Center for Innovative Biomaterial Education and Research

此奖项授予造纸科学与技术研究所，以支持下文所述的活动24个月。合作伙伴包括造纸科学与技术研究所(牵头机构)、查尔默斯理工大学、达库拉中学、弗里曼磨坊小学、佐治亚理工学院、佐治亚州立大学、北卡罗来纳州立大学、不列颠哥伦比亚大学、佐治亚大学、皇家理工学院、弗吉尼亚理工学院、VTT生物技术和食品研究所、橡树岭国家实验室、国家可再生能源实验室、佐治亚州自然资源部、美国农业部森林管理局、美国农业部林业局、乔治亚太平洋公司、Iogen公司、Kemira化工公司、金佰利公司、Novozyme公司。这项活动创建了一个生物材料教育和研究创新中心，该中心将在课堂环境中培训学生，并利用电子技术发展将生物质转化为新材料的科学和技术进步。该中心将作为面向公众的信息交流中心，并将作为一种手段，创建一个由国内和国际科学家组成的合作团队，他们专注于木材技术中的相同问题。该提案解决了对美国和世界其他地区的经济和环境至关重要的挑战，即如何转向来自农林部门的可再生、环境友好的材料。从碳氢化合物技术转向碳水化合物技术可以带来各种各样的辅助好处，包括增加农村就业和改善环境。拟议的活动对于增进我们在将丰富的生物质转化为生物材料领域的知识和理解至关重要。提出了两项可交付成果：(2)在将生物质转化为新材料方面开发新的科学和技术进步，以及(2)发展熟练掌握这些技术的知识丰富的劳动力。该计划将培训学生将生物质转化为新的生物材料的创新方法；制定一个公共推广计划，描述这项技术的好处；并发现将可再生木材聚合物高效和实用地转化为新型生物材料的新科学工艺，包括聚酯、尼龙-4聚合物和聚碳酸酯纳米纤维素衍生物。潜在的经济影响这些活动将在美国农村地区创造就业机会，在过去十年中，美国农村地区已有50多家纸浆和造纸厂关闭，由于国际市场的变化，就业机会正在下降。这一伙伴关系将使新的创新森林产品技术得以开发，这些技术将由科学和技术赋权的劳动力来开发。这些成果将改善国家的经济、技术和环境福祉。这项活动的智力价值在于为塑料工业从碳氢化合物技术转变为碳水化合物技术创造了科学基础。这将极大地改善农村就业机会，通过减少对进口石油的依赖来增强国家安全，并通过减少二氧化碳排放来改善环境。就更广泛的影响而言，这项提议是极好的。该项目将教育专业人士和公众关于将生物质转化为创新生物材料的机会和科学，并开发新技术，为包装、运输和医疗保健行业提供有价值的实用材料。

0332554RagauskasThis award is to the Institute of Paper Science and Technology to support the activity described below for 24 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-03521).PartnersThe partners include the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (Lead Institution), Chalmers University of Technology, Dacula Middle School, Freeman's Mill Elementary School, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, North Carolina State University, University of British Columbia, University of Georgia, Royal Institute of Technology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, VTT Biotechnology and Food Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, Appletonideas, Georgia Pacific, Iogen Corporation, Kemira Chemicals Inc., Kimberly Clark Corporation, Novozyme Inc., and Shell Global Solutions International.The activity creates a Center for Innovation for Biomaterials Education and Research that will train students both in classroom settings and using electronic technology to develop scientific and technological advances in the conversion of biomass into novel materials. The Center will serve as a clearinghouse of information to the general public and will serve as a means to create a collaborative team of national and international scientists who are focusing on the same problems in wood technology. The proposal addresses a challenge that is important to the economy and the environment of the US and the rest of the world, i.e., how to shift to renewable, environmentally benign materials stemming from the agro/forestry sector. The move from hydrocarbon to carbohydrate technologies can have a wide variety of ancillary benefits, including enhancing rural employment and improving the environment. The proposed activity is critical to advancing our knowledge and understanding in the area of converting abundant biomass into biomaterials. Two deliverables are proposed: (2) development of new scientific and technological advances in conversion of biomass into novel materials, and (2) development of knowledge-rich workforce skilled in these technologies. The program will train students in innovative methods of converting biomass to novel biomaterials; develop a public outreach program describing the benefits of this technology; and discover new scientific processes for the efficient and practical conversion of renewable wood polymers into novel biomaterials including polyesters, nylon-4 polymers and polycarbonate nano-cellulose derivatives.Potential Economic ImpactThe activities will create job opportunities in rural areas of the US where, during the past decade, more than 50 pulp and paper manufacturing plants have been closed jobs are declining due changes in international markets. The partnership will enable the development of new innovative forest products technologies that will be developed with scientifically and technologically empowered workforce. These results will improve the economic, technical and environmental well-being of the nation.The intellectual merit of the activity lies in the creation of the science basis for conversion of the plastics industry from hydrocarbon-based technologies to carbohydrate-based technologies. This will dramatically improve rural employment opportunities, enhance national security by decreasing dependence on imported oil, and improve the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. This proposal is excellent in terms of Broader Impacts. The project will educate professionals and the general public on the opportunities and science of converting biomass into innovative bio-materials, and develop new technologies that will provide valuable and practical materials for packaging, transportation, and health-care industries.