Renewable Resource Polymers: Catalyst Design and Materials Development

本项目的重点是设计、合成和催化转化从可再生资源中提取的环酯为有用的、可持续的聚合物材料。将采用跨学科的方法，整合新单体、催化剂和聚合物的化学合成和结构定义，通过协同使用实验和理论方法进行聚合催化的机理研究，以及新的和有用的多嵌段聚合物材料的特性表征。还将采取一种方法，旨在揭示有关金属醇氧化物系统的重要和详细的机械资料。最后，扩大和进一步发展的全可再生和可降解的聚乳酸-聚乙烯-聚乳酸热塑性弹性体将增加新的努力，以开发这些材料的具体应用。通过这个奖项，有机和大分子化学项目支持了明尼苏达大学双城化学系的William Tolman和Marc Hillmyer教授的研究。Tolman教授和Hillmyer教授共同指导的研究工作解决了改变传统化学和材料加工、生产和处置方法的挑战，并通过提供对可再生环酯聚合催化的基本见解，为可持续技术的发展做出了贡献。这项研究的结果将有助于未来工业努力开发新的和有用的聚合物材料，这些材料是环保的，可再生的，可生物降解的。通过跨学科的学生在合成、聚合物化学和催化方面的培训，通过出版物和会议演讲传播研究成果，以及其他旨在告知公众的活动，该研究计划将影响开发可持续技术以造福社会的努力。

This project focuses on the design, synthesis, and catalytic conversion of cyclic esters derived from renewable resources into useful, sustainable polymeric materials. An interdisciplinary approach will be taken that integrates chemical synthesis and structural definition of new monomers, catalysts, and polymers, mechanistic studies of polymerization catalysis via synergistic use of experimental and theoretical methods, and characterization of the properties of new and useful multiblock polymeric materials. An approach aimed at uncovering important and detailed mechanistic information concerning metal alkoxide systems will also be pursued. Finally, expansion and further development of all-renewable and degradable polylactide-polymenthide-polylactide thermoplastic elastomers will be augmented with new efforts to develop these materials for specific applications.With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Professors William Tolman and Marc Hillmyer of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The jointly directed research efforts of Professors Tolman and Hillmyer address the challenge of transforming traditional chemical and materials processing, production, and disposal methods and contribute to sustainable technology development by providing fundamental insights into catalysis of renewable cyclic ester polymerizations. The findings from this research will be useful to future industrial efforts to develop new and useful polymeric materials that are environmentally friendly, renewable, and biodegradable. Through interdisciplinary student training in synthesis, polymer chemistry, and catalysis, dissemination of research findings through publications and lectures at conferences, and other activities aimed at informing the public, the research program will impact efforts to develop sustainable technologies for the benefit of society.