AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PROCESSING BYPRODUCTS ARE UNDERUTILIZED, CREATING MAJOR DISPOSAL PROBLEMS AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD INDUSTRIES. THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO GENERATE ADVANCED PACKAGING MATERIALS FROM AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PROCESSING BYPRODUCTS USING A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH BASED ON SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE (SC-CO2). THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE FOR THIS EQUIPMENT GRANT APPLICATION IS TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE, CUSTOM-BUILT SC-CO2 SYSTEM THAT CAN BE USED FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE: (1) ACQUIRE HIGH-PRESSURE PUMPS FOR THE DELIVERY OF CO2 AND AEROGEL SOLUTIONS, (2) CONNECT THE ACQUIRED PUMPS WITH THE HIGH-PRESSURE VESSEL AND BUILD THE SYSTEM, (3) TEST THE DEVELOPED SEMI-CONTINUOUS SC-CO2 SYSTEM AT DIFFERENT FLOW RATES, PRESSURES, AND TEMPERATURES. THE DEVELOPED SC-CO2 SYSTEM WILL ENABLE INNOVATIVE RESEARCH TO ENHANCE THE UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PROCESSING BYPRODUCTS BY GENERATING ALTERNATIVE, HIGH-VALUE MATERIALS. THIS PROJECT WILL (I) ENHANCE THE CAPABILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING, (II) PROVIDE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND (III) ATTRACT MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO STEM PROGRAMS. THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS OBJECTIVE 2.3 FOSTER AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION IN THE USDA STRATEGIC GOAL 2, ENSURE AMERICA'S AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IS EQUITABLE, RESILIENT, AND PROSPEROUS.