PFI-TT: Exploring Nanocellulose Based Foams for Low-Cost, Single-Use, Biodegradable Medical Patient Support and Positioning Applications

PFI-TT：探索基于纳米纤维素的泡沫用于低成本、一次性、可生物降解的医疗患者支撑和定位应用

• 批准号: 2122663
• 负责人: Michael Mason
• 金额: $ 25万
• 依托单位: University of Maine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-07-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2122663&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PFI; TT; Exploring; Nanocellulose; Based

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project includes the ability to help the healthcare industry meet infection control and waste mitigation goals and, over the long-term, to help control costs and improve healthcare outcomes. The proposed project will develop cost-effective, single-use and fully compostable, medical grade materials capable of replacing petroleum-based polyurethane foams that are either incinerated or landfilled annually. The project has benefits specific to the state of Maine, where the closure of six pulp and paper mills in a two-year period has been disastrous for the economic health of local communities. The team proposes the use of foams for patient positioning made from wood biomass (lignocellulose/wood residue/nanocellulose) as an important pivot for the state, creating jobs in the most rural parts of the state. This project is one example of expanding the use of the nation’s abundant biomass resources while maximizing economic, social and environmental outcomes. The proposed entrepreneurial leadership training activities will directly benefit the student participants, whose future activities will have measurable impact in these communities.The proposed project will address a major demand in the healthcare industry for cost-effective single-use and fully compostable, medical grade materials capable of replacing tens of millions of tons of petroleum-based polyurethane foams that are either incinerated or landfilled annually. Lignocellulosic based foams are carbon positive, green alternatives to polyurethane that could replace existing materials in some positioning applications provided that certain softness/elasticity targets are achieved and that production at bulk scale can be sufficiently demonstrated. The research objectives of this project are: 1) to explore the use of “green” hydrogen-bond disrupting plasticizers and wetting agents, to achieve improved mechanical properties while maintaining compostability, and 2) to assess the feasibility of and optimize the processing conditions for the use of microwave dewatering as a more efficient and economically viable approach to produce biomass materials at an industrially meaningful physical size. This approach to formulation could generate 200 material variants as well as corresponding mechanical assessment data. The microwave processing parameters necessary to form and dewater these materials, as well as potential heat and material transfer limitations on sample volume, will be determined. Together these data will inform the feasibility of translating this material system into practice.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该创新-技术转化合作伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力包括帮助医疗保健行业实现感染控制和减少废物目标的能力，以及长期帮助控制成本和改善医疗保健结果的能力。拟议项目将开发具有成本效益、一次性使用和完全可堆肥的医疗级材料，能够取代每年焚烧或填埋的石油基聚氨酯泡沫。 该项目对缅因州有特殊的好处，该州在两年的时间里关闭了六家纸浆和造纸米尔斯厂，对当地社区的经济健康造成了灾难性的影响。该团队建议使用由木材生物质（木质纤维素/木材残渣/纳米纤维素）制成的泡沫作为该州的一个重要支点，在该州的大多数农村地区创造就业机会。该项目是扩大使用该国丰富的生物质资源，同时最大限度地提高经济，社会和环境成果的一个例子。拟议的创业领导力培训活动将直接使学生参与者受益，他们未来的活动将在这些社区产生可衡量的影响。拟议的项目将满足医疗保健行业对具有成本效益的一次性使用和完全可堆肥的医疗级材料的主要需求，这些材料能够取代每年焚烧或填埋的数千万吨石油基聚氨酯泡沫。基于木质纤维素的泡沫是聚氨酯的正碳、绿色替代品，其可以在某些定位应用中替代现有材料，前提是实现某些柔软度/弹性目标并且可以充分证明批量生产。本项目的研究目标是：1）探索使用“绿色”氢键破坏增塑剂和润湿剂，以实现改善的机械性能，同时保持可堆肥性，和2）评估的可行性和优化的加工条件，使用微波脱水作为一种更有效和经济可行的方法，生产生物质材料在工业上有意义的物理尺寸。 这种配方方法可以生成200种材料变体以及相应的机械评估数据。将确定形成和包裹这些材料所需的微波处理参数，以及对样品体积的潜在热量和材料传递限制。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。