About 30,000 gun plugs are used annually in Navy practice. The materials currently employed to produce these gun plugs are toluene diisocyanate and polyurethane resin. Although these materials meet the functional requirements for gun plugs, they are subsequently incompatible with the non-pollution requirements of the MARPOL treaty. The objective of this research proposal is to identify the feasibility of using protein-based resins and natural fiber to develop degradable and marine animal edible composites that will meet both the functional and post-use requirements for the gun plug applications. Proteins and fibers will be chemically modified to adjust the composite properties. Tensile and compressive strength, density, thermal expansion, voids, and storage stability will be evaluated at varying formulation and processing conditions. Feasible formulation and processing procedures will be identified throughout this proposal to obtain marine degradable composites with desirable properties for the gun plug application. Composites with optimal properties will be tested for marine degradability by the U.S. Army Natick RD&E Center.
Keywords: Edible Composite Marine Degradable Gun Plug
