Description: Previous work completed in the NASA STTR program advanced Mango Materials’ methane-to-PHA technology by optimizing system parameters and evaluating the recycling and recovery of waste streams. In this CCRPP project, Mango Materials will build on the momentum of the Phase II research and continue maturing its technology, while accelerating and significantly advancing commercialization of PHA biopolymers. The company will focus on process performance enhancement and increased reliability, as well as the large-scale production and application development of methane-based PHA. Work completed in this project will allow Mango Materials to deliver orders placed by industry partners, which will in turn advance its work from product prototyping to product commercialization. Primary customers seek to incorporate PHA into product lines by fall 2022, and Mango Materials expects the proposed work will deliver enough material for an initial product launch upon completion of this project. Mango Materials’ approach to maturing the technology starts with optimizing operating conditions to achieve stable production of methane-based PHA at its Launch Facility. These parameters are critical to maintaining stability from batch to batch, reducing fluctuations in processing conditions, and maximizing production per batch. Producing consistent batches of methane-based PHA is critical to product testing that is required for commercial advancement. In addition to advancing stable product production at larger scales, the company will mature the development of a stable, biodegradable, PHA-based formulation that enables consistent production of textile fibers for commercial use. A technoeconomic and life cycle assessment will validate the economics and sustainability of Mango Materials’ process of methane-to-PHA products. Final processing and testing of the material will validate the process and result in commercialization by end customers.

Benefits: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) produced from methane in a closed-loop fashion can be used in many plastic-like applications. For example, sustainable PHAs can be produced and formed into filaments that could be used for 3-D printing applications, such as flatware or urine funnels on space missions. PHAs can also be used to produce textiles, such as clothing, that could be useful for space missions. Another, different application of PHA is use as nutritional supplements.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a substitute for conventional plastic goods including textiles, packaging, plastic bags, electronic casings, and coatings. These materials can be fully biodigestable and converted back into carbon using microbial processes. This carbon can enter the natural carbon cycle and prevent additional carbon from affecting the atmosphere.