Creating biodegradable and recyclable lignocellulose-based materials for flexible packaging solutions

背景：经常用于商业包装解决方案的许多软塑料材料是不可回收的，不可生物降解的，对环境造成长期损害。该项目的目的是研究一种可生物降解和可回收的木质纤维素衍生的替代化石衍生的软包装解决方案。主要目标：-开发具有高气体阻隔性能的柔性纸，适合集成到目前使用塑料的现有高速加工操作中-对衍生柔性纸产品进行生命周期分析（LCA），以评估与现有软塑料包装相比，该解决方案对环境的影响-对开发的材料进行技术经济分析（TEA），以评估实施现有方案的经济可行性方法：-纳米纤维素（纳米级尺寸的纤维素纤维）和其他潜在的表面添加剂将用于制造具有改进的O2/N2阻隔性能的柔性低gsm（克/平方米）纸-为了实现“孔隙填充”效果，纳米纤维素将通过一层一层喷涂到预制低gsm纸上，或者在生产低gsm纸的过程中直接分散到水浆悬浮液中——阿斯彭HYSYS将用于生产材料和能量平衡，以及用于生产开发的木质纤维素材料的概念性中试工厂的工艺流程图。-质量和能量平衡数据将用于生产LCA，目的是回答“基于木质纤维素的软包装能否以环保和可持续的方式取代化石来源的竞争对手？”- LCA结果将确定制造链中的热点，并将允许优化建议的制造过程和最小化对环境的影响。- TEA将使用通过Aspen HYSYS模拟获得的数据来制作，以调查拟议工艺的经济可行性

Background:Many soft plastic materials often used for commercial packaging solutions are non-recyclable, non-biodegradable and cause long term damage to the environment. The purpose of this project is to investigate a biodegradable and recyclable lignocellulose-derived alternative to fossil-derived flexible packaging solutions.Key objectives:- Develop flexible paper with high gas barrier properties that is suitable for integration onto existing high-speed processing operations where currently plastics are used- Produce a life cycle analysis (LCA) of the derived flexible paper product to assess the environmental impact of the solution in comparison to existing soft-plastic packaging- Produce a techno-economic analysis (TEA) for the developed material to assess the economic feasibility of implementation to existing processes and commercial markets- Identify commercial relevance and value-added productsMethodology:- Nanocellulose (cellulose fibres of nano-scale size) and other potential surface additives will be used to create flexible low gsm (gram per square meter) paper with improved O2/N2 barrier properties- To achieve "pore-filling" effect nanocellulose will be introduced using either layer-by-layer spraying onto prefabricated low gsm paper, or by direct dispersion into aqueous pulp suspension within the creation of the low gsm paper- Aspen HYSYS will be used to produce material and energy balances as well as a process flow diagram for a conceptual pilot plant for manufacture of the developed lignocellulosic material. - The mass and energy balance data will be used to produce a LCA, with goal of answering the question "Can lignocellulosic-based flexible packaging replace fossil-derived competitors in an environmentally meaningful and sustainable manner?"- The LCA results will identify hot-spots in the manufacturing chain and will allow for optimisation of the proposed manufacturing process and minimisation of the environmental impact.- The TEA will be produced using data obtained via the Aspen HYSYS simulation to investigate economic feasibility of the proposed process