UNCLASSIFIED #U Corey Hauver Materials Engineer Combat Feeding Directorate Update on Sustainable Packaging Research and Development Efforts In the Combat Feeding Directorate

UNCLASSIFIED #U United Soybean Board Check-Off Program Research and development program for soy-based products Soybean check-off program which funds research on new soybean applications from soybean sales 3.5 Billion bushels of U.S. grown soybeans in 2010 which accounts for 22.6 billions pounds of soybeans per year farmed on 75 million acres of land Examples of products developed through this Check-Off program include all-purpose lubricants, soy biodiesel, adhesives, carpet backings, inks, paint strippers, waxes, and industrial plastics. NSRDEC project listed under the Fibers and Thermoplastics technical advisory panel (TAP) 2

UNCLASSIFIED #U Project Applications for the Military 3

UNCLASSIFIED #U Why Military Packaging ? Executive Order – President Barack Obama Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance Section 2(H) – Promote Sustainable Acquisition through Bio-based Materials 2008 Farm Bill “Increase Federal procurement of bio-based products to promote rural economic development, create new jobs, and provide new markets for farm commodities. Bio- based and sustainable products help to increase our energy security and independence” February 2012 Presidential Memorandum - Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Bio-based and Sustainable Product Procurement 4

UNCLASSIFIED #U Materials Bio-Solids Waste Stream Byproduct of food grade soy fiber from 100% soybean hulls Approximately 80% moisture as collected from the process Contains Nitrogen, Sulfur, Sodium, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorous Defatted Soy Flour 7B 53% Protein Supplied at approximately 9% moisture Milled to approximately 5-10 microns prior to drying and compounding 5

UNCLASSIFIED #U Previous Tensile Property Problems 6

UNCLASSIFIED #U Compatibilizer Development for Improved Mechanical Strength Biosolids waste stream and soy flour compounded into linear low density polyethylene with various percentages of compatibilizer Compatibilizer Investigated at Loadings of 1-5% by weight -Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol -Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polyolefins 7

UNCLASSIFIED #U Compatibilizer Efficiency Increase in tensile strength (tensile stress at yield) minimizes after 3% by weight loading in the final compounded formulation 8

UNCLASSIFIED #U Effect of Maleic Anhydride Compatibilizer 9

UNCLASSIFIED #U Milling and Drying Particle Size Analysis Scan of Milled Soy Flour Mean Particle Size: 5.7 microns Dv100: 19 microns Wyssmont Company Turbo Dryer 10

UNCLASSIFIED #U Compounding Linear Low-Density Polyethylene pellets containing 20% by weight soy flour and 3% compatibilizer without vacuum assist (left) and with vacuum assist (right) Pre-Compounding Soy Moisture Content: 0.81% Maximum Compounding Melt Temperature Recorded: 161°C 11

UNCLASSIFIED #U Multilayer Film Design SKIN CORE Lower viscosity polymers migrate to the area of higher stress (die wall), so in most cases, the lower viscosity material should be used as skins Materials Selected Skin Layers: LLDPE SLH118 (MFI: 2.8)* Core Layers: LLDPE SLL218 (MFI: 1.0) * Allowed us to process cast film at lower temperatures without surface instability due to contact with die wall

UNCLASSIFIED #U Multilayer Co-Extrusion Process Sample Design 5% Total Soy Content10% Total Soy Content 15% Total Soy Content 20% Total Soy Content Denotes Layer with 20% Soy Master-Batch 13

UNCLASSIFIED #U Multilayer Co-Extrusion Trials 14

UNCLASSIFIED #U Mechanical Properties of Multilayer Films with Compatibilizer 15

UNCLASSIFIED #U Mechanical Properties of Multilayer Films with Compatibilizer 16

UNCLASSIFIED #U Prototype Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) Menu Bags Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) menu bag (top) and prototype LLDPE-soy bags containing soy at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% by weight (left to right) * Menu bag contains brown pigment not included in prototype samples 17

UNCLASSIFIED #U Summary Successful in identifying a proper compatibilizer technology to increase the tensile stress (strength) of the film material at yield to a level that is comparable to the neat film. Efficiency testing was carried to establish the minimum amount of compatibilizer needed, which in this case was 3% by weight. Use of the compatibilizer technology allowed for the successful compounding and multilayer film processing of a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)/soy flour blend containing up to 20% by weight of soy flour. These films demonstrated tensile stress values at yield that were higher than the neat film. Ultimate elongation of the soy films was less than the neat film control. Successful drying and compounding operations were identified and carried out in order to minimize bubbles in the extruded product and soy degradation during the extrusion process. Prototype Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) packaging has been constructed from the films and will be tested according to military specifications for rough handling and insect infestation. 18

UNCLASSIFIED #U Planned Work for Remainder of the Project Carry out rough handling and insect infestation testing according to military packaging specifications for the MRE and other packaging products. Identify proper manufacturing locations to construct prototype items and/or films using larger volumes of compounded product. Continue to work with the packaging industry to identify non-military uses for these films in the commercial sector. 19

UNCLASSIFIED #U Acknowledgements The United Soybean Board Principle Investigator: Dr. Christopher Thellen Omni Tech International: Robina Hogan TensTech Incorporated: Thomas Theyson Archer Daniels Midland: Russ Egbert FKUR Plastics: Ms. Kelly Lehrmann, Carsten Niermann, Julian Schmeling, Carmen Michels Aveka CCE Technologies: Tony Nelson Wyssmont Company: Joe Bevacqua, Bob Schuit, Maynard Ignacio U.S. Army NSRDEC: Jo Ann Ratto Ross, Paul Krusell 20

UNCLASSIFIED #U Questions? 21