I-Corps: In situ nanofiller formation during polymer processing

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

High performance plastics are made of expensive ingredients and in large quantities. Plastics companies, such as tire rubber and polymer compounders, have struggled to find a filler that provides the desired improved properties without great expense or prohibitive technological barriers. If an inexpensive, compatible filler could be found, high performance commodity plastics could have better properties and a lower, more consistent cost that is less dependent on volatile petroleum prices. Traditional fillers are dropped in "top down" and mixed requiring lots of energy, heat, or chemical aids. This project investigates the commercial opportunity for a filler that is assembled "bottom up" from within the mixture. The filler is based on previous research on engineered low-cost agricultural proteins. If the filler is commercially viable, high performance plastics will achieve improved properties and be produced at lower cost allowing a traditionally petroleum dependent industry to save money and become more sustainable. The goal of this project is to communicate and cooperate with the polymers market to determine the area of greatest need for this filler. The technology has been shown in lab scale as a proof-of-principle, and further development would benefit from guidance toward promising application areas. The project scope will be to first meet with tire rubber companies and large plastics compounders that currently use fillers. These global companies use complex recipes and through cooperation will provide direction for a technology demonstration. This project will experimentally articulate the commercialization potential of this technology. By receiving direct feedback from future business partners, a viable business model and value proposition can be articulated. A demand-driven course for commercial success will be planned by considering feedback on technology licensure, in-house development and manufacturing, or contract manufacturing.