polyester Polyurethanes: Algae Based Renewable, Sustainable, Biodegradable and Recyclable Materials explains how and why bio-based materials, specifically algae, will change the polymer industry. The book provides background on algae, polyurethanes (PUs), and their everyday use. It covers the biology and chemistry behind how and why these materials are engineered to be both biodegradable and, through the process of depolymerization, fully recyclable. Chapters cover Re-evaluating the Sources, Redefining the Analytics, Reformulating Polyester Polyurethanes, and The Future. The latter part of the book describes the landscape of bio-based materials, the eco-consumer, and insights into the industry problem of “greenwashing.”

This book is a valuable resource for industry professionals who use polyurethanes in the supply chain for manufactured products, those in sales and marketing or regulatory roles who wish to better understand the unique advantages of bio-based materials, and researchers studying R&D of biobased polyurethanes or remediation of microplastics pollution on land and in bodies of fresh and saltwater worldwide.

• Builds on the foundation of sustainable, renewable, biodegradable, recyclable microplastics, with lifecycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, and the green premium
• Clarifies the true economics—if we were to go back to initial development of the plastics industry, what would we do differently?
• Covers the basic science—the knowledge required to effectively communicate the use of materials that are on first examination more expensive, but on closer examination less expensive when environmental consequences are factored