SBIR Phase I: A Novel Carbon-Sequestering Biomaterial for Dropped Ceiling Tiles

Award ID: 2304384

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to validate a new, biochar-enriched building material as a ceiling tile product. The plane of ceiling tiles represents a vast, untapped opportunity in combating climate change through carbon sequestration. With the innovation, a proprietary mineral matrix is enriched with 50-80% biochar. Biochar is the resulting charcoal-like residue from pyrolysis. This stabilized form of carbon is nearly crystalline and resistant to emissions-causing oxidation. Combined with a proprietary mineral binder, the resulting novel material is non-flammable, ultra lightweight, and biodegradable. As a ceiling tile, it can reduce a buildings embodied carbon in an easily quantifiable way, position the building for carbon sink remuneration, boost the green ratings of the building, help qualify a building for sustainability-linked financing - all without compromising on fire safety standards. This project capacitates an innovation that adds to the nation's toolkit in creating a climate-responsible built environment. The project innovation is a novel, biogenic, cementitious chemistry composed of plant-based biochar, clay, binding minerals, proprietary catalysts, optional reinforcement fibers and optional pigments. The inclusion of biochar is a major characteristic of the innovation, comprising up to 80% of the material. Unlike carbon stored in plant matter, the ocean or in soil, the carbon atoms of biochar are more resistant to losing electrons and being converted into carbon dioxide, therefore making the innovation a novel solution towards converting the built environment into a "carbon bank". There are three major questions to resolve: how could varying biochar particle sizes impact tile integrity, can the innovation perform satisfactorily in standard tile dimensions amidst different ambient humidity levels, and can the tiles achieve the Class A fire standard of competing tiles. The iterative experimental protocols will utilize the classic American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) tests used to demonstrate building code compliance in all three of these research areas. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Rajesh Mehta