STTR Phase I: Advanced Poly(lactide) (PLA) Materials for Extruded Sheet Applications

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助的。这个小企业技术转移第一阶段项目是对主题多功能材料(MM)的响应，次主题是可持续材料(MS)。北方技术国际公司(NTIC)，明尼苏达州，与密歇根州立大学(MSU)，密歇根东兰辛，密歇根大学(MSU)，密歇根，东兰辛，密歇根大学，密歇根州，密歇根，密歇根大学，密歇根大学，密歇NTIC已成功地将反应性混合生物基和/或生物可降解树脂产品组合商业化，用于挤出、成型和涂层应用。然而，由于目前解放军材料的机械性能差、价格高和密度较高，它面临着一个主要障碍。该项目的目标是(1)使用增容和冲击改性的新化学方法来创造先进的聚乳酸生物树脂，以提供更好的韧性和耐热性；(2)通过设计微孔泡沫板来提高生物基材料的经济可行性。新合成的材料将控制挤出片材和注塑零件的机械和热性能，以扩大生物基聚乳酸(PLA)的工业应用范围，同时通过减少它们的碳足迹来提供环境保护。NTIC的目标市场是挤出和热成型片材应用，目前使用的是以石油为基础的塑料，如丙烯酸、聚苯乙烯、聚丙烯等。其中包括购物点展示、零售固定装置、室内标牌、信用卡、礼品卡、酒店房间钥匙卡、食品和非食品应用的热成型托盘和浴缸。NTIC估计总潜力高达2.5亿美元。此外，该项目第一阶段和第二阶段的成功实施将在未来产生以下技术、环境和经济影响：(1)拓宽基于解放军的应用的性能窗口；(2)进一步了解解放军及其化学成分；(3)在更大的工业和包装市场大幅增加生物基产品的使用，这意味着对化石燃料资源的环保；以及(4)为新开发的Natur-Tec®产品的销售、制造、技术支持创造多达10个就业机会。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project is responsive to topic Multi-Functional Materials (MM), Subtopic Materials for Sustainability (MS). Northern Technologies International Corporation (NTIC), MN, in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI, plans to formulate and engineer chemically modified biobased and biodegradable Poly(Lactide)-based compounds to generate a new class of materials that are high strength, lightweight, multifunctional and an environmentally-friendly & cost-effective alternative to the petroleum-based polymers. NTIC has successfully commercialized a portfolio of reactive blended biobased and/or biodegradable resins for extrusion, molding and coating applications. However, it faces a major hurdle due to poor mechanical properties, high prices and higher densities of current PLA materials. The objective of this project is to (1) use novel chemistries of compatibilization and impact modification to create advanced PLA bioresins that offer improved toughness and heat resistance; (2) improve economic viability of biobased materials by engineering microcellular foamed sheets. The newly synthesized materials would control the mechanical and thermal properties of extruded sheets and injection-molded parts to broaden the scope of industrial applications of biobased Polylactide (PLA) while providing environmental preservation by reducing their carbon foot print.NTIC's target market for the newly crafted PLA chemistries is extruded and thermoformed sheet applications currently using petroleum based plastics such as acrylic, polystyrene, polypropylene, etc.. These include point-of-purchase displays, retail fixtures, indoor signage, credit cards, gift cards, hotel room keycards, thermoformed trays and tubs both for food and non-food applications. NTIC estimates the gross potential to be as high as $250 million. Furthermore, successful implementation of Phase I & II of this STTR project will have technical, environmental and economical impacts in the future, as follows: (1) widen the window of performance of PLA-based applications; (2) further fundamental understanding of PLA and its chemistries (3) greatly increase the use of biobased products in larger industrial and packaging markets implying environmental preservation of fossil fuel resources; and (4) create upto 10 jobs for sales, manufacturing, technical support of newly developed Natur-Tec® products.