BATTELLE WORKING TO PUT MORE SOYBEAN OIL IN YOUR HOUSE PIPES

Battelle researchers want to see more soybean oil in your pipes.

The Ohio Soybean Council recently hired Battelle to conduct research to increase the percentage of soybean oil in PVC plastic pipes.

The successful completion of the project would benefit the environment, and greatly increase the demand for soybeans, according to Bhima Vijayendran, a researcher at Battelle who is heading the project.

PVC is a type of plastic used to make household pipe. However, it is a very rigid plastic, and plasticizers must be used to make it more pliable. About 30 percent of a finished PVC product is comprised of plasticizers.

Soybean oil is used as a plasticizer and accounts for about three percent of the plasticizers used to make PVC. The remaining plasticizers are petroleum-based products.

Battelle's goal is to use modify the structure of soybean oil molecules, enabling manufacturers to use up to 25 percent soybean oil in the plasticizing process.

"Not only would that be beneficial to soybean growers, but it would be beneficial to the environment, since soybean oil is a natural, biodegradable product, whereas petroleum-based plasticizers are not," said Vijayendran.

Currently, soybean oil can be used as a plasticizer in a limited percentage -- no more than 5 percent. Used in larger percentages, the oil's molecular makeup causes the plastic to become brittle and degrade.

"What we propose to do is chemically change the structure of the soybean oil," said Vijayendran. "We want to adjust the molecules to help the oil overcome its weaknesses."

Computerized molecular modeling will be used to evaluate the performance of modified soybean oil molecules. Chemists will then synthesize the highest ranked candidates for testing purposes.

The project is expected to last 18 months.

For more information, contact Bhima Vijayendran at 614.414.5741; fax 614.424.7479.

The Ohio Soybean Council was founded in 1990 with the goal of increasing the long-term profitability of soybean producers across the state. Headquartered in Columbus, the council is governed by a 15-member farmer board, which directs the statewide Soybean Promotion and Research program. The program's primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development projects through the investment of farmer contributed funds.

Battelle serves industry and government by developing, commercializing, and managing technology. With a wide range of scientific and technical capabilities, Battelle puts technology to work for clients in 30 countries.