Environmentally Benign Polymer Nanocomposites

这项研究资助通过开发一种环保的纳米复合材料制造工艺，解决了塑料工业提高可持续性的关键需求。通过工业生物技术对可再生资源进行生态上负责任的转化，再辅以纳米技术，生产出代表三重技术融合的绿色材料。这种聚合导致了一类生物塑料，可称为生物纳米复合材料。本项目的智力价值在于发展可持续塑料技术。通过开发新的聚乳酸-接枝-纤维素纳米晶须超分子结构，将实现无石油、可持续塑料的发展。双螺杆挤出机反应增容的可行性正在进行论证，并完成了初步的生命周期分析。该项目提出了一个新的技术里程碑：基于100%可再生资源的聚合物纳米复合材料。预期的项目成果是与创造一系列可再生资源塑料相关的科学和技术知识。一旦提出的方法被证明是可行的，新的纳米复合材料配方和加工技术将导致新型生物塑料的经济实用发展和商业化。这些生物塑料每年可以利用数百万磅的国内生产的可再生能源，并促进国内就业增长。在每年100亿磅的聚苯乙烯市场中，很大一部分可以被捕获，从而更好地利用可再生能源，同时减少对外国石油的依赖，保护我们的环境。

This research grant addresses the critical need for improved sustainability in the plastics industries through the development of an environmentally benign manufacturing process for nanocomposites. Ecologically responsible conversion of renewable resources through industrial biotechnology, enhanced by nanotechnology, produces green materials that represent a triple technological convergence. This convergence is resulting in a class of bioplastics that can be referred to as Ecobionanocomposites. The intellectual merit of the present project rests in developing sustainable plastics technologies. Progress towards petroleum-free, sustainable plastics will be accomplished by developing new polylactide-graft-cellulose nanowhisker supramolecular structures. The feasibility of reactive compatibilization in a twin-screw extruder is being demonstrated and a preliminary life cycle analysis is completed. The project advances a new technical milestone: polymer nanocomposites based on 100% renewable resources. The expected project outcome is the scientific and technical knowledge associated with creating a series of renewable-resource-based plastics. Once the proposed approach is proven feasible, the new nanocomposite formulations and processing techniques will lead to the economically practical development and commercialization of novel bioplastics. These bioplastics could make use of millions of pounds of domestically produced renewables each year and boost domestic job growth. A sizeable portion of the 10 billion lb/yr polystyrene market could be captured, leading to better use of renewables while reducing dependence on foreign petroleum and protecting our environment.