Biobased Lightweight Sandwich Structures for Packaging Applications

该项目将为零售部门开发新的轻型、高性能包装托盘，适用于各种新鲜和冷冻食品产品。轻量化将通过开发一种三明治结构来实现，该结构包括一种密度非常低的淀粉来源的纤维增强泡沫核心，该核心通过与高模蛋白质来源的热塑性塑料复合而获得强度。最终的结构将完全基于生物，并由商业上可获得的起始材料形成。创新的发泡方法、快速的周期和较低的起始原材料价格相结合，表明这些材料将立即在成本和性能上与合成材料竞争。

This project will develop new lightweight, high performance packaging trays for the retail sector suitable for use across a broad range of fresh and frozen food produce. Lightweighting will be achieved by development of a sandwich structure comprising a very low density, starch derived, fibre reinforced foam core which is afforded strength by lamination with a highmodulus protein derived thermoplastic. The resulting structure will be entirely bio-based and formed from starting materials which are commercially available. A combination of innovative foaming methods, fast cycle time and low price of starting raw materials indicate that these materials will be both cost and performance competitive with their synthetic counterparts immediately.