August 14, 2012

Memorial Union
Iowa State University, AMES, IOWA

About

With growing demand from consumers, government regulations to decrease pollution and the necessity to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, the need to understand biopolymers and biocomposites is critical. These materials have the potential to use a wide range of feedstocks, from corn to coconut fibers, making this emerging technology challenging.

This workshop will allow researchers and industrial partners to network with companies to design, formulate and process biopolymer and biocomposite products. The workshop will focus on:

Formulating

• Protein-based polymers
• Vegetable oil polymers
• Adhesives
• Composites
• Polyesters (fermentation processes)
  

Processing

• Pre-processing requirements
• Injection molding
• Extrusion
• Compression molding
• Casting

Characterization

Quantitative assessment of mechanical, thermal, and microstructural properties of biopolymers and composites

Other topics will include: application studies, raw material resources, post-production concerns and economic models.