Product and Process Engineering for Starch-Based Polymers

DMI-9700126 Bhatacharya The use of starch-based polymers in the manufacture of injection molded plastic products has been shown to be viable for making biodegradable plastic products. The production of such products is substantially more difficult than synthetic polymers and currently relies on an inefficient trial-and-error approach. The major barrier to large-scale commercialization of starch-based polymer injection molded products is the lack of experience with the molding properties. Without confidence in the material's performance, industry is reluctant to commit to the large-scale production needed to make injection molding of starch-based polymers economically attractive. This research project seeks to develop the necessary understanding so that starch-based polymers can be used with the same assurance as synthetic polymers. The objective of this proposal is to create the engineering methodology needed to routinely design products with environmentally-friendly starch-based polymers. This design methodology will be fine-tuned and tested by conducting case studies involving all stages of the product and process design for candidate starch-based polymer parts. The research project has a balance between theory and experiment, and will provide valuable findings for the biodegradable product manufacturing industry.