Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Planet-friendly and scalable approach towards 100% recyclable water- and oil-resistant paper
EPA Grant Number: SV840382Title: Planet-friendly and scalable approach towards 100% recyclable water- and oil-resistant paper
Investigators: Rabnawaz, Muhammad , Ganapathi, Anurag
Institution: Michigan State University
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Phase: II
Project Period: April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024
Project Amount: $99,768
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet - Phase 2 (2022) Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Objective:
The main goal of this work is to develop planet-friendly water- and grease-resistant paper as an alternative to the existing plastics (e.g., polyethylene (PE), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)) and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-coated paper that respectively generates microplastics and fluorochemicals in the environment. This goal was achieved by pursuing the following two specific objectives.
Specific Objective 1: Replace starch/chitosan-g-PDMS (where PDMS denotes polydimethylsiloxane) with starch-g-PDMS as an inexpensive paper coating material.
Specific Objective 2: Enhance the water resistance of starch-g-PDMS-coated paper using hydrophobic starch, solid plasticizers, and cellulose fibers.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
OUTPUTS:
- Among all evaluated systems for paper coating, including starch-g-PDMS/starch blends, and the use of starch-g-PDMS with hydrophobic starch, solid plasticizers, or cellulose fibers, the starch-g-PDMS/starch blend proved to be the most effective in terms of performance.
- Coated paper substrates using various amounts of starch-g-PDMS/starch blend, thus imparting the paper with very good water and oil resistance, with the best-performing sample achieving up to 97% enhancement in water resistance compared to blank kraft paper.
- Kit ratings for the best sample reached up to 12, the highest number on the 3M kit rating scale.
- Our best samples have water and oil resistance comparable to that of commercial controls, indicating their potential for commercial application.
- The coated paper substrates demonstrated considerable enhancement in moisture barrier properties.
- Thermal analysis confirmed good thermal stability of the coated paper.
- The paper was successfully recycled via pulp recovery with a percentage yield of 91.1%, thus passing the standard repulping test.
- The coated paper retained 70–95% retention of its mechanical properties in comparison with uncoated kraft paper.
- The Cobb values and kit ratings of the best-performing sample match those of two commercial control paper plates (Dixie and Glad).
OUTCOMES:
- Protocols were developed for the synthesis of starch-g-PDMS copolymers and their use for paper coating
- The starch-g-PDMS/starch blend-coated paper is PFAS-free, repulpable, and has good water and oil resistance.
- The performance matches that of at least two commercial products, thus making it suitable for PFAS-free and microplastic-free packaging applications such as disposable cups, plates, etc.
Conclusions:
Through EPA-sponsored research, our team has developed an eco-friendly, solvent-free method to produce water- and oil-resistant coated paper that is free from PFAS, repulpable, and potentially biodegradable. We first synthesized starch-g-PDMS and then blended it with starch to make an aqueous emulsion, avoiding using any organic solvents. When applied onto kraft paper, this coating improved the paper’s water resistance by up to 97% compared to that of uncoated paper and achieved the highest oil resistance rating (12/12). The paper can also be repulped with a recovery rate of 91.1%. Additionally, we found that adding hydrophobic starch, solid plasticizers, and cellulose fibers to the starch-g-PDMS coating did not further improve the performance of the coated paper. The coated paper developed here meets the performance of selected commercial paper products available in the market. Overall, this work offers new and improved ways to provide water- and oil-resistant paper that is PFAS-free and waste-free at the end of use as they are repulpable and potentially biodegradable.
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 2 publications | 1 publications in selected types | All 1 journal articles |
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Hamdani SS, Elkholy HM, Alford A, Jackson K, Naveed M, Wyman I, Wang Y, Li K, Haider SW, Rabnawaz M. Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Poly (dimethylsiloxane) and Its Potential Application in the Paper Coating Industry as an Alternative for PFAS-Coated Paper and Single-Use Plastics. Polymers. 2024;16(7):1006. |
SV840382 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Repulpable, water-resistant, oil-resistant, biodegradable, cost-effective, PFAS-free
Relevant Websites:
School of Packaging Sustainable Materials Group Exit
X.com - Planet-friendly and scalable approach towards 100% recyclable water- and oil-resistant paper Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractP3 Phase I:
Functionalized Membranes for Removal of PFAS | 2021 Progress Report | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.