Description:

Foster-Miller is proposing to combine Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) commingled plastics with a high performance reinforcement (scrap prepreg) to form a durable and cost competitive wood substitute with superior moisture, rodent and insect resistance. This proposed technology also provides a wealth of environmentally related benefits including:

• reduced disposal of hazardous wastes,
  
• reduced landfill requirements for plastic waste disposal,
  
• reduced need for consuming environmental plant life (trees),
  
• reduced use of toxic products such as pressure treated wood, and
  
• source reduction via increased product life.

In Phase I, they demonstrated the feasibility of their approach. Tensile strength and tensile modulus of the Phase I composite plastic lumber was 55% and 4.5 times higher then the neat commingled plastic. They also demonstrated that the selection of appropriate fiber/matrix coupling agents and prepreg fiber length are critical factors in achieving ultimate properties. In the proposed Phase II program, they will build on this well established foundation. Specifically in Phase II, they will:

• review and select improved compatibilizers,
  
• develop improved processes for extruding longer length fibers,
  
• identify and use improved coupling agents,
  
• produce and test reinforced plastic profiles,
  
• perform an economic assessment of the technology, and
  
• transition the technology into the commercial sector.

URLs/Downloads:

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Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT( ABSTRACT )

Start Date:09/01/1994

Completion Date:03/01/1996

Record ID: 57164

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Related Organizations:

Role :OWNER

Organization Name :FOSTER-MILLER INC.

Mailing Address :350 Second Avenue

Citation :Waltham

State :MA

Zip Code :2154

Project Information:

Cost :$164,668.00

Research Component :Hazardous Waste/Remediation

Cost :$164,668.00

Research Component :SBIR - Waste

Project IDs:

ID Code :68D40066

Project type :SBIR