Collaborative Research: Re-Thinking Circular Packaging with Next-Generation Waxes

This project aims to develop new types of coating materials to address the environmental and health risks posed by common packaging materials, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), conventional plastics, and plastic-coated paper, which contribute to microplastic and PFAS pollution. The research team intends to create eco-friendly packaging alternatives that minimize environmental waste.

These materials, consisting of waxes and their blends, will be applied to paper as coating that aims to provide necessary packaging functionality without relying on harmful plastics or chemicals. The coated paper produced is to be easy to recycle and capable of biodegrading into harmless substances if it is released into the environment, thereby promoting zero waste in both managed and unmanaged settings.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) will be conducted for the proposed coated paper to ensure that the solutions are both environmentally responsible and economically viable. The project will address several key knowledge gaps, including the development of novel waxes and their blends, and the production of coated paper that delivers the required performance while being both recyclable and biodegradable.

The insights to be gained from this project are anticipated to provide foundational data essential for the development of data-driven technologies that will advance polymer science, tailored materials design and synthesis, as well as enhance zero-waste practices in both packaging and non-packaging sectors.

A multidisciplinary and multi-institutional team comprised of academic and industry experts has been assembled to achieve the goals of this project. The following three objectives will be pursued: Objective 1: Investigate and develop methods to synthesize novel waxes and their blends from renewable materials and assess their on-demand degradation. Objective 2: Investigate and develop methods for creating functional paper with novel waxes and their blends and evaluate their packaging-related performance for both short and long-term usages.

Objective 3: Evaluate the recyclability, biodegradability, LCA, and TEA of paper coated with novel waxes and their blends. This project seeks to advance science and fill various key knowledge gaps, such as developing scalable methods for novel waxes from food-safe, renewable feedstocks that meet industry needs, and creating a coated paper that is concurrently re-pulpable and biodegradable, thereby offering a zero-waste solution in both managed and non-managed end-of-life scenarios.

This project targets opening new research avenues in areas such as degradable materials, circular economy, controlled drug release, adhesives, and membrane fabrication. The work intends to transform the packaging sector by shifting away from environmentally harmful and non-recyclable practices such as using single-use paraffin wax-coated paper, PFAS-coated paper, plastics, and multilayered structures.

This project intends to provide foundational knowledge for various packaging technologies applicable to liquid products with shorter shelf lives and long-term packaging needs for dry foods, targeting a global market of ~ US$290 billion. Furthermore, this project anticipates contributing to the U.S. economy by promoting sustainable packaging that can compete globally and using agricultural by-products from local sources to manufacture these new packaging materials.

The project may lead to technologies that can divert ~1,600,000 tons of packaging materials waste per year from landfills, accounting for ~ 7.2% of the total U.S. plastic waste reduction. This significant reduction in landfills would lower microplastics and PFAS contamination, promoting environmental protection and human health. The students involved in this project will gain valuable education and hands-on research experience in materials and environmental sciences. The outreach component includes STEM-related demonstrations for K-12 students.

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.