Project Grant 2516352
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. The primary objective of this 2-year award is to develop a cell-free method for producing biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers from agricultural feedstocks. Key anticipated research activities include: 1) engineering a microbial strain to synthesize PHA precursors from corn stover, 2) using thermostable enzymes...
- This $569,438 Project Grant awarded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports research at Utah State University (USU) to advance flavones as sustainable plastic additives. The key objectives are to: 1) develop safe alternatives to toxic plastic additives currently in use, and 2) enhance the breakdown of biodegradable plastics to minimize plastic pollution. The 5-year project will explore how the chemical structure of flavones, a class of natural...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program provides $392,881 to Lehigh University to investigate the chemical and biological contributors to the biodegradation of water-soluble polymers. The research aims to develop a systematic understanding of how interactions between water-soluble cellulose derivatives and bacterial strains impact polymer biodegradation processes. Key focus areas include initial...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) provides $419,964 to Utah State University (USU) to investigate how different types of biofilms impact the movement of microplastics in turbulent flow. The key objectives are to: 1) assess characteristics of biofilms grown on microplastics, 2) quantify the dispersion and settling dynamics of biofilm-coated microplastics under turbulent conditions, and 3) develop a machine learning model to...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) aims to reduce the downstream processing costs associated with producing the biodegradable polymer polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from methane gas. The $458,552 award to the University of California, Davis will fund the genetic engineering of two methane-consuming bacterial strains to facilitate easier recovery of the PHA product. This is expected to reduce capital expenditures by 5-10% and...
- This $195,000 Federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports research by the University of Colorado to accelerate the development of sustainable bioplastics. The key objectives are to use high-throughput data capture, multiscale modeling, and machine learning to better understand the molecular and chemical mechanisms controlling the transformation of biomatter into thermoformable bioplastics. This knowledge will enable...
- This $122,247 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Biological Sciences (CFDA 47.074) program supports the development of a new manufacturing process to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates, PHA) and design bioplastic composites for broader applications. The project aims to create a cost-effective manufacturing process that utilizes electrocatalysis to convert CO2 into edible microbial nutrients, which are then used by bacteria...
- This Project Grant from the National Science Foundation, under the Engineering federal grant program (CFDA 47.041), provides $516,621 to the University of Colorado Boulder from September 1, 2022 to May 31, 2027. The funding supports research to understand the degradation mechanisms of macroplastics into microplastics under coupled effects of weathering and mechanical stresses. The principal investigator will discover the mechanics of degradation through multi-physics modeling of macroplastic...
- This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (CFDA 47.049 - Mathematical and Physical Sciences) provides $1,400,000 from September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2028 to researchers at the University of Minnesota, University of Florida, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The award supports the study of new polymer materials, specifically poly(glycolic acid) (PGA)-based barrier materials, that can be used to develop more sustainable food packaging alternatives to replace...
- This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant, awarded under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), will fund research to develop a novel biocatalytic process for deconstructing and recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics. The $378,682 award to the University of Colorado aims to explore the use of natural enzymes, such as lipases, to break down PET in nonaqueous solvents rather than water, which can improve the efficiency and conversion of plastic waste. The research will...
This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) provides $537,639 to the University of Utah to develop new biodegradable polymers based on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and evaluate their environmental impact. The project aims to enhance the functionality and biodegradability of these biopolymers and assess their potential to reduce microplastic pollution and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The research involves collaboration between the University of Utah, University College Dublin, and Queen's University Belfast. The project will support educational opportunities and public engagement initiatives to build a future science and engineering workforce. This award is part of the U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership and is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2028.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $537.6k | 7/24/25 |