Circular Economy Of Polyisocyanurate Insulation Materials

This focus will probe the development of new catalysts for the preparation of polymeric materials used in insulation foam, and for their controlled degradation into non-polymeric materials for recycling / disposal without recourse to landfill. We therefore propose to use a circular economy approach to insulation products.
In our research groups, we have developed preliminary catalysts for the production of isocyanurates from isocyanates using a highly Lewis acidic metal (aluminium) and a nucleophilic co-ligand (alkoxide); when supported by an appropriate ligand framework, we can achieve excellent control over the reaction rate, catalyst loading, operation temperature, and selectivity. We propose to expand this chemistry to ensure viability under industrial scale up conditions, and also to encompass the production of poly(phenol-formaldehyde) polymers.
We will commence by using aluminium and titanium; their high Lewis acidity is likely to be a requirement for the poly(phenol-formaldehyde) polymers in particular, since this tends to be Bronsted-acid catalysed. There is little work reported for Lewis acid catalysed equivalents, but in the same way as polyesters can be either Bronsted or Lewis acid-catalysed, so it is feasible to develop Lewis acid catalysts for the production of poly(phenol-formaldehyde) materials. We will use our existing ligand library and look to develop other systems after our initial studies suggest viable optimisation pathways.
The group has particular expertise in the degradation of polymers such as poly(lactic acid). We will use this expertise to develop catalysts for the degradation of poly(isocyanurate) and poly(phenol-formaldehyde) materials. Our approach will be to employ the same class of Lewis acid catalysts based upon aluminium and titanium. Preliminary data suggests that under the appropriate conditions, aluminium species can degrade isocyanurates to the corresponding urea (reaction with water).

Catalysis is crucially important to the UK economy, with products and services reliant on catalytic processes amounting to 21% of GDP and 15% of all exports. The UK is scientifically strong and internationally recognised in the field, but the science base is fragmented and becoming increasingly specialised. The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Catalysis will overcome these problems by acting as beacon for excellent postgraduate training in Catalysis and Reaction Engineering with a programme that will develop an advanced knowledge base of traditional and emerging catalysis disciplines, understanding of industry and global contexts, and research and professional skills tailored to the needs of the catalysis researcher.

Although the chemical sector is an immensely successful and important part of the overall UK economy, this sector is not the only end-user of catalysis. Through its training and its research portfolio the Centre will, therefore, impact on a broad range of technologies, processes and markets. It will:
(a) provide UK industry with the underpinning science and the personnel from which to develop and commercially leverage innovative future technologies for the global marketplace;
(b) allow the UK to maintain its position as a world leader in the high-technology area of catalysis and reactor engineering;
(c) consolidate and establish the UK as the centre for catalysis expertise.

Likewise, society will benefit from the human and intellectual resource that the Centre will supply. The skills and technologies that will be developed within the Centre will be highly applicable to the fields of sustainable manufacture, efficient and clean energy generation, and the protection of the environment through the clean-up of air and water - allowing some of the biggest societal challenges to be addressed.