1. Report, Materials Working Group Douglas G. Hayes Materials Working Group Leader Dept Biosystems Eng & Soil Sci Univ Tennessee dhayes1@utk.edu SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/111

2. Materials WG Membership Univ Tennessee – Doug Hayes, Professor, Biosystems Eng & Soil Sci – Larry Wadsworth, Professor Emeritus, Material Sci Eng – Sathish Dharmalingam, PhD Student, Biosystems Eng – Tyler Pannell, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biosystems Eng – Galina Melnichenko, Research Associate Washington State University – Karen Leonas, Professor, Apparel, Merchandising, Design & Textiles – Hang Liu, Postdoctoral Research Associate – Jeremy Cowan, PhD Student – Several undergraduate research associates SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/112

3. Activity I Summary (Conduct performance assessments..selected core BDMs) I-A: Preparing Spunbond PLA mulches for Year 1 study (Larry) √ I-B: Physical / Mechanical Strength testing of BDMs (Times 0 & 1; phys @ WSU; MW @ UTK): Statistical analysis is being conducted √ – SCRI Best Practices Protocol: “Sampling, Labeling, and Shipping of Biodegradable Mulch Field Samples..”, √ 03/31/10 – SCRI Best Practices Protocol: “Receiving, Storing, Sampling & Cleaning Mulches..” √ 3/25/10. SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/113

4. Activity II Summary (Analysis of Spunbond PLA Mulches..) II-A: Greenhouse Study 1 √ – Greenhouse Study 2: Mr. Dharmalingam will discuss on 6/2 (in progress) II-B: (Weather resistance performance assessment) in progress (delayed due to equipment issues) II-C: Biodegradation testing.. Will initiate in July, 2011 at Mich St Univ (Doug, Sathish, Ramani, Elodie Harblote) SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/114

5. Activity III+VI Summary (Evaluate 2010 Core BDMs in HT and Open Field..) III-D-iv: (Physical/chemical analysis of BDMs in high tunnels / field studies) – Testing is completed for 2010 studies. Statistical analysis is currently being performed. – 2011 involves a new Spunbond PLA product: lower MW; black – 2011 studies: samples are being shipped to the MWG. VI-B: Plans have been made to prepare a new PLA/poly(hydroxy buryrate) blend-based BDM later in 2011 (Larry) SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/115

6. Greenhouse Study 1, Results (Activity II-A) SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/116 Sample I.D. MB Breaking Load MD Breaking Elong, % Spunbond PLA - 0 Weeks 9.00 ± 1.3811.13 ± 1.06 Spunbond, 29 weeks Control2.25 ± 0.279.25 ± 1.26 Lime2.13 ± 0.328.41 ± 2.58 Manure2.24 ± 0.279.39 ± 1.47 Meltblown PLA - 0 Weeks 6.87 ± 3.265.98 ± 3.67 MB PLA - 10 Weeks 3 Control2.05 ± 1.264.16 ± 3.20 Lime0.88 ± 0.513.82 ± 1.96 Manure1.07 ± 0.764.26 ± 2.88 L.C. Wadsworth, D.G. Hayes, A.L. Wszelaki, T.L. Washington, J. Martin, J. Lee, C. T. Pannell, C. Miles, and D.A Inglis. Study of Biodegradable Mulch Materials in a Greenhouse Environment—Part 1, Cellulosic & Melt-spun 100% PLA Nonwovens, JEFF Journal, in preparation (2011)

7. Activity II-B (Weather Resistance) Samples will be exposed to weathering for 0 √, 100 √, 250, and 500 h. (Latter 2 times) to be completed by Nov 2011. 100 h test results: – no surface degradation (Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). – The changes in physical and mechanical properties vary from mulch to mulch. – Tensile load in machine direction (100 h): BioBag and BioTelo ↓; other mulches: not significant changes SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/117

8. 8 Activity III-D Results

9. SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/119 Activity III-D Results

10. SCRI Annual Meeting, Lubbock, TX 6/1/1110 Activity III-D Results