CBET-EPSRC Sustainable bioplastics prepared by ultrasonic treatment with low CO2 footprint

该项目旨在开发创新的绿色超声波制造技术，利用含有半纤维素(木聚糖)、生物基2，5-呋喃二酸和单乙醇的农业和生物燃料精炼副产品生产100%可生物降解、可堆肥和100%生物基热塑性塑料。这些生物质基热塑性塑料(PEF)可以取代石油基包装材料、纤维和商品塑料(PET、PS、PE/PP)-海洋和垃圾填埋场污染的主要来源，微塑料颗粒不可回收。全世界大约只有9%的石油塑料垃圾被回收利用。超声合成是一种将能量输入到反应混合物中的绿色方法，利用空化效应在非平衡条件下制备新型材料。它不需要额外的试剂和高温，从而减少了副产物的数量。我们将研究生物质基热塑性塑料的原位空化效应和形成机理。应用超声波作为一种新的生物质热塑性塑料制造工艺，可以将能源消耗和二氧化碳排放量减少3-4倍，并最大限度地减少制造过程中的废物量。

This project aims at the development of innovative green ultrasonic manufacturing technology for the production of 100% biodegradable, compostable, and 100% biobased thermoplastics using agricultural and biofuel refinery side products containing hemicelluloses (xylan), biobased 2,5-furandicarbonic acid and monoethylene glycol.These biomass-based thermoplastics (PEF) can replace petroleum-based packaging materials, fibers and commodity plastics (PET, PS, PE/PP) - the major sources of the ocean and landfill contamination with poorly recyclable microplastic particles. Approximately only 9% of petroleum-based plastic waste is recycled Worldwide. We focus on 100% degradation of the proposed thermoplastics after one-two month of composting.Ultrasonic synthesis is a green method of energy input into reaction mixture for fabrication of new types of materials in nonequilibrium conditions employing cavitation effect. It does not require additional reagents and high temperatures thus reducing the amount of by-products. We will study in-situ cavitation effects and mechanisms of the formation of biomass based thermoplastics. Application of ultrasound as a new manufacturing process for fabrication of biomass-based thermoplastics can result in 3-4 fold reduction of the energy consumption as well as CO2 footprint and minimisation of the amount of waste during manufacturing.