Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project will develop a catalytic process to manufacture a new renewable and degradable bio-plastic that could be used to replace polyethylene in many applications, including those that constitute a large part of land and ocean litter such as bags, food packaging and disposable tableware.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
In this Phase I project TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) will develop an economically viable process for producing a novel, 100% renewable high performance thermoplastic from cellulosic feedstocks. This polymer is made by polymerization of a non-toxic monomer that can be obtained in large quantities as a co-product of a commercial thermochemical process that is used to convert forest products to diesel. In preliminary work TDA proved that our renewable monomer can be polymerized to make a high molecular weight product having good stability, high stereo-regular structure, and mechanical properties that are intermediate between those of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Unfortunately, the synthetic method used to prove feasibility is currently too expensive for making a product that will have to compete with commodity petrochemical thermoplastics. Thus, the objective of this project is to develop a cheaper and scalable alternative production process. TDAs technology offers disruptive advantages over competitive bio-plastics because the production of the monomer does not compete with the food supply chain (as with corn-derived materials), the polymer is biodegradable, easily compostable and the monomer and degradation products are non-toxic and non-persistent chemicals. Disposable tableware and food packaging are our early target applications. Furthermore, this technology promises a sustainable economic advantage due to its synergy with bio-diesel production, which reduces capital investment.
Project Methods
In preliminary work TDA Research Inc. demonstrated that our renewable monomer can be polymerized to make a high molecular weight product having good stability, high stereo-regular structure, and mechanical properties that are similar to those of polyethylene. Unfortunately, the synthetic method used to prove feasibility is currently too expensive to compete with commodity petrochemical thermoplastics. Thus, the objective of this project is to develop a scalable alternative production process. The material produced will be characterized to determine its chemical structure, thermo-mechanical, barrier and degradation properties. The properties of the material made with the new polymerization methods will be compared to those of the product made by the current method to determine whether it is the same or a different stereo-isomer form. We will then conduct a cost and engineering analysis of the monomer scale-up and polymer production.