Sustainable biodegradable packaging for single-use plastic alternatives

目标：我的研究计划的唯一目标是促进发现创新的、基于生物的和可生物降解的塑料混合物及其生物复合材料，用于可持续包装，以减少塑料垃圾。长远的愿景是设计出具有先进性能的新型材料，包括机械性能和高阻隔性能，以取代一次性使用的石油基塑料包装。重点是将生物基碳和农业残留物加入到生物塑料基质中，以生产多功能和负担得起的生物复合材料，其性能可调，用于开发用于硬质和软质包装的多层薄膜和片材。这项提议的另一个不同方面是准备量身定做的生物塑料配方，目标是在工业和家庭堆肥以及海洋环境中实现普遍的生物降解性。研究方法和智力优势：拟议计划的原创性方面包括：(I)通过创新的增容、先进的聚合物加工和添加生物填料来开发新型的可生物降解的混合物和生物复合材料，以实现刚性和软包装应用的刚性-韧性平衡；(Ii)通过对农业食品残渣进行可变热处理来生产生物碳，以帮助增强复合材料的气体阻隔性；(Iii)多层薄膜和片材的实验设计优化，以制造具有所需的机械性能、尺寸稳定性、阻隔性和生物降解性的包装材料。研究工艺-结构-性能相关性和生物降解参数将是拟议研究的基础。预期结果：拟议的研究旨在从具有普遍生物降解性的可再生资源和废物资源中创造出环保的替代包装材料，通过取代目前的一次性塑料来帮助减少温室气体排放。在有效利用价值较低的材料、创新的生物塑料混合物和先进的工艺工程以制造可生物降解配方方面的新知识，将为不断增长的可持续包装行业提供新的方法和突破性的解决方案。更广泛的影响和教育：这一前沿项目将向不同学科的研究生和本科生传授关键技能，产生长期影响。这些努力将推进开发可持续生物基包装以供工业采用的国家议程。拟议应用的目标是利用可再生和工业废流原料开发创新的塑料包装。这些新材料可以帮助减少塑料污染，包括垃圾填埋场和海洋环境，并降低塑料包装的碳足迹。可持续包装至关重要，将对加拿大的经济、环境和就业结果产生破坏性影响，同时提供安全的替代方案，帮助管理一次性包装废物，对全球产生更广泛的影响。

OBJECTIVES: My research program uniquely targets advancing the discovery of innovative biobased and biodegradable plastic blends and their biocomposites for sustainable packaging uses to reduce plastic waste. The long-term vision is to engineer novel materials with advanced properties including mechanical and high barrier performance to substitute single use petro based plastic packaging. The key focus is on incorporation of biobased carbon and agro residues into bioplastic matrices to produce multifunctional and affordable biocomposites with tunable properties for developing multilayer films and sheets for rigid and flexible packaging uses. Another distinct aspect of this proposal is to prepare tailored bioplastic formulations targeted for universal biodegradability in industrial and home compost, and marine environments. RESEARCH APPROACH AND INTELLECTUAL MERIT: Original aspects of the proposed program include: (i) development of novel biodegradable blends and biocomposites through innovative compatibilization, advanced polymer processing and addition of biofillers to achieve a stiffness-toughness balance for rigid and flexible packaging applications; (ii) production of biocarbons from variable heat treatment of agro-food residues to aid in gas barrier enhancement of composites; (iii) experimental design optimization of multilayer films and sheets to fabricate packaging materials with required mechanical properties, dimensional stability, barrier performance, and biodegradability. Studying processing-structure-property correlation and biodegradation parameters will be fundamental to the proposed research. EXPECTED RESULTS: The proposed research aims to create eco-friendly alternative packaging materials from renewable and waste resources with universal biodegradability to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing current single-use plastics. New knowledge on the effective utilization of under-valued materials, innovative bioplastic blends, and advanced process engineering to fabricate biodegradable formulations, will enable new approaches and ground-breaking solutions for the growing sustainable packaging sector. BROADER IMPACT AND EDUCATION: This leading-edge program will impart critical skills to diverse graduate and undergraduate students across disciplines for long-term impact. These efforts will advance the national agenda to develop sustainable biobased packaging for industrial adoption. The goal of the proposed application is to develop innovative plastic packaging from renewable and industrial waste-stream feedstocks. These new materials can help reduce plastic-based pollution, including landfills and marine environments, and to lower the carbon footprint of plastic packaging. Sustainable packaging is essential and will disruptively impact Canada's economic, environmental and employment outcomes, while providing safe alternatives to help manage single-use packaging waste, with implications for broader impact globally.