PFI-TT: Using waste plastics from regional manufacturing to create new building material

这个创新技术转化伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为建筑行业的新立面产品的生产创造使用废旧塑料的途径。如今，在美国，只有8%的废弃塑料被回收利用，这表明我们显然需要一种解决方案，将塑料垃圾从垃圾填埋场或自然生态系统中转移出来。这项研究旨在将一种新技术商业化，这种新技术可以从废塑料混合物中形成建筑面板。考虑到建筑行业不断变化的能源规范，外墙正在建造上一层连续的隔热层，上面覆盖着被称为雨幕的饰面板。这种转变正在迅速扩大雨幕面板产品的市场。此外，旨在减少建筑碳足迹的新可持续发展指令正在激励建筑师和建筑商选择含有可回收成分的建筑材料。该提案中采用的专利技术不仅使每个面板的回收成分百分比很高，而且还产生了不同面板的不同图案，使人回想起天然石材的真实外观，并将该面板产品与竞争对手区分开来。拟议的项目解决了生产符合性能和生命安全规范的一致建筑产品的关键障碍，同时隔离了不需要的后工业废物。该研究以区域废物流为重点，旨在评估一家大型汽车公司的装配厂生产的热塑性塑料作为面板成型技术原料的可行性。规范汽车部件和建筑部件的不同行业标准要求对可用废物流中的材料成分进行彻底审查。然而，在火焰蔓延、烟雾传播和抗紫外线方面的类似要求表明，在汽车废物和立面建筑行业之间创造新价值链的潜力很大。测试样品将验证新混合物是否能够达到将该技术带入下一阶段商业化的必要标准。通过这个项目，开发一种可行的材料组合，回收热塑性塑料将推动外墙面板的研究和开发，使其成为轻量化、低碳、耐用和安全的产品。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation – Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to create pathways for using waste plastic from manufacturing in the production of new facade products for the construction industry. Only 8% of plastic discarded in the United States is recycled today, pointing to a clear need for end-of-life solutions to divert plastic waste from landfills or natural ecosystems. This research aims to commercialize a novel technology for forming architectural panels from mixtures of waste plastics. Given changing energy codes in the architecture and construction industry, exterior walls are being built with a continuous layer of insulation covered by finish panels known as rainscreens. This shift is quickly expanding the market for rainscreen panel products. Moreover, new sustainability mandates to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings are incentivizing architects and builders to choose building materials with recycled content. The patented technology featured in this proposal not only enables high percentages of recycled content in each panel, but it also yields varied patterning from panel to panel, recalling the authentic look of natural stone and distinguishing this panel product from competitors. The proposed project addresses key hurdles to producing a consistent architectural product that meets performance and life safety codes while sequestering unwanted post-industrial waste. Focusing on regional waste streams, the research aims to evaluate the viability of thermoplastics generated by a major automotive company’s assembly plants for use as feedstock for the panel forming technology. Differential industry standards regulating automotive components and building components require a thorough review of the material compositions in the available waste streams. However, similar requirements for flame spread, smoke propagation, and UV resistance suggest a high potential for creating a new value chain between automotive waste and façade construction industries. Testing samples will validate whether new mixtures can meet necessary standards for bringing the technology to the next phase of commercialization. Through this project, the development of a viable mix of materials with recycled thermoplastics will advance research and development of panels for facades into lightweight, low-carbon, durable and safe products.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.