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，其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石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全球范围内对石油储量减少的依赖，同时减少与石油基产品制造相关的CO2排放以及垃圾填埋场和开放lagoon.The假设要测试的是，蒙脱石粘土可以使用由猪粪制成的富含酰胺的生物改性剂剥离，以产生含有单个二氧化硅纳米片的有机粘土。虽然片状粘土可用于多种应用，但该项目旨在评估生产生物基纳米复合材料用作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用于室外应用如屋顶、密封、建筑立面、道路和车道的建筑材料中将具有增强的抗氧化老化性，这是由于粘土纳米颗粒充当空气屏障以及具有抗老化性能的某些生物分子的载体。因此，该项目将审查这种户外应用的环境方面沿着技术可行性。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应用过程中的沥滤物。因此，将在相关的热机械性能和环境方面对所得材料进行评估。

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.