STTR Phase I: Novel Multifunctional, Bio-Based Coupling Agents for Wood Plastic Composites

STTR 第一阶段：用于木塑复合材料的新型多功能生物基偶联剂

• 批准号: 1416983
• 负责人: Bret Chisholm
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: Renuvix
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2015-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1416983&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; Novel; Multifunctional; Bio

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project involves a significant enhancement in the properties of wood polymer composites (WPCs) by the commercialization of a highly effective bio-based coupling agent made from renewable sources such as plant oils instead of petroleum. By significantly enhancing the properties of WPCs, substantial benefit to society will result by providing new application opportunities for these relatively low cost, light weight biocomposites. Globally millions of metric tons of WPCs are produced each year. Currently, WPCs are used for applications that do not require high load bearing characteristics due to limitations in modulus, strength, and creep. The technical concepts proposed for the Phase I effort are expected to enable higher modulus and strength, by facilitating the use of higher wood flour (WF) loadings, as well as lower deformation by introducing crosslinks into the matrix phase. Although this proposal is focused on the utility of these novel bio-based copolymers as high performance coupling agents, these copolymers have also been demonstrated to be excellent binders for coatings. Thus, commercialization of these copolymers is expected to have a broader impact on society beyond use as coupling agents.This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will determine the feasibility of novel bio-based polymers to serve as highly effective coupling agents for WPCs. The most common WPCs are based on WF as the dispersed-phase and high density polyethylene (HDPE) as the matrix. WF is a very desirable reinforcement for composites because it is inexpensive, abundant, biodegradable, high modulus, high strength, light weight, and non-abrasive toward processing equipment. The major technical challenge for HDPE/WF composites is obtaining adequate compatibility between the WF fibers and the HDPE matrix. Although the modulus and tensile strength of WF fibers is approximately 40 and 20 times higher than that of the HDPE matrix, respectively, the mechanical property enhancements provided by the WF cannot be fully realized without effective compatibilization. It is the team?s belief that the bio-based polymers proposed for the project possess the ideal chemical composition for effectively coupling the HDPE matrix to the WF fibers to maximize mechanical properties. In addition, the polymers are capable of introducing crosslinks into the matrix phase, which are expected to reduce polymer creep. For the Phase I project, the effect of the chemical composition of the bio-based coupling agent will be a primary factor investigated.

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括通过将一种由可再生资源(如植物油)而不是石油制成的高效生物偶联剂商业化，大大提高木质聚合物复合材料(WPC)的性能。通过显著提高WPC的性能，这些成本相对较低、重量较轻的生物复合材料将提供新的应用机会，从而为社会带来实质性的好处。在全球范围内，每年生产数百万吨木质聚碳酸酯。目前，由于模数、强度和蠕变的限制，WPC用于不需要高承载特性的应用。为第一阶段的工作提出的技术概念预计将通过促进使用更高的木粉(WF)负载来实现更高的模数和强度，以及通过在基质相中引入交联剂来降低变形。虽然这项建议的重点是这些新型生物基共聚物作为高性能偶联剂的用途，但这些共聚物也被证明是涂料的优秀基料。因此，这些共聚物的商业化有望对社会产生更广泛的影响，而不仅仅是用作偶联剂。这一小企业技术转移第一阶段项目将确定新型生物基聚合物作为WPC高效偶联剂的可行性。最常见的WPC是以WF为分散相，以高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)为基质的。WF是一种非常理想的复合材料增强材料，因为它价格低廉，用量丰富，可生物降解，高弹性，高强度，重量轻，对加工设备无磨损。HDPE/WF复合材料的主要技术挑战是在WF纤维和HDPE基质之间获得足够的相容性。尽管WF纤维的弹性模量和拉伸强度分别约为HDPE的40倍和20倍，但如果没有有效的增容，WF纤维所提供的力学性能改善是不可能完全实现的。S团队相信，为该项目提出的生物基聚合物具有理想的化学成分，可以将HDPE基质有效地偶联到WF纤维上，以最大限度地提高力学性能。此外，聚合物能够将交联剂引入基质相，这有望减少聚合物蠕变。对于一期工程，生物基偶联剂的化学成分的影响将是一个主要的研究因素。