Supramolecular interactions on nanocrystals (e.g. cellulose) to improve mechanical properties of polymers
Lead Research Organisation:
Loughborough University
Department Name: Materials
Abstract
Cellulose is a naturally occurring and extremely common polysaccharide with huge hydrogen bonding and functionalisation potential. The raw source is important with respect to the extracted cellulose structure, morphology, aspect ratio, allomorph, and other properties.
Extraction will occur from various sources (such as cocoa pod husk or tunicates) prior to characterisation, analysis, and eventual functionalisation and incorporation into polymer matrices.
Functionalisation will be key to ensuring compatibility in polymer systems, as cellulose is inherently hydrophilic. The interactions the functionalisation process imparts will be studied in an effort to improve, tailor, and potentially create stimuli responsive properties.
The polymer matrices chosen will endeavour to be sustainable in nature. That being: bio based; renewable (non-petroleum based); biodegradable; environmentally friendly; or a combination of those listed (such as PLA, PCL, or bio(PE)).
A personal aim is to broaden and develop the knowledge on a sustainable plastics future, using natural/renewable materials, to replace those used in current applications that are derived from non-renewable sources.
Extraction will occur from various sources (such as cocoa pod husk or tunicates) prior to characterisation, analysis, and eventual functionalisation and incorporation into polymer matrices.
Functionalisation will be key to ensuring compatibility in polymer systems, as cellulose is inherently hydrophilic. The interactions the functionalisation process imparts will be studied in an effort to improve, tailor, and potentially create stimuli responsive properties.
The polymer matrices chosen will endeavour to be sustainable in nature. That being: bio based; renewable (non-petroleum based); biodegradable; environmentally friendly; or a combination of those listed (such as PLA, PCL, or bio(PE)).
A personal aim is to broaden and develop the knowledge on a sustainable plastics future, using natural/renewable materials, to replace those used in current applications that are derived from non-renewable sources.
Organisations
Publications
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509516/1 | 30/09/2016 | 29/09/2021 | |||
| 1965408 | Studentship | EP/N509516/1 | 30/06/2017 | 04/10/2021 | Thomas Baker |
| Description | Current work is focused on the production of a favourable phase in a tertiary composite containing cellulose. That being, the internal structure of the composite created. The primary matrix material (that of greatest presence by mass) is brittle, the introduction of a secondary matrix material yields beneficial properties with respect to elongation (i.e. how ductile the material now is). The introduction of the final material, cellulose, to act as a reinforcement is currently still being optimised, as initial results appear to indicate it acts as a stress raiser due to poor afinity with the matrix material. This is mostly due to the chemistry of the material, and not specific to any physical property. However, current results are for micro-size cellulose, aiming to optimse for nano-size (that being 1,000x smaller and thus a great increase in the surface area available for matrix interaction). Further to this, the use of different compounding procedures (produced via a similar method but with altered conditions for creating a dispersed composite) has been investigated. There is a body of work in which the chemistry (specifically the surface) of the cellulose will be altered to improve all materials affinity for one another. This functionalisation has only recently been explored in literature, and has never (to the best of this authors knowledge) been incorporated into a PLA based composite, let alone that of a tertiary composite. Some work on the study of this is being performed with the assistance of an undergraduate student for their dissertation. |
| Exploitation Route | The matrix materials and reinforcement aid are all, individually (and have been shown to when mixed together), biodegradable. The current global pressure for sustainable future materials is extremely heavy from consumers. However, many current 'sustainable' alternative materials have not been fully studied for their green credentials, and amount to a certain degree of greenwashing. While this material has not (yet - potentially) been tested for its biodegradation properties and impact on soil media, there is a great scope of work for this to be studied. The polymer that the surface of the cellulose will be functionalised with should respond to pH stimuli (acid or base conditions) that may assist in the degradation under industrial composting conditions. As a result, waste-management and industrial capabilities to handle the material adequately should be studied. If the material is lost to landfill any perceived benefit from bio-derived/biodegradable polymers is lost (excluding a minor amount of cabron sequestration from the original plant source). Furthermore, greater study into the mechanical properties during this period of bidegradation, alongside the use of a similar family of polymers for surface functionalisation. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Outreach Events |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | STEM outreach events on polymer processing activities and research. Detailed my area of research alongside equipment use, and equipment outside my research area but in a similar field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
| Description | Visits to Waste Management Facilities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | An ongoing activity to factor in current waste capture, management, and technologies that will deal with the creation of new composite materials. In particular around the issues of waste stream contamination, public perception and understanding of waste systems, and thus how to best process and deal with said materials. As the composite created in this project is (untested) biodegradable, but there are few sights in the UK to deal with it, it is important to factor in the growth of the individual materials and the combination of them for future waste treatment. Future site visits (that are in the process of organisation) include anaerobic digestion sites and recycling facilities that specialise in plastic materials. The current waste management site visit was at the Nottingham (Colwick) site for Enva who process standard household waste (i.e. that at kerbside) along with those from insitutions/organisations (such as Loughborough University). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |