Workshop 1
Principles & Concepts of Biobased and Biodegradable Materials
Dr. Ramani Narayan, University Distinguished Professor
Michigan State University
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 | 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Principles & Concepts of Biobased and Biodegradable Materials
- Basic concepts and principles underlying bioplastics and products – biobased and biodegradable materials
- Value proposition for “biobased materials”; “biodegradable materials”; Terminology/definitions and relationship
- How incorporating “bio content” allow one to have a reduced or neutral (zero) carbon footprint?
- How does one identify, and quantify biocontent in a product?
- Understand the principles of biodegradability as an end-of-life option
- Metrics for measuring biodegradability
- Constraints around biodegradability and the use of the term “biodegradability”
- Sort through facts, claims, and hypes on biodegradable materials
- Biodegradable, compostable, anaerobic digestion, waste to energy, landfill, soil, marine – principles and test methods for quantifying biodegradability
Evaluating and Reporting Carbon and Environmental Footprint
- Carbon footprint – basics – material carbon footprint and process carbon footprint
- Calculating material carbon footprint using biocarbon content analysis
- Calculating process carbon and environmental footprint using LCA methodology
- What is a LCA? Principles and concepts in putting together an LCA
- Understanding and Reading LCA -- Bioplastic LCA exemplar
- Understand how to use LCA tools to calculate and report on the total environmental footprint of your bioplastic product
- Learn about skewed/misused LCA’s because of data quality or imposed boundary conditions
- Learn how to effectively and transparently use LCA methodology for continual improvement, new options, new material choices for reducing the environmental impact of your product offering
Dr. Ramani Narayan
Dr. Narayan has 125 refereed publications in leading journals to his credit, 18 issued patents, 10 pending published patents, edited three books and one expert dossier in the area of biobased polymeric materials.
His research encompasses design & engineering of sustainable, biobased products, biodegradable plastics and polymers, biofiber reinforced composites, reactive extrusion polymerization and processing, studies in plastic end-of-life options like biodegradation and composting.
His research involves developing carbon and environmental footprint of biobased and biodegradable plastics and products using biocarbon content analysis (ASTM D6866) and LCA (life cycle assessment) methodology respectively.