Pilot Plant
Commercialization of high oleic soybean oil rubbers for sustainable pavements.
This is a collaborative effort involving many disciplines being led by the Departments of Chemical and Civil Engineering. The project has also gained support from Iowa farmers through the Iowa Soybean Association beginning in 2013. The United Soybean Board quickly saw the potential the technology has for helping to bootstrap high oleic soybean demand.
Thermoplastics and thermosets are two common polymers used in industry. Thermoplastics have been growing at about 5%+ per year and is being constrained by material supply. The newer high oleic soybean oil which is evolving to become the industry standard has advantages over the current commercial soybean oil in making biopolymers.
Iowa State has developed a PAEHOSO asphalt modifier that has establish initial markets for the thermoplastic polymer technology and then grow the technology into additional markets.
What is the ISU High Oleic Soybean Oil Technology?
ISU has the intellectual property rights through national and international patents and is working with companies to deliver to the commercial markets.
How can PAEHOSO be used?
Thermoplastic elastomers are used in thousands of products that we use and rely on every day.