ETF: Biobased Composite Materials
The Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC) hosted an Emerging Technology Forum (ETF) on July 23, 2008. In collaboration with PolymerOhio. This event featured several speakers who updated the audience on their continuing progress in bringing their renewable and sustainable biocomposite materials to market.
OBIC Director, Dr. Stephen Myers, welcomed approximately 75 attendees to the all-day event, held at the LEEDS-certified, Ohio 4-H Building on The Ohio State University campus.
The first presentation, From Beans to Machines, featured Envirez, a new renewable-source resin system based on soybeans and corn. The Envirez® family of resins, produced by the Composite Polymers division of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, has many marketable properties, including outstanding paint adhesion. Currently, John Deere has exclusive use of the product for agricultural and off-road markets and is enthusiastically molding the light, strong Envirez resin for tractor engine hoods and other parts.
Jewel cases for CDs and similar products from Univenture are composed of PLA (polylactic acid from corn) and starch-based materials. Ross Youngs, president of Univerture, explored the market forces driving bioproducts. Youngs pointed out that “renewable” and “sustainable,” when used to describe green products, do not specify how much renewable and/or sustainable feedstocks comprise a product. Such words perk up consumers, but only merit marketplace attention when manufacturers continuously push their products towards a smaller carbon footprint. His company’s newest venture includes developing production-level algae ponds, to ultimately harvest algal oils that can replace petroleum-based oils in plastics and related products.
Advanced natural fibers include wood fiber-thermoplastic composite pellets that are being developed for injection molding. Prabhat Krishnaswamy, vice president of EMC2 , summarized his R&D progress in developing practical pellet formulations. John Hickman, CEO/president of Plastech Consulting, Inc. , described computer simulation/finite element analyses to enhance the manufacturability of mold-filled plastics products. Rick Amato of VinylTech summarized how manufacturers can effectively and attractively incorporate advanced biocomposites into consumer products.
The meeting concluded with a lively, facilitated discussion led by Wayne Earley, President & CEO of PolymerOhio.