January_2021_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 1 4 SUSTAINABILITY BRIEF HIGHEST HEAT-RESISTANT PLASTIC EVER Widespread use of biomass-de- rived plastics is a key step toward es- tablishing a sustainable society. How- ever, the use of most biomass-derived plastics is limited due to their low heat resistance. Collaborative research be- tween the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Universi- ty of Tokyo has successfully developed the white-biotechnological conversion from cellulosic biomass into aromatic polymers featuring the highest thermo- degradation of any plastic. Two specific aromatic molecules, 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (AHBA) and 4-aminobenzoic acid (ABA), were produced from kraft pulp, an inedi- ble cellulosic feedstock. After chem- ical conversion and polymerization, the resulting acid was pro- cessed into thermoresistant film. The result—organic lightweight plastic with high thermostability (over 740°C) developed from inedible biomass feedstocks, with- out the need for heavy inor- ganic fillers. www.jaist.ac.jp . RECYCLABLE TURBINE BLADES A new thermoplastic resin for wind turbine blades was recently validated at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Researchers demonstrated the feasibility of the material by man- ufacturing a 9-meter-long wind turbine blade using this novel resin, developed by Arkema Inc. in Pennsylvania. They also validated the structural integrity of a 13-meter-long thermoplastic com- posite blade manufactured at NREL. Current wind turbine blades are primarily made of composite materials such as fiberglass infused with a ther- moset resin, which requires additional heat to cure the resin, adding to blade cost and cycle time. Thermoplastic res- in, however, cures at room temperature and is recyclable. The new process does not require as much labor, which ac- counts for roughly 40% of the cost of a blade. The innovative resin could also allow manufacturers to build blades on site, alleviating a problem the industry faces as it trends toward larger and lon- ger blades. www.nrel.gov . FLIP-FLOPS THAT WON’T LAST FOREVER Possibly the world’s most popular shoe, flip-flops account for a troubling percentage of plastic waste that ends up in landfills, seashores, and oceans. Now, scientists at the University of California, San Diego have formulated polyurethane foams made of algae oil to meet commercial specifications for biodegradable midsole shoes and the foot-bed of flip-flops. The research was a collaboration between UC San Diego and startup Al- genesis Materials. In addition to devis- ing the right formulation for the com- mercial-quality foams, the UC team worked with Algenesis to not only make the shoes, but degrade them as well. The team’s efforts are also mani- fested in the establishment of the Cen- ter for Renewable Materials at UC San Diego. “The life of the material should be proportional to the life of the prod- uct,” says the center’s founder. “We don’t need material that sits around for 500 years.” www.ucsd.edu . SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Syracuse University are collaborating to establish the New York State Center for Sustainable Materials Management, funded by a $5.75 million grant over five years from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. First of its kind in the U.S., the center will be devoted to practices in waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. www.esf.edu . The new Sustainability Research Center will augment New York State’s recycling e orts. Biodegradable flip-flops. Courtesy of Stephen Mayfield/UC San Diego. A cellulose-derived film has high thermostability and is flame resistant. Courtesy of JAIST.