SBIR Phase I: Sustainable Packaging Foam

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the reduction in single use plastics contributing to landfill waste and ocean pollution by replacing them in packaging with a fully biodegradable and naturally sourced alternative. With its water-based proprietary technology, the material developed in this project will transform shrimp shells into foam to replace conventional single-use packaging. The advantages of this material include mechanical properties competitive with non-sustainable alternatives at cost-competitive production. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop the basic technology to scale the production of a compostable and recyclable foam made of chitin. Chitin is a polysaccharide derived from shrimp shell waste. The material has the same mechanical properties and thermal insulation as polystyrene foam. Currently, this material is made with a hot molding process that creates high-quality foam, but it is challenging to scale for mass production of the volumes required to service the packaging industry. With this project, the company will develop a process that is fully scalable and uses existing equipment for the production of polystyrene foam for quicker adoption. The goals of the new process are to generate the same mechanical strength, thermal insulation, and density as polystyrene foam. The team will vary the foam composition and processing parameters to achieve the desired properties. 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.