Biodegradable Urn Using PVA Composite for Rapid Sea Burial
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing urn materials do not adequately decompose within the required timeframes for burials at sea or in cemeteries with clay soils and high water levels, posing environmental and regulatory challenges.
Innovation Solution
An urn made of a biodegradable, injection-moldable material comprising polyvinyl alcohol, a natural or synthetic biodegradable polymer, and other biodegradable components, such as lignin and natural fibers, designed to decompose quickly in various environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional materials like ceramic, metal, or glass are used for urns, then structural strength and durability are improved, but biodegradation occurs too slowly or not at all, failing to meet cemetery regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials consisting of biodegradable polymers (PLA, PHA, starch) combined with natural fibers (cellulose, lignin, hemp, flax) to create an urn that maintains sufficient structural strength during transport and handling while ensuring complete biodegradation within 12-24 hours in aquatic environments. The composite structure allows optimization of both mechanical properties and degradation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts the chemical composition parameters of the biodegradable material, specifically incorporating polymers with different degradation rates and natural fibers with varying cellulose and lignin content. By controlling the ratio of biodegradable polymer to natural fiber (typically 70:30 to 90:10), the material achieves optimal balance between initial structural integrity and rapid biodegradation speed in water.
2Ease of manufacture
If starch-based biodegradable materials are used for injection molding, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision and material stability deteriorate due to moisture sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a moisture barrier layer or coating as an intermediary between the starch-based biodegradable material and the environment. This barrier prevents moisture ingress during injection molding and storage, maintaining dimensional stability and manufacturing precision, while allowing the material to remain fully biodegradable when the barrier is removed or degraded in the aquatic environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the processing parameters of injection molding, including temperature control (180-220°C), injection pressure (80-150 MPa), and cooling rate, to compensate for the moisture sensitivity of starch-based materials. By optimizing these parameters, the patent achieves consistent dimensional accuracy and structural integrity despite the material's hygroscopic nature.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If polyvinyl alcohol is used as the primary biodegradable polymer, then biodegradation speed in water is improved, but structural strength and rigidity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) serves as the continuous matrix providing rapid water solubility and biodegradation, while reinforced phases such as cellulose nanofibers, lignin particles, or starch crystallites provide structural strength and rigidity. The synergistic combination allows the urn to maintain integrity during handling while ensuring rapid disintegration in water through PVA's water-soluble nature.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The urn efficiently decomposes in sea burials within 12 to 24 hours and in clay soils, ensuring ecological safety and compliance with burial regulations by releasing ashes into the environment.
Implementation Method 1
The plastic can be dissolved into environmentally friendly components within a preprogrammed period of time under the influence of a water-activated solubilizer
Implementation Method 2
an urn made of a biodegradable, injection-moldable material containing at least two different polymers... the molded part contains as polymer (b) a polymer from the group consisting of polylactide, starch, polyhydroxyalkanoate and lignin
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an urn comprising a molded part made of a biodegradable, injection-moldable material containing at least two different polymers, wherein the material contains (a) a polyvinyl alcohol and (b) a natural or another synthetic biodegradable polymer. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing this urn and its use.