Planning Grant - University of Georgia: Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2)

University Of Georgia Research Foundation Inc, Athens GA

Investigators

Abstract

The proposed planning activity seeks to undertake planning of the establishment of a new Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) site at the University of Georgia of the existing Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites. The center currently involves Iowa State University (ISU) and Washington State University (WSU), industry and government partners in the field. The University of Georgia site intends to provide additional capabilities for the center in the areas of sustainable packaging. Current members of CB2 will benefit from UGA faculty expertise and the research tools and infrastructure being developed at UGA. Likewise, the Site at UGA will increase the opportunities to leverage research expertise and facilities at ISU and WSU, both of which have strong programs in sustainability, bioproducts, and bioplastics. Bringing a new synergistic industry sector to CB2 will benefit both incoming and current members by facilitating new industrial interactions spanning the bioproducts supply chain and enable CB2 members to lead their sectors in replacing existing plastic and packaging materials with degradable alternatives. Students will be educated and exposed to cutting edge research and outreach opportunities to enter the workforce immediately ready to contribute and have positive impacts. The vision of the center is to develop knowledge that will facilitate the production of an array of high-value products, including plastics, coatings, adhesives, and composites, from renewable feedstocks that are compatible with current industrial manufacturing systems and thereby promoting rural development as well as national growth. The center focusses on the development of jobs in the area of sustainable manufacturing, focusing on conversion of agricultural and woody crops to energy and materials which are crucial to lasting job creation in the United States. The center also strives to support education and diversity through engagement of K-12 educators, supporting a NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) co-located at ISU and WSU where students participate in research on sustainable materials. In 2014, global plastic production reached 299 million metric tons (MMTs), with 5 to 12 MMTs estimated to reach our oceans annually due to mismanaged waste (waste that is littered or not handled in an organized system like a landfill). With increasing population, plastic consumption, and waste generation, a cumulative input of up to 250 MMTs into our oceans is predicted by 2025. Of all the plastics manufactured today, about 40% are used in packaging, material that will be immediately thrown away after use. The packaging industry employs over 5 million people worldwide and will have estimated sales of $1 trillion by 2018, and the opportunities to replace persistent plastic materials with those that are compostable and or degradable are gaining market share in a variety of industry sectors. The UGA site addition to CB2 is centered around developing alternative, biodegradable plastics that can be used to replace petroleum-based plastics (polyolefins, polyesters, styrenics, and polyvinyl chloride) used in the packaging industry, including coatings, foams, nonwoven fibers, and novel thermoplastics with excellent barrier properties for films, sheet goods, and filtration media.