Sustainable biodegradable packaging for single-use plastic alternatives

目的：我的研究项目的独特目标是推进创新的生物基和可生物降解塑料混合物及其生物复合材料的发现，用于可持续包装，以减少塑料浪费。长期愿景是设计具有先进性能的新型材料，包括机械和高阻隔性能，以取代一次性石油基塑料包装。重点是将生物基碳和农业残留物结合到生物塑料基质中，以生产多功能和负担得起的生物复合材料，其性能可调，可用于开发用于刚性和软包装用途的多层薄膜和片材。该提案的另一个独特方面是准备量身定制的生物塑料配方，以适应工业和家庭堆肥以及海洋环境的普遍生物降解性。研究方法和智力优势：拟议项目的原始方面包括：(i)通过创新的增容，先进的聚合物加工和添加生物填料来开发新型可生物降解混合物和生物复合材料，以实现刚性和柔性包装应用的刚性和韧性平衡；（ii）从农业食品残留物的可变热处理中生产生物碳，以帮助增强复合材料的气体阻隔性；（iii）多层薄膜和薄片的实验设计优化，以制造具有所需机械性能、尺寸稳定性、阻隔性能和生物降解性的包装材料。研究加工-结构-性能相关性和生物降解参数将是本研究的基础。预期结果：拟议的研究旨在利用具有普遍可生物降解性的可再生资源和废物资源创造环保的替代包装材料，通过取代目前的一次性塑料来帮助减少温室气体排放。有效利用被低估的材料的新知识，创新的生物塑料混合物，以及制造可生物降解配方的先进工艺工程，将为不断增长的可持续包装部门提供新的方法和突破性的解决方案。更广泛的影响和教育：这个前沿项目将为不同学科的研究生和本科生传授关键技能，以产生长期影响。这些努力将推进国家议程，开发可持续的生物基包装，供工业采用。拟议应用的目标是从可再生和工业废物流原料中开发创新的塑料包装。这些新材料可以帮助减少塑料污染，包括垃圾填埋场和海洋环境，并降低塑料包装的碳足迹。可持续包装至关重要，将对加拿大的经济、环境和就业结果产生破坏性影响，同时提供安全的替代品，帮助管理一次性包装废物，对全球产生更广泛的影响。

OBJECTIVES: My research program uniquely targets advancing the discovery of innovative biobased and biodegradable plastic blends and their biocomposites for sustainable packaging uses to reduce plastic waste. The long-term vision is to engineer novel materials with advanced properties including mechanical and high barrier performance to substitute single use petro based plastic packaging. The key focus is on incorporation of biobased carbon and agro residues into bioplastic matrices to produce multifunctional and affordable biocomposites with tunable properties for developing multilayer films and sheets for rigid and flexible packaging uses. Another distinct aspect of this proposal is to prepare tailored bioplastic formulations targeted for universal biodegradability in industrial and home compost, and marine environments. RESEARCH APPROACH AND INTELLECTUAL MERIT: Original aspects of the proposed program include: (i) development of novel biodegradable blends and biocomposites through innovative compatibilization, advanced polymer processing and addition of biofillers to achieve a stiffness-toughness balance for rigid and flexible packaging applications; (ii) production of biocarbons from variable heat treatment of agro-food residues to aid in gas barrier enhancement of composites; (iii) experimental design optimization of multilayer films and sheets to fabricate packaging materials with required mechanical properties, dimensional stability, barrier performance, and biodegradability. Studying processing-structure-property correlation and biodegradation parameters will be fundamental to the proposed research. EXPECTED RESULTS: The proposed research aims to create eco-friendly alternative packaging materials from renewable and waste resources with universal biodegradability to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing current single-use plastics. New knowledge on the effective utilization of under-valued materials, innovative bioplastic blends, and advanced process engineering to fabricate biodegradable formulations, will enable new approaches and ground-breaking solutions for the growing sustainable packaging sector. BROADER IMPACT AND EDUCATION: This leading-edge program will impart critical skills to diverse graduate and undergraduate students across disciplines for long-term impact. These efforts will advance the national agenda to develop sustainable biobased packaging for industrial adoption. The goal of the proposed application is to develop innovative plastic packaging from renewable and industrial waste-stream feedstocks. These new materials can help reduce plastic-based pollution, including landfills and marine environments, and to lower the carbon footprint of plastic packaging. Sustainable packaging is essential and will disruptively impact Canada's economic, environmental and employment outcomes, while providing safe alternatives to help manage single-use packaging waste, with implications for broader impact globally.