SBIR Phase I: Poly(ethylene carbonate) for Use in High Oxygen Barrier Films

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在用环保聚合物开发高氧屏障薄膜。高阻氧膜主要由来自石油化工产品的聚合物组成。聚碳酸乙烯（PEC）是一种环保型聚合物，由环氧乙烷和二氧化碳（含50% CO2）制成。PEC具有优异的气体阻隔性能，特别是对氧气，但迄今为止，低效的制造技术阻碍了它在高氧阻隔膜中的应用。Novomer将使用一种新型高效的催化剂体系合成具有更好的气体阻隔性能的PEC。所得聚合物将形成多层膜，其气体阻隔性能将被评估。成功的研究将产生商业上可行的聚碳酸酯高氧阻隔膜。该项目将产生广泛的影响和商业潜力。这项研究将改进制造技术，使环境友好型聚合物在高氧屏障市场上的使用成为可能。在这个市场上使用聚碳酸酯薄膜将减少聚合物生产中石化产品的使用（世界石油产量的大约4%被用作聚合物原料）。此外，聚碳酸酯（乙烯）使用二氧化碳作为原料-使开发有价值的产品，否则将是一种污染物。在商业上，这种高效的催化剂技术将使环境友好型聚合物成为石油化工产品聚合物的成本效益替代品。该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop high oxygen barrier films from environmentally-benign polymers. High oxygen barrier films are primarily composed of polymers derived from petrochemicals. Poly(ethylene carbonate) (PEC) is an environmentally-friendly polymer, produced from ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide (containing 50 wt% CO2). PEC has excellent gas barrier properties, particularly for oxygen, but to date, inefficient manufacturing techniques have prevented its use in high oxygen barrier film applications. Novomer will synthesize PEC with improved gas barrier properties using a novel and efficient catalyst system. The resultant polymers will be formed into multi-layer films whose gas barrier properties will be evaluated. Successful research will yield commercially viable poly(ethylene carbonate) high oxygen barrier films.The project will have broad impact and commercial potential. The research will lead to improved manufacturing techniques that enable the use of nvironmentally-friendly polymers in the high oxygen barrier market. The use of poly(ethylene carbonate) films in this market will reduce use of petrochemicals in polymer production (approximately 4% of world oil production is used as polymer feedstocks). Further, poly(ethylene carbonate) uses carbon dioxide as a feedstock - enabling the development of valuable product from what would otherwise be a pollutant. Commercially, the efficient catalyst technology will make environmentally-friendly polymers a cost-effective alternative to polymers derived from petrochemicals.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).