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

该创新-技术转化伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是为在建筑行业生产新的幕墙产品时使用制造业的废塑料创造途径。目前，美国只有8%的废弃塑料被回收利用，这表明人们显然需要使用寿命终止的解决方案来转移垃圾填埋场或自然生态系统中的塑料废物。本研究旨在将一种由废塑料混合物形成建筑面板的新技术商业化。鉴于建筑和建筑行业不断变化的能源法规，外墙正在建造一个连续的绝缘层，由称为防雨板的饰面板覆盖。这种转变正在迅速扩大雨屏面板产品的市场。此外，减少建筑物碳足迹的新的可持续性要求正在激励建筑师和建筑商选择具有回收成分的建筑材料。该提案中的专利技术不仅可以在每块面板中实现高比例的回收含量，而且还可以在面板之间产生不同的图案，让人想起天然石材的真实外观，并将这种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现有废物流中的材料成分进行彻底审查。然而，对火焰传播、烟雾传播和抗紫外线的类似要求表明，在汽车废物和外墙建筑行业之间建立新的价值链的潜力很大。测试样品将验证新的混合物是否能够满足将该技术带入下一阶段商业化的必要标准。通过该项目，开发一种可行的材料与回收热塑性塑料的混合物，将推动外墙面板的研发，使其成为轻质、低碳、耐用和安全的产品。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。

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.