SBIR Phase I: Nanostructured Bioplastic Films with Tunable Biodegradation

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to provide an environmentally sustainable solution to plastic waste in packaging and agriculture. Traditional biodegradable plastics degrade unpredictably or too slowly under real-world conditions, making them impractical for applications with specific shelf-life or disposal requirements. This project addresses that gap by developing compostable multilayer structures with tunable biodegradation profiles, enabling materials that can disintegrate at desired rates depending on end-use. This approach allows for more reliable waste management, especially in composting and controlled disposal environments. The proposed innovation could significantly reduce plastic pollution and support circular economy models. The target initial market includes compostable produce packaging and mulch films for agriculture. The value proposition lies in programmability, performance comparable to conventional plastics, and compatibility with existing film-processing equipment. This innovation also supports the goals of enhancing public health and environmental stewardship, reducing landfill burden, and advancing materials science literacy. By aligning biodegradation rates with application needs, the project may set new benchmarks in the design and commercialization of bio-based plastics with a durable competitive advantage. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop and validate compostable multilayer polymer films with programmable biodegradation profiles by engineering structured morphologies through multilayer coextrusion. The technical problem addressed is the inability of current biodegradable materials to provide both performance and predictable, tunable degradation under industrial composting or environmental conditions. The core research objective is to demonstrate that specific polymer–polymer interfaces and layer arrangements can control degradation kinetics without compromising mechanical and barrier properties required in flexible films. The project will investigate blends of commercially available biopolymers such as polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and polybutylene succinate, structured into multilayers using coextrusion techniques. Characterization will include tensile testing, oxygen barrier analysis, and accelerated biodegradation assays under simulated composting environments. Metrics for success include achieving film mechanical properties and barrier properties comparable to polyethylene, and controlled mass loss over a defined timescale. The anticipated outcome is a proof-of-concept multilayer system with demonstrated tunability of biodegradation via layer design and polymer selection. This technical advancement lays the foundation for scalable, sustainable film packaging solutions and could open new research avenues in structured polymer degradation. 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.