Feasibility of developing green water batteries based on poly-lactic acid and polybutylene succinate: A computational study on groasis waterboxx technology

Abstract

Developing water-saving technologies such as Groasis Waterboxx (GW) based on environmentally friendly materials is a robust strategy to undermine the destructive effects of the agricultural industry on nature and society. Here, we simulated the injection molding process of green GWs made of poly-lactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) and analyzed the performance of the parts in heavy-duty conditions. The effects of different process parameters on cycle time, consumed energy, and final product qualities, including mechanical and visual aspects, were investigated by Autodesk Moldflow to compare biopolymers with polypropylene (PP). GW performance in the Sahara Desert was simulated with the help of Abaqus. The simulations results revealed that PLA exhibited shorter injection and cooling times compared to PP, with reduction of 44% and 56%, respectively, thus indicating faster production speed. However, PBS-based part demonstrated mechanical qualities similar to PP. PLA shows lower shrinkage and warpage than PP despite that environmental simulations illustrated that PLA is impractical for use in areas with high thermal stresses because of overlapping the glass transition and ground temperature, leading to failure near land surface regions. The results are in qualitative agreement with experimental results reported by the manufacturer. Despite its biodegradability, PBS could provide a high safety factor of about 82% of PP samples. Although the injection of PBS consumed more energy than PP because of the higher required injection pressure, replacing PP with PBS is justified considering its high efficiency and eco-friendliness.