Brewer's Spent Grains and PLA Composite with Binder
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The high environmental pollution and high energy consumption associated with petroleum-based plastic production, coupled with the unreliable and costly sourcing of edible crops for bio-plastic materials like PLA, necessitate the exploration of alternative, sustainable raw materials for bio-plastic composites.
Innovation Solution
A composition and method utilizing brewer's spent grains mixed with PLA and a binder, where the brewer's spent grains are pretreated to achieve specific proportions and properties, enhancing the tensile strength and enabling the production of biomass plastic products, thereby reducing PLA usage and promoting recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If PLA is used as the main raw material for bio-plastic, then the biodegradability and environmental friendliness are improved, but the raw material cost and crop availability reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the raw material parameter from edible crops (corn) to non-edible agricultural waste (brewer's spent grains), transforming the material source while maintaining the biodegradable property. This substitution resolves the contradiction by keeping the environmental benefit of PLA while eliminating the dependency on edible crop availability and price fluctuations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining brewer's spent grains with PLA and a binder. This composite approach allows the utilization of agricultural waste that would otherwise be discarded, reducing both environmental pollution and raw material costs while maintaining product performance through the synergistic combination of materials
2Quantity of substance
If agricultural waste is used to replace PLA, then the raw material cost is reduced, but the pretreatment cost and product cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-service approach where brewer's spent grains, which are already processed by the brewing industry, require minimal additional pretreatment. The existing industrial processing infrastructure serves the dual purpose of beer production and material preparation for bio-plastic, significantly reducing the marginal pretreatment cost compared to raw agricultural waste
Solution Approach 2:
The binder component serves multiple functions: it facilitates mixing between the hydrophobic spent grains and hydrophilic PLA, provides structural binding, and maintains product performance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for complex pretreatment processes by using a single additive to resolve multiple manufacturing challenges
3Quantity of substance
If brewer's spent grains are mixed with PLA, then the reliance on edible crops is reduced, but the mixing uniformity and tensile strength may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The binder acts as an intermediary substance between brewer's spent grains and PLA, facilitating uniform mixing and bonding. It bridges the compatibility gap between the hydrophobic spent grains and hydrophilic PLA, ensuring homogeneous distribution and maintaining tensile strength despite the reduced PLA content
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by concentrating the binder at the interface between spent grains and PLA particles. This localized placement ensures optimal bonding where needed most, maintaining tensile strength in the composite material while allowing for reduced overall PLA content
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 integration of brewer's spent grains with PLA and a binder results in biomass plastic products with improved tensile strength, reducing the reliance on edible crops and minimizing plastic pollution, while offering a value-added recycling pathway for brewery waste.
Implementation Method 1
a step c of mixing the brewer's spent grains with the polylactic acid at a specific proportion
Implementation Method 2
a step d of providing a binder to enable the brewer's spent grains and the polylactic acid to be well mixed, and to maintain a desired tensile strength
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a composition consisting of brewer's spent grains and polylactic acid includes the steps of: providing a raw material containing brewer's spent grains; providing a raw material containing polylactic acid; mixing the brewer's spent grains with the polylactic acid at a specific proportion; and providing a binder to enable the brewer's spent grains and the polylactic acid to be well mixed, and to maintain a desired tensile strength. A pretreatment unit includes a dehydration process, a desiccation process, a drying process, a grinding process and a sieving process. A granulator includes a double screw extruder connected with a cutting machine. The double screw extruder mixes the PLA material and the brewer's spent grains and extrudes them into plastic bars which are then cut into plastic granules by the cutting machine.