SBIR Phase II: Continuous Production of Lightweight and Energy Efficient Solid-State Microcellular Panels from Recycled PET

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目旨在从回收的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(RPET)中连续生产多层微细胞，用于刚性印刷基材应用。印刷行业是美国第三大制造业，对可持续基材的需求越来越大。宠物是美国回收最多的塑料。然而，在每年使用的51.5亿磅水瓶中，目前只有28%被回收利用。由RPET制成的产品可以利用这种未开发的资源，反过来，可以再次回收，使它们在环境上可持续发展。建议的方法是将微孔RPET薄片融合到更厚的面板中，从而消除对粘合剂的需求，这反过来又消除了导致室内空气污染的挥发性有机化合物(VOC)排放。在该项目的第一阶段，我们建立了实验室规模的连续熔融粘合微孔RPET片材以生产此类面板的可行性。在第二阶段，我们将建造一台量产规模的叠层机，能够以至少8英尺/分钟的速度生产尺寸为4‘x 8’的微孔RPET面板。制造这种产品的商业可行性将通过开发一个详细的成本模型来确定。这个项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是满足印刷业对可持续产品迅速增长的需求。将开发的微孔RPET面板旨在用于刚性印刷基材应用。与目前的材料相比，这些面板的优势包括显著提高了消费后回收(PCR)含量、零VOCs、无需表面处理的优质印刷适宜性、增强了对霉菌/霉菌/腐蚀的阻隔性能、出色的符合性以及与报废回收的兼容性。由于直接对环境和经济产生积极影响，第二阶段的研究将侧重于使用RPET作为原材料。由此产生的在高价值应用中使用可再生聚酯的增加将因此为回收行业提供经济刺激。这项研究的结果还将扩大固态微孔塑料技术的应用范围，并使合作研究能够在建筑、运输和海运等其他行业为这些轻质材料进一步开发市场。最后，这项研究产生的新技术将为可持续的环境节约资源，提高美国塑料行业的竞争力，并创造新的就业机会，使整个社会受益。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to continuously produce multilayered microcellular from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) for rigid printing substrate applications. There is an increasing demand for sustainable substrates in the printing sector, which is America's third largest manufacturing industry. PET is the most recycled plastic in the United States. However, only 28% of the 5.15 billion pounds of water bottles used annually are currently recycled. Products made from RPET could utilize this untapped resource and in turn, could be recycled again, making them environmentally sustainable. The proposed approach is to fusion bond thin microcellular RPET sheets into thicker panels, thereby eliminating the need for a bonding adhesive, which in turn eliminates volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that cause indoor air pollution. In Phase I of this project we established lab-scale feasibility for continuous fusion bonding of microcellular RPET sheets to produce such panels. In Phase II, we will build a production-scale laminator that is capable of producing microcellular RPET panels with a size of 4' x 8' at a speed of at least 8 feet/minute. The commercial feasibility of manufacturing this product will be established by developing a detailed cost model.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to satisfy the printing industry's rapidly growing need for sustainable products. The microcellular RPET panels to be developed are targeted for use in rigid printing substrate applications. Compared to current materials, the advantages of these panels include significantly higher post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, zero VOCs, premium printability without the need for surface treatment, enhanced barrier properties against mold/mildew/corrosion, excellent conformability, and compatibility with end-of-life recycling. The Phase II research will focus on using RPET as a raw material due to the immediate positive environmental and economic impacts. The resulting increase in the use of RPET in high-value applications will thereby provide an economic stimulus to the recycling industry. The results of this research will also expand the application frontiers for solid-state microcellular plastics technology and enable collaborative research to develop further markets for these lightweight materials in other industries such as construction, transportation, and maritime. Finally, the new technology resulting from this research will preserve resources for a sustainable environment, enhance the competitiveness of the US plastics industry, and create new job opportunities that will benefit society as a whole.