Overview / Routes
Polymer routes
Routes group polymers by chemistry. PLA, PHA and PEF — with their blends and copolymers — are the core focus. Drop-ins, mass-balance products and biofilled fossil polymers sit in a separate scope-review route and are never counted as new bio-based polymers. The grouping is an editorial tool, not a claim about any product.
| Route | Scope | 2026-09 | 2026-10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA, lactide copolymers & blends Aliphatic polyester · FOCUS | L/D-lactide, stereocomplex PLA (scPLA), PLA/PBAT, PLA/PHA and PLA/PBS blends, nucleation, heat resistance and impact modification. | 62 | 41 |
| PHA family & copolymers Microbial polyester · FOCUS | PHB, PHBV, P3HB4HB, PHBHHx (PHBH), mcl-PHA and blends; fermentation feedstocks including sugars, oils, wastes, CO₂ and methane. | 44 | 29 |
| PEF and furan polyesters Furanic polyester · FOCUS | FDCA/FDME + MEG; PEF copolymers and blends; also PBF, PTF and PPF. | 128 | 15 |
| Other bio-based polyesters Aliphatic/semi-aromatic polyesters | bio-PBS/PBSA, bio-content PBAT, isosorbide polyesters (PEIT), poly(alkylene furanoate) relatives, chemically recyclable lactones (for example from α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone). | 8 | 11 |
| Bio-based polyamides Polyamides | PA11 (castor), PA 5.X (cadaverine), PA410, PA610, PA1010, new bio-diamines and diacids. | 3 | 4 |
| Isosorbide & CO₂-based polycarbonates Polycarbonates | Isosorbide polycarbonate; epoxide/CO₂ ROCOP (PPC, poly(limonene carbonate)). | 5 | 2 |
| Bio-polyurethanes & NIPU Urethanes | Bio-polyols (castor, other plant oils, lignin), bio-isocyanates (for example PDI), cyclic carbonate + amine NIPU. | 12 | 29 |
| Bio-based thermosets & vitrimers Networks | Vanillin/lignin epoxies, epoxidised plant oils, itaconic and furan Diels–Alder networks, cardanol benzoxazines, dynamic covalent networks. | 14 | 18 |
| Cellulose, lignin, starch, protein & chitosan polymers Modified natural polymers | Cellulose esters, thermoplastic starch, lignin-based polymers, protein plastics, chitosan. | 24 | 18 |
| Drop-ins, mass balance & biocomposites Watch · scope review | Bio-PE/PP/PET/PA, ISCC PLUS mass balance, biofilled fossil polymers. Shown separately and labelled. | 0 | 1 |
Badges per month: checked developments machine-triaged leads.