SBIR Phase II: Cellulose Based Material Innovations for an Ocean Compostable, Fish Friendly, Plastic Packaging Replacement Platform Technology

SBIR 第二阶段：基于纤维素的材料创新，用于海洋可堆肥、鱼类友好的塑料包装替代平台技术

• 批准号: 2151692
• 负责人: Ariadne Dimoula
• 金额: $ 98.66万
• 依托单位: PARAMOUNT PLANET PRODUCT
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-07-15 至 2025-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2151692&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Cellulose; Based

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the design of products that will decompose in nature, are paper-stream recyclable, and Ocean Compostable Fish Friendly (OCFF), with a cost similar to plastic packaging. Since 2018, the US typically recycles between 5-8.7% of its plastic. According to Ocean Conservancy, “Every year, 11 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean on top of the estimated 200 million metric tons that currently circulate the marine environments.” The proposed products do not need biocides and use no additives in their production process. The products are made with 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified tree cellulose, which ensures that the product will come from sustainably harvested trees. These products will drastically reduce plastic waste while bringing jobs back to rural areas in need of economic development. The products are non-toxic and will compost anywhere and everywhere. This SBIR Phase II project continues the prototype development of novel products and the commercialization of a new molding and drying technology/techniques required to produce Ocean Compostable Fish Friendly packaging that is durable, functional, and digestible in nature. This product is expected to be adopted by the growing number of consumers who want environmentally-safe, single-use packaging products. This product replaces single-use plastics and other bioplastics. It is naturally grease resistant and will replace perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are being banned nationwide due to their harmful effects on human health. Leading Polylactic Acid (PLA) compostable packaging products are not compostable in nature and contaminate recycling streams. These products will have a material that feels and costs similar to plastic, is greaseproof, and is not harmful to nature and wildlife if littered. The initial product is a soufflé cup comprised of 100% fibrillated cellulose (FC) from trees, a material not yet developed for packaging on a commercial scale. Phase I results included a patent-pending benchtop system that dewaters and molds the FC into desired shapes. The goal of this project is to scale the machine to mold 100% FC into products that customers desire.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该小企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是设计可在自然中分解、可纸流回收、海洋可堆肥鱼类友好 (OCFF) 的产品，其成本与塑料类似据海洋保护协会称，自 2018 年以来，美国通常回收 5-8.7% 的塑料，“每年有 1100 万吨塑料进入海洋。目前估计有 2 亿吨海洋环境被破坏。”拟议的产品在生产过程中不需要杀菌剂，也不使用任何添加剂。这些产品由 100% 森林管理委员会 (FSC) 认证的树木纤维素制成，这确保了产品的安全性。该产品将来自可持续采伐的树木。这些产品将大大减少塑料废物，同时为需要经济发展的农村地区带来就业机会。这些产品无毒，并且可以在任何地方进行堆肥。该项目继续进行新产品的原型开发以及生产耐用、功能性和易消化的海洋可堆肥鱼类友好型包装所需的新成型和干燥技术的商业化，预计该产品将被越来越多的人采用。该产品取代了一次性塑料和其他生物塑料，它具有天然的耐油脂性，并将取代因使用而在全国范围内被禁用的全氟烷基物质 (PFAS)。领先的聚乳酸 (PLA) 可堆肥包装产品本质上不可堆肥，并且会污染回收流。这些产品的材料触感和成本与塑料相似，具有防油性，并且对自然无害。最初的产品是由 100% 来自树木的原纤化纤维素 (FC) 制成的舒芙蕾杯，这种材料尚未开发用于商业规模的包装，其中包括正在申请专利的台式。该系统将 FC 脱水并成型为所需形状，该项目的目标是扩大机器规模，将 100% FC 成型为客户所需的产品。该奖项是 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识进行评估，被认为值得支持。优点和更广泛的影响审查标准。