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Ricoh Group Sustainability Report 2012 70
Top Message About us Our Activities
Sustainable Environmental Management
Data
● Metal-catalyst-free polymerization of PLA at
low temperatures
Development of a technology to spur the use
of biomass resources
In cooperation with Shizuoka University, in 2012 Ricoh succeeded
in developing a new technology that enables the polymerization1 of
polylactic acid (PLA) at low temperatures without the use of a metal
catalyst. Through the use of this technology, PLA, an attention-grabbing
bio-plastic compound made from biomass (i.e., plant)-based materials,
can be produced using hyperbaric CO2 or supercritical2 carbon dioxide,
and organic molecule catalysts. As it does not require the use of organic
solvents or metal catalysts, this technology allows the production of PLA
in a safe, high-quality, and low-cost manner.
Under traditional methods, which take several hours to complete,
the polymerization process requires a tin-based catalyst and involves
high temperatures (about 200 ˚C ). The new technology, however, has
eliminated the need for metal catalysts, achieved polymerization at a low
temperature (lower than 100 ˚C), and has even succeeded in allowing
continuous polymerization.
As its applications are not only limited to image equipment but to
wide areas involving the use of plastics, this new technology is expected
to spur the use of biomass resources in various fields.
1. Polymerization is a process whereby two or more small-molecule chemical compounds (whether
of the same type or different types) are bonded chemically to form a high-molecular-weight
compound.
2. “Supercritical” refers to a state where a material is held at or above its critical temperature and
pressure. It is difficult to determine the state of a supercritical material, whether gas or liquid, as
such materials can be diffused like a gas and also dissolved like a liquid.
● Biomass toner
Development of toner made from plant-based
renewable materials
Every year, more than 200,000 tons of toner is produced worldwide, with
about 80% being resin. To lessen the environmental impact of producing
toner, Ricoh has been developing a biomass1 toner, for which we adopted
a plant-based resin.
The biomass toner requires less petroleum than conventional toner,
and contributes to the prevention of petroleum depletion. Being carbon-
neutral, biomass toner works to reduce the net amount of CO2 emitted
from the combustion of used toner.
In November 2009, Ricoh released the world’s first MFP, imagio
MP 6001GP, featuring biomass toner, the “for E toner,” with a biomass
content2 of 25%.
The development of this new biomass toner involved the creation
of a new plant-based resin, since unlike conventional plant-based resins
used for molding, the resin used for toners needs to have excellent
chargeability and fluidity as well as low-temperature fixing and heat
resistance at the same time.
1. Biomass resources are organic resources that are biologically reproducible, excluding
fossil resources.
2. Ricoh utilizes the biomass content in percentages to indicate how much biomass is contained in
the parts.
Polylactic acid produced under this new technology
Use of renewable resources
Biomass toner
Petroleum
resources
Biomass resources
like plants
Recycling
Combustion
(Thermal recycling)
Combustion
(Thermal recycling)
Recycled
paper
CO2
Just buried
or burned
Toner collected
by de-inking
(Industrial
waste)
Photo synthesis
H20t$02
CO
2
absorbed
Only paper is recycled
Promoting “resource-recirculating eco packaging” www.ricoh.com/environment/product/resource/03_01.html
Reducing Production-Related Packaging www.ricoh.com/environment/office/resource/01_01.html
Auditing of waste disposal service providers www.ricoh.com/environment/office/resource/03_01.html
Resource Conservation/Recycling www.ricoh.com/environment/office/resource/index.html
www.ricoh.com/environment/product/resource/index.html
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