NSF Award
9901730
This Small Business Research Phase II project addresses the problem of accumulated waste from food packaging material and provides a unique solution to the difficulties encountered in the development of biodegradable plastics. These materials are generally made with environmentally degradable thermoplastics or starch-based composites, both of which have poor barrier properties and inadequate high temperature stability. TDA Research, Inc. has developed a biodegradable hybrid organic/ inorganic resin that can be used as a coating material that would provide these materials with structural integrity at high temperatures and significantly reduce their oxygen and water vapor permeability, allowing for packagec foods to remain fresh longer. Such a coating would also extend the market for the degradable packaging material to coffee and other hot beverage containers, significantly expanding the demand for biodegradable containers. The coating may be applied by existing equipment, leading to greater manufacturer acceptability and minimal technology transfer costs. Moreover, the coating is prepared with materials derived from renewable resources, benefiting the American farmer and the economy as a whole.<br/> The potential commercial applications of this hybrid material include coatings for paperboard/cardboard, biodegradable polymers such as polylactide and the starch-based composites used in the food packaging industry. The high temperature stability of the organic/inorganic coating can extend the use temperature of these materials to include hot beverage containers. Since the coating is practically impervious to oxygen, it can also be a substitute for metalized plastic sheeting used in other high barrier packaging applications such as electronics and pharmaceuticals. The hybrid coating is also anticipated to benefit the farming community since it is prepared with materials derived from agricultural products.
