Bioplastic Extruder

2013-01-01T02:47:29Z

BRYCE MILLER: /* OSE Project Status/Schedule */

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==Overview==

[[Image:PlasticExtruder.png|thumb|400px|BioPlastic Extruder]]

The Bioplastic Extruder enables plastics production.

''"Plastics extrusion is a high volume manufacturing process in which raw plastic material is melted and formed into a continuous profile. Extrusion produces items such as pipe/tubing, weather stripping, fence, deck railing, window frames, adhesive tape and wire insulation."'' - ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics_extrusion wikipedia])

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==Detailed Description==
We aim to develop computer-controlled tools that can make plastic parts of any shape.
'Extrusion' means squeezing out a long shape; extruding a circle gives you a cylinder. Extruded plastic forms include sheets, tubes, and others. Greenhouse glazing made of polycarbonate, or UV-stabilized polyethylene, water pipes for plumbing and irrigation, plastic shapes and sheets are all doable with slight modifications of a basic extruder. The key may be a ram extruder (simple design) with inductive heating, to which various dies are adapted for profiles (extrusion), or molds for shapes (injection molding), or blowers and molds (blow molding).

With these tools, cheap feedstocks can produce very expensive products. For instance, polyethylene resin costs less than 15 cents/lb (at a density of 50 lb/cubic ft (800g/l)). When extruded into panes of Solexx glass, the end product costs $1/square foot ($10.76/m2). This makes the end product about 20 times more valuable than the feedstock. If an extruder is available - combined with the know-how - then localized production of such glazing could probably yield cost predictions of something marginally higher than material costs, under the DIY-flexible enterprise scenario.

The challenge is procuring the know-how for extruder fabrication and material extrusion. The material costs are expected to be around $5k for the machine - structure, hydraulic ram, inductive heating, and die.

====Bioplastics====

Bioplastics are the perfect addition to an integrated farm and forestry operation. An effective open-source method of producing bioplastics will allow communities to be self-sufficient in the raw materials for many modern comforts. Bioplastics promise to replace the many useful products we currently extract from oil.
Combined with plastic extrusion and molding machines such as RepRap, bioplastics enable a local manufacturing process that starts with food waste or soil and creates computer and phone casings, car and machine parts, toys and tools, screws and sculptures.

==Product Ecology==
{{Product Ecology

|Product={{Bioplastic Extruder}}

|From=
*{{Induction Furnace}}
*{{Torch Table}}
*{{Electric Motor}}

|Uses=
*[[Electricity]]

|Creates=
*[[Plastic]]

|Enables=
*{{3D Printer}}

|Components=
*Ram Extruder
*Feeder
*Inductive heater
*Dies (extrusion)
*Molds (injection)
*Blowers (blow molding)
*Controller

}}

==OSE Project Status/Schedule==

The bioplastic extruder project is currently in research phase. Subject matter experts are encouraged to contact us.
See also the [[Open source bioplastic 2012 update]]

==See Also==
*[[Bioplastics]]
*[[Plastic Extrusion & Molding]]
*[[5-Hydroxymethylfurfural]]

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Open source bioplastic 2012 update

2013-01-01T02:45:18Z

BRYCE MILLER:

Hello,

I wanted to provide a year end update on the status of the OSE open source [[Bioplastic#Bioplastics|bioplastic]] production project to all interested parties.

Overview:
Over past year the open source bioplastic production project has been focused on collecting background information, proposing preliminary approaches, and developing collaborations. Polylactic acid, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, and moldable mycelium are four different and complementary bioplastics under research and development. A biorefinery approach to create multiple bioplastics from a single feedstock has been proposed and appears feasible and in line with the OSE guidelines. Collaborations with Dr Bora of Sabanci University and Dr Pearce of Michigan Technological University are strengthening the project and may allow material progress in the coming year. A collaboration to produce polylactic acid with Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Research Group led by Dr Pearce will hopefully be the first project to be implemented.

Specific Objectives for 2013:
The primary objective for 2013 is to demonstrate polylactic acid production over the summer in the laboratory of Dr Pearce. Polylactic acid is a plastic of moderate complexity, compatible with 3D printing and other fabrication techniques, and could demonstrate a significant OS advancement. A production process that produces lactic acid by microbial fermentation from agricultural waste, refinement to pure lactic acid with cell and feedstock recycle by membrane separation, and polymerization by catalytic dehydration is believed to be the most feasible and efficient route for sustainable localized PLA production. The proposed approach is believed to be able to eliminate the major energy consuming step of feedstock sterilization while avoiding contamination, by using a bacteria (Bacillus coagulans) that grows at a temperature higher than most other bacteria. Purification of lactic acid from the fermentation broth through size and charge selective membranes which will allow continuous fermentation and purification of pure lactic acid without salt waste. Polymerization via a condensation reaction which will be conducted under a vacuum with an efficient catalyst of tin chloride and p-toluenesulfonic acid. Developing the necessary skills and hardware will take interdisciplinary knowledge and collaborations but there appears to be the necessary willing participants. The OSE wiki and appropedia wiki will be used to coordinate the project demonstrating a new approach to distributed applied science and open source development of highly technical production methods. A PLA project worklog has been started to to track and facilitate project progress.

Broader Impacts:
Creation of OS polylactic acid will demonstrate the productive power of the open source approach to material progress and incorporate "green chemistry" into the open source toolkit. Through polylactic acid it is hoped that open source high-tech modular research/small scale industrial hardware can be built and its use demonstrated in a research and enterprise setting. With open source knowledge and guidance of fermentor, purification, and chemical reactor technology a new frontier of chemical engineering will be accessible to experimenters and entrepreneurs. Furthermore, project participants are interested in developing open source enterprise plans to sell and profitably develop open source hardware, as well as an OS biorefinery approaches to production of biofuels and biomaterials.

Future Directions:
Development of open source polylactic acid production will be followed by refinement of other polymers. Other polymers will require a more robust chemical reactor but a modular approach to hardware design should facilitate flexible hardware that can be configured for any variety of chemical reactions. With multiple polymers available in the open source sphere copolymers (polylactic acid cellulose acetate, polethylene vinyl acetate, cellulose acetate polyvinyl difluoride, etc) can be created for a wide variety applications. This could represent a significant economic impact that would allow transformation of low value biomass to high value and high utility materials and products in a localized market.

Thank you for your support over the last year, and I look forward to continued progress next year.

Open Source Ecology - User contributions [en]

Bioplastic Extruder

Open source bioplastic 2012 update