Value-Added Material, Products and Processes for repurposing Waste (fibre, polymers and elastomers)

随着全球人口的增长，与农业和其他工业相关的环境足迹也在增加。不可再生资源正在枯竭；可用于耕种和废物处理的土地越来越少。这个问题很关键。未来30年，预计粮食产量将增长~70%，相应的，农业废弃物（作物残茬）将增加；一种典型的亚麻作物每英亩产出20蒲式耳种子和半吨分解缓慢的废物（稻草）。此外，全球轮胎年处理量约为1700万吨（加拿大约为0.63万吨）。每年，全球生产的83亿吨废塑料中，只有9%的废塑料被回收利用。（加拿大处置0.33 MMt）这些废物的典型处理方式包括焚烧，这将毒素释放到环境中。拟议的研究旨在通过从废物中开发增值（VA）材料和发现工程VA产品的特性来创造循环经济，从而消除这种不可持续的、有害的做法，从而结束大多数产品的使用寿命。从废弃的农业纤维（AF）、破碎的轮胎（CT）和回收的塑料包装(P)中可以设计出新的材料和产品。但首先，需要进行基础研究，以发现VA材料的材料特性。系统工程方法提供了材料开发、经验性质评估、制造优化以及建模和工程VA材料和产品的生命周期分析的广度。从不同废物中提取的创新型VA复合材料的成分和制造方法各不相同。例如，由AF组成的通过制浆/切碎减小尺寸的VA材料将真空成型或就地干燥，由各种尺寸的AF， CT和P组成的VA材料将使用挤压或压缩成型。材料/机械性能（如密度、抗拉强度、刚度、韧性和吸声）和性能/生命周期测量将针对每种VA材料进行研究。经验数据和开发的数学模型将使用多元分析和人工神经网络建模将材料成分，制造参数和材料性能联系起来。得到的模型可以在产品工程中使用。例如，应力应变曲线可以在有限元建模包内使用，而其他模型用于选择材料成分和制造方法。此外，跟踪资源（材料、能源、劳动力）的过程映射将评估应用的工业可行性和技术转移风险。这项研究将通过开发生态友好型产品和制造工艺，减少农业和相关废物，从而使公众、工业和环境受益。加拿大的经济增长将从废物流中产生新的收入，这将创造循环经济，以减少污染和生态足迹。

As the global population grows, so does the environmental footprint related to agriculture and other industries. Non-renewable sources are being depleted; less land is available for cultivation and waste disposal. This problem is critical. Over the next 30 years, food production is expected to rise ~70%, and correspondingly, agricultural waste (crop residue) will increase; a typical flax crop yields 20 bushels of seed and 1/2 tonne of waste (straw) per acre which decomposes slowly. Also, the annual disposal of tires is ~17 million tonnes (MMt) globally (~0.63 MMt in Canada). Annually, only 9% of 6300 MMt of waste plastic from the 8300 MMt globally produced is recycled.(Canadian dispose 0.33 MMt.) Typical disposal of these wastes involves burning, which releases toxins into the environment. The proposed research seeks to eliminate such unsustainable, harmful practices ending the life of most products by developing value-added (VA) material from the waste and discovering characteristics for engineering VA products to create circular economies. Novel materials and products can be designed from waste agricultural fibre(AF), crushed tire(CT), and reclaimed plastic packaging(P). But first, fundamental research to discover material properties of the VA material is needed. A systems engineering approach provides breadth in the material development, empirical property assessment, manufacturing optimization, and life cycle analysis for modeling and engineering VA materials and products. Innovative VA composites from the different wastes will vary in composition and manufacturing. For example VA material composed of AF that is size reduced by pulping/chopping will be vacuum-formed or dried-in-place, and the VA material composed of various sizes of AF, CT, and P will be formed using extrusion or compression molding. Material/mechanical properties (such as, density, tensile strength, stiffness, toughness, and acoustic absorption) and performance/life cycle measures will be studied for each VA materials. The empirical data and developed mathematical models will relate material composition, manufacturing parameters, and material properties using multivariate analysis and artificial neural net modeling. The resulting models can then be available for use in product engineering. For example, stress-strain curves can be use within finite element modeling packages, and the other models used to select material composition and manufacturing method. Furthermore, process mapping that tracks resources (material, energy, labour) will assess applications' industrial feasibility and technology transfer risks. The research will benefit the public, industry and environment by reducing agricultural and related wastes through developing ecologically-friendly products and manufacturing processes. Economic growth for Canada as new revenue is generated from waste streams will created circular economies to reduce pollution and our ecological footprint.