High Performance Low Cost Bio-Polymer Building Material From CO2 and Recycled Wastes

This proposed technology concerns a high performance, low cost, and high value renewable bioasphalt polymer technology for roofing and other infrastructure construction applications. The bioasphalt is made from coal-fired power plant byproducts flue gas CO2 and fly ash and recycled agricultural byproducts waste cooking oils, animal fats, or trap grease. In the presence of flue gas containing CO2, the waste cooking oils are polymerized and then interact with the fly ash to produce an asphalt-like material bioasphalt. Compared to petroleum asphalt, this bioasphalt has significant advantages, including substantially lower production costs, utilization of renewable and recycled materials, better performance, non-hazardous materials, and elimination of the odor and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions associated with petroleum asphalt. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions and providing an alternative to fly ash disposal in a landfill, this bioaspahlt production process has no water requirement and does not produce any waste streams. This Phase I project will demonstrate the technical feasibility of this bioasphalt production technology. The role of CO2 in the bioasphalt production will be studied; the optimal reaction conditions for bioasphalt production using power plant flue gas will be determined; an accelerated weathering test will be conducted; and the economic viability of this technology will be verified. Once this proof of concept is established, the work in Phase II will focus on transferring this bioasphalt production technology to a pilot plant, further optimizing the bioasphalt production conditions, and preparing for commercial production. The success of this project will provide premium quality renewable material based building solutions through the use of cutting edge bio-based renewable technology. This high performance, environmentally friendly, and economically sound bioasphalt technology will bring significant cost savings to the end-users, reduce CO2 emissions, protect the environment and improve human health, and reduce the use of petroleum based fuel. This bioasphalt technology is innovative and practical. The use of a renewable and agriculture based product will reduce the odor and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from petroleum based products and generate more economic opportunities for the agricultural sector.