company news about Plant-derived (bio-based) photoinitiators: a "gimmick" or a "real breakthrough"

Plant-derived (bio-based) photoinitiators: a "gimmick" or a "real breakthrough"

  In recent years, the EU's ban on traditional petroleum-based photoinitiators (such as TPO and ITX) has accelerated the industry's shift to bio-based alternatives, with market demand for plant-based photoinitiators growing at an annual rate of 15-20%. Innovative technologies such as curcumin-gold nanocomposites and sulfonated lignin have achieved monomer conversion rates of 85-92%, with some performance levels approaching those of traditional systems. They also offer advantages in biocompatibility (40% reduction in cytotoxicity) and environmental friendliness (30-50% reduction in carbon footprint). However, their industrialization remains limited by curing efficiency (2-3 times slower than traditional systems), raw material stability (lot-to-lot variability in lignin leads to 23% certification failures for medical materials), and cost (US$45-60/kg, 2-3 times that of synthetic counterparts).Currently, plant-derived photoinitiators have been commercialized in sub-sectors such as food packaging UV inks and biomedical 3D printing, but large-scale substitution requires breaking through technical bottlenecks such as enzyme-catalyzed synthesis and AI raw material sorting, and resolving land use conflicts with food crops.

  Overall, this technology is an important path toward sustainable materials, but its current limitations require a rational view. Over the next 5-10 years, it will serve as a supplementary solution rather than a complete replacement. Photoinitiators (PIs) are core components of photocuring systems. After absorbing light energy of a specific wavelength, they produce reactive species such as free radicals or ions, initiating polymerization reactions of monomers or prepolymers. However, traditional synthetic photoinitiators, such as benzil or amine compounds, often suffer from high toxicity, poor water solubility, and insufficient biocompatibility. These deficiencies not only limit their application in food packaging, medical devices, and biomaterials, but also raise concerns about environmental pollution and health safety.

  Plant-based photoinitiators are primarily extracted or derived from plants, such as flavonoids, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and curcumin. These substances not only exhibit excellent photosensitizing activity but are also biocompatible and renewable. Plant-based photoinitiators perform particularly well under visible light, reducing the harmful effects of UV radiation on humans and the environment. Since 2024, numerous international research reports have demonstrated significant progress in this field, such as the application of flavonoid derivatives in 3D printing and the cross-linking of riboflavin in dental materials. However, the discussion surrounding plant-based photoinitiators is controversial: some see them as a true breakthrough in the "Green Revolution," while others question whether they are merely marketing gimmicks, given the challenges of performance stability, cost, and scalable production.