SBIR Phase I: Biobased and Biodegradable Superabsorbent Polymers

The broader impact and commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop a new environmentally sustainable material for diapers and incontinence products. In the US, 25 million adults suffer from urinary incontinence, generating up to 1.5 million kilograms of problematic material for landfills. The proposed material will be manufactured using cheap, and renewable raw materials, improving the environmental impact of managing this condition and enabling high quality of life for its users. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a new superabsorbent polymer (SAP). In the first phase of research, this project will identify design parameters based on polymer architecture, charge density, and gel fraction for a SAP that meets specifications regarding absorbency under load (AUL), centrifuge retention capacity (CRC), and kinetics of absorption. The project will validate the safety and biodegradability in simulated composting conditions. Finally, the project will explore protocols for manufacturing at scale. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.