HBCU DCL: EAGER: Engineering A Sustainable Bio-based Nano Composite from Biomass Using A Bottom-up Synthesis and Characterization Approach

CBET - 1737620 （Fini, Elham）。这是一个绿色工程项目，目标是实现生物纳米复合材料的生产。该生物纳米复合材料由蒙脱土粘土和由猪粪制成的生物改性剂组成。使用这种生物基改性剂可以帮助减少世界范围内对日益减少的石油储量的依赖，同时减少与石油基产品生产有关的二氧化碳排放，以及垃圾填埋场和开放泻湖中不受控制的生物废物腐烂。要测试的假设是，蒙脱土粘土可以使用由猪粪制成的富含酰胺的生物改性剂来剥离，以生产含有单个二氧化硅纳米片的有机粘土。虽然剥皮粘土有多种用途，但本项目旨在评估生产生物基纳米复合材料作为建筑材料的可持续性和技术可行性。因此，第二个假设是，将上述生物基纳米复合材料引入室外应用的建筑材料，如屋顶、密封、建筑立面、道路和车道，将增强抗氧化老化的能力，因为粘土纳米颗粒起到了空气屏障的作用，以及某些具有抗老化特性的生物分子的载体。因此，该项目将审查这种户外应用的环境方面以及技术可行性。为此，将特别注意研究生物基纳米复合材料加工过程中排放物的质量和数量以及其应用过程中的渗滤液。因此，产生的材料将在相关的热机械性能和环境方面进行评估。

CBET - 1737620 (Fini, Elham).This is a green engineering project that targets the enablement of the production of a bio-nanocomposite. The bio-nanocomposite is to be composed of montmorillonite clay and a bio-modifier made from swine manure. Use of such bio-based modifier can help reduce worldwide reliance on shrinking petroleum reserves while reducing CO2 emissions associated with the manufacture of petroleum-based products and the uncontrolled bio-waste decay in landfills and open lagoons.The hypothesis to be tested is that that montmorillonite clay can be exfoliated using an amide-enriched bio-modifier made from swine manure to produce organo-clay containing individual silica nano-platelets. While the exfoliated clay can be used in multiple applications, this project aims to evaluate sustainability and technical feasibility of producing bio-based nano composite for use as construction materials. Accordingly, a secondary hypothesis is that introduction of the aforementioned bio-based nanocomposite into construction materials for outdoor applications such as roofing, sealing, building facades, roads and drive ways will have enhanced resistance to oxidative aging due to clay nano-particles playing as air barrier as well as carrier for certain bio-molecules with anti-aging properties. Accordingly, the project will examine environmental aspects of such outdoor applications along with technical feasibility. To do so, special attention will be given to study quality and quantity of the emissions during processing of bio-based nano composites as well as leachates during their application. Therefore, resulting material will be evaluated in terms of both associated thermo-mechanical properties and environmental aspects.